Last updated on August 29th, 2017 at 10:26 am

National Cancer Survivors Day – 5^th June 2016 – is a day when those who have survived cancer, and their supporters, celebrate and help raise awareness of cancer in communities around the world.

Most people are terrified of their future outlook when they receive a diagnosis of cancer, and many believe that such a diagnosis automatically leads to death. However, with early diagnosis and targeted treatment of many types of cancer, the numbers of people living with and beyond cancer is increasing.

Care and support for cancer sufferers

The care and support of those patients diagnosed with cancer and their subsequent treatment programmes are very good in the UK but often, once treatment is complete and the patient has reached their optimum level of recovery or remission, support on an ongoing basis is less obvious.

The National Cancer Survivorship Initiative (NCSI) is a program that aims to support those people living with cancer to lead as healthy and fulfilled life for as long as possible.

Following its initial success, it launched a new programme in June 2014 – Living With and Beyond Cancer. It is a 2 year programme that is a joint initiative between NHS England and Macmillan Cancer Support.  NCSI states that the programme will focus on: (Quote)

• Ensuring all cancer patients have access to holistic needs assessment, treatment summary, cancer care review and a patient education and support event – the ‘Recovery Package’.
• Developing and commissioning risk stratified pathways of post treatment management.
• Promoting Health & Wellbeing including physical activity.
• Understanding and commissioning for improved management of the consequences of treatment.

This approach will see a shift from the traditional ‘one size fits all’ model of cancer care to a patient centred, holistic program of care that will include individual care planning.  It will ensure that patients have more influence in their care and treatment, ensuring that when they enter survivorship they will feel much more equipped to cope and understand the aims and objectives of their long term care. It will offer self-empowerment and an understanding of the benefits of living well.

You can find out how Graysons can help you if you have suffered due to a failure to diagnose  or misdiagnosis of cancer on our web pages.