Masthead

Recently in Survivorship Category

Health Care Debate Should Include Cancer Survivors' Voices

By Fran Zandstra on October 22, 2009 12:13 PM | Comments (1) | Trackbacks (0)
You would have to be living on a deserted island these days not to hear about health care reform. Reforming the American health care system was a key aspect of President Obama's domestic agenda and Congress is moving this initiative forward.

 But advocacy and industry groups, the public and elected officials, and even policy wonks have been talking about the need to make reforms to our nation's health care system for years. While one group's interest may be slightly different than the next, all are voicing their opinions on what's working and what's not working. One voice that needs to be heard is that of cancer survivors.

So as health care discussions continue this fall, be sure to let your family and friends know your perspective about what's important. Attend any health reform town hall sessions scheduled in your area and voice your opinion. Talk with or write to your elected officials and let them know to consider cancer survivors' needs as they set about reforming the system.

This is the story of one cancer survivor's effort to ensure her voice was heard. http://www.allbusiness.com/government/elections-politics-politics-political-parties/13000980-1.html

At a loss of what to say? Most of the time, our elected officials just need to hear our stories. But if you want to say more than that, an advocacy group for cancer survivors, the National Coalition for Cancer Survivors, has posted Lance Armstrong foundation posted its cancer policy platform. Also read the National Conference of State Legislatures Cancer Survivorship: State Policy Issues

Head Chatter Management: A Cancer Survivor Must

By Bill Baun on September 14, 2009 12:00 PM | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)
Flash back three years to a urology examination room where my wife and I are sitting and my physician has just told us that I have a very aggressive prostate cancer. My wife immediately starts bawling, not crying, but bawling. I'm still not sure what he said after that. What I remember is taking my wife home and trying my best to calm her down. At some point, she fell asleep and I took a long walk outside and finally began to process the news.  

Most of us, at an intellectual level, understand that stress is our reaction to the external environment. We decide, based on many different things, how we react. My wife's parents are alive, while I was raised in a family in which my mother died of cancer when I was just starting college and my dad died of prostate cancer in his late 70s. When I look back at that day in the exam room, I realize that I'd been preparing for the diagnosis all my life.

During my long walk I immediately became angry and then felt a grief I had not felt for a long time. But at some point on that very gray day, my body-mind connection linked up with my spirit -- a spirit forged by my parents' DNA and my life experience with them.

In his book, "Achieving the Mind-Body-Spirit Connection," Luke Seward, Ph.D., suggests that it's the spirit that allows us to find the calming space we all seek. Without the connection to spirit, the body-mind connection acts like a teenager who's always self-absorbed. Immediately, I realized my life path had changed but it was mine, and like my parents I needed to find the strength to live it "well."  

You can't experience that calm space unless you find a way to shut off the head chatter or self-talk that continually runs through our minds. Most of what we say to ourselves we would never say to anyone else. It can be fear-based or at times it's what gives us the necessary motivation to take a step forward.  

How do you quiet it or at least turn the volume down? Or turn it into a positive guide?  

•    Exercise
Maybe it's a walk or a regular exercise routine that helps you focus and turn your self-talk into a positive guide. 

•    Reading
Many read what I call the "little books," like Joan Lunden's "Wake-Up Calls" or Greg Anderson's "Cancer: 50 Essential Things to Do." These books help turn our negative self-talk into positive guides. 

•    Music
I have good friends who find it helpful to listen to slow jazz, classical music or good old church hymns. 

•    Mediation/Prayer
Early morning and evening prayers are a form of meditation. If you add some short prayer/meditation sessions to your days, you'll immediately notice a change in the volume and guidance of your head chatter. The Patient/Family Library at M. D. Anderson has many books that can help you set up a regular daily meditation practice.  

It doesn't matter if you're newly diagnosed, in treatment or now call yourself a cancer survivor. Managing your head chatter is critical to a "well" life.

Living With, Through and Beyond Cancer

By Cancerwise Blogger on August 14, 2009 11:41 AM | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)
mkd_cancerwise.jpgBy Mary Brolley, Staff Writer
Nearly 10 years after her diagnosis with breast cancer, Mary Kay Dauria vividly remembers her 7-year-old daughter's reactions to her illness. When friends or acquaintances saw Dauria after the diagnosis, they'd hug her, sometimes crying, and say, "I am so sorry."

"My daughter was watching all that, and she got very worried," Dauria recalls. "She asked me, 'Mommy, are you going to die?'"

"So I began to tell those who expressed condolences, 'Don't take me off your Christmas card list. I'm not going anywhere,'" she laughs.

And, just like every year since her diagnosis, Dauria will attend Anderson Network's Living With, Through and Beyond Cancer patient and caregiver conference Sept. 10-12 at the Houston Marriott Westchase.

A member of and volunteer for Anderson Network, Dauria chaired the conference in 2008. After a 25-year corporate career, she now works with nonprofits managing fundraising events and other projects.

This year's conference theme, "The Strength Within," acknowledges the inner resources and grace cancer patients and survivors like Dauria find essential for their journey and recovery. It also offers participants the opportunity to learn more about the issues cancer survivors face, meet and share with others, take wellness classes and have fun.

Speakers include NBC co-anchor and breast cancer survivor Hoda Kotb, M. D. Anderson clinical professor and cancer survivor Martin Raber, M.D., and humorist Charles Petty, Ph.D. The popular medical panel on Saturday morning will be led by M. D. Anderson President John Mendelsohn, M.D.

The conference is open to all cancer patients, their families and caregivers, regardless of where treatment has been received.

A sampling of the nearly two dozen conference breakout sessions includes:

  • Navigating the world of health insurance
  • Dermatology issues
  • Fear of recurrence
  • Young adult survivors
  • Proton therapy
  • Caregiver issues
As always, a number of complementary and integrative modalities are offered by Place ... of wellness: tai chi, qigong, music therapy, aromatherapy, journaling and safe massage techniques.

And_NtwrkJoinUs.jpgThanks to M. D. Anderson, conference sponsors and individual donors, the cost of the conference is just $75, which includes all meals, activities and self-parking.
Registration is available online until Sept. 4.

For more information or to register, visit the Web site at www.mdanderson.org/patientconference or call 713-792-2553 (Houston) or 800-345-6324 (toll-free).

Anderson Network, an organization with support and educational services for patients/survivors, their families and caregivers, is a program of the Department of Volunteer Services.

Controlling the Fear of Cancer Recurrence

By Fran Zandstra on July 22, 2009 5:17 PM | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)
Cancer survivors know that the effects of the disease and its treatments aren't merely physical. While each person is unique, many cancer survivors share some common concerns.

One of the most basic is the fear that the cancer will recur. It's important to remember that while you can't control whether cancer recurs, you can control how much you let the fear of recurrence impact your life.

A first step in coping with fear is to try not to feel guilty or ignore feelings in hopes that they'll go away. Instead, there are certain things you can do to help cope with this fear:

• Talking often reduces fears and anxieties. Talk with your health care team or friends, or join a support group.

• Try writing down your thoughts and feelings in a journal.

•  Try other complementary modalities like yoga, music therapy, tai chi, guided imagery, reflexology and massage. There are reputable centers all across the country that offer classes in these disciplines.

M. D. Anderson Resources

M. D. Anderson's Place ... of wellness provides a service where persons touched by cancer may enhance their quality of life through programs that focus on the mind, body and spirit. It offers more than 75 complementary therapy programs, most are free of charge.

Place ... of wellness is open to anyone touched by cancer, their family members and caregivers, whether or not they were treated at M. D. Anderson. No physician referral is required. For more information, call 713-794-4700


Other Resources
Yoga Bear Blog 
Integrative Therapies at Dana Farber
Integrative Therapy Classes at Sloan Kettering
Integrative Services at Cleveland Clinic

Survivorship Information Moves Online

By Cancerwise Blogger on July 2, 2009 11:51 AM | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)
By Mary Brolley, Staff Writer

A cancer diagnosis may feel like a one-way ticket to a strange country. No passport, no map, no directions. And, at first, patients don't even speak the language.

Once treatment is complete, survivors may feel relieved, but they frequently are drained and uncertain as well. They may have questions about what's next, and it's likely they are more determined than ever to be conscious of their health and emotional state.

To help them -- and their caregivers -- navigate the physical, emotional and practical challenges of life after cancer treatment, the Patient Education Office at M. D. Anderson has developed a comprehensive booklet that's now available online.

Survivorship_bookletAccess roadmap for survival

"Survivorship: Living With, Through and Beyond Cancer," offers an overview of life after a cancer diagnosis and treatment. Whether patients have questions about how to keep themselves as healthy as possible, want to know how to deal with treatment side effects or how best to weather the financial strains cancer treatment may bring, this information points them in the right direction.

A list of survivorship resources helps patients find answers to questions or concerns about the physical, psychosocial, emotional or spiritual impacts of a cancer diagnosis and treatment. This section also indicates whether patients need referrals to seek these services.

"Because survivors may be overwhelmed with options and questions, we wanted to make it easier for them to find the information and resources they need," says Julie Bradford, program manager for communications in the Patient Education Office.

Online content expands audience

Although this booklet is available at M. D. Anderson, Bradford says making it available online ensures that patients everywhere have access to it.

"The Internet has broadened survivors' research options -- and our reach -- incredibly," she says. "We're so happy this information is accessible to people all over the world."

 Download and print the survivorship booklet. (PDF)

M. D. Anderson resources:

Cancer Survivorship

Patient Education Office

Other resources:

Living With and Beyond Cancer (U.S.News and World Report)

Survivors After Treatment (American Cancer Society)

The Cancer Survival Toolbox (National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship)


Read more Feature Stories from Cancerwise

Passport Plan for Health -- It's Good Preventive Medicine

By Fran Zandstra on June 17, 2009 12:37 PM | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)
Thanks to early detection and improved treatments, millions of American's are surviving cancer. Why is this important? As many survivors have learned, recovery isn't always end of cancer experience. the transition from active treatment surveillance survivorship care is critical their ability to live longer,stronger and healthier lives.

If care isn't planned and coordinated, cancer survivors and their community physicians may not know enough about heightened risks for second cancers, potential late effects of cancer treatment or the long-term plan of follow-up care.

For genitourinary cancers, we've developed unique survivorship services to address their needs. A component of this care includes development of a comprehensive care summary. The "Passport Plan for Health" is an electronic tool, provided through myMDAnderson to the patients and health care providers, that summarizes an individual's:

•    Cancer diagnosis and treatments received
•    Cancer screening recommendations
•    Ways to reduce risks for other cancers
•    Potential late effects of treatment and how to monitor for them
•    Preventive care recommendations
•    Patient concerns
•    Recommended referrals to community providers

The passport communicates the necessary follow-up regimen and timing -- including potential late effects of treatment, how to identify them and what to do about them -- and explains which provider is responsible for what care. It also can be helpful in explaining the survivor's personal situation when visiting new physicians or other health care professionals.

The "Passport Plan for Health" is good preventive medicine.

Searching for Cancer Survivorship Information Online

By Lora Shea on June 1, 2009 11:45 AM | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)
Whether you're looking for information or support, Monica Taras, librarian in The Learning Center, recommends three sites to begin your search for online cancer survivorship resources.
 


Visit The Learning Center to find out more about free resources on health, cancer and cancer prevention.

Download the Cancer Survivorship Pathfinder, a reference sheet listing available print, video and online resources.

Visit Focused on Health for more information.

What online resources have you found to be helpful?
 

Survivorship: a distinct phase of cancer care

By Fran Zandstra on April 29, 2009 4:19 AM | Comments (1) | Trackbacks (0)
Thanks to public awareness, earlier detection and improved cancer treatments, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) reports that nearly 12 million cancer survivors are living in the United States today. This number is estimated to increase to 19 million by the year 2020 as baby boomers enter their cancer-prone years.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the NCI, 64% of adults diagnosed with cancer today can expect to be alive in five years. For children, survival rates range between 70% and 92%, depending on the type of cancer.

Who are cancer survivors? A cancer survivor is commonly defined as anyone who has been diagnosed with cancer, from the time of diagnosis and treatment through the remaining years of life. The definition has been expanded to include people who have been affected by the diagnosis, such as family members and caregivers.

Within this definition are stages or phases of survivorship:

  • Living with cancer refers to the experience of receiving a cancer diagnosis and any treatment that may follow
  • Living through cancer is the period following treatment in which the risk of cancer recurring is relatively high
  • Living beyond cancer refers to post-treatment and long-term survivorship

Why is this important? As many survivors have learned, recovery is not always the end of the cancer experience. Even years after successful treatment, cancer recurrence is a possibility. Cancer therapies can leave health issues that require lifelong surveillance. Finally, recovering from the emotional, social, and economical trauma of cancer can take longer than recuperating from treatment.

To address the needs of our survivors, M. D. Anderson is developing survivorship as a distinct phase of cancer care. Providing the framework for the survivorship effort is our multidisciplinary, patient-centered care model, in which every patient benefits from a diverse team of cancer specialists participating in cancer treatment planning. We're using this platform for cancer care to lead, develop and implement an integrated, multidisciplinary survivorship program, easing the transition from illness to wellness.

As a cancer survivor, what are your biggest concerns or questions? Please take a few minutes to post your comments and I'll do my best to address them.

New Booklet Answers Questions About Sex and Cancer

By Cancerwise Blogger on April 22, 2009 2:09 PM | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)
By Mary Brolley, Staff Writer
A new booklet from the Patient Education Office at M. D. Anderson answers some of the questions patients have about sexuality and how cancer affects it.

In straightforward language, Sexuality and Cancer acknowledges sex is an issue when patients are facing a health crisis.

Targeted to patients and their partners, topics include treatment effects, emotional effects, fertility issues, relationships and resources within and beyond M. D. Anderson.

schover_0509.jpgConcerns are common

"Half of cancer survivors have sexual problems," says Leslie Schover, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Behavioral Science. "This booklet lets them know it's legitimate for them to have -- and to ask -- questions about how cancer or treatment might affect sexual function."

Survivors of four of the most common types of cancer may well find their sex lives are affected by cancer or its treatment.

"Treatment for prostate, breast, colorectal and gynecological cancers is likely to have an effect on sexual function, body image or fertility," Schover says.

Go ahead and ask

Many patients are reluctant to raise the subject when making treatment decisions. It's often an issue of time.

"Physicians are busy, and appointments go quickly," she says. "We want patients to know that these are legitimate questions to ask."

Schover is a national expert on the impact of cancer treatment on sexual function and relationships, fertility and attitudes to childbearing. She has developed an interactive educational CD-ROM, "Banking on Fatherhood," to make physicians and patients aware of the option to bank sperm in advance of cancer treatment.

"There's a narrow window of time for young patients to consider their fertility options," she says.

Research and progress continue

Schover has written extensively on the subject for the American Cancer Society and in several books.

With funding from the ACS and additional pilot funding from the M. D. Anderson Prostate Cancer Research Program, she has developed a Web-based intervention to improve sexual rehabilitation after treatment for localized prostate cancer.

Read more Feature Stories from Cancerwise


M. D. Anderson Resources:

Q&A: Sexual Relationships and Cancer
Audio Podcast - Sexuality and the Cancer Patient


« Support | Main Index | Archives | Wellness »

Search

Subscribe

Categories

Links

Blogroll

Authors (bios)

Recent Entries

Policies and Guidelines

Sign In

Tag Cloud