Midwest Cancer Alliance will open survivorship clinic

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Chris Curry | KCBJ

The new Survivorship Transition Clinic is located on the University of Kansas Medical Center campus.

Brianne Pfannenstiel

Reporter- Kansas City Business Journal

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The Midwest Cancer Alliance will officially open the doors to its new Survivorship Transition Clinic on Nov. 6.

The Cancer Alliance is the outreach arm of The University of Kansas Cancer Center. The clinic is located on the University of Kansas Medical Center campus, and it is intended to help address the long-term health issues that cancer survivors face.

Survivors are often at risk for a number of other health concerns related to the treatment of their cancers, including fertility issues, cardiovascular disease, endocrine problems and a weakened immune system. The clinic is intended to provide continuity of care for those ongoing health concerns.

The program is also being done in collaboration with Children's Mercy Hospitals and Clinics, which has a similar program for pediatric patients called Survive & Thrive.

This new clinic will include a navigator, or care coordinator, who supports survivors of childhood cancer transition to adult health care at KU Med.

"Transitioning from pediatric to adult care is stressful for survivors and their families," said Joy Fulbright, medical director of Survive & Thrive. "When we discuss the new Survivorship Transition Clinic with families you can just see the relief in their faces."

The clinic will hold an official ribbon cutting on Nov. 6 to open the new clinic.

Brianne covers legal affairs, health care, life sciences, animal health and biosciences.