The Next Step: The Kara Amey Cancer Survivorship Program
Cancer care doesn’t end when treatment ends.
Survivorship comes with its own emotional,
physical and educational challenges, especially
for children and adolescents who have received
intensive chemotherapy, radiation and/or surgery.
Children who have been treated for cancer
may experience complications years after
their treatment is completed.
The Next Step: The Kara Amey Cancer Survivorship
Program at The Herman & Walter Samuelson
Children’s Hospital at Sinai aims to improve quality of
life for children, adolescents and young adults
who have survived pediatric cancer. The program
consists of clinical care, education and research.
Multidisciplinary care
The Kara Amey Cancer Survivorship Program
provides specialized care that addresses the
physical, emotional and psychosocial needs of
childhood cancer survivors. We strive to schedule
all appointments on the same day and see
survivors at least once a year.
The care team includes:
- Pediatric oncologists
- Primary care providers
- Nurse practitioner/nurse navigator
- Social worker
- Art therapist
- Integrative nutritionist
- Specialty care physicians such as
endocrinologists, cardiologists and
neuropsychologists
Education
Education is an important part of the Kara Amey
Cancer Survivorship Program’s mission.
Because pediatric survivorship is not commonly
understood, education is essential to improving
continued care for survivors.
We educate survivors, family members and
providers of family care services about late effects
of treatment and how to anticipate and recognize
them. We emphasize the importance of follow-up and maintaining a healthy lifestyle and teach young
people how to advocate for themselves.
Clinical research
We also conduct clinical research directly
related to the long-term side effects of cancer
or its treatment with the goal of improving
survival rates and quality of care for cancer
patients. Patients in the clinic have an
opportunity to participate in studies that
focus on issues faced by childhood cancer
survivors. We aim to collaborate with fellow
clinical and survivorship centers.
For more information, please call 410-601-5864.