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Patients and their families facing the diagnosis of cancer can feel lost, uncertain, overwhelmed, and fearful of the healthcare system.

Only a limited amount of research is focused on African American women with breast cancer and treatment adherence (TA). One potential barrier to TA may be a lack of knowledge and understanding of benefits for the therapies that they receive.

Wow, those meetings must be sober events.” I’ve gotten this and other similar comments regularly over the past 6½ years since I received my diagnosis of stage III breast cancer in 2007. Fortunately for me and many other women, the assumption couldn’t be less accurate.

Memphis, TN—During the first day of the Fourth Annual Navigation and Survivorship Conference of the Academy of Oncology Nurse Navigators (AONN) in Memphis, Tennessee, the meeting co-chairs, Lillie D. Shockney, RN, BS, MAS, University Distinguished Service Associate Professor of Breast Cancer at Johns Hopkins University; Program Director of the Academy of Oncology Nurse & Patient Navigators (AONN+), and Sharon Gentry, RN, MSN, AOCN, CBCN, Breast Health Navigator, Derrick L. Davis Forsyth Regional Cancer Center, reviewed accomplishments and painted a compelling picture of the future of AONN+ as an organization.

Memphis, TN—In order to ensure high-quality patient-centered healthcare, oncology navigators must know patients’ needs and understand the factors that influence whether and how those needs are met. Systematic assessment of cancer patients’ needs is integral to navigators’ role in addressing cancer patients’ needs effectively.

The following clinical trials are currently recruiting patients with colorectal cancer for inclusion in several investigations.

Welcome spring 2014! This issue of the Journal of Oncology Navigation & Survivorship (JONS) is full of information for you to apply within your own work setting, share with fellow navigators and your supervisor, and hopefully will inspire you to personally begin collecting measurement outcomes!

My introduction to the world of cancer came when I was in college, via a phone call from my mother who was 3000 miles away. For weeks she had delayed calling my siblings and me to tell each of us that she had ovarian cancer, until she was having a good day when the chemotherapy was not wreaking havoc. Not wanting to worry us, she made a joke about the quickest way to lose weight was to have a hysterectomy. Then 20 years later, she told us she had early-stage breast cancer. I had matured enough and learned enough to insist that I visit to see how I could support her and my dad as they managed this second cancer. Remarkably, 10 years later at 84, my mom is still leading an engaged, vital life. And I am working in cancer advocacy as a lay navigator.

Creating patient navigation and survivorship programs to deliver SCPs can be challenging. Many clinical professionals are tasked with developing programs, but they may not possess the program-planning skills that are essential for success.

Patient navigators are widely used to guide patients through the healthcare maze, providing education, financial networking, expert clinical judgment, emotional support, timely access, and continuity of care.