1. After Treatment:
Now What?
Ali Schaffer, LCSW

2. “Walking out of the oncology clinic, after the last check up, I felt a mix of emotions…happy to be done, scared that it might come back, unsure about what to do next and confused about what it all means.” year old female breast cancer survivor
“After treatment, our doctor said to us, “You’re done.” And I wondered, where do we go from here?” -Caregiver of a breast cancer survivor

3. Feeling lost?

4. “It takes a while to turn the bus around.”

5. Truth #1 “The end of your cancer treatment is NOT the end of
your cancer experience.”

6. The Institute of Medicine recognized the
importance of providing long-term, comprehensive care to all cancer
survivors and acknowledged gaps and shortcomings in current
survivorship care.
In November 2005, they released a report From Cancer
Patient to Cancer Survivor: Lost in Transition to
recommend best practices and “to ensure the best
possible outcomes for all cancer survivors.”

7. Cancer Practical issues of cancer survivorship
Education
Healthcare
Secondary health risks
Financial
Cancer
Access to resources
Coping with Late effects
Insurance
Employment
Practical issues of cancer survivorship

8. of cancer survivorship Coping with late effects
Emotional issues
of cancer survivorship
Mental Health
Dating/
relationships
Identity
Sexual
Health of offspring
Fertility
Cancer
Self-esteem
Coping with late effects
Body image
Family
relationships
Spiritual
Social
Healthy behaviors

9. Emotional Issues of Survivorship
Impact of treatment and survivorship on mental health
Integrating cancer and the impact of cancer into life
Changes in family dynamics and personal relationships
Re-establishing personal roles
Coping with treatment related effects
Psychological adjustment
“Who am I?”
Fear of recurrence
Changes in sexual health and intimacy
Monitoring health and well-being
Financial, employment, and insurance related distress

10. The Emotional Tsunami

11. Survivor’s Guilt
I’m Not Really
A Survivor Because…

12. Truth #2
“Recovery from a cancer diagnosis and resulting treatment can often take longer than you expect, plan for, or are comfortable with.”

13. Manage Expectations
It is important to think about your expectations of
yourself and others as well as their potential expectations of you.

14. Physical abilities/stamina
Emotional responses
Changed by cancer?
Life after cancer
Speed and length of recovery
Short-term and long-term side effects (physical, cognitive)

15. Survivorship is not a straight road.

16. “Sometimes a bad day is just a bad day.”
Setbacks are normal. Healing plateaus and periods of progress and decline are common. Patience and perspective can help during these times. Take time to pause and reflect on where you’ve been and how far you have come.

17. “Everyone went back to their normal lives
“Everyone went back to their normal lives. But I’m still dealing with this cancer.”

18. A Few Myths of Cancer:
“Cancer changes everything.” “I am/my life is going to be so different after cancer.”

19. A Fact about Survivorship
There is no right, or wrong way,
to live as a cancer survivor…
What matters is how you choose to live!

20. Why I’m Not
Climbing A
Mountain
By Tom Sowa
CURE Magazine, Summer 2007

21. Tips to be a successful survivor
Do it YOUR way.
Get organized.
Get information.
Create and maintain your support team.
Address your physical, emotional, sexual, social, financial and spiritual needs.
Periodically:
Re-organize
Re-prioritize
Re-define
Re-commit/Re-invest

22. Healthy Living Strategies
Seek Support
Utilize community resources
Get a good nights’ sleep
Gather the facts
Pamper yourself
Write it down
Talk it out
Meditate
Eat well-balanced meals
Obtain regular physical activity
Learn a new hobby
Maintain comprehensive health care check ups and screenings
Laugh!

23. YOU are the common denominator.
Survivorship requires your active participation as an important member of your healthcare team.
YOU are the common denominator.

24. Remember…
Your survivorship needs
will change over time…
Let them.

25. Who are the people in your neighborhood?

26. “The gifts of cancer.”
There are many positive aspects of survivorship directly related to the practical and emotional issues of surviving cancer.

27. For additional information:
Allison Schaffer, LCSW
Program Coordinator, Patient Family Resource Center
Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center
(615)