David Zappa, 34, finished treatment for colon cancer last year with a sense of relief, but also with fatigue, pain and uncertainty.
"As soon as I was done with chemo, I had no direction," Zappa said. "Now you're on your own. I'm faced with all these symptoms and all these things I don't know what to do with."
Months later, his oncologist referred him to a new St. Jude Medical Center program that offers rehabilitation to help cancer patients rebuild their bodies and lives. Services include physical, occupational and speech therapy as well as gym-style exercise classes. The specially trained team includes social workers, psychologists and nutritionists.
The six-week program is covered by Medicare and private insurance companies.
"They wanted to know what my goals were and the specifics of my problems," Zappa said. "I mentioned back pain, fatigue, energy and strength. All those were addressed, and body mechanics. I had so much improvement."
The program, called Survivors Taking Action and Responsibility, or STAR, was developed by a Harvard Medical School professor after her diagnosis of breast cancer while in her 30s.
"I realized there was a big gap in care," said founder Dr. Julie Silver, whose specialty is rehabilitation medicine. "If you've been in a serious car accident or had a stroke or a hip replacement, you go through rehabilitation. In oncology, many patients are sent home and told to accept a new normal."
Silver said research shows the top cause of distress among cancer survivors stems from the disability they experience from radiation or chemo, such as trouble swallowing, incontinence or nerve damage.
"There's a very strong psychological fallout from those problems," Silver said. "When you offer rehab, you're supporting survivors both physically and emotionally."
An estimated 13.7 million cancer survivors live in the U.S., and the figure is forecast to reach nearly 18 million in 10 years, according to a recent report by the American Cancer Society. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, survivors may face physical, emotional, social, spiritual and financial challenges after their diagnosis and treatment. Experts say addressing the varied needs of survivorship ? not just monitoring for recurrence ? is essential.
"People now live six times longer after their cancer diagnosis than they did 40 years ago," said Sue Potts, a physical therapist and manager of St. Jude's outpatient rehab. "The treatments have definitely become better, but they're still toxic to the body. Cancer treatment is about surviving. Rehab is about regaining your life."
Potts said nearly 40 patients have completed the program since May, with the ideal time for rehab taking place three to six months after the end of treatment.
"We may not get you to your previous level of function, but we can get you to a higher level than you would have achieved on your own," she said.
Ana de Perez, 43, had breast cancer a decade ago and was diagnosed again last year. She underwent a hysterectomy, a bilateral mastectomy, chemo and reconstructive surgery.
"After that, I felt like my body had been run over by a freight train," said de Perez, who lives in Chino.
Her bones ached, and she felt stiff and fatigued. Physical therapy twice a week at St. Jude's Brea rehab and wellness center has eased her symptoms while building her endurance as she's gone back to work in sales. She hopes she can get back into yoga soon.
"Now that I've started doing some of the exercises, I'm very conscious of my posture and how I walk, stand and sit," de Perez said. "I feel like it's made a huge difference."
For Betty Shields, 59, the rehab program after breast cancer treatment produced tangible results as her therapist pushed and praised her.
Initially, Shields learned ways to exert less energy while cooking or getting dressed. She could, for instance, bake a cake while seated. As she gained more stamina, larger tasks became easier. She can now clean her house in a day instead of over a week.
"I can remember the days when simply taking a shower would just exhaust me," said Shields, who lives in Brea. "I'm feeling very, very much like myself. My overall attitude has improved. Everyone I worked with was my cheerleader. It was all geared toward me."
Zappa, the colon cancer patient, isn't strong enough to look for work yet or lift his set of heavy weights. But the program helped him make other changes, such as drastically reducing his red meat consumption after coaching from the nutritionist.
"This is something where so many people can be helped," he said. "The program came at the perfect time. It's a huge blessing."
To learn more about the program, call 714-578-8753.
Contact the writer: 714-796-3686 or cperkes@ocregister.com
Source: http://www.ocregister.com/articles/cancer-374074-program-rehab.html
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