Support and Survivorship

Area Support Groups

Brenda Haden, one of our most experienced OHA nurses, leads several Springfield area support groups, including Caregivers Support Group, PACS and Grief Support Group. Brenda is a liver cancer survivor and has personally facilitated support groups for more than 20 years. Her passion for providing support to those whose lives are affected by cancer is evident in the loving and understanding way she leads these helpful support groups. For more information, call Brenda at 417-882-4880.

  • Caregivers Support Group – For family members or friends of people with cancer. Meets the second Thursday of every month, 4:30-6:00 p.m. at the Hulston Cancer Center Patient Classroom, Suite 200.
  • Reach Together – For women whose lives are affected by breast cancer. Sponsored by the CoxHealth Breast Care Clinic. Meets the second Tuesday of every month, 7:00 p.m. at the Hulston Cancer Center Breast Care Clinic, Suite 300.
  • PACS (Patient and Caregivers Support Group) – For people who have been diagnosed with cancer and for their caregivers. This group offers support for both the patient and the caregiver, as well as information about treatment and available resources. Meets the third Thursday of every month, 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Hulston Cancer Center, first floor conference room.
  • Grief Support Group – For people who have lost a loved one to cancer. Meets the second Tuesday of every month, 4:30-6:00 p.m. at the Hulston Cancer Center, first floor conference room.

Call 417-269-5257 for more information about any of the above support groups.

Patient Advocacy

Patient advocacy is at the heart of our mission and a natural extension of our commitment to providing exceptional patient care, close to home. The primary role of a patient advocate is to listen, and then to match patient needs to the best resources. At OHA, we offer assistance with coordination of transportation and lodging, financial assistance programs, finding support groups and community resources. Many excellent local support groups are available to provide support and compassion that benefits both patients and their families.

OHA Patient Advocacy Initiatives

  • All OHA regimens and treatment protocols are NCCN (National Comprehensive Cancer Network) and/or academic evidenced based.
  • To ensure that we provide the best, most current standard of patient care, we partner with MD Anderson, Mayo Clinic, Barnes, and Cleveland Clinic – all major academic centers of excellence.

Survivorship

As an adult cancer survivor, you should have a survivorship care plan that summarizes treatment and outlines a plan for your follow-up care. This is an important communication resource for you to share with all your other healthcare providers.

Cancer and its treatment can result in potentially long-lasting or late-onset effects. Our survivorship program addresses various problems cancer survivors may face after therapy ends, including pain, fatigue, fear of recurrence, living with uncertainty, neuropathy, lymphedema, bone loss, sexual dysfunction, cardiovascular disease, memory issues and future cancer risk.

In the survivorship program you will receive thorough screenings and health evaluations. You will meet with one of our specialized nurse practitioners who care for patients as part of a team that includes your oncologist and primary care physician. They monitor you for recurrence of cancer as well as:

  • Review your recent medical history and do physical examinations
  • Identify and manage the effects of cancer and its treatment
  • Provide counseling on healthy living habits such as diet and exercise
  • Refer you for screening for other cancers
  • Communicate with your primary care physician

We’ll also work with you to develop a survivorship care plan that lists all of your therapy and medical information related to your diagnosis and possible side effects, and we’ll make recommendations for you and your healthcare providers to help ensure you’re informed and you stay as healthy as possible.