Hershey

Pediatric survivorship program provides support after treatment

Penn State Hershey Children's Hospital Credit: Penn StateCreative Commons

HERSHEY, Pa. — Each year, as the rate of children cured from pediatric cancers increases, so does the need for ongoing care of the young survivors.

Six years ago, Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital started a survivorship clinic to educate children and young adults who have completed their cancer treatments about the therapy they received and possible late-arriving side effects of it.

“Most of the time, therapy-related complications happen several years after therapy is finished, when they are young adults,” said Dr. Smita Dandekar, head of the program. That’s why children are invited to the program at least five years after their original diagnosis, and at least two years after they have completed their treatments.

The program follows young patients until they are 10 years off therapy, or until they turn 18, whichever comes later. The program is supported by Four Diamonds.

Learn more about the survivorship clinic in this Penn State Medicine article.

Last Updated February 22, 2016

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