June is National Cancer Survivors Month. In the United States, we have 18.6 million reasons to honor the occasion — that's 18.6 million people living beyond cancer thanks to advances in detection and treatment. This year, cancer survivorship rates reached an all-time high.
This remarkable progress reflects the power of science — but it also reveals an important truth: the end of treatment is not the end of the journey. It’s the beginning of a new chapter.
At City of Hope, we have a saying: “When we take a patient’s hand, we don’t let go.” We live that commitment every day. Survivorship is not an afterthought. It is a core part of patient care.
Cancer and its treatment can leave lasting physical and emotional effects, along with unique long-term health risks. Optimal follow-up care exists along a continuum. Even in remission, people need proactive support and ongoing services like targeted screenings, rehabilitation, pain management and fertility support.
Nicole Shultz understands these issues very well. A 20-year survivor, she has spent more of her life after cancer than before it. Diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukemia at just 14, she once questioned whether she would finish high school — much less get married or start a family. Today, she’s done all those things. While managing ongoing health challenges, Nicole describes herself as a “life enthusiast” who refuses to give up.
Nicole continues her care through our Childhood, Adolescent and Young Adult Survivorship Clinic, where her treatment history guides annual evaluations designed to anticipate and address long-term risks — helping her stay one step ahead.
Jeff Henry, another survivor, was weeks away from his wedding when he was diagnosed with Stage 4 diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. His care team recommended a clinical trial and aggressive treatment that put him into remission after 14 months.
Today, he and his wife, Kat, are building the life they once feared might not be possible. Earlier this year, they celebrated with “makeup” bachelor and bachelorette parties, as well as a honeymoon cruise in the Bahamas. His ongoing care includes regular checkups, lifestyle support and fertility services. As Jeff puts it, “I’m coming out from this thing better than when I started.”
Stories like Nicole’s and Jeff’s remind us why survivorship care is so important — because it helps people get back to what matters most.
At City of Hope, we are committed to integrating survivorship, supportive care and prevention at every stage. Our vision is to make survivorship care a central and defining component of modern oncology. With the leadership of experts like Saro Armenian, D.O., M.P.H., and the support of our philanthropic community, we are expanding evidence-based programs and setting new standards for life after cancer.
Every patient deserves a personalized path forward — one that reflects their risks, goals and life stage. Together, we can ensure that more survivors not only live longer, but live better. Thank you.
Warmly,
Kristin J. Bertell
Chief Philanthropy Officer