Senior Advantage Magazine

The end of cancer treatment can be a time of great hope, but it can also be filled with questions about the future.

“Many patients still need support coping with things like anxiety, weight management, and the physical and psychological side effects of treatment,” says Eduardo Sotomayor, MD, Director of the George Washington Cancer Center and Professor of Medicine at The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences.

The George Washington Medical Faculty Associates “Thriving After Cancer” survivorship clinic answers this need by providing comprehensive care, as well as guidance on healthy lifestyle choices. Each patient receives an individualized survivorship care plan, with a summary of the treatment completed and a written plan containing follow-up care and screening recommendations.

Professional staff members also address specific challenges patients are experiencing and provide referrals to specialists if needed. “Collaborating with patients’ primary care doctors is an important part of the process,” notes April Barbour, MD, MPH, Director of Internal Medicine with GW Medical Faculty Associates and an associate professor of medicine with The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences. “We look at all the aspects of a patient’s health and work together to provide the best care.”