title: Survivorship: finding a new balance.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To offer personal and professional perspectives on survivorship.
  
  
  METHODS
  Personal experience, publications, government resources.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Challenges experienced by the cancer patient are influenced by numerous factors, including age, type and extent of cancer, treatment schedule and effects, financial well-being, access to support and follow-up, information needs, and family reactions. Challenges are eased through a kind word and guidance from those whom patients lean on the most and respect, the nurse.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nurses play an important role in preparing the patient and their families to have realistic expectations and balance the demands along the journey of survivorship.
authors.affiliation: National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA. Jean.Jenkins@nih.gov
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jenkins
mesh_terms: D003376:Counseling; D003657:Decision Making; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000451:nursing* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D010347:Patient Care Planning; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011788:Quality of Life; D017741:Survivors