Dawn M. Carey RN, MSN, APN, LITE Program Coordinator, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, outlines some of the challenges when treating childhood cancer survivors as they age.

Carey says insurance used to be a barrier, but now that healthcare law changes have allowed patients to be on their family insurance until they’re 26 years old, patients are able to continue their follow-up care. However, there are still times when a college student or a patient that gets a new job doesn’t have insurance and has to postpone checkups.

When patients leave the state, it can be difficult to schedule treatment, but the majority of the patients work around their schedule to come back in for treatment, Carey says.

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Dawn Carey, RN, on the Challenges of Treating Childhood Cancer Survivors

Dawn M. Carey RN, MSN, APN, LITE Program Coordinator, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, discusses caring for childhood cancer survivors.

The main goal for childhood cancer survivors is maintaining follow-up care, since long-term side effects can vary greatly depending on previous treatment, Carey says.

The LITE program provides long-term evaluation, support, and health education for the growing population of childhood cancer survivors.  Two physicians, a nurse practitioner, a social worker and a dietician meet with each patient at each visit.

Carey says for their first visit, the survivors receive a binder that explains late effects and a card with information about their disease and all the previous treatment they received. These resources help patients to become better educated and become better advocates for themselves.

Dawn M. Carey RN, MSN, APN

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Dawn Carey, RN, on the Challenges of Treating Childhood Cancer Survivors

Dawn Carey, RN, on Caring for Childhood Cancer Survivors