The National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship says you are a cancer survivor from your day of diagnosis through the rest of your life. Not everyone identifies personally with the term “survivor,” but the concept of survivorship is far-ranging and inclusive.
Survivorship
l includes both physical and mental health.
l applies not just to patients, but also to families and caregivers.
Survivorship care
l addresses the entire cancer community at all levels of support.
l begins on the day of diagnosis and applies to the rest of one’s life.
RBOI’s support programs and services are designed to help you and your family from the beginning — even before a diagnosis is made — for as long as you need them and at no charge. Completing treatment does not mean the end of care. Our cancer navigators and social workers make sure that you can get the resources and support you need.
Financial Survival
Cancer is expensive, not only for treatment but for related costs like transportation, lodging, child care, home care, and respite care. Those costs can create financial hardship, which can impact survivorship, especially if one skips medication or appointments just to get by.
Resources are available at the local, regional, and national level. They include H.U.G.S. in Marion County, the Citrus Aid Cancer Foundation in Citrus County, Elder Options of North Central Florida, and more. RBOI’s social workers and cancer navigators can help you access resources to lessen your financial burden.
Cancer Screening Saves Lives
Recently, researchers used computer modelling to estimate how many lives could be saved by an increase in cancer screening. The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends routine screening for lung, colorectal, cervical, and breast cancer. But among people eligible for screening, those who are up to date equal only 13% for lung cancer, 69% for colorectal cancer, 73% for cervical cancer, and 76% for breast cancer.
What happens when screening is increased by 10% across the board? Computer modelling showed that lung, colorectal, cervical, and breast cancer deaths would decrease by 1%, 21%, 40%, and 4%, respectively. That translates into a total of 15,580 lives saved.
The researchers point out that risks (like false positives) would also increase. People and their doctors should therefore weigh those risks against the benefits of screening.
“By definition, a model can’t perfectly reflect reality,” says the study’s lead author, Amy Knudsen, Ph.D., of Massachusetts General Hospital, “but a well-validated model can shed light on potential pathways for improvements in outcomes. We think our models can do just that.”
Unsure about whether to get screened? Give us a call. RBOI’s cancer navigators and social workers can connect you, at no charge to you or your insurer, with the resources you need.
Write a comment: