Why Us

 BeatCancer.org PATIENT SERVICES PROGRAM RATIONALE

The Center for Advancement in Cancer Education (CACE) is a well established and innovative 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization devoted to preventing cancer, reducing suffering from cancer and treatment side effects, and preventing disease recurrence.  CACE serves English-speaking adults with cancer through education, coaching, counseling, resources, referrals and support, with a particular focus on those who have become emotionally or physically disenfranchised as a result of their treatment. The organization’s Patient Services Program, implemented by a well-trained and knowledgeable staff, offers to the individuals we serve many opportunities to attain high quality of life and sustained wellness through personalized guidance. Supporting self-sufficiency and patient empowerment through personalized cancer education and innovative, science-based resources, the Center for Advancement in Cancer Education provides hundreds of individuals annually with improved quality of life and a thorough foundation for future health success.

For more than 35 years, we at CACE have provided expert one-on-one, individualized nutritional, immunological, and psychological guidance to our clients facing cancer -- all on a donation basis.  Our average patient costs us more than $2000, yet we charge no fee for service, receive no government funding, and get no insurance reimbursement. Some patients do make a small contribution, but many are without financial means. Regardless of whether a patient donates, we have never turned anyone away for inability to pay.  We are dependent on corporate sponsorships, foundation grants and individual donors to make up the difference.

Problem Statement

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Table I-1 (http://seer.cancer.gov/csr/ 1975_2009_pops09/results_single/ sect_01_table.01.pdf)Over 1.5 million Americans are diagnosed with cancer annually. Despite an annual cost of billions of dollars for cancer research and treatment, more than 500,000 Americans lose their lives to cancer every year.[1]  Hundreds of thousands more experience disease recurrence.  

As reported in the National Cancer Institute’s SEER (Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results) Incidence Report, it is estimated that 1,638,910 men and women will be diagnosed with cancer in 2012, and 577,190 men and women will die of cancer in 2012.[2] Data collected by the American Cancer Society shows that cancer of any kind is the second leading killer of Americans behind only heart diseases.[3]

In addition to the problems of high cancer incidence and high cancer mortality, there are significant challenges experienced by cancer survivors.  Over 19 million Americans are living with cancer[4], but not all are living well. 

The National Cancer Institute lists the following common chemotherapy side effects[5]: Anemia, appetite changes, bleeding problems, constipation, diarrhea, fatigue, hair loss, infection, memory changes, mouth and throat changes, nausea and vomiting, nerve changes, pain, sexual and fertility changes, skin and nail changes, swelling (fluid retention), and urination changes.

The American Cancer Society lists the following common side effects of radiation[6]: Fatigue, skin problems, hair loss, blood count changes, and eating problems. Radiation can damage normal cells, and sometimes this damage can have long-term effects. For instance, radiation to the chest area may affect the lungs or heart.  Radiation to the abdomen or pelvis can lead to bladder, bowel, or sexual problems in some people. Radiation in certain areas can also lead to fluid build-up and swelling (lymphedema), particularly common after breast irradiation.

Of additional concern to patients treated for cancer is the risk of recurrence or risk for another cancer. The recurrence rate for breast cancer, for example, is between 10% and 20%, according to the American Cancer Society. In a new report from the National Cancer Institute’s Division of Cancer Epidemiology, researchers reviewed the cases of more than two million cancer survivors and concluded that those treated for cancer have a 14% higher risk of developing a subsequent new malignancy than would be expected in the general population.[7]    

One of the most pressing issues faced by cancer patients is quality of life, or lack thereof. Millions of U.S. cancer survivors have a lower-than-normal quality of life, according to a study published in the Oct. 30, 2012 issue of the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention. The investigators found that 25 percent of cancer survivors had lower than normal physical-health-related quality of life, and 10 percent had lower than normal mental-health-related quality of life. In all, about 3.3 million U.S. cancer survivors have a below-average physical quality of life, and nearly 1.4 million have a below-average mental quality of life, the researchers estimated.[8]

The American Cancer Society Behavioral Research Center has concluded that quality of life is an important outcome in assessing the long term impact of the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.[9] According to researchers from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, a therapy program focused on improving quality of life can help people being treated for advanced cancer.[10]

Optimal diet and nutritional supplementation have been proven to have a beneficial effect on cancer patients experiencing compromised immune function and poor quality of life. Researchers have found over 20 times increased lifespan among cancer patients supported by proper nutrition.[11]

For all of the above-stated reasons, cancer patients often look for holistic, integrative, complementary and alternative approaches (CAM) to improve quality of life and disease outcome.  In fact, approximately 83 percent of persons with cancer use at least one complementary and alternative  

medicine (CAM) modality.[12]  However, most patients, confused or overwhelmed by the nearly 13 million resources for alternative cancer therapy available on the internet (www.Google.com), turn for support to cancer coaches or consultants to help them navigate their choices.  The typical charge for such services may be hundreds of dollars, unattainable for many patients.  Because we charge no fees, this valuable guidance is available to every patient.

Patients undergoing treatment for cancer often suffer from compromised immune function, low blood cell counts, lack of appetite, poor energy, weight loss, digestive disturbances, pain, anxiety and depression.  Other patients are not candidates for, have failed on, or refuse conventional oncologic treatment. In either case, patients seeking to enhance their ability to heal are often hampered by physical, geographic, and financial limitations.  Our unique model of no-fee telephone counseling makes our potentially life-saving assistance accessible to all.  Our experience providing individualized guidance for nearly 30,000 patients has been shown to impact significantly our patients’ quality of life, risk for recurrence, and survival.

Goals and Objectives

The Center for Advancement in Cancer Education is committed to providing expert one-on-one, individualized nutritional, immunological, and psychological guidance to our clients facing cancer. The

goals of CACE are simple. As a counseling service for the vast population of individuals dealing with the negative impacts of cancer, we continue to work to make patients more successful than they might otherwise be without our help. We help further the health and wellness opportunities of our participants by providing access to valuable educational and consultative services, services which are not available directly through their limited or non-existent health insurance. Our unique counseling and support service for diagnosed patients and those who would prevent recurrence helps to decrease mortality, increase the disease-free interval, and improve quality of life.

Our organization emphasizes support for individuals struggling with their cancer diagnosis and treatment, as well as tools for preventing recurrence. As a nonprofit that has specialized in cancer control through diet and lifestyle education for over three decades, CACE has tremendous expertise in delivering educational services focusing on nutritional guidance and disease protection.  By providing patient support services that address the individual’s particular needs, we hope to ease some of the burden of cancer and to help individuals achieve wellness with as little physical and emotional stress as possible. Recognizing the importance of adequate nutrition and lifestyle education, CACE works to address the multiple problems of access, instruction and resources for individuals fighting cancer.

Although modern oncologic treatment methods have increased survival for a host of cancer patients, it is the vision of CACE to provide to these and other patients the tools to understand, evaluate, and access additional therapeutic options that can further improve disease outcome. Our counseling, information and referral service provides individualized telephone guidance to patients and caregivers nationwide to help enhance nutritional, psychological and immune status, prevent recurrence, minimize treatment side effects, improve quality of life, and optimize survival.

Our organization’s key staff has a history of success as consulting and counseling experts for adults dealing with cancer. Our counselors provide individualized guidance, coaching, and resources for diet and lifestyle modification to help improve disease outcome and prevent recurrence. Our consultative services also provide referrals for immune-enhancing programs. Additionally, CACE helps clients develop creative ways to manage the side effects of conventional cancer treatments. 

We at CACE take a highly personalized approach to our service. Although the information we provide is science-based, it is patient-driven. Our service is provided mostly through telephone counseling which allows us to reach a national audience one person at a time.  Clients initially reach the organization through email correspondence or telephone contact. This initiates the intake process and a thorough explanation of our consultation services. During this process, our skilled and experienced counselors establish the needs of each patient. We collect background information including the type of cancer, previous treatments, and the most pressing issues of the patient.

We schedule telephone and in-person appointments to help clients explore holistic, complementary and alternative treatment options. These sessions help guide patients to practical and manageable solutions while paying special consideration to their logistical, financial, and geographic limitations, as well as their belief systems. Furthermore, we help to filter the complexity of informational resources for our clients, creating simple, easy to follow guides for recovery and prevention of recurrence. We work to provide the highest quality and most targeted information to each individual.

The Center for Advancement in Cancer Education believes that by empowering individuals with cancer to take charge of their health and wellness, many will be able to lead more productive lives and avoid much of the emotional, physical, and financial trauma often experienced by cancer patients and their families.  Ultimately, the implementation of the organization’s mission, goals, objectives, and methodology could dramatically improve the prospects of the individuals we reach and the communities in which they live.

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[1] American Cancer Society’s 2010 Presentation of Cancer Statistics

[2] http://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/all.html

[3] US Mortality Data 2007, National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2010

4 Summary Health Statistics for U.S. Adults: National Health Interview Survey, 2010, table 5  

[5] http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/coping/chemo-side-effects

[6]http://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatmentsandsideeffects/treatmenttypes/radiation/understandingradiationtherapy

aguideforpatientsandfamilies/understanding-radiation-therapy-common-side-effects

[7] New Malignancies Among Cancer Survivors: SEER Cancer Registries, 1973-2000

[8] http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_130814.html

[9]http://www.cancer.org/research/researchprogramsfunding/behavioralresearchcenter/whatthebehavioralresearchcenterdoes/quality-of-life

[10]Fri Sep 14, 2012 2:48pm EDT http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/09/14/us-cancer-idUSBRE88D1ED20120914

[11] Hoffer and Pauling. J. Orthomolecular Medicine Vol 5, no 3, p143, 1990

[12] Richardson MA, Mâsse LC, Nanny K, Sanders C. Discrepant views of oncologists and cancer patients on complementary/alternative medicine. Support Care Cancer. 2004 Nov12(11):797-804.PMID: 15378417