Champion’s Prize Supporting Survivorship Program Growth at Penn State
Last fall, we awarded our $10,000 Survivorship Champion's Prize to the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and Children’s Hospital. As the 2024 Survivorship Champion’s Prize award term concludes, the Penn State Childhood Cancer Survivorship Program shares how the Prize funds have supported continued programmatic growth and wellness initiatives.
Also read: February and June updates from the Penn State program report on Prize funds being used for an online catalogue of survivorship resource, a new iPad for the clinic, and research support.
Food as Medicine Initiative
Building on this program, Penn State was able to hire a culinary dietitian who has expertise in education programming and will manage a teaching kitchen.
In addition, Prize funds are being used for a research study investigating the impact of group nutrition education and cooking classes on diet quality and cardiometabolic health in adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors.
PhotoVoice
This peer support initiative launched over the summer. “Through the eyes of survivors” was a seven-week project that allowed an artistic space for young adult survivors of childhood cancer to share the emotional impact of their cancer journey through photography and storytelling.
Prize funds were used for a gallery celebration of the voices, perspectives, and lived experiences of childhood cancer survivors through photos and narratives around themes related to childhood cancer survivorship.
“We would like to express our sincere gratitude towards Children’s Cancer Cause and the Stewart family for the generous award. From our whole team here at Penn State, a BIG thank you,” says Program Director Smita Dandekar, MBBS, MD.
In related news, Children's Cancer Cause recently debuted a resource center with guidance for institutions interested in creating, expanding, or improving a survivorship care program. The resource center features survivorship programs in the U.S. that have received our Survivorship Champion’s Prize, or a recognition award in a category of distinction, for achievements in providing life-long health maintenance for survivors of pediatric cancers.
This is a forum for established programs to offer guidance and advice on questions such as: What's one thing that stands out about your program? See the video below for Dr. Dandekar’s response to this question, and visit the new resource center for more resources and program information.