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A workshop participant shares her advice for newly diagnosed cancer patients.
Event Addresses Needs of Cancer Survivors
| July 16, 2015 | The challenges that come with a cancer diagnosis often don’t end on the last day of treatment. For manycancer survivors, physical and emotional hurdles continue for years to come.
Kathy Webb, executive director of the Arkansas Hunger Alliance, demonstrated healthy cooking techniques.
To address the special concerns of cancer survivors, the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute hosted its first-ever cancer survivorship workshop July 11. Twenty-four survivors and caregivers attended the daylong event.
“‘I Am A Survivor’ was intended to give our patients a chance to see they aren’t alone,” said Issam Makhoul, M.D., director of the UAMS Division of Hematology/Oncology. “For many people, life after cancer treatment isn’t the same as it was before. We want to address these changes and help our patients regain not only their physical health, but also their emotional strength and positive outlook on life.” Makhoul leads the Cancer Institute’s survivorship program.
The event included open discussions led by UAMS professionals on topics including nutrition, sexuality, exercise, communication and spirituality. Kathy Webb, executive director of the Arkansas Hunger Alliance, conducted a cooking demonstration focused on healthy eating choices, and a panel of survivors answered questions about their experience with cancer.
The event was organized by the UAMS Cancer Institute’s Survivorship Committee. For information about future “I Am A Survivor” workshops, visit cancer.uams.edu.
A cooking demonstration included hands-on learning.
Survivors expressed their feelings about cancer through an art activity.