In 2024 alone, an estimated 2 million people heard the words, “You have cancer.”
Maybe you’re one of them. Maybe those words have left you feeling overwhelmed, uncertain, or even alone.
If so, you’re not alone — and you don’t have to walk this path by yourself.
What is cancer survivorship?
Survivorship starts from the moment you are diagnosed with cancer through the remainder of your life.
“Survivorship is more than just living through cancer,” explains Shelby Terstriep, M.D., medical oncologist and medical director of cancer survivorship at Sanford Health in Fargo, North Dakota. “It’s about addressing the whole person — physically, emotionally, socially, and even financially — during and after treatment so you can live as best as possible after a cancer diagnosis.”
Survivorship care focuses on:
- Managing side effects – physical, emotional, and financial
- Navigating relationships – from intimacy to parenting
- Making healthy lifestyle changes – to reduce risk of recurrence and reduce risk of another cancer
- Providing long-term follow-up – so nothing falls through the cracks
Sanford Health’s commitment to survivorship began nearly two decades ago. Today, it continues to grow with programs designed to meet patients where they are and help them live longer and better.
Why survivorship programs matter
We also know that survivorship care makes a difference, both in how long people live and how well they live. Studies show that comprehensive survivorship programs are linked to:
- Improved overall survival: Research from the American Cancer Society and National Cancer Institute has shown that survivors who receive follow-up care tailored to their needs — especially in the first five years post-treatment — have higher rates of early detection for recurrence or secondary cancers, which directly improves survival outcomes.
- Better management of late effects: Survivorship care helps patients manage long-term physical side effects like neuropathy, fatigue, cognitive issues, and fertility concerns.
- Enhanced quality of life: A 2022 meta-analysis published in the journal JAMA Oncology found that cancer survivors engaged in structured survivorship care programs reported significantly lower rates of anxiety, depression, and social isolation, and higher levels of overall life satisfaction.
- Healthier lifestyle changes: Survivorship programs that include lifestyle counseling can reduce the risk of other chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and obesity — conditions that survivors are often at increased risk for.
That’s why Sanford Health has invested in building a wide range of survivorship services including stress management programs, fertility navigation, exercise prescriptions, support groups, and specialized clinics.
Dr. Terstriep has seen the impact of using the survivorship programs through patients who go on to become mentors, and young women who protect their fertility and go on to start families.
“Those are the kinds of impact that motivates me to keep creating new services,” she says.
Building connection & support
Survivorship is also about community. Whether through support groups, retreats, or one-on-one counseling, Sanford Health offers meaningful ways to connect to others who have had similar diagnoses.
As cancer psychologist Chery Hysjulien, RN, PsyD, LP, describes, “At one recent session, we started with just one question: ‘What do you remember about your diagnosis?’ That was all it took. Strangers began sharing everything, and before we knew it, time was up.”
That openness, she says, shows the power of peer connection.
“People with strong support networks do better. Social isolation, on the other hand, can be harmful to both quality and length of life.”
Sanford’s survivorship programs include:
- FOURward – for Stage 4 patients
- Caregiver support groups
- WiTT (We’re in This Together) – a support registry managed by navigators
- Women’s Survivorship Retreat
- Survivorship newsletter
- Camp Voyage – a new program for children whose parents have cancer
Physical & behavioral health support
A cancer diagnosis can change your body, but you have options and support:
- Cold caps to help prevent hair loss
- Cryotherapy for hands and feet to prevent nerve damage
- Oncofertility navigation to preserve your future family
- Help managing lymphedema, speech, and movement
- Healthy lifestyle programs for weight, exercise, and tobacco cessation
“We’ve also developed a stress management program for patients just starting treatment,” says Dr. Hysjulien. “It’s a way to build coping skills from the start.”
Behavioral health resources include therapy, integrative services like massage, and support for sleep, nutrition, and substance use.
Looking ahead: The future of survivorship
At Sanford Health, we believe survivorship is not just a phase. It’s a lifelong journey. And the future of our programs depends on you.
“We’re always asking survivors what’s working and what needs to improve,” says Dr. Terstriep. “Their feedback directly influences what we create.”
Every new program we’ve launched has come from listening to patients’ needs, stories, and ideas. Camp Voyage, our women’s retreat, the FOURward support group, even our stress management program for patients early in their treatment — all of these were born out of survivor feedback.
So please, share your thoughts with us. What are you struggling with? What questions do you still have? What do you wish existed?
We want the survivorship newsletter to be your bridge to education, to connection, and to programs that meet you right where you are.
Because survivorship isn’t about getting back to life before cancer. It’s about moving forward with support, strength, and purpose.
Learn more
- Breast cancer survivorship 101: What’s next?
- Supporting children during adult cancer diagnosis
- Cancer patients receive help from ‘miracle man’
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Posted In Cancer, Cancer Screenings, Cancer Treatments
