Survivorship Champions
Improving Care for Cancer Survivors
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Improving Care for Cancer Survivors
Survivorship Champions is for all clinicians and researchers, both oncology and primary care, who are interested in improving survivorship care and primary care’s role in caring for cancer survivors.
It’s free to join NCCS Survivorship Champions, and as a member you’ll receive information and resources from NCCS, invitations to webinars, and access to training materials about improving care for cancer survivors.
Learn more and sign up to join Survivorship Champions.
CEO, NCCS
NCCS has an incredible network of advocates, cancer survivors and caregivers, who are passionate about sharing their experiences and advocating for better, more holistic care for cancer survivors. Please enjoy these videos, in which long-term survivors describe their post-treatment needs and challenges in receiving survivorship care.
Sidney Kimmel Medical College
As a medical oncologist, I see my job as taking care of the whole person with cancer, from diagnosis through post-treatment survivorship. In my career, I have seen the gaps in care that cancer patients face, during treatment and as they transition to post-treatment care. As Past President of the American College of Physicians, I know the challenges that primary care physicians face in practice and the desire of primary care physicians to learn more about the needs of cancer survivors. Through Survivorship Champions, we hope to provide support, resources, best practices, and community to clinicians and researchers who are interested in improving survivorship care.
People talk about a “new normal” after cancer, but many cancer survivors say that there is no such thing as a new normal. After a cancer diagnosis, their lives have been changed forever. Fear of recurrence is a significant and often debilitating concern for many cancer survivors. And the effects of cancer treatment are long-lasting. Cancer survivors tell us that they need their care team to take their concerns seriously.
Cancer treatment has long-lasting effects on cancer survivors’ physical health, mental health, and quality of life. Some use the term “collateral damage” to describe the effects of cancer treatment. Some treatments cause infertility, heart damage, neuropathy, and other significant health effects. Cancer survivors tell us that they are not always prepared for the long-term effects, and they wish their primary care team better understood the long-term effects of cancer treatment.
Cancer patients and survivors see multiple different doctors as part of their ongoing medical care, and often the task of coordinating among different clinicians falls on the patient. Many cancer survivors become strong advocates for themselves and share information among their providers, but it can be a huge burden. Communication between the oncology team and primary care physician is critical to ensuring continuity and coordination of care.
A cancer diagnosis takes a huge toll on mental health. Cancer turns one’s world upside down and forces survivors to face their mortality. In NCCS’ 2020 State of Cancer Survivorship Survey, fatigue and mental health issues are among the most common side effects reported by cancer patients and survivors, yet few reported that their health care teams were very helpful in addressing these concerns during treatment, and most reported their doctors did not bring up mental health during post-treatment care.
Cancer survivors are unique patients. They have been through a life-changing experience and cancer treatment not only impacts their health, but also their finances, their family, their careers and their mental health. Cancer survivors often take on the responsibility of managing their treatments and coordinating among multiple providers. As a result, they often know an incredible amount of information about their own health and the health care system. Meeting cancer patients where they are, and listening to their concerns, is critical.
Who should join?
Benefits of Joining
*Please note: Survivorship Champions is an NCCS program to support and engage clinicians and researchers. If you are a survivor or patient advocate interested in becoming involved in advocacy, please join our Cancer Policy & Advocacy Team.
Survivorship Champions is supported by an educational grant from Bristol-Myers Squibb.