{"id":7419,"date":"2026-07-22T14:30:00","date_gmt":"2026-07-22T14:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=7419"},"modified":"2026-07-22T14:30:00","modified_gmt":"2026-07-22T14:30:00","slug":"life-after-cancer-support-for-the-journey-beyond-treatment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=7419","title":{"rendered":"Life after cancer: Support for the journey beyond treatment"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"tni-source-date\"><strong>Originally published:<\/strong> 2026-07-22T14:30:00+00:00. Historical source article: benefits, rules, amounts and deadlines may have changed. Check the official source for current information.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Supporting survivors as they adjust to a new normal<\/h2>\n<p>Facing cancer is a journey that extends beyond treatment, with challenges that continue long after treatment ends.<\/p>\n<p>For many cancer patients, completing treatment brings relief and hope. But for some Veterans, it also brings uncertainty. The appointments become less frequent, the support system changes and questions remain about what comes next.<\/p>\n<p>Recognizing that need, the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.va.gov\/orlando-health-care\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Orlando VA Healthcare System (OVAHCS)<\/a>\u00a0launched a Cancer Survivorship Program to help Veterans navigate life after cancer treatment.<\/p>\n<p>Created by Supervisory Social Worker for Oncology,\u00a0Brittany Hahn, the monthly program connects <a href=\"https:\/\/news.va.gov\/?s=Cancer+Survivorship&amp;post_type%5B%5D=post&amp;post_type%5B%5D=page&amp;search_limit_to_post_titles=0&amp;add_woo_product_skus=0&amp;fs=1\">cancer survivors<\/a> with education, resources and, most importantly, each other.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cJust because treatment ends, it does not mean the journey is over,\u201d Hahn shared. \u201cVeterans continue with medical side effects, emotional concerns and questions about what comes next. We want them to know they\u2019re not alone.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The virtual group, launched in November 2025, brings together Veterans from across Central Florida to discuss survivorship, wellness, mental health and VA resources.<\/p>\n<p>For Army Veteran Thomas Jenkins, the program has become a source of connection.<\/p>\n<p>In 2020, doctors discovered cancer in his left lung. Five years later, another diagnosis led to surgery on his right lung. While treatment addressed the disease, survivorship presented a different challenge.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou often question if you\u2019re alone,\u201d Jenkins shared. \u201cThen you hear other Veterans talking about the same fears, the same pain, the same experiences. It helps you realize you\u2019re normal.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Finding community in shared experiences<\/h2>\n<p>Army Veteran Craig Cusanelli found a similar sense of connection after his cancer journey.<\/p>\n<p>Cusanelli, who served in the Army from 1970 to 1973, discovered cancer after a routine follow-up appointment with his pulmonologist revealed a suspicious spot on his lung. After additional testing, he underwent surgery to remove part of his left lung and later received treatment for cancer found in his right lung.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe journey\u2019s been okay,\u201d Cusanelli shared. \u201cIt really hasn\u2019t been as painful or as mentally challenging as I anticipated.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>After joining the Cancer Survivorship Program, Cusanelli found value in hearing other Veterans share their experiences.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI realized there were others who faced similar challenges,\u201d Cusanelli reflected. \u201cEveryone gained something from it day one.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Cusanelli also credits Hahn for creating a space where Veterans feel supported.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt takes dedication, not for yourself, but for all the Veterans,\u201d Cusanelli said. \u201cKnowing that she cares enough to spearhead such a program says a lot.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Dr. Ashley Brevil, supervisory social worker for Specialty Programs, said survivorship support fills a critical gap in cancer care.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMany people think treatment is the end of the story,\u201d Brevil added. \u201cWhat we\u2019ve learned is that Veterans still need support, community and resources long after treatment ends.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Hahn compares survivorship to an iceberg. While others may see a Veteran who has completed treatment, much of the struggle remains beneath the surface, with anxiety, lingering symptoms and the fear of cancer returning.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPeople think you\u2019re done with treatment, so everything must be back to normal,\u201d Hahn explained. \u201cBut there is a new normal, and Veterans deserve support as they learn how to navigate it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The program has already served more than 50 Veterans and continues to grow, providing a community where survivors can learn, share and heal together.<\/p>\n<p>For Veterans like Jenkins and Cusanelli, the greatest benefit is knowing they do not have to face survivorship alone.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"toc_Learn_more\">Learn more<\/h2>\n<p>VA\u2019s\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cancer.va.gov\/\" rel=\"noopener\">National Oncology Program<\/a>\u00a0walks shoulder to shoulder with Veterans through every step of their cancer journey.<\/p>\n<p>To learn more about cancer survivorship at VA, please visit cancer.va.gov, or reach out to your VA provider at\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.myhealth.va.gov\/mhv-portal-web\/home\" rel=\"noopener\">MyHealtheVet<\/a>.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p class=\"tni-attribution\">Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/news.va.gov\/147778\/life-after-cancer-journey-beyond-treatment\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs<\/a>. Its Veterans is an independent publication and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. government.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Orlando VA\u2019s Cancer Survivorship Program supports Veterans after treatment, offering community, resources, and guidance for life beyond cancer.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":103,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7419","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-u-s-veterans-health-care"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Life after cancer: Support for the journey beyond treatment - Its Veterans<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Orlando VA\u2019s Cancer Survivorship Program supports Veterans after treatment, offering community, resources, and guidance for life beyond cancer.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=7419\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Life after cancer: Support for the journey beyond treatment - 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