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Jai Pausch Speaks to the Value of In-Person Visits to a Loved One with Cancer in Latest NCCN.com Column

Jai Pausch encourages family and friends of patients with cancer to maintain the frequency of in-person visits, particularly in the later stages of a cancer diagnosis. Ms. Pausch also offers strategies to address the stress others may experience as their loved ones battle the disease in a column on NCCN.com.

FORT WASHINGTON, PA — Acknowledging the emotional toll that cancer can have on friends and family of patients, Jai Pausch emphasizes the positive impact that their support and ongoing presence has on their loved ones well-being in her new “Ask Jai” column on NCCN.com. Ms. Pausch, who since caring for her late husband Randy Pausch, author of The Last Lecture, has emerged in her own right as a nationally recognized spokesperson for caregivers, responds to a reader's question about the decreasing number of visitors coming to see his cancer-stricken wife in this month's column.

Ms. Pausch advises the reader that “it's time to rally the troops” and remind his wife's family and friends of the important role they play in her life. She notes that even a simple visit can have a lasting impact and make the patient feel safe, loved, and not alone. Ms. Pausch also points out the need to be sensitive to how his wife's cancer battle may be emotionally overwhelming to her friends and suggests giving them an opportunity to talk about the experience and how they are coping. Visit NCCN.com to read the column in its entirety.

“Ask Jai” is a monthly column on NCCN.com, the patient website of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network^® (NCCN^®). NCCN.com features the NCCN Guidelines for Patients™ as well as enhanced content for patients and caregivers.

Jai Pausch, who is a Board Member of the NCCN Foundation, welcomes questions from patients, caregivers, and the general public. To submit a question to the “Ask Jai” column, e-mail questions to askjai@nccn.org.

About the National Comprehensive Cancer Network

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network^® (NCCN^®), a not-for-profit alliance of 23 of the world's leading cancer centers, is dedicated to improving the quality and effectiveness of care provided to patients with cancer. Through the leadership and expertise of clinical professionals at NCCN Member Institutions, NCCN develops resources that present valuable information to the numerous stakeholders in the health care delivery system. As the arbiter of high-quality cancer care, NCCN promotes the importance of continuous quality improvement and recognizes the significance of creating clinical practice guidelines appropriate for use by patients, clinicians, and other health care decision-makers. The primary goal of all NCCN initiatives is to improve the quality, effectiveness, and efficiency of oncology practice so patients can live better lives. For more information, visit NCCN.org.

The NCCN Member Institutions are:

• City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center
• Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Center
  Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center
• Duke Cancer Institute
• Fox Chase Cancer Center
• Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah
• Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center / Seattle Cancer Care Alliance
• The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins
• Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University
• Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
• Moffitt Cancer Center
• The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center - James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute
• Roswell Park Cancer Institute
• Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine
• St. Jude Children's Research Hospital/The University of Tennessee Health Science Center
• Stanford Cancer Institute
• University of Alabama at Birmingham Comprehensive Cancer Center
• UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center
• UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center
• University of Colorado Cancer Center
• University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center
• UNMC Eppley Cancer Center at The Nebraska Medical Center
• The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
• Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center