WellStar Cancer Network 2016 Annual Report

This support group is for patients, family members, caregivers and friends. Participants have the opportunity to share experiences,
learn about community resources and get the latest information.
2015 Support Group Participation
Total Number
of Participants Meeting
Group Name (annually) Frequency
Prostate Cancer Support Group 156 Monthly
Gastrointestinal Cancer Support Group 51 Monthly
Breast Cancer Support Group 53 Monthly
STAR - Cobb Hospital 240 Monthly
Paulding Cancer Support Group 45 Pilot project: Weekly (9/15-12/15)
Ostomy Support Group 61 Monthly
Prostate Cancer
Support Group
Prostate Cancer
Survivors’ Support Group
Wellness Studio at WellStar
Kennestone Hospital Cancer Center
320 Kennestone Hospital Blvd
Marietta, GA 30060
Second Thursday of every month
from 7 p.m.–8 p.m.
FREE parking available.
For more information or to RSVP,
call the WellStar Cancer Connect Line
at 1-877-366-6032, option 0.
wellstar.org
2016 DATES:
January 14
February 11
March 10
April 14
May 12
June 9
July 14
August 11
September 8
October 13
November 10
December 8
Featuring:
• Guest speakers
• Special programs
• Educational opportunities
• Community resources
Thi support group is for patients, family members, caregivers and friends. Participants have the opportunity to share experiences,
learn about community resources and ge the latest information.
Breast Cancer
Support Group
Breast Cancer Group
Learning, Sharing, Caring
Wellness Studio at WellStar
Kennestone Hospital Cancer Center
320 Kennestone Hospital Blvd
Marietta, GA 30060
Third Tuesday of every month
from 6 p.m.–7 p.m.
FREE parking available.
For more information or to RSVP,
call the WellStar Cancer Connect Line
at 1-877-366-6032, option 0.
1/16 CNC0122
2016 DATES:
January 19 July 19
February 16 August 16
March 15 September 20
April 19 October 18
May 17 November 15
June 21 December 13
Featuring:
• Guest speakers
• Special programs
• Educational opportunities
• Community resources
wellstar.org
GI Cancer
Support Group
Gastrointestinal Cancer Group
Learning, Sharing, Caring
Center for Survivorship and Support
WellStar Kennestone Hospital Cancer Center
320 Kennestone Hospital Blvd
Marietta, GA 30060
Third Thursday of every month
from 10 a.m.–11 a.m.
FREE parking available.
For more information or to RSVP,
call the WellStar Cancer Connect Line
at 1-877-366-6032, option 0.
Colon, rectal, pancreas,
liver, stomach, biliary
or esophageal cancers
January 21
February 18
March 17
April 21
May 19
June 16
2016 DATES:
July 21
August 18
September 15
October 20
November 17
December 15
Featuring:
• Guest speakers
• Special programs
• Educational opportunities
• Community resources
Thi support group is for patients, family members, caregivers and friends. Participants have the opportunity to share experiences,
learn about community resources and ge the latest information.
1/16 CNC0123
wellstar.org
1/16 CNC0121
Many WellStar providers are leaders in their
respective fields, whose research and clinical
work helps define new standards. Clinical
Psychologist, Jennifer Kilkus, Ph.D., conducted
a study in 2015 to determine psychological
factors associated with cancer treatment
decision making. She will present her work
at the International Psychosocial Oncology
Society’s 2016 meeting in Dublin, Ireland.
A brief summary of the research is below:
Increase in patient participation in decision
making has led to a shift toward a collaborative
approach to treatment communication.
However, little is known about each patient’s
preferred role in the treatment decision
making (TDM) process and the impact of
the discrepancy between preferred and
actual role. We measured distress, quality of
life (QOL), and TDM preference as part of
a larger study of cancer patients in a nonprofit
hospital system. Thirty-three percent of
patients reported a wish to be active in the
TDM process, 60% preferred a shared role
with their physician and 7% preferred a passive
role. When asked their perception of their
actual role during their last treatment decision,
28% reported an active role, 49% shared
and 23% passive. There were no significant
differences on distress or QOL scores between
those whose preference matched their actual
role and those that didn’t. More participants
reported a shared or passive role than desired
during their last treatment decision. This may
impact other aspects of care and survivorship,
such as satisfaction, decisional regret or future
treatment decisions. Future research should
investigate the relationship between TDM role
and other aspects of the cancer experience.
Dr. Kilkus hopes to continue her work by
investigating other aspects of the treatment
decision making experience of patients being
treated through the Cancer Network. She
hopes to examine differences in psychosocial
outcomes between patients who are involved
with Center for Survivorship and Support and
those that are not.
The newly opened Center for Survivorship
and Support is a space that is integrated into
the new 100,000 square-foot WellStar Cancer
Center at Kennestone Hospital. It is home to
our nurse navigators, specializing in breast,
thoracic, gastrointestinal, gynecological and
urological cancers. These navigators are
available to patients and their families from
diagnosis through treatment and beyond,
helping with:
• Understanding their diagnosis
• Providing educational materials and
resources here and in the community
• Identifying questions to ask their
healthcare provider
• Linking them to care specialists as they
move through their treatment plan
Here you’ll also find an oncology social
worker, who can assist with financial
concerns, community resources and
adjustment to diagnosis. The registered
dietitian can provide individual nutrition
counseling, personalized meal plans, tube
feeding management and occasional
cooking demonstrations.
WELLSTAR CANCER NETWORK • 2016 ANNUAL REPORT • 25