Oncology Rehab helps patients navigate cancer’s stages
“You gave me my life back.”
Cancer patients and survivors have shared that sentiment time and again with Dawn Modzel, a physical and lymphedema therapist with Bon Secours St. Francis Oncology Rehab and Survivorship.
Part of the cancer services offered at the Bon Secours St. Francis Millennium campus, the program provides specialized physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and support through the disease’s different stages of care, from being diagnosed to achieving remission.
“We are on the journey with you. We may see you for the first time as soon as you’re diagnosed; then we’ll see you periodically as you go through treatment so that we don’t miss anything,” Modzel says.
“Once in survivorship, we can address other side effects that may have popped up,” she adds, noting that even survivors who are several years “out from cancer treatment but are still having side effects are eligible to be seen and treated. They just need a referral from their physician.”
The program’s goal is to help you optimize your function and minimize the potential side effects that can come with cancer and its treatments, whether that includes chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, or hormone therapies.
Chemotherapy may cause neuropathy–a nerve condition resulting in weakness, numbness, and burning pain usually in the hands and feet–and fatigue or weakness. Radiation may result in post-treatment fibrosis or scarring leading to pain, while surgery may result in decreased range of motion or scar issues. Hormone therapies may put you at risk for osteoporosis.
The side effects often “depend on the diagnosis and on the treatment,” Modzel says, adding that cancer patients who have had lymph nodes removed or radiated may be at risk for developing lymphedema.
An abnormal accumulation of protein rich fluid in the tissue, lymphedema causes swelling with physical discomfort and more. It can be reversed if treatment–which includes phases of skin care, manual lymph drainage, exercise, and compression bandaging–is initiated early.
Oncology Rehab and Survivorship services vary depending on when your surgeon, medical oncologist, or radiation oncologist refers you to the program.
You might have a preventative visit to ready you for chemo or radiation treatment. A presurgical visit could include education and functionality assessments or a compression garment fitting if you have a lymphedema risk.
Physical rehab during treatments can include help with strengthening and conditioning, therapeutic exercises for flexibility, and balance and gait training. Symptom management services range from complete decongestive therapy for lymphedema to manual and massage therapies and services for scarring and nerve related numbness. It may also include activities to improve bone health if the patient is at risk for osteoporosis.
“We help patients get back to their life, their quality of life,” says Modzel, adding that therapists also work with patients in the palliative phase of their cancer journey “to make sure they are as pain free and functional as possible in the days they have left.”
Oncology Rehab and Survivorship is located at Bon Secours – St. Francis Therapy Center Millennium, 2 Innovation Dr., Suite 250, Greenville. For more information, call (864) 400-3630 or (864) 400-3621. You also can learn more about Bon Secours St. Francis cancer services by visiting St. Francis Cancer Center.
