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Survivorship workshop to educate, empower by Cindy Abole Public Relations Within the United States, approximately 8.2 million Americans are cancer survivors.    In today's terms a “survivor” is anyone living with a history of cancer. It includes newly diagnosed patients as well as long-term survivors.   Hollings Cancer Center wants to help survivors empower themselves through education and communication in a special two-part workshop, “Cancer: Keys to Survivorship” held today, Jan. 19.   Hollings has teamed up with the South Carolina Chapter of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and pharmaceutical giant, Ortho Biotech, to present a special educational workshop. The free event will be held from 1 to 4:30 p.m., MUSC’s 2 West Amphitheater in the main hospital.   “Our goal is to bring people together—cancer survivors, caregivers and healthcare professionals to understand the survivor’s side from someone whose been in that position,” said Michelle Peterson, wellness prevention and control clinical coordinator at HCC. “We’ll talk about certain issues that are important to survivors.”   The workshop will be presented in two sessions: living with cancer and gaining self-empowerment and communication with caregivers and families.   “The workshop focuses on surviving cancer and the importance of how knowledge leads to self-empowerment,” said Rosanna Winters, patient services manager of the South Carolina Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. “All patients should understand the parameters involved with their treatments— side effects from drugs, chemotherapy, etc. Most importantly, they must learn what happens when they take charge in managing their disease.”   The first half will feature moving testimonials and personal insights from nurse educator, speaker and lymphoma survivor Betsy Patterson and clinician and MUSC Medical Center interim administrator Marilyn Schaffner, a breast cancer survivor.   The second session will explore the values of communication among patient, physician and health care provider. MUSC pulmonologist Gerard Silvestri, M.D., will join clinical coordinator Coby Roest Piening to discuss the value of prioritizing, dialogue and other helpful techniques. The session will close with a presentation by Gary Nestler, DA, DOM, director of complementary and alternative medicine.   “Gary’s input is so valuable to patients today,” Winters said. “There's a great many people who are exploring complementary medicine in their treatments. It’s so important for them to communicate what they are doing with their physician. A lot of people are still in the dark when it comes to these therapies. They can be a wonderful tool and extra resource.”   The program is part of a national effort to support patient education and is funded by a grant sponsored by Ortho Biotech and the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship a national patient-led advocacy group supporting cancer patients and their families.   “Working with organizations like the S.C. Leukemia and Lymphoma Society ties in with Hollings Cancer Center’s mission and goals to educate and provide support for its patients and their families,” Peterson said.    Survivors discuss empowerment, share story by Cindy Abole Public Relations  Betsy Patterson and Marilyn Schaffner both have something to say to cancer survivors.   With their strong faith and determined nature, it's easy to admire everything they've accomplished.   Both are cancer survivors, who are anxious to share their own messages that will not only help educate patients, caregivers and health care professionals, but inspire strength, compassion and hope.   These women will share their attitudes, beliefs and personal experiences in today's educational workshop, “Cancer: Keys to Survivorship.”   “I want people to be empowered to be themselves and look out for their own care,” said Patterson, a 50-year-old nurse educator now living in Spartanburg. “They need to know that they can have control over their illness and handle it in a way that's comfortable for them.”          Patterson was diagnosed in the early 1980s with indolent, non-Hodgkins lymphoma.   “I knew I was very good at taking care of patients, but struggled to understand the pathophysiology of my disease,” said Patterson, who worked as an oncology nurse at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. “I later realized that as a nurse, I was dragged along with other patients in the healthcare system trying to deal with my disease. I quickly learned that I had to fight for myself to get the right type of care.”   Of her advice, Patterson stresses the importance of patient education not only medically, but financially, as patients continue to struggle through a financial maze of healthcare coverages, Medicare and other support. She also advocates for open communication between support groups, agencies and organizations. “It's important that survivors understand all about patients rights, advances in drug therapies and clinical trials and other information about their disease,” Patterson said.   It's this same attitude that empowers interim clinical services administrator Marilyn Schaffner. A breast cancer survivor, Schaffner delights at any opportunity of speaking or passing along her “pearls of wisdom” to patients, their families and professional audiences.   Since being diagnosed with breast cancer in 1999, Schaffner has openly shared her experience with others. In today's workshop, she'll talk about her own journey and offer helpful advice in a presentation titled, “When Life's Path Take an Unexpected Detour.”    “The definition of 'survivor' has evolved beyond just a person who has finished her cancer treatment and surpassed the five-year survival mark,” Schaffner said. “Today,  survivorship begins once a cancer has been diagnosed and extends years beyond treatment.”  She is a great believer in the importance of maintaining a positive attitude. “Breast cancer survivors usually adopt one of two attitudes—cancer as an enemy or cancer as a challenge, Schaffner said. “I chose to deal with my cancer positively, as a challenge.”