Since its founding in 2005, this program has remained at the forefront of survivorship care, providing childhood cancer survivors and their families with essential education, resources, and long-term support to help their children not just survive, but thrive.
BELLEVILLE, IL / ACCESS Newswire / May 28, 2025 / This year marks a major milestone for The National Children's Cancer Society (NCCS) as we celebrate the 20th anniversary of our Beyond the Cure Survivorship Program. Since its founding in 2005, this program has remained at the forefront of survivorship care, providing childhood cancer survivors and their families with essential education, resources, and long-term support to help their children not just survive-but thrive.
Program logo
The idea for the program was born as childhood cancer survival rates began to rise, prompting a vital shift in focus-not just toward finding a cure, but toward understanding what life looks like after cancer. Survivorship brought new challenges, and we recognized a growing need for care that extends beyond treatment: care that lasts a lifetime. We felt a deep responsibility to support survivors as they navigated life after cancer, and the Beyond the Cure Survivorship Program was our answer. As Jessica Cook, Vice President of Patient and Family Services, recalls, "We were seeing incredible survival rates among children with cancer, but at what cost?"
The mission of the Beyond the Cure Survivorship Program is to help childhood cancer survivors integrate the cancer experience into their new life as survivors and equip them to handle the challenges that lie ahead. While survival is the ultimate goal, the journey doesn't end when treatment does. Childhood cancer treatments, though lifesaving, often come with a host of long-term side effects-physical, emotional, cognitive, and more. These can emerge months or even years after treatment ends, affecting a survivor's ability to live a full, healthy life.
The Beyond the Cure Survivorship Program was created to meet those needs head-on.
With foundational support from a federal grant, the NCCS launched a program that would educate, guide, and advocate for survivors and their families through every step of life after cancer. From the beginning, education has been at the heart of the program-providing information on what to expect, how to manage late effects, and how to transition successfully into adulthood.
A key milestone in our survivorship program's history was the development of the Late Effects After Treatment Tool (LEATT), created in collaboration with esteemed NCCS board member, Dr. Robert Hayashi. This free, interactive tool allows survivors to input their cancer type and treatment history to receive a personalized assessment outlining potential late effects and recommended follow-up care. LEATT empowers survivors to be proactive in their health and gives families peace of mind in the unknown.
Beyond health monitoring, our program also looks at the full picture of survivorship - supporting educational success and emotional well-being. The program offers free, age-appropriate publications for survivors, siblings, and parents to navigate life during and after treatment. These guides address the many challenges survivors may face, including cognitive impacts that can affect schooling and daily functioning.
Recognizing the importance of educating childhood cancer survivors and their families, the program also provides grants to survivorship clinics, helping them host conferences and educational events for survivors and their families nationwide.
In 2008, the program expanded its reach once more with the launch of the Beyond the Cure Ambassador Scholarship Program, created in large part from the generous support of long-time board member Sue Engelhardt and the Engelhardt Family Foundation. The scholarship helps survivors pursue higher education, fulfilling academic goals that may have once felt out of reach. Since its inception, the program has awarded over $2.5 million in scholarships to 254 survivors - an investment not only in their future but in the future of our communities.
Over the last two decades, our survivorship program has grown from a visionary idea into a cornerstone of the NCCS mission, helping thousands of survivors and their families face life beyond cancer with strength and confidence. With advances in treatment continuing to increase survival rates, the need for comprehensive survivorship care has never been more important.
The Beyond the Cure Survivorship Program was founded on the belief that survivorship is not a destination; it's a lifelong journey. As we celebrate 20 years of this incredible program, we're not just marking a milestone, we're honoring the strength, courage, and spirit of the young survivors who have shared their lives with us. For two decades, we've had the privilege of watching these remarkable individuals grow into the people they were always meant to be. Their resilience lights the way for everything we do.
As we reflect on 20 years of the Beyond the Cure Survivorship Program, we celebrate the survivors who continue to inspire us, the families who have placed their trust in us, and the supporters whose compassion makes our work possible.
About The National Children's Cancer Society:
Since 1987, the NCCS has distinguished itself by meeting the immediate and long-term needs of more than 50,000 children with cancer and their families. While other groups may focus on a single aspect of support, we take a comprehensive approach to address each family's unique challenges. With over $72 million in direct financial assistance provided across the United States, the NCCS is committed to making a lasting impact where it matters most.
Globally, the NCCS has supported more than 213,000 children with cancer in 53 countries, supporting 114 medical facilities to deliver lifesaving pharmaceuticals and medical supplies valued at over $476 million. This international reach reflects our unwavering commitment to ensuring every child receives the care they deserve, regardless of where they live.
Contact Information
Elizabeth Payne
Director of Marketing
epayne@thenccs.org
314-446-5247
SOURCE: The National Children's Cancer Society (NCCS)
View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:
https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/healthcare-and-pharmaceutical/the-national-childrens-cancer-society-nccs-celebrates-20-years-of-the-1032716
