Key Takeaways

  • Provide support for cancer survivors in your community through a mailed, group-based self-management program.

  • Help participants address fear of recurrence, fatigue, pain, nutrition, and more.

Cancer Thriving and Surviving Mailed toolkit (with or without telephone scripts) is an interactive English language workshop for cancer survivors who have completed their major cancer treatments. It is delivered by mailed tool kit with materials that may be supplemented with six weekly scripted group telephone calls for 3-6 people on each call. Participants learn skills to deal with problems such as fear of recurrence, changes in body image, frustration, fatigue, pain, isolation, poor sleep and living with uncertainty, appropriate exercise for regaining and maintaining flexibility, and endurance, making decisions about treatment and complementary therapies, communicating effectively with family, friends, and health professionals, nutrition, setting priorities, relationships. Core skills taught include action planning, problem solving and decision making.

  • Target audience: Adults, 18 years and older, who are managing cancer or are in remission
  • Health outcomes: 
    • Improved communication with providers
    • Less depression
    • More energy
    • Better sleep
    • Less stress
  • Delivered by: 1 trained peer facilitator (only if telephone calls are used)
  • Program type: Individual or small groups of 3-6
  • Format: By mail, telephone. Spanish materials received through the mail (book, self-test, tip sheets, exercise and relaxation CDs or MP3s) with or without six weekly 45-60-minute small group phone calls.
  • Length: Optional, 6 weekly 45-60-minute sessions for those receiving phone calls.
  • Training: In-person or virtual (same training as for CDSMP leaders)
  • Professional required: No
  • Accessibility adaptations available: Yes 
  • Cultural adaptations available: Yes 
  • Available in languages other than English: No
  • Topic(s):
    • Medication Management
    • Nutrition
    • Pain Management
    • Physical Activity
    • Cancer
  • ContactContact the Self-Management Resource Center
  • Additional Information

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