Study by UVA Health to provide post-treatment care for rural cancer survivors

Christiansburg, Virgina – The goal of the University of Virginia Health System is to improve the quality of life for individuals who have survived cancer treatment. Medical professionals are looking for volunteers for their newest project, which they are calling weSurvive.

Cancer is a fatal illness that can develop in any part of the body. The odds of defeating cancer are rising because of improved treatments and early identification, even though many people’s battle with the disease ends in death. There are 18 million cancer survivors in the US, according to UVA Health, but as Dr. Kathleen Porter says, there is not enough post-treatment support in the healthcare system.

“This is something that is really important for us to be addressing, and also the evidence is showing that as people are getting through treatment, more and more they’re more likely to die of lifestyle-related diseases like cardiovascular disease, which are things that are diet and physical activity choices,” said UVA Cancer Center PhD RD Kathleen Porter.

To close that gap, UVA Health is conducting a new study. The weSurvive program, funded by an American Cancer Society grant and created in partnership with Southwest Virginia stakeholders, aims to assist cancer survivors in implementing customized dietary and exercise modifications.

“The program itself, weSurvive is 6 months but by joining the study because this is part of a research study it’s a 12-month commitment. It’s about 15 hours over those 12 months. It’s all telehealth-based and what that means is you can do it from the comfort of your own home. Over those 6 months there’s eight group classes, 3 individual coaching calls and folks can also get supportive text messages during the week,” said Porter.

According to Porter, the goal of weSurvive is to help survivors understand different behaviors, find support from others, and acknowledge that they are capable of changing for the better. She claimed that the program is essential for rural survivors.

“We know that folks who live in more rural areas and live in more Appalachian areas have poorer outcomes from cancer than others. So, this is just another tool in the belt for this region and the cancer survivors in this region beat those odds and continue to live their best,” said Porter.

Adult cancer survivors who reside in or close to Appalachian counties in Virginia, West Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Kentucky are eligible for free treatment.
The study’s findings may influence future developments in post-cancer therapy and the weSurvive initiative implemented by healthcare institutions.

To learn more, interested cancer survivors can complete an eligibility screener by:

• Visiting the weSurvive Eligibility Screener website

• Calling Breanna Foreman at (434) 235-1112.

Foreman can also be contacted by groups or individuals that know local cancer survivors and would like to collaborate on recruitment efforts.