Mike Hennessy Jr.

The journey that led to the creation of the Extraordinary Healer Award for Oncology Nursing began with a simple, yet profound, observation: © stock.adobe.com.

The journey that led to the creation of the Extraordinary Healer Award for Oncology Nursing began with a simple, yet profound, observation: the remarkable difference that exceptional nurses and advanced practice providers make in the lives of those facing cancer. In the challenging and often emotionally charged environment of oncology, these individuals are more than just caregivers; they are beacons of hope, sources of strength and unwavering pillars of support.

We recognized that their contributions often extend far beyond the realm of clinical expertise. They provide comfort during moments of fear, offer guidance during times of uncertainty and celebrate every victory, no matter how small. They are the ones who hold a patient’s hand during difficult treatments, who listen with empathy to the concerns of worried families and who tirelessly advocate for the best possible care.

 have hosted the Extraordinary Healer Award for Oncology Nursing, which gives people — patients, caregivers, families, colleagues and doctors, to name a few — the opportunity to recognize and honor the oncology nurses who have made a significant impact on their life.

Oncology nurses have an innate ability to see a patient beyond their diagnosis and to help them physically and emotionally.

“[Her] compassion is unmatched, and she always goes above and beyond, a nominator wrote about her colleague. “It is not just about the cancer or the patient’s treatment; it is about the person and seeing their smiles through often-sad times.”

The passion that oncology nurses give to caring for their patients is often done as a selfless act.

“She does not look for credit or brag about her work, nor does she just sit back and enjoy her success,” a colleague described in their nominating essay. “[She] lives in the struggle that is oncology nursing and bears the weight of responsibility for patients on her shoulders. As a mentor, she is a true example of what it means to coordinate patient care.”

Even when patients are facing a cancer diagnosis, nurses step up to help them even when all of the information they are receiving is a lot to process.

“This patient ... was understandably overwhelmed by his diagnosis and uncertain about his future,” a nominator wrote about their colleague. “[She] spent hours with him, carefully explaining his diagnosis, offering emotional support and answering his questions. She went above and beyond by connecting him with other patients with pancreatic cancer who shared their experiences. ... Through these conversations and her guidance, [she] helped him to realize that he wasn’t just another statistic. She helped him find hope and a plan.”

We extend our deepest gratitude to the Extraordinary Healers whose stories are shared here, and to all the nurses and advanced practice providers who dedicate themselves to providing exceptional oncology care.

Articles

The Extraordinary Healer Award for Oncology Nursing was established to honor the profound impact of exceptional oncology nurses and advanced practice providers. These professionals go beyond clinical duties, offering emotional support, guidance, and advocacy for patients and their families. Celebrating its 19th year, the award allows patients, caregivers, and colleagues to recognize nurses who significantly impact lives. Oncology nurses are praised for their compassion, selflessness, and dedication, often providing hope and personalized care to patients overwhelmed by their cancer diagnoses.

The journey that led to the creation of the Extraordinary Healer Award for Oncology Nursing began with a simple, yet profound, observation.

Illuminating Compassion in Cancer Care

New cancer treatments are minimizing the need for radical surgeries by introducing organ-sparing therapies and improving survivorship care and patient support.

For countless patients over the years, a cancer journey has involved surgery. Radical surgeries to remove the affected organ were the standard of care for many cancers, from rectal and bladder to certain types of stomach and uterine cancers. Although these surgeries offered a chance for a cure, they often came at a significant cost. Patients faced life-altering side effects, including issues with digestion, sexual function, fertility and overall quality of life.

However, a new era in cancer treatment is dawning, as we detail in this seasonal issue of CURE. Advancements in research and technology are allowing doctors to offer patients more options than ever. We explore the growing field of organ-sparing therapies, which use systemic treatments such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy and targeted therapies to shrink tumors or control the disease, potentially eliminating the need for surgery.

In this issue, you will find insight from Joanna Fawzy Doran, CEO of the nonprofit organization Triage Cancer and a CURE advisory board member, about what patients can do if they face the common issue of insurance denials during their cancer journey.

Additionally, we examine real-world data on the use of Carvykti (ciltacabtagene autoleucel) in the treatment of patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma and spotlight treatment advancements for triple-negative breast cancer as part of our “Speaking Out” discussion series.

Furthermore, we speak with a pair of experts about what the “new normal” may be like for someone entering cancer survivorship.

“Often it’s kind of a series of physical adjustments,” Dr. Kevin Billingsley of Yale Cancer Center and Smilow Cancer Hospital in New Haven, Connecticut, told us. “It takes weeks to months to recover from the physical rigors, often of a combination of chemotherapy and surgery. Even young, healthy people ... need to rebuild themselves, often with a program involving exercise under the guidance of a trainer or physical therapist, as well as some nutritional consultation.

“It can take longer than people expect. There [are] also the emotional adjustments of getting back into the normal flow of life and dealing with the uncertainty that [accompanies] a cancer diagnosis. … This is because even when treatments are highly successful, people live with the uncertainty that cancer may return at some point, which can be quite stressful.”

Patients in remission enter a “survivorship care period,” as Frank J. Penedo of Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center in Miami told us. “The [National Cancer Institute] defines a cancer survivor as somebody from the day of diagnosis through the balance of their life,” said Penedo, who leads teams in cancer survivorship, translational behavioral sciences, and supportive care, and the psychophysical mechanisms and health out-comes lab, at Sylvester. “Survivorship care is the care that a person is receiving in addition to their medical treatment post completion of their primary treatments. In that survivorship care, it’s really critical that the patient remains very involved with their care team for a variety of reasons.”

For all the up-to-the-minute oncology updates, stay tuned to curetoday.com. There, you will find everything from breaking news on the latest Food and Drug Administration approvals to expert context on major cancer news and much more.

Our goal is to empower our readers with knowledge and provide patients with the information they need to make informed decisions about their cancer care. Throughout these pages, you will find personal stories and expert insights. As always, we hope you find them inspirational and informative. Thank you for reading.

For more news on cancer updates, research and education,

don’t forget to subscribe to CURE®’s newsletters here.

Advancements in cancer treatment are shifting from radical surgeries to organ-sparing therapies, utilizing systemic treatments like chemotherapy and immunotherapy. This approach aims to reduce life-altering side effects and improve quality of life. Insights from experts highlight the challenges of insurance denials, the evolving landscape of cancer survivorship, and the importance of survivorship care. Real-world data on Carvykti for multiple myeloma and advancements in triple-negative breast cancer treatment are also discussed. The focus remains on empowering patients with knowledge for informed decision-making in their cancer care journey.

New advancements in cancer treatment are reducing the need for radical surgeries, offering organ-sparing therapies and enhancing survivorship care and support for patients.

The Dawn of a New Era in Cancer Treatment

Have cancer-related questions? CURE Educated Patient Summits are a great way to present these questions to experts in the field.

, we remain steadfastly dedicated to providing our readers with answers.

’s Educated Patient Summits, held throughout the year, offer both the chance to hear experts discuss the big issues at the heart of this field and the opportunity to present questions to some of those experts.

One example of the latter can be found in this seasonal issue of 

, as we speak with Dr. Jyoti Malhotra, director of thoracic medical oncology at City of Hope Orange County, in California, and a presenter at the Educated Patient Lung Cancer Summit, to get answers to 10 of the most commonly asked patient questions in the lung cancer space.

You’ll find Malhotra’s insights on treatment options, monitoring and more.

Elsewhere, you will hear from a member of our advisory board — Dr. Michael K. Wong, physician in chief at the Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center in Buffalo, New York — who has some helpful and actionable advice on how patients can get the most out of the online portals used to communicate with their care team.

Additionally, we report on advancements in the field of antibody-drug conjugates and speak with two patients with breast cancer who have benefited from these treatments.

“After two failed clinical trials, I experienced severe despair, but I have gained hope through this new drug,” one patient, 

. “The previous trials had significant side effects … but this new medication has been much easier to tolerate, with only slight appetite loss and fatigue. If there are other patients in a similar situation, I would strongly recommend it.”

For all of the up-to-the-minute oncology updates, be sure to stay tuned to curetoday.com. There, you will find everything from breaking news on the latest FDA approvals to expert context on major cancer news and much more.

Throughout these pages, you’ll find personal stories and expert insights. As always, we hope you find them inspirational and informative. Thank you for reading.

Mike Hennessy Jr.
President and CEO
MJH Life Sciences

For more news on cancer updates, research and education, don’t forget to 

subscribe to CURE®’s newsletters here.

At CURE, we remain steadfastly dedicated to providing our readers
with answers about cancer research. 

Delivering Answers to Pressing Questions About Cancer

Common Metastatic Breast Cancer Questions Answered by Oncologists

Receiving a cancer diagnosis at any age is a life-altering experience, but for adolescents and young adults (AYAs) already navigating a potentially tumultuous time of life, the challenges can be amplified.

 such as Stacy Leung who, at just 23 years old, received a diagnosis of stage 2 triple-negative breast cancer. She received a second diagnosis of breast cancer 12 years later, as she was preparing for her wedding. Leung said she found empowerment in planning.

“I was at a point where I was working with a wedding event planner, I [already] got my dress and I’m like, ‘OK, this is what’s happening,’” Leung explained. “Having the unknown was the hardest part. Once I had a game plan, it was fine because I knew exactly what the moves were and what was going to happen.”

Leung’s is the latest among countless stories we have had the privilege to report on during the first 25 years of MJH Life Sciences®.

Since we started quarter century ago with a single brand, we have launched thousands of video programs, developed cutting-edge conferences and held thousands of virtual and live events, all while tirelessly covering health care news in print and online.

The driving force behind our evolution remains our passion for improving health care. We are grateful to you, our readers, for joining us on this journey.

Elsewhere in this issue, we take a deep dive into some of the 

latest treatment advancements for small cell lung cancer

, offer insights into how best to prepare for a virtual visit with your physician and feature 

answers to patients’ questions on breast cancer

In this Fall issue of CURE, we focus on AYAs with cancer, latest treatments in small cell lung cancer, preparing for a virtual visit and answering common questions about breast cancer.

Mike Hennessy Jr.

Illuminating Compassion in Cancer Care

The Dawn of a New Era in Cancer Treatment

Delivering Answers to Pressing Questions About Cancer

Choices About Cancer Treatment During a Tumultuous Time

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