Livestrong Survivorship Centers of Excellence Network Celebrates 10 Years of Success in Establishing and Promoting Survivorship Study and Programs

After $22 million investment from Livestrong, Centers of Excellence to continue independently beginning in 2016
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AUSTIN, Texas – November 11, 2014 – Following 10 years and $22 million in funding by the Livestrong Foundation to create and support the study of survivorship care, the Livestrong Survivorship Centers of Excellence Network (“the Network”) will operate independently beginning in 2016. The Foundation created the Network in 2005 to advance survivorship care and improve the health and quality of post-treatment cancer survivors. The $22 million invested to achieve this goal has helped expand knowledge of the field of survivorship, pioneered new interventions for cancer survivors and developed, evaluated and disseminated survivorship best practices to a national and international audience.

“We are so proud of the work that we have done collectively in creating and building on the concept of survivorship with the most impressive and innovative partners in the cancer community,” said Livestrong Vice President of Programs & Strategy, Dr. Ruth Rechis. “The Network met every goal and objective we created at the outset and far surpassed all of our expectations. We look forward to seeing this important work continue to help cancer patients and survivors live with, through and beyond cancer.”

In September 2011, the Foundation and Network worked to build consensus among key stakeholders in the cancer community on the essential elements of survivorship care that any effective cancer survivorship program must provide post-treatment. From that consensus came the Essential Elements of Survivorship Care, a ranked and prioritized list of elements of survivorship care that any effective cancer survivorship program should provide their post-treatment patients. It is anticipated that the Essential Elements of Survivorship Care will continue to influence and drive the systematic testing and delivery of optimal survivorship care for cancer patients and survivors around the country, including within the services that will be offered under the Livestrong Cancer Institutes at the University of Texas Dell Medical School in the coming years.

The seven nationwide cancer centers that comprise the Network have been recognized for their work in:

  • national and international program building,
  • providing clinical survivorship services to tens of thousands of people affected by cancer,
  • developing leadership in community advocacy,
  • providing extensive community and professional education,
  • advocating for policies that benefited survivors nationwide,
  • fostering and consolidating a multicenter collaborative survivorship research network.

The Network includes prominent survivorship advocates, researchers and practitioners:

  • Linda Jacobs, PhD, RN at Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania
  • Ann Partridge, MD at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
  • K. Scott Baker, MD and Karen Syrjala, PhD at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
  • Patricia Ganz, MD and Jacqueline Casillas, MD at University of California, Los Angeles’ Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center
  • Mary McCabe, RN, MN at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
  • Donald Rosenstein, MD at University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center
  • Betsy Risendal, PhD and Linda Overholser, MD at University of Colorado Cancer Center

The Advisory Board to the Network includes the following prominent survivorship advocates, researchers and practitioners:

  • Brandon Hayes-Lattin, MD at Knight Cancer Center, Oregon Health and Science University
  • Melissa M. Hudson, MD, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
  • Paul Jacobsen, PhD, Moffitt Cancer Research Center
  • Lynne Padgettt, PhD, (NCI Liaison), Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, National Cancer Institute
  • Angie Patterson, Georgia Center for Oncology Research and Education
  • Sally W. Vernon, PhD at University of Texas School of Public Health – Houston Health Science Center

Livestrong will continue funding the seven centers through the end of 2015 to enable them to continue to implement collaborative research and apply for funding to support future research. The Foundation is extremely proud of all that the Network has achieved in its decade of service to cancer patients and survivors.

About the Livestrong Foundation

The Livestrong Foundation fights to improve the lives of people affected by cancer now. Created in 1997, the Foundation is known for providing free cancer support services and advocating for policies that improve access to care and quality of life. Known for its powerful brand – Livestrong – the Foundation has become a symbol of hope and inspiration around the world. Since its inception, the Foundation has served 2.8 million people affected by the disease and raised more than $580 million to support cancer survivors. One of America's top nonprofit organizations, the Foundation has been recognized by industry leaders including Charity Navigator, the National Health Council and the Better Business Bureau for its excellent governance, high standards and transparency. For more information, visit Livestrong.org.