Survivorship Program for Cancer Centers

Grant Application

Kathleen Bryte, Patient Community Educator; Libby Shumaker, Director of Clinical Operations, UPMC CancerCenter at UPMC Passavant

 

Proposed Innovation

Develop a survivorship program with four areas of focus:

  • Celebration for survivors
  • Story on video
  • Patient education and support
  • Enhanced clinical concentration on survivorship

This progressive idea is ahead of its time: in coming years, cancer centers nationwide will be required to have survivorship programs in place to maintain credentialing.

 

Improvements in Action

With support from the Beckwith Institute grant and additional funds from UPMC Passavant, a committee of 25 staff members planned a survivorship celebration. In 2012, a luncheon called “Living in Full Bloom: A Celebration of Survivorship” took place that summer, attracting more than 270 cancer survivors and guests along with 40 staff members.

Educational and inspirational videos are now produced thanks to the Beckwith Institute grant. They highlight survivors and physicians from UPMC CancerCenter at UPMC Passavant.

Survivors benefit from additional support through “I Can Cope” classes offered in conjunction with the American Cancer Society; these include onsite support groups and educational literature.

Ongoing efforts include developing a stronger clinical focus on survivorship. A Survivorship Care Plan is being created as part of the electronic health record. Collaboration is taking place to integrate programming across UPMC cancer centers.

 

Results

Survivorship resources are shared and used widely, and the success of the program is gaining attention nationwide. A poster presentation at the Annual Navigation and Survivorship Conference won an award, while an abstract discussing the program and its impact was published in the August 2011 edition of the Journal of Oncology Navigation & Survivorship.