Meeting the Needs of Adult and Childhood Cancer Survivors Throughout the Lifespan: Norton Cancer Institute Survivorship Program, a National Cancer Institute Community Cancer Centers Program

Background: In response to the Institute of Medicine report in 2005, “From Cancer Patient to Cancer Survivor: Lost in Transition,” the Norton Cancer Institute call to action was to develop a Survivorship program dedicated to cancer patients who had completed active therapy. Dr Sheron Williams, a medical oncologist, started the program in 2006. In 2010, Norton Cancer Institute was chosen as a National Cancer Institute Community Cancer Centers Program facility. A nurse navigator, Christy Roberts, RN, BSN, OCN, joined in 2011 to help increase awareness in the community, assist in patient education, and institute the Survivorship Care Plans for all program patients. In October 2011, a specialty clinic was opened for the adult survivors of childhood cancer. The program now has a population of adult and childhood cancer survivors who come to the clinic for follow-up on an annual basis or more frequently if the patient’s condition warrants. All patients who are seen in the program have a Survivorship Care Plan, developed and tailored to the patient and his or her needs, that includes a complete summary of cancer treatment, current progress note, screening guidelines, and recommendations for further surveillance. The program started out seeing almost 60 patients in the first year. Currently the program has over 500 patients and is growing daily.

Methods: The Norton Cancer Institute engages in a multidisciplinary approach that includes not only physician and nursing visits but also participation by specialists in nutrition, genetics, lymphedema, behavioral oncology, cancer resources, and other disciplines as needed. The Survivorship program is geared to meeting the patient’s complex medical, psychosocial, and spiritual needs, which are often present in cancer survivors. In 2012, the program was awarded a grant from Komen for the Cure to conduct outreach to the uninsured and underinsured breast cancer population. There is overwhelming evidence that further research is needed in the area of cancer survivorship, and the Norton Survivorship program is positioned for involvement with research projects to help address the needs of long-term survivors.

Results: Community Outreach is ongoing throughout the state, and the program is an active participant in the Kentucky Cancer Consortium. Christy Roberts, RN, BSN, OCN, is a member of the Smoke Free Kentucky initiative. The program works in conjunction with the Norton Healthcare Prevention program for ongoing education about cancer survivorship to the community.

Conclusions: A poster will be presented to detail the timeline of the Survivorship program from the beginning to present, with information on how to build a Survivorship program to address the needs of cancer survivors. The poster will also present the many initiatives that the program participates in throughout the community, statewide, and nationally with the National Cancer Institute Community Cancer Centers Program.