Heart and Soul of Oncology Navigation

Navigating Survivorship

The Academy of Oncology Nurse & Patient Navigators Episode 28

In celebration of National Cancer Survivors Day, our participants will examine the survivorship phase of the cancer continuum including the role of the navigator in survivorship. Two myeloma survivors, Doug Keller and Maddie Hunter will discuss their survivorship journey including how they are giving back, the common struggles cancer survivors face after treatment, and the significance of surveillance in survivorship.

Objectives:

  1. Explore what survivorship is and what it means to patients 
  2. Describe common challenges cancer survivors face and how a navigator can address them 
  3. Understand the importance of screening and surveillance in survivorship  
  4. Learn strategies in how best to support survivorship patients 

Faculty:

  •  Doug Keller 
    Survivorship coach, myeloma survivor with Healthtree Foundation

     Doug is an 11-year multiple myeloma survivor. He went through two stem cell transplants and many other lines of therapy before having CAR-T and finally gaining remission in 2022. While living with myeloma he continued to work full time, travel, and stay physically active. Doug received a lot of support from others during his myeloma journey, and is paying this back by coaching new myeloma patients to help them understand the disease, how to talk to their doctors, and where to get support. He believes that access to information on the disease and having a positive attitude are key parts of successful survivorship.

  • Maddie Hunter
    Survivorship coach, myeloma survivor with Healthtree Foundation 

     Maddie has been living with Myeloma since 2001. Her serial remissions have enabled her to raise her son into adulthood, fall in love, build and then retire from her consulting and leadership business, travel the world, welcome 3 grandchildren and lead the Philadelphia Multiple Myeloma Networking Group. Myeloma has not deterred her from having a full life. She believes it has opened her eyes to possibilities she would not have recognized had she not had this tough diagnosis. Maddie coaches individuals who are seeking to find ways to cope with a Myeloma diagnosis and finds deep pleasure in supporting patients to discover their new “normal”. 

Resources: