Cancer Patient Care, a longtime nonprofit here that provides nonmedical assistance to cancer patients, says it has appointed Melissa Halverson as its new executive director.

Halverson succeeds Adam Nebeker, who left to pursue a master's degree.

Halverson has been a staff member at Cancer Patient Care since January of 2010, serving most recently as development director, and has a long history of commitment to the organization, the nonprofit said in a press release.

During the time she's been on the Cancer Patient Care staff, Halverson has increased fundraising event revenue significantly and has raised the community profile of the organization through targeted branding and marketing campaigns, the release said.

Her community relations expertise and her passion for Cancer Patient Care's mission will be a driving force in elevating the nonprofit and will better enable the organization to fulfill its mission of assisting people here who are fighting cancer, said Dr. Arvind Chaudhry, president of its board of directors.

Cancer Patient Care, located at 1507 E. Sprague, employs five people and receives support from close to 400 community volunteers who help put on events that benefit the nonprofit. It serves between 200 and 300 clients a month, providing services at no charge to qualified clients, across a service area that encompasses 10 Eastern Washington counties and seven North Idaho counties.

It's supported largely by donations and by proceeds from special fundraising events. It was created more than 50 years ago to assist cancer patients and their families with the everyday challenges that come with a diagnosis of cancer.