New Cancer Support Program Available at Inova Fair Oaks

Inova’s Life with Cancer education and support program opens new satellite location at Inova Fair Oaks Hospital

Another exciting development has taken place at the new Cancer Center at Inova Fair Oaks Medical Campus. Inova’s Life with Cancer® program now has a new satellite location on the lower level, next to Radiation Oncology.

Life with Cancer, which is unique to Inova, provides education and support to people with cancer and their families, at no cost. “Our hope is we will grow exponentially and be able to provide more services to the Fair Oaks community with this new designated space,” says Sage Bolte, PhD, Director, Life with Cancer, which also has a freestanding home in Fairfax. “Having our own space means we can create and maintain consistent programming and support for the community.”

The new space at the Cancer Center was developed to improve access to Life with Cancer services for the patients and families in and near the Fair Oaks community. This new 2,900-square-foot facility will offer space for counseling and nurse navigator support, support groups, and exercise and education classes. Bolte hopes to grow the program to provide more education and support programs that focus on survivorship and wellness.

Expanded Cancer Survivor Care

The Cancer Center strives to offer premiere cancer services in a single location. “For us, this goes beyond the core services of radiation therapy, surgery and medical oncology. We care for the entire person, not just the disease. For example, we want to ensure that our patients have access to physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy experts with specialized training in the needs of cancer patients,” says Ann Miner, Cancer Center Director.

Inova Fair Oaks Hospital recently achieved STAR (Survivorship Training and Rehabilitation) certification. Through the STAR certification process, the Cancer Center staff and physicians received extensive training on the needs of cancer patients, and screening processes were established to ensure patients’ needs are identified.

“Cancer treatment can be very toxic and may cause patients significant pain, fatigue and disability,” says Helen Parker, PT, DPT, NCS, Outpatient Rehabilitation Clinical Coordinator at Inova Fair Oaks Hospital. “Through the STAR program, our goal is to ensure everyone with cancer is able to attain their best quality of life possible.”

Valuable Cancer Services

Find out more about Life with Cancer® (both at Fair Oaks and other Northern Virginia services) at lifewithcancer.org or call 703.206.LIFE (5433). This central phone number helps to best match services to patients’ needs and questions.