Oncology Navigation Team

The Oncology Navigation Team at John Stoddard Cancer Center, a service of UnityPoint Health - Des Moines, is staffed by four oncology certified nurses and one oncology certified social worker, who have an understanding both of the technical aspects of cancer and the emotional aspects of the journey. Together with members of the multidisciplinary care team, the oncology navigation team helps bridge and connect patients and their families with resources within the cancer center, at UnityPoint Health - Des Moines and in the community as a whole. Their goal is to educate and support patients and families throughout the cancer journey.

Additional Services Provided

• Facilitating the Stoddard Survivorship Program
• Facilitating a multidisciplinary team of cancer physicians, nurses, dieticians, counselors and social workers
• Raising public awareness about cancer
• Facilitating cancer education classes

The Oncology Navigation Team is available to all patients of John Stoddard Cancer Center and is available at no cost to the patient. It is funded through private donations and represents Stoddard's commitment to providing comprehensive care to its patients. In addition to providing services relating to treatment, the group also places an emphasis on planning for life after treatment, including self-care, nutrition, fitness and emotional matters.

Meet Our Oncology Navigation Team

Ann Benetti, RN, CHPN, OCN

Ann has been a part of the Oncology Navigation Team since September 2014. As a nurse with more than 30 years of experience within the fields of oncology, hematology, hospice and palliative care, she understands all aspects of the cancer journey for the patients, families and caregivers and how to help them through their journey. Ann specializes in helping pancreatic, liver, and breast cancer patients and families. In addition, she facilitates the multidisciplinary Liver Conference and Life Beyond Breast Cancer Support Group. 

Ann is focused on walking alongside patients and families, helping them through their cancer journey by answer questions, providing support, and connecting them to resources within the Cancer Center and throughout the community. At the same time, she looks ahead a few steps to identify what is coming up next in the journey to determine how to meet their needs. Most importantly, Ann provides education, hope and encouragement to patients and loved ones so they can have the best quality of life possible while going through treatment. As Ann says, "I believe the best care a cancer patient can receive is a multidisciplinary approach and this takes coordination to assure that the best outcomes are being met.".

Jenny Cataldo, RN, BSN, OCN

Jenny has been a nurse navigator since February 2012 and came to us with over 15 years of experience as a nurse on the Stoddard Adult Oncology Inpatient Unit. Jenny specializes in the care of colorectal cancer and esophageal cancer patients. She also facilitates the colon cancer multidisciplinary team conference and the Colorectal Cancer Support Group. 

"I am very honored to be a part of our oncology navigation team," says Jenny. "I get the opportunity to be with the patients and their families through diagnosis, treatment, and beyond to offer support, education, and always a listening ear. I am grateful to be a part of their journey, and assist them in any way I can." 

Jenny facilitates a multidisciplinary colorectal cancer conference twice a month with Dr. Robert Behrens, Medical Oncologist. The purpose of this conference is to discuss the best treatment plan for Stoddard colorectal cancer patients. The multidisciplinary team includes physicians, social workers, nurses, a psychologist, and a dietician. The goal of this multidisciplinary team is to provide a higher standard of care for Stoddard patients.

Angela Dotson, RN, OCN

Angela joined the Stoddard team in July of 2016. Prior to coming to Stoddard, she was an inpatient nurse on the Powell 3 Adult Oncology Unit at Iowa Methodist Medical Center for 6 years. She also worked as a medical-surgical nurse at Lutheran 3East for 2 years and before that was a medical-surgical nurse in Ottumwa, IA. Angela facilitates the Gynecologic Cancer Support Group and the UsTOO Prostate Cancer Support Group. As an Oncology Nurse Navigator, Angela specializes in the care of gynecologic, genitourinary and lung cancers. 

Angela realized she wanted to work with Oncology Patients at a young age when her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. She took the role as a caregiver to her mother. Unfortunately, her mother is no longer with her, but her spirit helps her provide the best care possible to her patients.

Pamela Banning, LISW, APHSW-C

As an Oncology Social Worker, Pamela supports patients and the people important to them around practical, social and emotional issues related to a cancer diagnosis. Pamela joined the John Stoddard team in August of 2022. Prior to coming to Stoddard, she was a palliative care social worker with the John Muir Health in Concord, California. She is a Licensed Independent Social Worker (LISW) and graduated with a master's degree from the Brown School of Social Work at Washington University in St. Louis. She has been working as a social worker in health care settings since 2011.

Pamela has additional certification in Advance Palliative and Hospice Social Work (APHSW-C). The intent in palliative care is to improve quality of life for patients living with a serious illness, such as cancer. She facilitates the Caregiver Support Group and the Lung Cancer Support Group. She also participates in the Prehabilitation Clinic which addresses the nutritional, physical and psychosocial needs and provides education to help prepare patients for surgery as they go through their chemo and/or radiation therapy.

Jenn Witt, RN, MSN, OCN, CBCN

Jen joined the Stoddard team in July of 2009. Prior to coming to Stoddard, she was a physician-nurse with Medical Oncology and Hematology Associates in Des Moines. She has also worked as an oncology nurse on Stoddard Adult Oncology Inpatient Unit and at St. Luke's in Cedar Rapids. At Stoddard, Jen specializes in the care of breast cancer and head and neck cancer patients. She leads the Survivorship Program and facilitates the Oral, Head and Neck Cancer support group as well as the Life Beyond Breast Cancer support group. 

Jen's main role is to help provide quality care and support for the cancer patient and their loved ones. This includes developing and overseeing the care patients receive from diagnosis to treatment and beyond. She assesses the patient's needs and informs them of the many multidisciplinary team members available to support them during their cancer journey. The patient and their loved ones receive enhanced teaching of treatment options and procedures. The Oncology Navigation Team lends emotional support and encouragement, helping the patient to have hope.