The doctor behind the survivor journey looks back on the cancer journey more than a decade later

Dr. Jay Burton, a primary care physician at Greater Springfield, renowned for his efforts to help cancer survivors like himself stay healthy, said Wednesday, May 26, “Conversation with Survivors: Let’s Talk About Cancer Survivorship.” I will participate in.6 pm to 7 pm

Virtual presentations are open to the public and can be registered at yalecancercenter.org/event/73427/..

This event is a collaboration between Survivor Journey, Yale New Haven Health’s Smilow Cancer Hospital, and Yale Cancer Survivorship Clinic. It includes interdisciplinary discussions on what people diagnosed with cancer at any point in their lives should recognize and engage in terms of ongoing health, and includes time for questions and answers with survivors.

Founded burton Survivor Journey Supporting cancer survivors through support groups, educational seminars, and other programs is an adult survivor Acute myeloid leukemiaA type of cancer in which the bone marrow makes abnormal white blood cells or red blood cells or platelets.

He is asked here about his own cancer journey and how to enable cancer survivors to recognize the medical and other support they need to stay healthy when transitioning from treatment. I will.

What does it mean to be 11 years after your cancer is in remission?

I feel very lucky to be alive. I have been able to experience more important family and life events than ever before. I met lots of interesting people, made new friendships, and made wonderful memories of my life. I was able to return to work as a primary care physician.

My life is even more purposeful by establishing a survivor journey to provide emotional, social and educational support to cancer survivors, their families and caregivers.

I have lived long enough to develop interstitial lung disease, a life-threatening condition unrelated to cancer or treatment, but due to shortness of breath and additional medication. You need to adjust your life. I learned not to focus on obstacles, but to strive to find ways to avoid them.

What care plan did you follow for yourself?

After the first chemotherapy in June 2010, I developed pneumonia and lost 50 pounds. When I recovered, I regained 20 pounds and have been able to maintain that healthy weight ever since.

I eat a healthier diet, but I’m not enthusiastic about it. I wasn’t a big lean meat eater, and it goes on. Only once a week. I eat a lot of green vegetables. I hydrate with at least 1.5 liters (1.5 quarts) of water per day. I walked 3-4 times a week for at least 30 minutes until 2018, but due to lung disease, this turned into a shorter, rarer walk with a foot cycle of 6,000-7,000 steps per day. I did.

I am actively involved in my care. With four urgent decisions, we were able to have a zoom meeting this spring with our primary care physicians and lung and kidney physicians. This was the most efficient way for everyone involved to discuss the issue. It was the best medical visit in my life, and I recommend that people try to schedule this type of visit at least once a year.

My doctor thought this was very effective in interacting and making decisions. This is especially true if the patient is listening to the discussion and involved in the care options.

Your own one-year quarantine from a stem cell transplant was in October of this year, ten years ago. What advice would you give to someone who has been diagnosed with cancer in terms of knowing that they are receiving the best treatment for their cancer?

As soon as someone is diagnosed with cancer, it feels like they have lost control. The person needs to find a small way to resume control while and beyond a plan to treat the cancer.

Well-meaning friends and family will contact you about cancer treatments, including oncologists and cancer treatment centers you have to go to. This can spin your head and cause even more anxiety.

The information is overwhelming because most people are not medically trained. Your plan is determined by the acuteness of your illness and the level of comfort you have with cancer treatment in your community.

In my case in 2010, the first treatment for acute myeloid leukemia was the same everywhere in the world for decades. I found it comfortable to start chemotherapy locally. However, stem cell transplantation was needed to attempt curative treatment, which was not a local option. I received the stem cell transplant at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital / Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, but I didn’t look back.

My advice is to educate yourself about your cancer and treatment options by asking your doctor detailed questions. Also, look at reputable sites on the Internet, such as the National Cancer Institute. Do not consider traveling outside the community as a barrier. See it as a possible route to extend your life.

If you’re worried about what you’re listening to, get one or more second opinions. Don’t worry you offend your doctor. Most doctors welcome this. After all, this is your life and you want to feel that you are doing everything you can to come up with the best decision.

Always take someone with you to your medical and laboratory visit. This is easy because the restrictions on COVID-19 have been relaxed. Four sets of ears and two brains are better than two and one, respectively, in terms of remembering the details of a medical visit.

What was your message during the worst pandemic to the survivors being treated?

Follow the guidelines of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for masking, social distance, hand washing, and two COVID-19 vaccinations. One important caveat: If you are taking immunosuppressive drugs for any reason (including non-cancerous conditions) at the time of COVID-19 vaccination, you may not be forming enough antibodies in response to the vaccination. It will be higher.

The CDC’s recommendation for this population is to discuss this issue further with the doctor.

I have not formed antibodies against two COVID-19 vaccinations. I continue to wear masks in indoor environments and social distances other than at home. Wear a mask if you are socially unable to distance yourself outdoors. Again, this is what I decided to do. I advise others to talk to their doctor for planning. We also advise the CDC website on changes to the guidelines’ recommendations.

What do you think the Survivor Journey has made in the last six years?

We started in March 2015 with two support groups (breast cancer and blood cancer). Currently, there are eight support groups, including a caregiver support group, all of which are effectively zoomed. We have developed a mentoring program to guide those who are struggling as they go further on their cancer journey. We participated in the volunteer management of Cancer Care, a national group of 77 non-profit organizations and cancer centers. If you don’t have a local mentor, you can contact other organizations to explore the potential of the match.

Survivor Journeys also has Cancer Survivorship 101, a pet therapy program and educational event. This is now a series of monthly virtual presentations by national leaders in cancer survivorship that talk about essential topics for the target audience. All our programs are free.

We recognize that the Cancer Survivorship Support Program has not reached a group where English is not spoken or is a second language. To address this, we started all Spanish-speaking cancer support groups earlier this year.

How much is being done overall to address the survival rates of people diagnosed with cancer?

Unfortunately, there is no uniformity in survival care. Some cancer treatment hospitals have strong programs, while others have minimal or no programs.

Survivorship care requires greater involvement and cooperation by oncologists and primary care providers. Cancer treatment centers need to be aware of the value of cancer survival care for patients. At the end of aggressive cancer treatment, a survival care plan or treatment summary should be provided to the patient and primary care physician.

More education about cancer survival care in the primary care community, and the interest of these providers to understand the uniqueness of this care and incorporate it into primary care practices is needed.

What are you most proud of working with survivors? And why are you continuing this work?

I have cancer and have been a primary care physician for over 30 years, so I have a unique perspective on cancer survival. I know what services and programs are available and what are not. I am proud of all the work that the support group facilitators, staff, and volunteer board members have accomplished during their six-year lifetime.

There are approximately 17 million cancer survivors in the United States, and only a few receive quality cancer survival care or support services.

The Survivor Journey will continue to contact people with cancer and provide support services and education to raise awareness of the clear care they need and deserve.

We have worked with much larger organizations, cancer centers, and cancer survival researchers to provide the community with the cancer survival support programs and education they need. In return, the cancer survivorship community across the country is aware of the survivor journey, which helps us grow and benefits the community.

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