Soar to Success August 2021

Cancer Survivors Benefit from Supportive Therapies By Debra Reis, RN I t’s not surprising that many cancer survivors turn to complementary therapies to help manage their symptoms and gain a sense of well-being and balance in their life. Many people with a cancer diagnosis and going through cancer treatment can experience side effects and adverse symptoms not only during treatment, but also well after treatment has concluded. Fatigue, sleep disturbances, pain, and depression are all symptoms that can persist, even years after treatment. So, it’s not surprising that many cancer survivors turn to complementary therapies to help manage their symptoms and gain a sense of well–being and balance in their life. Many healthcare organizations are including holistic therapies as part of their offerings for patients. Recently, several national regulating agencies are promoting that health care organizations begin to incorporate non-pharmacological interventions for conditions like pain management, anxiety, and other health–related concerns. Healthcare organizations are searching for modalities that are evidence-based and can meet these concerns.