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Zarek Mena, OPN-CG

Financial Patient Navigator, SHARE Cancer Support

Zarek Mena

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Zarek Mena, OPN-CG, is the Financial Patient Navigator at SHARE Cancer Support, a national organization that offers free online and in-person programs, helplines, and support groups for women and families affected by women's cancers. In addition to being a certified patient navigator, she also an outreach educator and community activist.

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A caregiver at heart, Zarek focuses on providing resources, improving outcomes, and removing barriers to care for patients. She was instrumental in the creation, program implementation and accreditation of the breast center at Norwalk Hospital Nuvance Health, including its numerous support programs.

Zarek values the importance of mentorship, connection, and networking to propel the field on patient navigation forward. She has led local and national speaking engagements bringing her shared life and career experience to improve programs and address health equity for the cancer community. Zarek’s ongoing commitment to grow the field of patient navigation and sharing her knowledge base has included the co-creation of Patient Navigation Advisors.

Zarek’s passion in serving the under-represented and historically excluded communities has led to addressing various needs such as food insecurity, cold capping, grant funding, screening and prevention, integrative medicine, as well as financial toxicity. Her experience as a stage 4 colon cancer survivor, caregiver and knowledgeable professional provides first-hand representation in the field of patient navigation.

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Experience & accolades

Expertise

  • Financial patient navigation
  • Community outreach

Education

  • American Cancer Society
    • Leadership in Oncology Navigation (ACS LION)
  • Triage Cancer
    • Insurance & Financial Intensive
  • ACADEMY OF ONCOLOGY NURSE NAVIGATORS
    • OPN-CGOPN-CG
  • GW Cancer Center
    • Together-Equitable-Accessible-Meaningful (TEAM) Training
  • Association of Cancer Care Centers
    • Financial Advocacy Bootcamp
  • GW Cancer Center
    • The Oncology Patient Navigation Training

Experience

  • SHARE Cancer Support (2024-Present)
    • Financial Patient Navigator
  • Nuvance Health (2006-2024)
    • OPN-CG, Certified Patient Navigator, Breast Program Manager
  • Norwalk Hospital (2006-2019)
    • Program Coordinator
  • Connecticut Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (2006-2012)
    • Community Outreach Coordinator

Professional memberships & board positions

  • The Academy of Oncology Nurse & Patient Navigators(AONN+), Leadership Committee
    • Connecticut Patient Navigation Network (CTPNN), Facilitator
    • Oncology Patient Navigator-Virtual Network (OPN-VN)
    • Financial Patient Navigation-Virtual Network.
  • American Cancer Society National Navigation Roundtable (ACS NNRT), Steering Committee
  • Living Beyond Breast Cancer, Medical Advisory Board