Fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) is a unique and significant mental health issue defined as fear, worry or concern relating to the possibility that cancer will come back or progress. It impacts daily life and is associated with emotional distress, anxiety, depression and isolation.
To help patients understand and cope with the impacts of FCR, the following resources have been created.
Documents
Questions to Ask Your Care Team: One-page document to help guide a patient or caregiver interaction with doctors, nurses, and others.
Frequently Asked Questions: Three-page document to help patients understand the effects of FCR on their quality of life, the frequency of FCR, and where to seek support.
Fact sheet: Two-page fact sheet providing an overview of FCR symptoms and interventions.
The 5 Ws on FCR: One-page document with an overview of what FCR is, who is affected, when FCR occurs, why FCR happens, and where patients can go for help.
Referral Guide: wo-page guide to help identify when a patient should be referred to appropriate support or treatment for FCR.
Hosting an Educational Event: One-page guide on how to host an event to educate your community about FCR.
Therapy Overview: Two-page document providing an overview of the ways to screen and assess, as well as treat FCR.
Right now, the resources are only in English. They will be available soon in French and Spanish.
If you would like LC to translate the documents into your local language, please email marketing@lymphomacoalition.org and describe how you will use the resources. There is a limited amount of funds available for translation so translations will be prioritised by organisations with a good plan for dispersing the information.
Templates
Local Resources: Two-page template can be used to inform patients and caregivers about the list of local resources related to FCR.
Videos
Patient Perspective: Watch Guy Tavori, a social worker and lymphoma survivor speak about fear of relapse. Talking about fear of relapse can empower patients and help build confidence.
Nurse Perspective: Watch Mairead Ni Chonghaile speak about the Fear of Cancer Recurrence (FCR) at the Haematology Nurses & Healthcare Allied Professionals Group Conference (HNHCP).
If you require a copy of the resources below in Microsoft Word, please contact the Marketing Coordinator with your request.
If you are using the whole or any part of a resource listed above, please cite it with “Lymphoma Coalition.”