It goes without question that our nation has made significant progress in the treatment of cancer. Today, we are saving 350 more lives per day than we were in 1990. However, as doctors focus on the treatment of a patient's cancer, the patients' comfort and concerns are frequently overlooked. People with cancer often suffer not only from the disease, but also from pain, nausea, shortness of breath, anxiety and other symptoms in their struggle to get well. That's why I couldn't be more excited to share with you that two bills were introduced yesterday in the U.S. Congress that aim to reduce suffering and improve the quality of life of patients undergoing care for serious illnesses such as cancer by expanding access to palliative care. What is palliative care? It's a growing field of specialized medical care that improves the quality of life of patients and their families by focusing on symptoms of treatment for a serious disease such as cancer. Palliative care is appropriate at any age and any stage of a serious illness and can be provided with curative treatment. It is delivered by trained specialists who work together with doctors and nurses in a team-based approach that focuses on the patients' needs, explains treatment options and gives patients and their families a voice in determining their treatment and care. Palliative care is a big change in health care delivery, and it works in favor of the patient. Yet, thousands of patients who are suffering from the side effects of treatment for chronic disease have no idea that palliative care is available to them and can help relieve their symptoms and help them focus on getting well. The legislation introduced yesterday aims to mitigate this barrier. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Rep. Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.) have introduced the Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act, (S. 3407 and H.R. 6155) which addresses the deficit in palliative care training offered in the nation's medical schools by creating new incentives for the training and development of interdisciplinary health professionals in palliative care. Additionally, Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.) and Rep. Spencer Bachus (R-Ala.) introduced the Patient Centered Quality of Life Act, (H.R. 6157) which puts in place the building blocks of a national effort to improve the fragmented care that people with cancer and other serious diseases often receive by drawing more national attention to palliative care. The bill has three crucial pieces: ¢ Research: Requires the director of the NIH to expand and intensify research on palliative care research that has already demonstrated the ability of palliative care to improve both quality and length of life at lower cost ¢ Workforce training: Supports training for nurses, nurse practitioners and other allied health professionals in palliative care ¢ Public education: Convenes health professionals, patients, public and private payers and state and federal health officials to develop solutions, tools and model best practices for providing palliative care ACS CAN worked closely with the lawmakers and their staffs in the drafting of these bills, and we're encouraged by the attention lawmakers have paid to this crucial issue for cancer patients. With greater access to palliative care, cancer patients will suffer less and be able to focus more on getting well. *Image retrieved from: http://bit.ly/SLuLEl
We’re proud to join the cancer community this September in recognition of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and will continue to focus our advocacy efforts year-round to improve the diagnosis, treatment and quality of life for childhood cancer patients and survivors.