Cancer Survivor Program
At the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, we provide long-term, specialized care to help childhood cancer survivors who may experience a significant chronic health condition after treatment.
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While 80% of children and young adults diagnosed with cancer will survive, more than 85% of childhood cancer survivors will experience a significant chronic health condition after treatment. Health problems that occur after treatment are called late effects and may occur throughout the life of the survivor. These late effects may include physical, psychological and social issues.
Identifying and treating these problems early helps survivors lead a full life—performing to the best of their abilities in school, growing and developing normally, feeling strong and resilient, and even having families of their own one day.
At the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, we believe survivors of childhood and adolescent cancer who have been off treatment for approximately two years should have long-term, follow-up care in a specialized survivor program. Blood and marrow transplant (BMT) survivors treated for non-cancer conditions should also participate. Through our Cancer Survivor Program, we offer:
- Multidisciplinary care focused on the survivor’s needs.
- A review of the patient’s medical history.
- Complete evaluations, including a physical exam, blood work and any other tests needed.
- A personalized plan of care based on national guidelines produced by the Children’s Oncology Group (COG).
- Education about the risks of medical problems associated with the specific cancer treatments the survivor received.
- Help with school, job or insurance problems.
- Support for any physical or emotional changes or problems.
- Opportunities to enroll in research studies that focus on survivors and the late effects of treatment.
- Beyond the Cure, an annual conference held on the last Saturday of February to educate cancer survivors and their parents about late effects, survivorship and the need for lifelong care.
Many cancer survivors have to deal with late effects due to their cancer treatments.
Risk for late effects vary by individual and by diagnosis and treatment. They can occur many years after treatment ends and may include physical, emotional or social issues, such as:
- Growth and developmental problems.
- Learning disabilities and memory difficulties.
- Diseases of the heart and lungs.
- Vision and hearing problems.
- Secondary cancers.
- Infertility.
To help prevent or prepare for potential problems, cancer survivors should receive long-term, follow-up care. Lifelong survivorship care takes teamwork from:
- Pediatric primary and adult primary care physicians.
- Cancer survivor specialists. These are healthcare professionals who are knowledgeable about the health concerns of cancer survivors. They can check for late effects of cancer treatment and identify ways to help prevent or reduce the risk of health problems following cancer care.
- Subspecialists, such as endocrine or heart doctors, to help prevent or treat specific health problems.
- Psychologists and educational or occupational specialists.
Many BMT survivors deal with late effects due to chemo or radiation or because of the body’s reaction to the transplant.
Risk for late effects vary by individual and by diagnosis and treatment. They can occur many years after treatment ends and may include physical, emotional or social issues, such as:
- Graft versus host disease (GVHD), which is inflammation that occurs when the donor cells attack the body.
- Growth and development problems.
- Learning and memory problems.
- Diseases of the heart and lungs.
- Kidney problems.
- Thyroid problems.
- Vision and dental problems.
- Secondary cancers.
- Infertility.
To help prevent or prepare for potential problems, transplant survivors should receive long-term, follow-up care. Lifelong survivorship care takes teamwork from:
- Pediatric and adult primary care physicians.
- Survivor specialists: These are healthcare professionals who are knowledgeable about the health concerns of BMT survivors. They can check for late effects of transplant and identify ways to help prevent or reduce the risk of health problems following care.
- Subspecialists, such as endocrine and heart doctors, to help prevent or treat specific health problems.
- Psychologists and educational or occupational specialists.
The survivorship care plan is a helpful resource for you and your child’s other care providers, such as a primary care doctor, dentist, psychologist, schoolteacher or social worker, to quickly learn about your child’s cancer history and what care is needed in the future.
Each survivorship care plan includes:
- A medical summary of the survivor’s cancer diagnosis and treatment.
- An individualized risk profile detailing what late effects can occur after cancer treatment.
- A personalized surveillance plan that outlines tests a survivor needs to screen for late effects and how often to have certain tests.
This online resource keeps survivors connected with providers so that survivors are better prepared when making future healthcare decisions.
Cancer SurvivorLink is a website created for survivors of cancer and BMT and their healthcare providers to:
- Learn about the lifelong healthcare needs of survivors.
- Store their Survivor Healthcare Plan (SHP) and other healthcare documents.
- Share documents with their healthcare team.
- Medical professionals can access health records online to understand their patients’ diagnoses and treatments. Armed with this knowledge, they are better prepared to make future healthcare decisions.
The electronic system includes:
- Each patient’s Survivorship Care Plan.
- Educational materials for survivors, families and providers.
- National guidelines for survivorship care.
- Links to useful resources for survivors.
- Other clinical information needed to provide long-term care.
- Whether a patient lives in Georgia or has moved out of state, SurvivorLink eases communication and information sharing.
Committed to Helping Patients Live Full, Healthy Lives After Treatment
We are home to one of the leading childhood cancer survivor programs in the country, providing survivor care to approximately 2,000 pediatric cancer survivors. Founded in 2001, the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center has offered its multidisciplinary Cancer Survivor Program to address the unique needs of childhood cancer survivors who are at least two years off therapy.
- Our team developed Cancer SurvivorLink, a revolutionary web-based tool for survivors and their care teams to learn about cancer survivorship, store important health documents and share those documents with healthcare providers.
- Our research team is integrated into our clinical program to advance the health of survivors with expertise in behavioral health, health services research, sexual health, endocrinology, and oncology.
- Our staff is actively involved in the Children’s Oncology Group Survivorship working group and contributes to the Long-term Follow-up Guidelines for Survivors of Childhood, Adolescent and Young Adult Cancers.
- Our team members have leadership roles in the International Late Effects of Childhood Cancer Guideline Harmonization Group (IGHG), which is a worldwide venture to harmonize follow-up guidelines for survivors of childhood cancer.
- We participate in the national Childhood Cancer Survivor Study (CCSS) that examines late effects of cancer treatment.
- We have a robust Fertility Preservation Program to provide counseling and guide interventions to preserve reproductive material for future use.
Read Stories of Hope and Inspiration From Our Patients
The Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center is committed to excellence and innovation in pediatric cancer and blood disorders research. As Georgia’s top pediatric cancer research center, we are home to one of the largest clinical trial programs in the country, through which we offer our patients access to novel childhood cancer and blood disorders treatment options.
View our open research studies:
Receiving a cancer diagnosis for your child can be an emotional and overwhelming experience. At the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, we are here to support you and your family. Whether treating a toddler during an emergency or helping a teen through chemotherapy treatments, we make it our mission to provide the best care—and best experience—for every child. Family is a big part of your child’s well-being. Not only are you a vital member of the healthcare team; you are a source of security and comfort.
We work to support your whole family while your child is in our care—and after she goes home.
- Karen Effinger, MD, MS, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Co-Director Aflac Survivor Program
- Jordan Gilleland Marchak, PhD, ABPP, Behavioral Science, Co-Director Aflac Survivor Program
- Lillian Meacham, MD, Pediatric Endocrinology, Director Aflac Fertility Preservation Program
- Sanyukta Janardan, MD, MS, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology
- Briana Patterson, MD, MSc, Pediatric Endocrinology
- Naadira Upshaw, PsyD, ABPP, Pediatric Psychology
Advanced Practice Providers:
- Michelle Folkert, PNP, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology
- Lindsey Goldberg, PNP, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology
- Megan Pruett, PNP, Pediatric Endocrinology
- Kelsi Hagerty, MMSc, LCGC, Genetic Counseling
- Erin Seibel, MMSc, LCGC, Genetic Counseling
- Stephanie Mooney, LMSW, Social Work
Contact Us 404-785-1717