Life On Your Own Terms

By Sally Hensley, LCSW

Survivorship - just what does it mean?

Both within and outside the cancer community, this concept is becoming more familiar. Because of the advances in cancer treatments, we now have more cancer survivors. And now, survivors are moving beyond the idea that physically surviving the disease is good enough. They face physical, emotional, or practical issues and are looking for answers. Managing these problems can be challenging, but necessary to achieving the best life after treatment.

Physical problems may stem from the disease itself, or from the necessary treatments. They may include such things as neuropathy (pain, numbness, or tingling in extremities), infertility, lymphedema, osteoporosis, fatigue, or cognitive changes.

Emotional issues might include fear of recurrence, stress, depression, and problems related to body image.

Finally, practical problems such as employment discrimination, insurance and financial needs, finding resources and communicating with your health care team are important things that impact the survivor on a daily basis also. Addressing these concerns has a significant impact on improving quality of life after treatment.

An important tool for all survivors will be working with their healthcare team to create a survivorship care plan that includes a summary of medical treatment and suggested follow up, specific to that person and their diagnosis. This is of tremendous help to all who provide future treatment, as well as to the survivor who will better understand what to expect as they go forward after treatment. How frequent should follow up appointments be with the oncologist or surgeon? What about the frequency of diagnostic tests? What are the signs and symptoms to be concerned about that could signal a recurrence?

We know that healthy behaviors like physical activity, good nutrition, maintaining normal body weight and stress reduction may contribute to decrease in recurrence and should be part of a patient’s care plan also.

In an effort to help cancer survivors live through and beyond cancer, Wings will be presenting a Survivorship Series to address the many special needs of cancer survivors as they begin to define a new normal for themselves and live life on their own terms.

Please contact Sally Hensley at the East Memphis location, Belinda Rimer at the Midtown location or Latania Gillespie at the Southaven location for more information on upcoming programs and services.