LIFE Survivorship and Transition Program

Contact Us Email Us LIFE Survivorship & Transition Program  Childrens Center for Cancer & Blood Diseases Childrens Hospital Los Angeles 4650 Sunset Boulevard, MS 54  Los Angeles, CA  90027 Toll-Free LIFE Line (877) 222-LIFE (5433) Phone: (323) 361-8953 Fax: (323) 361-8767 Web : www.life4survivors.org

• Primary Functions of the LIFE Program
• Can I be Evaluated in the LIFE Clinic?
• What Happens at a Clinic Visit
• Health Checklist - What Can I Do to Help Myself?
• Members of the LIFE Program
• Information & Resources for Survivors
• Information For Health Professionals
• Support & Gratitude

The “Meaning of LIFE” at our Hospital

In our Program, “LIFE” stands for Long-term Information, Follow-up and Education. The LIFE Program was started in 1992 and is a key component of the Childrens Center for Cancer and Blood Diseases. The main activity of the LIFE Program is to provide direct clinical care and support for childhood cancer survivors. Survivors may obtain these services by attending the LIFE Clinic, which is staffed by a team of specialists including a physician, nurse practitioners, and a medical social worker who specialize in providing long-term follow up services to survivors of childhood and adolescent cancer. In addition, the LIFE Program conducts research and provides professional training experiences in cancer survivorship.

Understanding the Need for Survivorship Services

Success in the treatment of childhood cancer has led to an overall survival rate of about 80%. Today, there are nearly 300,000 survivors of childhood cancer in the United States. Currently, about 1 in every 600 young adult Americans is a childhood cancer survivor—a number that will continue to increase as more patients become survivors! Most survivors are relatively healthy, both physically and emotionally, and enjoy a good quality of life.

However, research clearly shows that some survivors have to deal with persisting health problems that result from their cancer diagnosis or its treatment. These problems are called “late effects.” Late effects develop because cancer treatments, including surgery, irradiation and chemotherapy, may affect the development of young children, whose cells and tissues are vulnerable to permanent damage. Sometimes late effects may be develop early and persist, or they may only become apparent years later. Late effects can be physical, such as problems with the heart, lungs or bones, or they can be emotional, such as sadness, anxiety or symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. For some survivors, treatment can affect learning and development. Which late effects are likely to occur depends on what cancer treatments were given, what age the child was when treated for cancer, what genetic risks a person may have for developing certain late effects, and what other health problems a person may have that contribute to the problem.

The Care You Need, The Care You Deserve

Experts recommend that all childhood cancer survivors receive specialized, life-long care to monitor for the development of late effects, to detect them as early as possible, to manage them when they occur, and to prevent or reduce the risk for late effects whenever possible. In addition, each survivor and his/her family to be well-informed about what late effects might occur and how the risks can be reduced by taking practical steps to stay healthy. For this reason, long-term care must include education of survivors and their families about these issues.

Young Adulthood and Beyond

Once the childhood cancer survivor reaches young adulthood, around the age of 18-25 years old, his or her long-term follow-up care should include physicians and other health care providers who are experts in the care of adults. The care should also be provided in an environment that is more suitable for adults than a children’s hospital can be. This switch from child-oriented to adult-focused care is called “transition of care.”

However, the life-long monitoring for late effects must continue. Appropriate health care for young adult survivors must also include providing assistance with obtaining health insurance, continuing school education, and finding meaningful work that is a good fit for the individual.

As you can see, there is a lot involved with taking excellent care of a childhood cancer survivor! The LIFE Survivorship and Transition Program is dedicated to providing the continuing medical evaluation and management, emotional and social support, health education, and assistance with health care transition that are essential to empowering cancer survivors to embrace their future as healthy and fulfilled individuals.