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Transforming Survivorship Care
With a $5 million gift, Tom and Teresa Walsh have set in motion a profound shift in how cancer survivorship is understood and supported at The University of Kansas Cancer Center. For Teresa, a cancer survivor herself, the decision to contribute was personal, rooted in her own experience of navigating life after treatment. Her journey exposed critical gaps in posttreatment care – a realization that became the inspiration for the new Teresa and Tom Walsh Survivorship Program that will house the Center for Survivorship and Patient-Oriented Research.
“When my treatment ended, I rang the bell, and it felt like a door suddenly shut behind me,” Teresa shares. “I was grateful for the support of an entire care team during treatment, but the journey doesn’t end there. Survivorship brings a new set of challenges, yet there wasn’t a clear roadmap for what comes next.”
Teresa’s story echoes the needs of a growing population. With cancer survivors in the U.S. surpassing 18 million in 2022 and expected to increase to 22.5 million by 2032, the number of individuals facing similar challenges is on the rise. This gap in support and long-term care is precisely what the Center for Survivorship and Patient-Oriented Research aims to address. Its mission is to make survivorship better for patients and their families by focusing on improving lives from diagnosis through treatment and beyond.
“When we first met with Dr. Sung, we knew his approach was revolutionary,” Tom says. “It’s about seeing survivorship as a continuum that starts at diagnosis, not just after treatment. That’s the kind of groundbreaking perspective we need.”
“When my treatment ended, I rang the bell, and it felt like a door suddenly shut behind me,” Teresa shares. “I was grateful for the support of an entire care team during treatment, but the journey doesn’t end there. Survivorship brings a new set of challenges, yet there wasn’t a clear roadmap for what comes next.”
Teresa’s story echoes the needs of a growing population. With cancer survivors in the U.S. surpassing 18 million in 2022 and expected to increase to 22.5 million by 2032, the number of individuals facing similar challenges is on the rise. This gap in support and long-term care is precisely what the Center for Survivorship and Patient-Oriented Research aims to address. Its mission is to make survivorship better for patients and their families by focusing on improving lives from diagnosis through treatment and beyond.
Putting Patients First
The Walshes were inspired by Anthony Sung, MD, who joined the cancer center in 2024 to lead the initiative. Dr. Sung’s philosophy is that survivorship begins at diagnosis, recognizing each patient’s journey as unique.“When we first met with Dr. Sung, we knew his approach was revolutionary,” Tom says. “It’s about seeing survivorship as a continuum that starts at diagnosis, not just after treatment. That’s the kind of groundbreaking perspective we need.”
Survivorship isn’t a finish line; it’s a new beginning. We’re here to ensure it’s a journey patients and families don’t have to make alone. Teresa Walsh
The Center for Survivorship and Patient-Oriented Research is designed to lead the future of survivorship research and care, responding to the latest trends and leveraging technology to redefine the experience. A key priority is improving quality of life by understanding the real-world impact of cancer care.
“The mission of the Center for Survivorship and Patient-Oriented Research is to improve survivorship care for patients and families by focusing on their priorities. ‘Patients first’ is the heart of our values,” Dr. Sung says.
With cancer treatments increasingly shifting to outpatient settings, the center’s support is adapting to equip patients and caregivers with resources to manage their health independently. In addition, Dr. Sung aims to harness health technologies to expand care options. The rise of mobile health tools and AI is allowing survivors, especially in rural areas, to access support remotely.
Finally, Dr. Sung’s research focuses on long-term health impacts like accelerated aging, a phenomenon scientists are learning more about as they study the effects of cancer and its treatment on the body over time. By applying technologies like genetic sequencing and immune profiling, the center is building the understanding of cancer biology, risk markers and the unique needs of cancer patients in the years after treatment.
“The mission of the Center for Survivorship and Patient-Oriented Research is to improve survivorship care for patients and families by focusing on their priorities. ‘Patients first’ is the heart of our values,” Dr. Sung says.
With cancer treatments increasingly shifting to outpatient settings, the center’s support is adapting to equip patients and caregivers with resources to manage their health independently. In addition, Dr. Sung aims to harness health technologies to expand care options. The rise of mobile health tools and AI is allowing survivors, especially in rural areas, to access support remotely.
Finally, Dr. Sung’s research focuses on long-term health impacts like accelerated aging, a phenomenon scientists are learning more about as they study the effects of cancer and its treatment on the body over time. By applying technologies like genetic sequencing and immune profiling, the center is building the understanding of cancer biology, risk markers and the unique needs of cancer patients in the years after treatment.
The mission of the Center for Survivorship and Patient-Oriented Research is to improve survivorship care for patients and families by focusing on their priorities. ‘Patients first’ is the heart of our values. Anthony Sung, MD
A Vision for Lifelong Care
A vital feature of the new survivorship program is its nurse navigation component. Established in 2013 by Tom and Teresa, the nurse navigator program now has more than 30 disease-specific navigators. This new gift from the Walshes will expand the program gradually, starting with hematology in 2025 and growing over the next five years. While the center isn’t fully operational yet, the aim is to eventually offer survivors a dedicated guide to help them manage their post-treatment journey.
Looking ahead, the Walshes envision the Center for Survivorship and Patient-Oriented Research setting new standards in survivorship care and inspiring similar programs nationwide.
“We hope this center will grow into a sustainable model, one that keeps evolving as survivor needs change,” Teresa says. “Survivorship isn’t a finish line; it’s a new beginning. We’re here to ensure it’s a journey patients and families don’t have to make alone.”