Here is a great interview hosted by Adrian Pogacian, speaking with Betty Roggenkamp, in “Beyond the Cancer Diagnosis.” Betty is well known for her work in promoting quality cancer care as well as a leading expert in the area of AYA cancer survivors. Adrian is a clinical psychologist who specializes in the psychological impact of a cancer diagnosis, which is now a subspecialty known as “Pscyho-Oncology.” The interview highlights some of the psychological challenges that survivors face – and not just AYA’s!

This is a thought-provoking short video about the challenges that cancer survivors face when they are diagnosed with cancer in another country. Hear from Carmen, an AYA survivor of Hodgkin’s who is from Costa Rica, and April, who is from the Philippines, as they negotiate cancer care in a world that is not their own.

Insurance companies have been in the hot seat lately, for good reason. Both private insurers and Medicare are experiencing piercing scrutiny for their routine and often mind-boggling refusals to reimburse. Read this article if you have any doubt that the system is broken.

According to this new study, “Being uninsured accounts for a significant proportion of racial and ethnic disparities in cancers that are only detected at a later, more life-threatening stage.” This expansive study, led by the American Cancer Society, used data from roughly 1.9 million patients diagnosed between 2013 and 2019. The findings were published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

A Vietnam veteran, an oncology nurse, a four-time cancer survivor, and one of the founding members of the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS), Susie Leigh is not just a cancer survivor; she is a pioneer in the cancer survivorship movement.

I “met” Samantha Siegel, fellow Hodgkin’s survivor via Zoom last year and knew immediately that she was a true kindred spirit. “Sam” is a fierce advocate for cancer survivors. She brings both a personal and a professional perspective to the world of advocacy, with the added “plus” that her husband, Samuel, is also a survivor and a physician. I was lucky to meet both Samuel and Samantha in person in late June at the National Coalition For Cancer Survivorship’s CPAT meeting where they shared their amazing story.

Comprehensive, quality care for cancer survivors has been an elusive dream for many. It is well-recognized in the U.S. that we could be doing a MUCH better job of caring for survivors. Cancer survivorship programs have been haphazard at best and non-existent for too many people who are in desperate need of help. NCI has put forth a well-thought-out document with suggested standards of care. Questions remain regarding its enforceability, and there are still gaps in the services and research that would affect long-term survivors,

In the U.S., cancer patients must often be their own health care advocates. This has helped create a community of cancer survivors that offers the long-term support Swiss patients lack. A visit with doctors, activists and patients in Chicago and Bern.

This long-awaited, important document was published just this week. It represents the input of key stakeholders in cancer survivorship and was developed over the course of many months. While the proposed standards are not mandatory, it is, at the very least, a significant attempt to put us on a course of providing optimal care for ALL cancer survivors.

There are some startling statistics presented in this research article from the American Cancer Society – most notably, that nearly 50% of cancer survivors who were studied had or expected to face significant financial debt due to their cancer and cancer treatment, while, at the same time, almost ALL of those same survivors had insurance. What is wrong with this picture you ask? Plenty.