Children's Understanding of Cancer and the Influence of Parental Teaching
September 21, 2010, 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Presenters: Kathleen McCue, MA, LSW, CCLS - Children’s Program Director at The Gathering Place, Beachwood, OH and Rose Resler, LPN, MA, CCLS, CFCS - Director of Child Life Specialist Program at The University of Akron, Akron, OH
It is not uncommon for oncology patients to want to keep their diagnosis a secret from their young children. Often patients comment that “my child is too young and would not understand.” This program will examine children’s understanding of the concept of cancer. Factors to be considered are: children’s life experience and cognitive development; parent’s perceptions of their child’s understanding of cancer; reasons that parents do or do not talk to their children about cancer; and benefits of using a developmental approach when talking with children about an advanced concept like cancer.

Caring for Caregivers: An Intervention for Allogeneic Tranplant Caregivers
October 12, 2010, 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Presenters: Janet Spradley, LCSW and Teri Simoneau, Ph. D Social Worker and Psychologist, Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers Blood and Marrow Transplant Program
Caregivers of allogeneic blood or marrow transplantation (BMT) patients are faced with a stressful experience marked by increased responsibility and uncertainty. Dr. Simoneau and Janet Spradley will describe how caregiving impacts caregivers emotionally and physically and will outline an eight session cognitive-behavioral intervention for caregivers that are being studied in a randomized control trial at their site.

Stepping Up to Wholeness: Five Real Steps for Dealing with Children in Crisis
November 02, 2010, 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Presenter: Rev. Dr. Leanne Ciampa Hadley –President and Founder of First Steps Spirituality Center, Colorado Springs, Colorado

Rev. Hadley's research with children and teens revealed 90% indicate that what makes their being in crisis more difficult for them is their perception that adults don't care. As evidence for this belief, children and teens state that adults do not ask how they are doing in crisis situations. Dr. Hadley has found that adults will express fear that they will say the wrong words, and cause further distress; nor do adults know how to prepare themselves in how to have caring conversations with children and teens regarding crisis situations. Stepping Up to Wholeness is an effective program that will assist adults to be prepared for when a crisis enters children and teens' lives, by providing direction in what to day, assist in emotional expression, as well as additional tools

Benefits from an Uncertainty Management Intervention for African-American and Caucasian Older Breast Cancer Survivors
February 08, 2011, 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
 
Presenter: Merle H. Mishel, RN, PhD, FAAN – Kenan Distinguished Professor, University of North Carolina
Dr. Mishel will be discussing research testing the efficacy of utilizing an uncertainty management intervention provided to older long-term breast cancer survivors. Measures used indicate training in uncertainty management provides positive benefits. Results shall be reviewed in the importance of theory-based interventions for cancer survivors that target triggers of uncertainty as well as ethnic differences in response to intervention.

Strategies in Integrative Oncology During Treatment
March 29, 2011, 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Presenter: Lise Alschuler, ND, FABNO – Vice President, Quality and Education, Emerson Ecologics, Bedford, NH
Integrative Oncology continues to provide exciting new developments and research in the area of whole patient care. Co-author of “Influencing our Internal Landscape,” Dr. Alschuler will be presenting data on complementary therapies concurrent with chemotherapy and radiation to address toxicities and to improve outcome.

Resilience, Coping, and Growth in Cancer Survivors: Evidence, Approaches, and Clinical Implications
April 19, 2011, 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Presenter: Carly Parry, Ph.D, MSW Associate Professor, Division of Health Care Policy and Research, University of Colorado Denver
Cancer survivors continue to increase as more individuals find themselves living with cancer over extended periods of time. However, there continues to be significant misunderstanding and misperceptions of appropriate care and support of cancer survivors. Dr. Parry will be sharing key results of her research within the cancer survivor population.

Chemotherapy-Induced Cognitive Changes: Fact and Fiction
May 17, 2011, 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
 
Presenters: Jim Grigsby, Ph. D., and Teri Simoneau, Ph. D. Psychologists; University of Colorado, Denver and Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers Blood and Marrow Transplant Program
Despite growing research evidence showing mild cognitive impairment following chemotherapy treatment, there is still skepticism as to whether chemobrain exists. Drs. Grigsby and Simoneau will describe chemobrain and its possible etiology, review the research evidence for chemobrain, and share results of their longitudinal study with breast cancer patients.