Cancer survivorship starts at the time of disease diagnosis and continues throughout the rest of the patient’s life. Many survivors experience physical, emotional and day-to-day challenges after cancer treatment is done making survivorship a life-long journey. As a result, the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center launched a new educational video series entitled, Get Empowered: Life, Living, and Follow-Up Care After Childhood Cancer, aimed at supporting childhood cancer survivors with life after treatment. Get Empowered features videos with seven childhood cancer survivors and five healthcare professionals discussing issues that survivors face once their treatment ends. Topics in the videos are comprehensive and cover subjects such as compromised fertility as a result of cancer treatment.
The five educational videos available for viewing are as follows:
Introduction to Childhood Cancer and it’s Impact on Adult Survivors, with Aarati Didwania, MD, Medical Director and *STAR Program Coordinator, Karen Kinahan, RN, APN, Clinical Nurse Specialist and STAR Program Coordinator, and Lynne Wagner, PhD, Clinical Health Psychologist.
Transitioning to Adult Health Care with Karen Kinahan, RN, APN, Clinical Nurse Specialist and STAR Program Coordinator
Cardiac Risk Factors, Prevention, and Late Effects with Vera Rigolin, MD, Cardiologist
Fertility with Kristin Smith, Oncofertility Patient Navigator
Finding a “New Normal” and the Emotional Side of Survivorship with Lynne Wagner, PhD, Clinical Health Psychologist
The goal of the video series is to:
- Enhance awareness of long term follow-up care recommended for adult survivors of childhood cancer
- Learn from other survivors’ experiences with long term follow-up care
- Help survivors anticipate and manage common medical and psychosocial issues that may arise after treatment
- Share resources available to help survivors take an active role in their long term follow-up care plan
- Empower current childhood cancer patients and long term survivors to embrace life as a survivor and take control of their medical and psychosocial care
Once cancer treatment ends, a new chapter in life begins. Knowing how to plan for and get the best possible post-treatment follow-up care can significantly impact your quality of life. For more information about the Get Empowered video series or the STAR Program, please contact Karen Kinahan at 312.695.4979.
*The STAR Program (Survivors Taking Action & Responsibility) is a comprehensive long-term follow-up program for adult survivors of pediatric cancer. The STAR Program follows survivors through adulthood focusing on their special medical and psychological needs.