Care beyond treatment

‘What else can I do? Are there other options and can I take some control over my care?’

"What else can I do? Are there other options and can I take some control over my care?"

Over the last six months, we have been developing our programme, primarily focussing on post treatment care. As we evolve, we have been guided by your comments and appreciate that there is much we can do to help you through treatment as well. It may be that a CD of meditation will help you through chemotherapy or that you would like to think about exercise classes or healthy eating early on. We are therefore embracing the concept of care over and above the treatment itself, to offer all we can, to make your experience seamless and to prevent and pre-empt problems which may otherwise arise later on.

Survivorship?

"Survivorship" is the umbrella term that has been coined in the USA to describe follow up care. 

Although the UK now has a national survivorship initiative, the overwhelming consensus from patients and professionals at LOC has been to reject the term ‘survivorship’ since it brings connotations of battle and struggle. So although we are embracing this ethos of care, we have named our own programme "Living Well." After all, that’s what really counts. 

The aim, wherever possible, is to anticipate and address any effects of cancer and its treatments and above all to focus on living well. During our training visits to various American cancer centres specialising in this area, the positive impact on the lives of patients and their families was all too apparent. The simple message is – patients feel more in control, care is better co-ordinated and professionals are relieved to have specialist support.

Although the UK now has a national survivorship initiative, the overwhelming consensus from patients and professionals at LOC has been to reject the term ‘survivorship’ since it brings connotations of battle and struggle. So although we are embracing this ethos of care, we have named our own programme ‘Living Well.’ After all, that’s what really counts. 

The aim, wherever possible, is to anticipate and address any effects of cancer and its treatments and above all to focus on living well. During our training visits to various American cancer centres specialising in this area, the positive impact on the lives of patients and their families was all too apparent. The simple message is – patients feel more in control, care is better co-ordinated and professionals are relieved to have specialist support.