Supportive care enhances patient quality of life, provides resources to manage cancer-related symptoms, and improves the experience of having cancer and receiving cancer care while also ensuring that patients receive high quality medical treatment.

Trained specialists and compassionate volunteers offer educational and psychological support to patients and their families through the Duke Center for Cancer Survivorship and its patient care programs:

• Cancer Patient Support Program offers counseling, support groups, companionship, peer support, and self-image resources
• Oncology Recreation Therapy Program gives patients opportunities to create, express, and smile
• Duke Cancer Patient Education Program uses a multimedia approach to help patients and families understand the cancer treatment process

A wide variety of events take place throughout the year to provide patient education and provide patients with the tools and resources they need to maintain a high quality of life throughout treatment.