A cancer diagnosis today is vastly different from what it was 10 or 20 years ago. Advances in treatments like chemotherapy, radiation, proton therapy, CAR T cell therapy, and immunotherapy are enabling patients to live longer and healthier lives. Yet, even after cancer goes into remission, untreated side effects and other health concerns can continue to impact patients' well-being.

This is where Jennie Barbieri steps in. As the first director of Bridging Oncology Care and Wellness Recovery at the Ann B. Barshinger Cancer Institute (ABBCI) of Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health, Barbieri is pioneering a new approach to post-cancer care. Her role, and the new department, were created to address the institute’s commitment to not only treating cancer but also managing the side effects and encouraging lifestyle changes that promote recovery.

Barbieri’s work focuses on a holistic and collaborative approach to wellness for cancer survivors, aimed at enhancing their quality of life and managing long-term effects of cancer treatments. She meets with patients during their rehabilitation to understand their post-cancer experiences, helping them set and achieve health and wellness goals. Over a six-to-eight-month period, patients will see Barbieri three to four times. If they have lost touch with their primary care doctor during treatment, she helps reconnect them with appropriate primary care services.

Barbieri’s efforts are a testament to the evolving landscape of cancer care, where recovery is not just about survival but also about living well.

Read more about Jennie Barbieri’s work with cancer recovery from Penn Medicine News here: https://www.pennmedicine.org/news/news-blog/2024/april/a-doctor-to-help-patients-thrive-in-life-after-cancer