Implementing psychosocial support for cancer survivors

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcia Grant ◽  
Denice Economou
2014 ◽  
Vol 135 (11) ◽  
pp. 2668-2677 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johanna Christine Bultmann ◽  
Volker Beierlein ◽  
Georg Romer ◽  
Birgit Möller ◽  
Uwe Koch ◽  
...  

2018 ◽  
Vol 36 (7_suppl) ◽  
pp. 46-46
Author(s):  
Purna Arun Kurkure ◽  
Vandana Salil Dhamankar ◽  
Shreya Joshi ◽  
Shekhar Jha ◽  
Sheila Nair ◽  
...  

46 Background: Ugam is a support group of childhood cancer survivors from After Completion of Treatment (ACT) clinic at Tata Memorial Hospital (TMH), functioning under umbrella of Indian Cancer Society (ICS), not for profit organisation. Ugam’s mission is empowerment of survivors and advocacy. ACT-Ugam has provided role model for holistic care to cancer survivors.Project PICASSO (Partnership in Cancer Survivorship Optimization) is developed by ICS to promote & facilitate paediatric cancer unit (PCU) based ACT clinic & provide psychosocial support for holistic care of cancer survivors across the country. Methods: A survey was conducted for identifying the survivorship practices in pediatric cancer units (PCU) in Mumbai based hospitals to identify the partners who will setup PCU based ACT clinic. ICS will provide professional and technical assistance to ACT Clinic survivors to enable them to live a productive life. This will include identifying survivor’s need, psycho social counseling, career counseling / aptitude tests, registering them as Ugam members, funding for education if required, soft skills development programme for job readiness, facilitating job placements, survivorship care plan & information material. Ugam database was reviewed for its experience in the field so far to extrapolate the services to partner institutes under PICASSO. Results: Project PICASSO was launched by ICS in May 2016. Among five Mumbai based PCUs who participated in survey, only one (TMH) has organized survivorship program. Communication is ongoing for launch of the project with other units. Total Ugam members- 280 ( 2009 to date), male:female 195:85. Career guidance and aptitude testing provided to > 50 survivors, job placements 9, educational & vocational scholarships through ICS and by referring to other sources > 100. International scholarships to present at conferences: 5. Conclusions: Existing model of Ugam is marching towards fulfillment of its mission of empowerment and advocacy. Expansion of Ugam activities to include more survivors from other partnering units will lead to development of a national care model for cancer survivors.


2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement 2) ◽  
pp. 178s-178s
Author(s):  
S. Nyagabona ◽  
F. Rubagumya ◽  
A. Longombe ◽  
A. Manirakiza ◽  
T. Maniragaba ◽  
...  

Background and context: Breast cancer is a common type of cancer among women worldwide, with about 2 million new cases diagnosed in the yearly. It is the second common cancer and leading cause of cancer mortality among women in Tanzania, after cervical cancer. More than 70% of breast cancer patients in developed countries are diagnosed at early stages, whereas in low and middle-income countries, only 20%–60% of patients are diagnosed early. Physician in developed countries consults on average 15-20 breast cancer patients daily, while in developing countries the number triples. This high load does not allow a treating physician to spend ample time with patients explaining hence leaving patients not informed about their diagnosis, side effects of treatments and even living with the physical, emotional and psychological challenges of their disease. Residents at the Ocean Road Cancer Institute (ORCI), initiated a patient support group targeting breast cancer patients for feasibility. Aim: Provide forum for patients with same diagnosis to share common challenges Provide peer emotional, psychosocial support and cancer education Organize activities that will help to spread awareness to the community Initiate projects to improve socioeconomic status of breast cancer survivors in Tanzania Strategy/Tactics: Involved the ORCI administration from the beginning Involved the academic and research unit of ORCI Residents prepared session curriculum and teaching materials Sessions took place once a month Sessions were two hours long divided into three components, where the first is introduction of participants, then survivors led discussions or lectures prepared by an expert in the topic and lastly closing remarks by a physician Breakfast was provided Program/Policy process: Open membership for all breast cancer patients Physician lead face to face peer discussions Institutional acknowledgment of the support group Provision of primary registry of patients for follow-up Provision of a link to other social organizations Outcomes: Increase knowledge of cancer in general and breast cancer in particular A total of seven sessions were held to date For each session, participation ranged from 30-50 breast cancer survivors, and on average attendance was 4 sessions out of 7 Topics covered over a period of seven months included Coping with a cancer diagnosis and treatment Living with cancer and its changes to daily life Exercise Nutrition Breast cancer general knowledge Collaboration with other stake holders including IST secondary school students who initiated breast prosthesis knitting club What was learned: A need to reach out and give psycho-social support to ORCI patients Through education we can improve treatment adherence Possible partners are available if we reach out Exist a need to address misconceptions in the community so as to avoid stigma to patients.


2008 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 9-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine A. Marshall

Cancer survivorship calls for vocational rehabilitation to be available to individuals and also for services to be available to family members. This paper reviews the role of the family in a cancer-related system. Using autoethnography to explore family relationships and cancer within one culture, the author demonstrates the inter-generational support that has been identified as a part of Appalachian life. Rehabilitation counselors can expect to see more cancer survivors on their case loads as more individuals survive cancer and as more attention is placed on rehabilitation services that may be of assistance to cancer survivors and their families. Given the need for psychosocial support during cancer intervention, rehabilitation counselors should consider working with the family to bolster a cancer survivor's rehabilitation plan.


2011 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 26
Author(s):  
Leigh K. Murray ◽  
Elizabeth Roth ◽  
Diane Galvin ◽  
Mary Fisher-Bornstein ◽  
Ellen Heyman ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hyun Jeong Lee ◽  
Young Ae Kim ◽  
Seong Yeob Ryu ◽  
Mison Chun ◽  
Chang-Yeol Yim ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: To investigate the characteristics of cancer survivors and the effects of the services of the Korean Cancer Survivorship Center Pilot Project launched by the South Korean government on distress.Methods: A prospective observational cohort study was performed in cancer survivors who completed primary treatment. Cancer survivors’ distress and symptoms such as fatigue, pain, depressive mood, anxiety, and insomnia were evaluated by well-trained nurses. Regarding to their needs, medical and psychosocial support services were provided. Results: This study included 1,921 cancer survivors, with a mean age of 57.3 years (68.7% females). The breast cancer was most common, followed by stomach and colorectal cancer. Psychosocial and medical support decreased the percentage of the high-distress group from 50.9% to 30.5% and decreased the percentage of cancer survivors with high scores in fatigue, pain, anxiety, depressive mood, and insomnia. The independent predictors of a low distress level after the use of the services were older age, the relief of fatigue, pain, and insomnia.Conclusions: This study showed that psychosocial and medical support is associated with the lower distress and physical and mental symptoms of cancer survivors. Psychosocial and medical support could contribute to distress relief in cancer survivors. Further management strategies for fatigue, pain, and insomnia are required.


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