Director’s Message
Remember when heart doctors restricted their patients to bed rest so they wouldn’t overexert themselves? Heart attack patients are now back on their feet almost immediately and exercising soon after an attack. Early intervention is the key—both to treatment and to recovery.
Here’s good news: cancer has caught up to cardiovascular disease in two key regards. First, thanks to advances in medical treatments, there are more than 10 million cancer survivors in the U.S. according to National Cancer Institute (NCI) statistics. Second, the incidence of cancer in North Carolina continues to decline. That’s a huge achievement. And now, cancer survivors are focusing our attention on the very important and challenging fact that healing them extends far beyond getting rid of the cancer.
We are dedicated to sharing information with you about how we are attending to the survivorship and quality of life challenge (please click on the link below to learn more). Some of this is self-explanatory: namely, the programs under way to alleviate both physical and psychological stressors associated with being a cancer patient. The important thing to note, however, is that we aim to apply scientific rigor to document the most effective means to enhance survivorship in ways that can be most beneficial to both the physical and emotional health of a patient.
Another way of saying it is that, at the Comprehensive Cancer Center of Wake Forest University, we want our patients to know that in addition to giving our all to overcome cancer, we are dedicated to helping patients regain their physical and mental health AND maintain that health. That is why we are determined and focused in our approach above and beyond “the cure.”
Thank you for your interest in the Comprehensive Cancer Center of Wake Forest University. We know that every time one of our patients overcomes this dreadful disease, there awaits a renewed appreciation for the gift of life.
Sincerely,
Frank M. Torti, M.D.
2007 Cancer Program Annual Report
Friends of the Cancer Center Newsletter, Spring 2007
Friends of Cancer Newsletter, Fall 2007