Stirring Short Film Showcases Sylvester’s Survivorship Program
Article Summary
- A new film highlights the cancer survivorship and supportive care program at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center.
- The research-based program supports patients after their initial clinical treatment is completed.
- Services include exercise and nutrition counseling, psychosocial and emotional well-being support services, financial guidance, and art, music and massage therapies.
A new short film draws poignant attention to the cancer survivorship and supportive care program at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, part of UHealth — University of Miami Health System.
Featuring breast cancer survivor Donna Scott and her family, the film casts an inspiring light on the comprehensive services available to post-cancer treatment patients at Sylvester.
The film focuses on the importance of research to inform lifestyle and psychosocial issues in cancer care and spotlights family support, exercise, nutrition and counseling as crucial components of a post-cancer care regimen.
The Bigger Cancer Survivorship Picture
Sylvester’s survivorship and supportive care program recently received a five-year, $4 million grant from the National Cancer Institute. It is the first large-scale study to assess primary care survivorship training and care programs in reducing morbidity, mortality and the overall burden of cancer in community health centers.
Frank Penedo, Ph.D., director of cancer survivorship and supportive care and Sylvester DCC Endowed Chair in Cancer Survivorship, is the principal investigator.
“Sylvester is leading the way in developing and implementing innovative and holistic survivorship and supportive care programs that are now being applied in our communities and beyond,” said Dr. Penedo. “This holistic and research-based approach to patient care addresses emotional, physical and lifestyle needs and will improve our survivors’ quality of life and health outcomes.”
After a cancer diagnosis, survivors are often looking to reduce their risk of recurrence and improve cancer-related side effects, explained Tracy Crane, Ph.D., RDN, co-lead of the Cancer Control Program and director of lifestyle medicine, prevention and digital health at Sylvester.
“We know that adopting healthy lifestyle changes, like better nutrition, regular physical activity and stress management, can significantly enhance overall well-being and quality of life during and after treatment,” she said. “Evidence also suggests that lifestyle modifications, such as maintaining a healthy weight, eating a balanced diet and staying active, can reduce the risk of cancer recurrence.”
The Sylvester survivorship film is presented by the Union for International Cancer Control and produced for them by BBC StoryWorks Commercial Productions for Sylvester. UICC is the oldest and largest global membership organization dedicated to finding cancer cures.
The five-minute piece is part of “Rewriting Cancer,” a branded series of 24 short films addressing virtually all aspects of cancer, from research and education to diagnosis, treatment and post-treatment care (Sylvester’s contribution). Shooting took place on five continents, highlighting the global need for enhancing cancer diagnosis and treatment.
The series launched at the World Cancer Congress in Geneva Sept.17. The entire series of films can be viewed at www.rewritingcancer.com. Sylvester’s film is also available on the website.
What is Cancer Survivorship?
Life should be more than just surviving cancer, important as that is. Survivorship is making every day count, being as symptom-free as possible and enjoying the best moments of life to their fullest.
The National Cancer Institute says that survivorship begins on the day of diagnosis. This includes thinking about the post-treatment consequences of the care patients receive.
“In the last few years, there has been a shift in lifestyle medicine research in oncology from improving health behaviors after treatment is complete to utilizing the benefits of healthy diet and exercise during treatment to work synergistically with conventional cancer treatments to maximize outcomes and reduce side effects,” said Dr. Crane.
Currently, there are several Sylvester trials funded by the National Cancer Institute and the V Foundation. The studies focus on lifestyle medicine in survivorship care for ovarian cancer, lymphoma and advanced breast cancer.
What is Survivorship Care?
Once clinical treatment ends, the challenges and opportunities patients face don’t stop. Rather, a new phase of post-treatment life begins: survivorship care.
Survivorship care emphasizes preventing recurrence, monitoring overall health and managing the physical, mental and psychological consequences of cancer. It involves a multidisciplinary approach that requires coordination between multiple providers.
The film presents Scott’s personalized survivorship care plan, a set of services that span body, mind and spirit. Components of a survivorship care plan include addressing the late effects of cancer and its treatment, screening and monitoring, lifestyle modifications including exercise and nutrition, individual and group support, financial guidance, and art, music and massage therapies.
The Sylvester survivorship and supportive care program is offered to anyone, with any type of cancer. At Sylvester’s survivorship wellness clinics, cancer care experts provide treatment summaries and help develop and carry out personalized care plans. They also refer patients to additional lifestyle and psychosocial services.
Sylvester clinics are also available to meet the unique needs of survivors of specific cancers. These include a multidisciplinary breast cancer clinic, a long-term follow-up clinic for stem cell transplant patients, a head-and-neck survivorship clinic and support services that include, but are not limited to, occupational and physical therapists, speech-language pathologists, registered dietitians, lymphedema experts, psychologists, social workers and exercise physiologists.
“Every cancer patient should have the opportunity to participate in a survivorship program,” said Jessica MacIntyre, D.N.P., executive director for Sylvester’s clinical operations. “We recognize that not all patients will require the same services. Everyone has different needs. Some may not need any support while others might find their needs can be addressed through their primary oncologist. But we want everyone to know that we’re here to support all patients.”
Currently, 30% of Sylvester cancer survivors are taking part in the various survivorship and supportive care programs.
Tags: cancer research, cancer screening, Cancer Support Services, cancer survivorship, Cancer Survivorship Program, Dr. Frank Penedo, Dr. Tracy Crane, Jessica MacIntyre, lifestyle medicine, music therapy, nutrition, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center