Woman with a shaved head due to chemotherapy treatment is hopeful following remission.

Start Your Survivorship Journey

Your survivorship journey has many important steps. You'll transition from diagnosis to treatment to living life in remission or cancer-free.

We understand that the road to recovery isn’t always easy. This next chapter can be both exciting and stressful. It can come with new challenges, goals and worries. We’ll continue to be there to help you navigate your care and embrace life to the fullest.

At Cleveland Clinic, you’re a survivor from the moment you’re diagnosed to your last treatment and beyond. Survivorship care helps cancer survivors and their families understand what to expect after diagnosis. This better prepares you for treatment and helps you plan for follow-up care. We offer a wide range of services to help you with whatever you need — physically, emotionally, financially and spiritually. No matter where you are on your cancer journey, we’re here to help.

Why Choose Cleveland Clinic for Cancer Care and Survivorship?

Collaborative care:

Your survivorship care team includes specialists from many different disciplines, including your oncologist, primary care provider, therapists (physical, occupational and speech), cognitive rehabilitation, sexual health, hormonal medicine and fertility specialists, nurse practitioners, nurses, dietitians, psychologists, social workers and clergy.

Personalized care:

Each member of your team works closely together to develop a survivorship care plan tailored just for you.

Patient-centered care:

We offer many resources, services and support groups to meet your physical, emotional, financial and spiritual needs during and after your cancer treatment.

Innovation and research:

Cleveland Clinic is at the forefront of new and emerging, internationally-recognized cancer research. These research efforts offer our patients the most effective techniques to achieve long-term survival and be able to live life to the fullest.

National recognition:

Cleveland Clinic is a trusted healthcare leader. We're recognized in the U.S. and throughout the world for our expertise and care.

Cancer Survivorship Resources at Cleveland Clinic

Adjusting to changes — physical and emotional ones — during or after cancer treatment can be challenging sometimes. Maybe you’re still feeling really tired or are having trouble sleeping. Maybe you’re worried about your weight and need help crafting a healthy diet. Maybe you have dry skin, headaches, hot flashes, anxiety or depression. There could also be medical bills and other expenses from your treatment weighing on your mind. If you’re in remission, you might even be scared that your cancer will come back.

Helping you survive and thrive is our goal as you look to your future.

We want to help you reclaim control of your life so you can move forward with a sense of balance and confidence. We also understand that cancer not only impacts you, but your loved ones too. At Cleveland Clinic, we’re there for all of you — for the long-haul.

Our patient and care partner support services can help you with things like:

Eating a healthier diet.
Stopping smoking.
Managing pain.
Coping with depression and anxiety.
Managing financial issues.
Returning to work.

Looking for something personal? We have programs and support groups specifically for cancer patients and survivors.

High Five Cancer Survivor’s Clinic

This long-term follow-up clinic is for children and adults who’ve developed chronic (lifelong) medical conditions or faced emotional challenges in the years after treatment.

4th Angel Mentoring Program

Cleveland Clinic’s 4th Angel Mentoring Program matches patients and caregivers with trained volunteers (angel mentors) who’ve been through similar situations. 4th Angels are empathetic cancer survivors with firsthand knowledge. They’re positive, supportive and able to give their time and life experience to help put you at ease.

Palliative Care

A big misconception is that palliative care, like hospice care, is about forgoing medical care and getting ready for the end of life. This isn’t the case. Palliative care simply means getting relief from the symptoms and stress of serious illnesses — like cancer — and improving your daily life. Survivors, just like patients receiving active treatment, can benefit from palliative care.

Follow-up Cancer Care at Cleveland Clinic

Follow-up care is a very important part of your survivorship plan. Think of it as the next step in your journey. But what exactly is follow-up care? And why do you need it?

Follow-up care is how we make sure you continue to get the best care even after your treatment has ended. You’ll get a detailed written summary of the cancer treatment you received at Cleveland Clinic. You can share with anyone on your healthcare teams going forward. This summary gives them a clear picture of the treatment you’ve received and alerts them to any issues they need to keep a close eye on.

Another important part of your follow-up care is regular medical checkups to double-check that your recovery is going as planned. At these visits, your provider may:

Do a physical exam.
Order blood tests and any other necessary tests or procedures.
Ask about any changes in your family medical history.
Ask if you’re taking any new medications, including vitamins, herbs or supplements.
Suggest healthy lifestyle changes.
Offer a personalized plan for screening and preventing new or other cancers.
Talk to you about any additional care you may need for any issues that develop months or years after cancer treatment, or what doctors call late effects.

Have any concerns? It’s important to talk to your provider about anything that’s worrying you. They can talk you through whatever is going on and make sure these issues aren’t linked to your cancer. They can also help you find the support you might need.

Taking the Next Step

No matter where you are on your journey with cancer, you’re a survivor the moment you walk through our doors. We’ll be right there with you every step of the way — from coping with your diagnosis to managing your treatment to supporting you through the joy, relief, uncertainty and frustration you might feel when treatment ends. Helping you survive and thrive is our job at Cleveland Clinic, and we’re on it every single day.