Fear of cancer recurrence is a normal yet but very distressing worry faced by many cancer patients, as studies show that 59% of survivors experience ongoing concerns about cancer returning or progressing. In the past, Wellspring’s “Be Well Talks” on this topic have consistently been well-attended and well-received, but these single sessions are only able to cover the basics.
Thanks to funding provided by The Initiators, Wellspring is implementing the six-week Fear of Recurrence Therapy (FORT) program, developed by Dr. Sophie Lebel and Dr. Christine Maheau, making Wellspring the largest Canadian community provider of this type of programming.
“Many of the patients who were referred to me had this fear,” Dr Lebel explains. “And at the time there were no published studies describing how to address it.” Luckily, that has changed in recent years – thanks in part to her work.
Participants in FORT attend six weekly group therapy sessions led by experts, with the goal of giving people practical tools to help them confront and manage their fears.