Specialized Services

A B C D E F G H I K L M N P R S T W All Services

The UCSF Survivors of Childhood Cancer Program is dedicated to assisting survivors of pediatric cancer achieve and maintain optimal physical and emotional health through clinical care, education and research.

Currently, an estimated one in 500 young adults in the United States is a survivor of pediatric cancer due, in part, to innovations in cancer treatment. However, many new therapies are known to cause long-term side effects that can arise years and even decades after treatment ends. Furthermore, the side effects of many other therapies have not yet been discovered. Therefore, it is critical that cancer survivors receive long-term follow-up care by heath care providers knowledgeable about their medical history.

Pediatric cancer survivors may face a host of issues including:

• Secondary cancers
• Fertility problems
• Psychological and emotional problems
• Learning difficulties
• Therapy-related organ dysfunction
• Access to healthcare and problems obtaining insurance

Our team of experts specialize in the care of childhood cancer survivors:

• Dr. Robert Goldsby, medical director
• Dr. Arthur Ablin, professor emeritus of pediatrics
• Shannon Raber, nurse practitioner and program coordinator
• Daniel Hill, clinical research coordinator
• Maria Bracamonte, social worker
• Xin-Hua Chen, social worker

Programs and Services

We work with each patient to address his or her specific needs and concerns. Our program provides comprehensive services.

Survivors Clinic

The Survivors Clinic is offered monthly for survivors of pediatric cancer who are at least two years from treatment completion. The clinic visit includes a consultation with a pediatric cancer specialist, nurse, social worker and school liaison. The entire visit takes one or more hours and includes:

• Physical exam with a cancer specialist and nurse to review a patient's original diagnosis, treatments received and the effects of therapy on the patient's present and future health. The latest research regarding a patient's treatments, potential side effects and diagnosis are also discussed.
• Consultation with a social worker to discuss school, work, emotional and family issues. If needed, referrals to support programs are provided.
• Consultation with a school liaison provides information about educational benefits available to cancer survivors and discusses potential learning obstacles associated with certain cancer treatments.

Prior to your clinic visit, we may request that you have certain tests, which may include X-rays, blood work and other procedures that monitor your current health status. Our clinic coordinator will notify you about the necessary tests prior to your clinic visit. We can assist you with any health insurance coverage issues.

The Survivor Health Passport

After visiting the Survivors Clinic, patients receive a Survivor Health Passport, a wallet-sized card that includes information on a patient's disease and treatment history, risk factors and follow-up recommendations based on the Children's Oncology Group (COG) guidelines. These guidelines can be viewed at www.survivorshipguidelines.org. The Survivor Health Passport should be carried by patients and shared with other health care providers to ensure the best possible follow-up care.

To Visit Us

It is recommended that patients visit the Survivors Clinic two years after completion of treatment, five years post-treatment completion and then once every five years. More frequent visits can be arranged as needed.

Our clinic coordinator can assist you with any health insurance coverage issues, such as authorization for the clinic visit and necessary pre-clinic tests. Prior to your clinic visit, we may require that you have certain tests, which could include X-rays, blood work and other procedures that document your current health status. Our clinic coordinator will notify you about the necessary tests prior to your clinic visit.

The Survivors Clinic is held on the first Thursday of each month.

To schedule an appointment, please call (415) 353-2986.

For more information, please call (415) 476-7910 or (415) 476-2536.

We are located at:

400 Parnassus Ave.
Suite A101
San Francisco, CA 94143-0134

Make A Donation

The UCSF Survivors of Childhood Cancer Program and Survivors Clinic are publicly supported 501(c) three non-profit programs with no permanent endowment. The services we provide are made possible solely by the generosity of our friends and sponsors. Some of our sponsors include Swim Across America San Francisco, The Naish Foundation and The Campini Foundation.

We invite you to support our services to childhood cancer survivors with the gift of your financial support. If you would like to make a donation, please make your gift(s) payable to UCSF Foundation/Survivors of Childhood Cancer Program and send to:

Division of Hematology/Oncology
University of California, San Francisco
P.O. Box 0106
505 Parnassus Ave. Rm. 649
San Francisco, CA 94143
Attention: Diana Block

For more information on our program, please contact:
Dr. Robert Goldsby at (415) 476-3831

Our Program Sponsor

The UCSF Children's Hospital Survivors of Childhood Cancer Program is supported in part by Swim Across America. Swim Across America is a 20-year-old, non-profit organization founded to raise money and awareness for cancer research, prevention, and treatment by sponsoring swimming events throughout the United States.

To make an online contribution to an existing team, or to register yourself or your team for this event, please visit the Swim Across America website at www.swimacrossamerica.org and click on "San Francisco."