Basically, a
survivorship care
plan is a map of
where you’re going
from here and what
you’re going to do
to get there,” said
Robin, who lives
on a small farm in
Valley Lee in St.
Mary’s County and
welcomed her first
grandson earlier this
year. The 58-yearold
mother of two
is a breast cancer
survivor.
Robin (
last name withheld for privacy)
received her survivorship care plan when she
completed her treatment at CalvertHealth
Medical Center (CHMC) in November. “It’s
helpful to be able to refer to that before you
make a call or an appointment,” she said. “It
helps me make sure I’m staying on track.”
One of the things she appreciates most
about the survivorship care plan is how it
is tailored to her specific situation and her
specific needs. “To have it in black and white
and to be able to hold it in my hand,” she
said, “that’s a very big deal to me.”
‘It Makes Me More Aware’
She went on to add, “I feel it makes me more
aware of what I need to pay attention to and
what the next steps are.
“I think having the plan helps you
move forward,” said Robin. “It puts it all in
perspective and makes you feel – I can do this. I like to call it:
transitioning into my
new normal.”
Living on a farm, Robin said she has
always eaten lots of fresh produce in
season and gotten plenty of exercise. Today,
meditation is also helping her to be more
mindful. “I’m taking time out to breathe,” she
said. “I have this bracelet I wear that says:
‘Let
not your heart be troubled. Be not afraid. Be
still.’ I like to say it out loud to remind myself.”
‘It’s a Living Program’
According to Dr. Arati Patel, board-certified
medical oncologist with CalvertHealth
Hematology & Oncology, survivorship care
plans came into mainstream use in 2006.
“The Institute of Medicine recognized the
growing number of people surviving cancer
and wanted to implement an approach to
effectively address prevention, surveillance
and coordination among the providers.”
Today, there are an estimated 14 million
cancer survivors in the United States – men
and women of all ages that have received
various treatments for different types of
cancer. “To address the unique needs of
our cancer survivors requires a highly
coordinated group of skilled individuals
working directly with our patients and loved
ones,” said Dr. Patel.
“The care plan represents a living program for them, customized to meet their individual needs,” she said. “For example, a breast cancer survivor might be told to get 30 minutes of exercise five days a week.”
According to Dr. Patel, survivorship
care plans are endorsed by all the
major oncology groups including the
American Society of Clinical Oncologists,
the American College of Surgeons
Commission on Cancer, the National
Accreditation Program for Breast Centers
and the National Comprehensive Cancer
Network, an alliance of leading cancer
centers devoted to patient care, research
and education.
‘You Feel More In Charge’
“Having the survivorship care plan to look
at or to refer back to makes you feel more
in charge of what’s really going on and
not so lost in the process,” said
Jennifer
Rowland, an 8th grade math teacher from
Charles County. The 39-year-old mother of
one is a head and neck cancer survivor.
She had three rounds of chemotherapy
at CHMC and seven weeks of radiation
therapy at Chesapeake Potomac Regional
Cancer Center (CPRCC) in Waldorf to
destroy the tumor found in her right tonsil.
“When you’re going through treatment,
it’s kind of overwhelming with so much
information coming at you. It’s a lot to
absorb,” said Rowland.
“The survivorship plan lays it all out
for you in a way you can understand,” she
added. “It’s nice to have it all right there in
one place. And I can share it with my family
members and we can all understand what
the plan is from here on out. You know what
you need to do and what’s best.”
‘I’m Listening to Myself’
“Dr. Patel helped me see I need to focus
on taking care of me,” said Rowland. “The
(survivorship care) plan has made me
more mindful of my body and not putting
things off … I really need to think of me
and what does my body need.”
She went on to add, “As a mom, you
get caught up taking care of everybody
else. I’ve learned how to ask for help and
to let things go.”
When she completed her
treatment in December and was
declared disease-free, Rowland
said she asked her husband for
one thing. “I told him I wanted us
to go back to The Grand Hotel on
Mackinac Island in Michigan …
we had our honeymoon there and I
wanted us to go as a family.”
In July, Rowland and her
husband, Jim, and their three year-
old son, John, dressed up for
a fancy five-course dinner. (
See
photo above) “It was a big night for
us and a great way to celebrate.”
What is a SURVIVORSHIP CARE PLAN?
Survivorship care plans are an integral part of a cancer survivor’s follow-up
care. Each plan is created by the oncology team and includes a detailed
summary of the patient’s treatment, cancer diagnosis and stage, therapies received such
as surgery, chemotherapy and radiation, a schedule for surveillance testing to monitor for
recurrence and contact information for all providers.
The care plan includes specific healthy lifestyle strategies such as nutrition, physical
fitness and stress reduction. In addition, there are recommendations to address side effects
that can occur as a result of the various treatments such as fatigue, neuropathy, lymphedema
and memory loss.
“A survivorship care plan is very patient-focused,” said board-certified medical oncologist
Dr. Arati Patel. “It is a systematic approach that can have a tremendous positive impact on
a cancer survivor’s quality of life. Additionally, any provider that cares for this individual can
refer back to their survivorship care plan for information and recommendations.”
She went on to add, “Most importantly, the survivorship care plan engages the patient in
their own health. It helps them understand their disease, recognize what their future risks are
and guides them on how they can help themselves.”