Recorded presentation

Andy Miller, MHSE, CHES¹, Amy Harris, MA², and Betsy Goldberg¹. (1) Public Health Department, Lance Armstrong Foundation, PO Box 161150, Austin, TX 78716, 512/236-8820, andy.miller@laf.org, (2) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway, SE Mail Stop K-64, Atlanta, GA 30341

With five year survival rates for childhood and adult cancers continuously rising and more than 9.6 million survivors alive in the United States today, cancer for many has become a chronic illness. As survivors live longer lives, they are increasingly facing new physical, psychosocial, and economic issues. Therefore, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Lance Armstrong Foundation (LAF) have partnered to increase public health’s role in addressing cancer survivorship issues. A National Action Plan for Cancer Survivorship: Advancing Public Health Strategies was developed to advance public health efforts to enhance cancer survivorship and to actively address the needs of this growing population. The CDC and LAF brought together experts in cancer survivorship and public health to set priorities and identify strategies for national, state, and community organizations. The resulting Action Plan charts a course for how the public health community can more effectively and comprehensively address cancer survivorship. Needs and strategies for addressing the priority issues are discussed within four core public health components: 1) surveillance and applied research; 2) communication, education, and training; 3) programs, policies, and infrastructure; and 4) access to quality care and services. The Action Plan will increase awareness among the general public, policymakers, researchers, advocates, and survivors of the role public health can play in advancing cancer survivorship issues. It will also be used to stimulate action from cancer organization that will ultimately improve the overall experience and quality of life of the millions of Americans who are living with, through, and beyond cancer.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant in the session will be able to

• Define “survivorship” as the unique experience beginning with diagnosis through the balance of the individual’s life.
• List the key steps in engaging the cancer community to ensure the development of an action plan on cancer survivorship that accurately represents the needs of the survivorship community.
• Articulate the procedure for developing and prioritizing goals and objectives of the action plan, as well as specific strategies.

Keywords: Cancer, Planning

Related Web page: www.laf.org

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: I am the Associate Director of Public Health for the Lance Armstrong Foundation (LAF). The LAF and CDC have created and are distributing the National Action Plan on Cancer Survivorship.

Recorded presentation