COLUMBUS, Ohio – Survivorship is a public health issue, according to Betty Ferrell, an internationally recognized oncology nurse and researcher who presented the first James Distinguished Oncology Nursing Lectureship at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC-James). She spoke about “Issues and Trends in Survivorship Care.” There is a critical need to efficiently care for and monitor cancer patients during and beyond their treatment, particularly as more patients become long-term survivors who are living either cancer-free or with cancer as a chronic disease, said Ferrell, a registered nurse who has authored eight books and more than 300 publications during her 33-year nursing career. “Cancer survivorship is global. The demand for oncologists in this country is exponentially increasing, but the supply is decreasing at a rapid rate,” said Ferrell, a professor and research scientist at the City of Hope National Medical Center in Los Angeles, Calif., who has doctorate in nursing and a master’s degree in theology, ethics and culture. Ferrell called for a systematic process for survivorship and cancer prevention, stressing that crucial need to educate patients and families/caregivers about the importance of follow-up care. The event, hosted last month by the James Magnet Nursing Council, attracted more than 120 nurses, physicians and staff at OSUCCC-James. The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute cancer.osu.edu is one of only 40 Comprehensive Cancer Centers in the United States designated by the National Cancer Institute. Ranked by U.S. News & World Report among the top cancer hospitals in the nation, The James is the 180-bed adult patient-care component of the cancer program at The Ohio State University. The OSUCCC-James is one of only seven funded programs in the country approved by the NCI to conduct both Phase I and Phase II clinical trials. # # # Jennifer Mutchler Medical Center Public Affairs and Media Relations 614-293-3737 Jennifer.Mutchler@osumc.edu