Who is a Survivor?

According to the National Institutes of Health, “an individual is considered a cancer survivor from the time of diagnosis, through the balance of his or her life. Family members, friends, and caregivers are also impacted by the survivorship experience and are therefore included in this definition.”

What exactly is Survivorship?

Regardless of your personal definition of a cancer survivor, survivorship is recognized nationally as the span of time between an individual’s cancer diagnosis and the end of his or her life. Survivorship care has become increasingly important as the number of cancer survivors continues to grow in the US. Implications of survivorship can include the long-term and late effects of cancer and the impact of its treatment. The post-treatment experience in survivorship should address the myriad of physical, emotional, psychosocial, spiritual, and economic concerns experienced by this growing population.

Georgia's Survivors

Georgia CORE surveyed more than 800 survivors living in Georgia to evaluate their needs and how well those needs are being met. One focused on disparate populations with translations in Spanish, Korean, Chinese and Vietnamese. A survey of more than 800 of these survivors revealed a wide range of physical, emotional, spiritual and practical needs. 

The survey showed that survivors face struggles that are…

• Physical: A lasting toll from chemotherapy, chronic pain, and radiation and other treatments
• Emotional: Depression and a powerful fear of cancer returning
• Practical: Mounting debt and difficulty resuming work and responsibilities
• Spiritual: Loss of faith or hope, even end-of-life thoughts

 

The medical community has begun paying more attention to these needs. “Cancer treatment” has evolved to provide care for the whole person … for the rest of life.

That’s why Georgia CORE – which works to strengthen cancer care throughout our state – includes strategies to support “survivorship” in its efforts. Learn more about each of these areas of need by clicking through our cancer survivorship connection resources.

(Click image to read our most recent publication on survivorship.)

Last Updated: 10/30/2020 10:29:47 AM