In a joint venture between the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the American Cancer Society (ACS), a new web tool aims to provide better understanding for cancer survivors’ treatment options and what happens to them when treatment is over. The initiative, Springboard Beyond Cancer, is meant to empower survivors by providing them with education and resources about living beyond their cancer diagnosis. Springboard Beyond Cancer aims to address the following survivorship issues for patients.
- Managing ongoing cancer-related symptoms
- Dealing with stress and improving healthy behaviors
- Providing skills to better communicate with the healthcare team
- Seeking support from friends and family
“We don’t want to just provide resources. We want people to do something; to use it. We want to empower people to proactively take care of their health,” Meredith Grady, public health adviser and co-lead for the NCI initiative, said.
Other stakeholders were eager to point out the importance of patients working with the healthcare team through shared-decision making. “Your healthcare team is there to help you, but you are the expert of your own health,” Corrine Leach, strategic director in the Behavioral Research Center at the ACS, said.
Visit Springboard Beyond Cancer and learn more about helping you patients take control of their own health, through the words of other cancer survivors who have posted their stories and experiences. The Department of Health and Human Services is asking that survivors post stories to Pinterest using the hashtag #BeyondCancer. Your patients stories could even be featured on the Springboard’s community board.