Michele Rakoff
Director of Program Development
A patient advocate for more than 18 years, Michele Rakoff joined Breastlink Medical Group, Inc. in 2006 as the Director of Program Development. She believes that the woman is at the center of care and it often takes a balancing act to make sure that every patient receives individualized care. When a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer, is being treated for her disease, or has completed treatment and is now living as a survivor, there are many elements involved in her well-being. She must be viewed as the whole woman and Breastlink continues to develop programs to meet the needs of each woman at every stage of her journey.
Michele has taken advocacy into action. In an effort to impact breast cancer research and the delivery of and access to quality health care, Michele took an advocate seat on the California Breast Cancer Research Program’s Advisory Council and was the recipient of a community research collaborative grant after she served her term. She participated as a peer-reviewer for the Department of Defense Breast Cancer Research Program and attends the annual San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium with other patient advocates. Currently, Michele holds an advocate seat on the California Cancer Registry’s Teacher’s Study, Scientific Task Force. Because legislation has an impact on patients and health care, Michele travels to Sacramento and Washington DC to represent the patient’s voice.
Before coming to Breastlink, Michele created and administered the Breast Friends program, a peer support mentoring program for newly diagnosed breast cancer patients, at Long Beach Memorial Breast Center. Michele believes that Breastlink’s vision of delivering Optimal Care and the importance of providing programs for each patient’s needs is very unique and the only way to deliver quality health care.
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