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Summer Awareness 2024

Posted 7 months ago in Cancer Awareness

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Happy almost summer Oncology Navigators!

Summer Awareness

June is cancer survivor month and national cancer survivors day (2), cancer immunotherapy month, men’s health month and week (10-16) and National Black Family Cancer Awareness Week (13-19).

World Self-Care Month starts June 24, ending on self-care day, July 24. See the Self-Care Month post.

July is Sarcoma awareness month, UV awareness month, GI Stromal Tumor Day (13) and world hepatitis day (28). 

August is Appendix Cancer Awareness Month,  National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM), Summer Safety Month, Hair loss month and National Grief Day (30). See the the attached Inject to Protect.

Grief is not just related to the loss of a person. It can also occur with the loss of normalcy, loss or change in a body part, anticipated loss of life and more. See the grief awareness post here.

See the full Calendar and resources here.

Survivorship: Five Things a Patient should do After Treatment Ends

Even after treatment ends, the journey continues. After treatment care focuses on follow up exams to monitor for cancer return, improvement of physical and emotional health and getting back to your life.

1. Get Information about what to expect after cancer treatment.
2. Follow up with your oncologist and/or surgeon as recommended.
3. Get routine screening tests recommended for your age. See www.preventcancer.org/resource/cancer-screenings-and-prevention/.
4. Focus on your wellness: fitness, nutrition and healthy behaviors.
5. Get help for physical and emotional side effects. Tell your doctor if you still have physical side effects from your treatment (chemotherapy, radiation and/or surgery) or feelings of depression, sadness or anxiety.

Resources for Survivorship:

  1. Cancer Survivorship (NCI)
  2. Livestrong YMCA 
  3. National Cancer Survivors Day 
  4. Survivorship (Cancer.net)
  5. Survivorship (OncoLink)
  6. Survivorship E-books (NCCN) - Survivorship Care for Cancer-Related Late and Long-Term Effects and Survivorship Care for Healthy Living 

Ten Resources for Summer Awareness

  1. Be Safe in the Sun (ACS)
  2. Cancer Facts for Men (ACS)
  3. Cancer Immunotherapy Guide (Patient Resource)  
  4. Cancer Support Community North Texas – bereavement support
  5. CDC for travel tips, summer tips, immunizations and more
  6. Grief and Loss (CancerCare)
  7. Hair loss resources: Breast Prosthesis, Wigs and Head Coverings Resources; Cold Cap Resources.
  8. Sarcoma Patient Guide (Patient Resource)
  9. Transforming Healthcare: A Guide to Best Practices in LGBTQIA+ Cultural Competency Training – Toolkit
  10. Understanding Immunotherapy Side Effects (NCCN PDF) 

Resource Spotlight

 The Ricardo Fisas Natura Bissé Foundation is committed to empowering individuals navigating the complexities of cancer. We provide specialized skin care and hair care solutions for those undergoing treatment and offer professional education for spa providers to better serve clients on their cancer journey.  At no cost for medically referred survivors, we offer hydrating face, scalp and body treatments to soothe and nourish skin that may be experiencing side effects from medical treatment.  If you want more information on this for your patients, please reach out to info@ricardofisasfoundation.org. Here is a link to download our Skin Care Guide for Those Undergoing Oncology Treatment:   Skin care guide 012024 

Education and Events

  • Save the date for our Q3 Dinner Meeting  on Tuesday August 13th. Details to come later
  • The Role of Patient Navigation in Improving Cancer Screening and Early Detection, from Prevent Cancer Foundation, June 12, 2024, register and get more information here
  • Global Policy Webinar: Global Cancer Care in Older Adults: Improving Access to High-Quality Cancer Care for an Aging World Virtual Attendance, from NCCN,  June 27, 2024 , get details here
  • See the Clinical Education and Events page here

Coming Up

We will be sending out a special newsletter next month with info on our updated board members. We got all the positions filled except President Elect. So if you're interested, use the contact us section to let us know.  Your new webmaster, Lauren Stafford RN, will be taking over the webmaster role at the end of June. 

 Have a great summer! Stay healthy, safe and cool!