Next steps survivorship program

As a survivor, or a parent of a survivor of cancer or bone marrow transplant (BMT), you may wonder how diagnosis or treatment will affect you or your child’s health and well-being in the future. When treatment is over, our relationship with you continues. 

Our survivorship program was established in May 2001 and sees over 200 survivors every year. The program helps patients and families to identify and monitor possible late effects, educates on ways to maintain a healthy lifestyle based on risk factors, and empowers survivors to advocate for their health.

Our goal is to help survivors live happy, healthy lives.

Why choose our survivorship program?

Passport

  • Exceptional patient care. Our staff and providers are experts in providing evidence-based, individualized care that is informed by research to survivors and families.
  • A team approach. Our multidisciplinary team includes doctors, advanced practice providers, nurses, psychologists, social workers, school teachers, physical therapists, dentists, dermatologists, cardiologists, endocrinologists and nutritionists – all working in partnership with you and your primary care doctor.
  • Community support. Our program offers a survivorship community navigator, a unique role that helps families access educational, social and health-related resources in their own communities.
  • Fertility support. Our fertility navigation team supports patients and families who want to learn more about their fertility risk and fertility preservation options available after treatment is complete.  
  • Patient education and advocacy. Survivor empowerment to advocate for future health care needs by providing education; a passport, which is a wallet size summary of care with long-term follow up recommendations; and support to transition into primary care. 
  • Research innovation. Enhance and expand research initiatives focused on survivorship locally and while actively working with Children’s Oncology Group and Pediatric Transplantation and Cellular Therapy Consortium.

Our survivorship programs

Bridge to next steps program

Bridge to next steps program is a program that helps patients and families as they transition from active treatment into post-therapy care. 

The end of cancer treatment is an emotional time for patients and families. During the transition period, we help to prepare for your child’s life after cancer treatment, and also reconnect you with your primary care provider to build care and support beyond cancer or BMT treatment.

The program consists of two specialized visits where you will meet with a survivorship provider and a psychologist to provide education, summary of care, and support.

Survivorship care (Next Steps Clinic) is a long-term follow up program that cares for cancer and BMT survivors who:

Next steps survivorship
  • Received care at Children’s Wisconsin or elsewhere
  • Were diagnosed before age 30, regardless of current age
  • Completed treatment a minimum of 2 years ago
  • Received a bone marrow transplant more than two years ago

Team members provide specialized care and information needed to monitor and manage possible late effects of treatment. Visits are individualized to each patient, and may include a variety of team members. Care includes:

  • Educating survivors about the therapy they received and recommended follow up
  • Creating a plan to address possible late effects of treatment
  • Giving guidance on healthy lifestyle and good nutrition
  • Connecting survivors with community resources
  • Referring to other subspecialists when needed
  • Working with survivors, their families and their primary care doctor to meet ongoing needs

Helpful survivorship resources

1. Bridge to Next Steps Resources:

Visit One:

Visit Two:

2. Long-term follow-up guidelines for survivors of childhood, adolescent, and young adult cancers from the Children’s Oncology Group

3. Young adult oncology group
This group meets monthly to support adolescents and young adults, ages 18-39, who are dealing with cancer. The group is open to people who are currently being treated or have been treated in the past, either at Children’s Wisconsin or elsewhere. Past events have included hiking, game nights, attending Brewers and Bucks games, art night and more.

4. Scholarships
There are many scholarships available for cancer survivors. We've put together a list of many of them here.

External treatment summary referral forms

Our specialists

Team Photo

Fertility navigator

Katy Tomlinson
Katy Tomlinson, BSN, RN

Nurse coordinator

Julie Nichols
Julie Nichols, RN, BSN

Nutrition

School teachers

Michael Trocchio

Michael Trocchio

 

 

 

 

 

Teresa Beronja

Teresa Beronja

 

 

 

 

 

Social work

Michelle Honeck
Michelle Honeck

Survivorship community navigator

Jocelyn Morin
Jocelyn Morin, MPH

Contact us

If you need more information or if you would like to make an appointment, give us a call.

(414) 266-2774

Request survivorship team member call

Has it been a long time since you’ve been seen? Provide us with your contact information, and our team will reach out to you shortly.

Learn more about the survivorship program

 
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