UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center linesSummer 2015 cancerProviding hope and healing through health It was a cold, wet, windy day as Amy Charney looked out her bedroom window. She’d slept well, and even though it was raining, she was happy to be back in her hometown, running her seventh Boston Marathon. It had been almost six months since she’d been diagnosed with breast cancer, and she was still going through chemotherapy back home in Chapel Hill. But she was excited about the race, nervous to see if she could run the entire 26.2 miles. After Amy laced Remembering up her running shoes, she pinned the Michael O’Malley race bib onto her T-shirt, just below 3 the words ‘She’s a FIGHTER!’ “Are you ready, Mom?” 13-year-old daughter Julia asked, grinning at her mother with pride. Amy was more than ready; she was Breast cancer survivors stretch out before beginning a session with Get Real & Heal on a mission. And breast cancer wasn’t going to change her plans. Lineberger member and associate professor of exercise and Cancer patients throughout the N.C. Cancer Hospital are doing sport science. Since 2004, Battaglini has led research to just what Amy has done: taking control of their healing through study how physical activity could work to alleviate patients’ the many physical and mental benefits of regular exercise. symptoms during treatment and improve their quality of life. “By running the Boston Marathon, I learned that, in spite of “Ten years ago or so, I still remember patients being advised to breast cancer, I am still me,” says Amy. “I still wear my running rest as much as possible because of some misconceptions that Research “speed- exercise could make them feel even more fatigued and weaker. dating” with NC State gear to every chemotherapy appointment to remind myself of 3 sparks innovation who I am. I want this ordeal to be a thing of the past.” At the hematology oncology unit, patients would stay inside And this empowerment of hope through health is precisely their rooms all day afraid of getting an infection if they left why UNC Lineberger researchers are diving deeper into the their rooms. Now, patients are up and moving thanks to new research of how physical activity impacts the lives of cancer programs and expanded research in this area.” patients. And the benefits reach beyond the physical. Seeking to “The benefits are countless,” says Claudio Battaglini, UNC incorporate the emotional and psychological benefits of continued on page 2 Survivorship plans – more than just a piece of paper Claire Dees — Options through “If you don’t get one, you should ask for one.” 4 innovation Advice that UNC Lineberger Director of Cancer Survivorship Deb Mayer gives to every single patient she meets about the inside line up establishing a survivorship care plan. And for patients like Jeanette Bell — they have been helpful. A school social worker in Henderson, NC, Jeanette was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2009 and elected for a mastectomy in 2010. The surgical option worked well for Jeanette, and her need to come back to the N.C. Cancer Hospital for appointments became less and less. But as time went on, Jeanette experienced the side effects of cancer that were not related to her surgical treatment at all. “As I was seeing my doctors less and less, my fear of the Volunteer Profile: cancer coming back got greater and greater,” says Jeanette. Gail Markland Deb Mayer, UNC Lineberger’s director of cancer survivorship, is leading an 6 effort to formalize survivorships plans – from the top down and the bottom up. Mentioning this to her care team, she was referred to Mayer for a survivorship care plan in 2012. “For me, the surgery was the easiest part of my cancer. The worst part was the fear you feel after your treatment is done that continued on page 3 director’smessage One of the volunteers at the N.C. Cancer Hospital, Gail N.C. Cancer Hospital while also helping to make best parts of Markland. Gail, a professional hairdresser, helps cancer research discoveries. being director lead sessions at our Look Good, Feel Better We also continue to do well in national rankings of this cancer program. Volunteers like Gail help in so many and quality metrics. For example, the N.C. Cancer center is being ways across the cancer center, and there are many Hospital has been recognized once again as a top surrounded by things we could not do without their support. hospital for cancer care, according to U.S. News & amazing people Another great group of people with whom I World Report, jumping in the 2015–16 rankings up every day. I am get to work are our talented physician-scientists. to 32nd from 38th in the country. Ned Sharpless, MD continually awed I was recently honored to be able to recognize And while we celebrate success, we also struggle by the patients three brilliant doctors who also make significant with loss. This summer we lost a dear friend of I see in and out of the N.C. Cancer Hospital. In this impacts in the lab. Drs. Kemi Doll, Aaron the cancer center, Michael O’Malley. Michael issue, you will read about a remarkable woman, Amy Falchook and Benjamin Vincent were honored this served as the associate director here and Charney, who did not let her breast cancer diagnosis summer as the 2015 Pope Clinical Fellows Award committed over 30 years of service to the state get in the way of accomplishing her dream and recipients. With generous support from the John of North Carolina. He was an exceptional leader finishing the 2015 Boston Marathon this past spring. William Pope Foundation, these awards are given who many knew as a great “connector” and Even while on active chemotherapy, Amy took the annually to recognize excellence and to promote was beloved by everyone connected to UNC race head, on and crossed the finish line with her the careers of emerging physician-researchers Lineberger. For more information on Michael and family by her side. at UNC Lineberger. All three of these talented his memorial service being held later in August, And you will also read about one of our great physician-researchers are treating patients at the please visit michael.web.unc.edu. Hope and Healing continued from page 1 physical activity, working with cancer patients during their treatment in an effort to help Battaglini develop custom, home-based exercise programs. They are also aiming to helped establish better understand how the physical activity helped patients during and after the Get Real & their treatment. Heel program. Retired Greensboro resident Jeff Taylor participated in the study. Get Real & Heel Taylor, diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2013, was approached about the is a free exercise study while completing his bone marrow transplant therapy at the N.C. Cancer and wellness Hospital. While Jeff is currently in remission on maintenance chemotherapy, he program still knows he will live with his disease the rest of his life. But Jeff is not letting it designed to stop him one bit — and he’s continuing his walking as a way to keep fit and active help cancer post-treatment. patients who In the fall, Jeff have recently will embark on a completed 22-day trek across treatment. The France and Italy program works with his family. to alleviate “We’ll be doing treatment- a lot of walking on related that trip,” Jeff says symptoms and with a grin. to improve the Cancer survivors overall health like Amy and Jeff and quality of are using exercise life for cancer as a part of their patients in treatment plan, North Carolina. while also helping Breast cancer survivor Amy Charney crosses the finish line of the Boston Marathon. And while UNC Lineberger there is researchers better growing evidence of the benefit of physical activity for cancer survivors, many understand questions still remain. How much physical activity should a patient participate the benefits of in during treatment? And how can we develop programs that patients are regular physical likely to continue at home following their treatment? activity on cancer “We need to better understand how to best tailor exercise programs for outcomes — all to each patient. And especially how we can best equip survivors to continue the help future cancer exercise at home following their treatment,” says William Wood, MD, UNC patients battle their Lineberger member and medical oncologist. cancer with hope UNC Lineberger researchers like Wood are using technology to help answer through health. Multiple myeloma survivor Jeff Taylor enjoys a walk with his wife these questions. Using wearable devices such as the FitBit, researchers are while on a recent vacation to New Orleans. .2 cancer lines Summer 2015 newsbriefs Survivorship plans continued from page 1 it’s going to come back. The survivorship plan we developed together has really helped me in so many ways,” says Jeanette. “I received guidance from Deb, Scientific “speed-dating” with resources on support groups, and books to help me with the emotional side effects of cancer.” NC State sparks innovation And Jeanette was connected with research studies that helped her feel like she was contributing to other cancer survivors as well. Jeanette is just one example of so many patients who benefit from survivorship care planning. Thanks to advances in prevention, early detection and treatment of cancer, there are now more than 14.5 million cancer survivors in the United States, up from just 3 million in 1971. This surge in cancer survivors has led to an increased effort in planning for the needs of patients after they are done with active treatment.