Bag It bags are a cancer resource care package built for a friend

When Bag It founder Sherri Romanoski was diagnosed with breast cancer 20 years ago, she found few resources and little information. The former educator spent many hours researching the disease on her own, charting her treatments and collecting critical supplies to get through her journey.

“As Sherri was coming out of her successful treatment, she wanted to do something to give back,” said Mindy Griffith, Bag It executive director and Cancer Center Community Advisory Board member. “She gathered all her information and put it in a bag, kind of like kindergarten packages they would send home for the kids to read for the weekend. That's how it had the name of Bag It.” 

Taking a tangible resource home

Image

“Bag It was founded in 2000 here in Tucson, and it was designed for patients to empower themselves,” Griffith said. “As we know, knowledge is power, and finding information can be really challenging.”

The Bag It kit contains a binder to organize appointments and records and other resources packed in a blue and black canvas bag. 

“When they go in for appointments, they're better prepared and better able to communicate with their doctor and share that information that's always being asked of them,” Griffith said.

Since 2003, Bag It has distributed more than 10,000 Bag It resource bags to patients, caregivers and advocates. Griffith said that surprisingly, Bag It found that people still want printed materials in their hands. Bag It now offers bags with specialized information on a variety of cancers, such as leukemia, lung, prostate, uterine, metastatic breast and others. 

“It helps individuals that might have a literacy challenge or a digital literacy challenge who might not have all the immediate resources to meet their needs,” Griffith said. “Bag It is perfect for those individuals.” 

To meet the needs of Spanish-speaking communities, Bag It recently launched a Spanish bicultural bag that addresses navigating cancer diagnosis, treatment, survivorship and caregiving. 

Bringing Bag It to the Cancer Center

Griffith joined the Cancer Center Community Advisory Board in 2019.

“I wanted to serve on the Cancer Center CAB, because it was a great way to share what's happening in the community, from an organizational perspective, and what I'm hearing from patients and caregivers with the rest of the Cancer Center and make sure that the voices of individuals are being heard,” she said.

Griffith said that partnering with the Cancer Center has been a collaboration. 

“We're constantly trying to get the patient education materials into patient's hands, but finding who those patients are is tricky,” she said. “Working with the Cancer Center, so they can have Bag It resources and share them directly with patients, is super valuable to everyone involved.” 

To order a Bag It bag, visit the Bag It website.