Memorial Sloan Kettering program designed to meet needs of teens, young adults with cancer

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center launched a new initiative designed to help teens and young adults with cancer.

The program offers services to the nearly 700 people aged 16 to 30 years who are undergoing treatment at the center.

Nina J. Pickett

Rachel Corke

The program — which includes oncologists, nurses, social workers and psychiatrists — provides teens and young adults the resources to find peers and ask questions. The Lounge — a space designed for this age group — gives patients the opportunity to leave their hospital rooms and spend time in a comfortable place.

“Our program brings focus to the unique interests and needs of the teen and young adult population and, along with [Memorial Sloan Kettering’s] excellent clinical care, promotes independence and well-being,” Nina J. Pickett, administrator of the department of pediatrics, said in a press release.

HemOnc Today spoke with Pickett and Rachel Corke, program manager in the department of pediatrics, about the importance of this program.

Question: Can you describe the program’s mission?

Pickett: Our goal is to provide outreach and opportunities to connect this population of teens and young adults, regardless of disease type or treatment location. The program offers a variety of means to decrease isolation, introduce patients to each other, and better identify and address their interests and needs.

Q : What is your ultimate hope for the program?

Pickett: We hope the program will send the message to these patients that they are not alone. We offer various ways to connect with others who are going through the same things. We also want to give them a safe place to ask questions that they may not be able to ask in the physician’s office, with their parent present, or if the patient is trying to “keep face” in front of their friends. We understand this patient population may want considerably more information at varying points of care, or they may have other needs that can be addressed by our staff or other resources. We want to give them the capacity to identify these needs and have them addressed in a timely and comprehensive fashion.

The Lounge, created as part of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center’s teen and young adult program, gives patients the opportunity to leave their hospital rooms and spend time in a comfortable space designed for them. The Lounge also is open to those undergoing outpatient treatment.

Q : What does the program offer?

Pickett: The Lounge is open to both inpatients and outpatients in this age group. Various programs and activities are offered in a comfortable atmosphere conducive to hanging out with friends. We have a secure social network app in development, and it will serve as an extension to the physical space. The majority of these patients are either receiving outpatient care at Memorial Sloan Kettering treatment sites or are at home. Inevitably, the patient’s needs and questions and their interest in connecting with others occurs while away from the hospital. This interactive app will launch in the fall for Memorial Sloan Kettering–enrolled patients and will give them the ability to ask questions, meet other patients and survivors, and receive or suggest information about programming and events. The third aspect of the program is the Peer-2-Peer Program, which will “buddy” a former patient with someone undergoing treatment. The former patient does not necessarily have to be in the same age range as the current patient, but perhaps they were the same age when they were diagnosed and went through treatment and, therefore, they are able to relate to the process. Finally, the program offers information sessions and presentations in response to patients’ stated interests and needs. For example, if patients want someone to speak about fertility, or if they want to do yoga or network with professionals, we can bring someone in to do this either in person or via webinar. The essence and value of the program is that it is patient driven.

Corke: In The Lounge, we offer activities on a daily basis, but we are also able to respond to the interests of individual patients. For example, a few weeks ago we had two young women who knew they needed to be eating more, but they had no appetite or interest in eating anything. Somehow, Rice Krispies Treats came up. The next day, we made them. This was something very simple that we were able to act upon in an immediate way that helped them deal with the struggles of recovering from treatment. We encourage patients to bring their visitors to enjoy The Lounge, and we have hosted a number of great groups of teens and young adults. Nothing is better than seeing patients enjoying themselves with friends and family in the space.

Q: Can other centers implement a program like this?

Pickett: Certainly. Our multifaceted program is derived from understanding the scope and needs of our patient population. Every center will have its own unique population and resources. The program at Memorial Sloan Kettering grew through partnering with Teen Cancer America and seed funding provided by Who Cares, a nonprofit organization co-founded by Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend of The Who. Teen Cancer America, derived from Teen Cancer Trust in Great Britain, works with many institutions across the United States to create specialized centers for adolescents, teens and young adults with cancer.

Q: What else is in the works for your program?

Pickett: We want to keep this patient driven. We hope that this program will help establish a robust community and possibly lead to social events outside the hospital setting, but this is something that will come from the patients. There is enormous opportunity for clinicians and researchers to develop clinical trials or initiatives focused within this age group, as well as standards of care that embrace the voices of patients and their network of care providers. We have been fortunate to have members of the clinical staff involved in this initial program development and hope to engage many more as these possibilities are further defined.

Q: Is there anything else that you would like to add?

Pickett: This type of program can help shape the patient’s experience, as well as the quality and outcomes of their care. Many professionals know and practice this on an individual basis. Imagine what might be achieved by efforts developed within — and for — a much larger and targeted population. – by Jennifer Southall

For more information:

Nina J. Pickett and Rachel Corke can be reached at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Ave., New York, NY 10065; email: pickettn@mskcc.org.

Disclosure: Pickett and Corke report no relevant financial disclosures.