Mayo Clinic takes cancer education virtual

By Mayo Clinic staff

Mayo Clinic Cancer Center has a team devoted to educating Mayo Clinic patients and the public about all aspects of cancer. Just as COVID-19 accelerated the adoption of virtual appointments for cancer care, Mayo Clinic's cancer educators have jumped ahead with their plans to make their resources virtual.

"When the pandemic started, we closed our walk-in education locations and expanded our online offerings so we could continue providing education safely," says Wendy Hanson, manager of the Cancer Education Program at Mayo Clinic Cancer Center. "We've been delighted by the response from the public."

COVID-19 vaccines have made it safe to reopen on-site cancer education locations at Mayo Clinic, but Hanson and her team have continued to expand their suite of virtual offerings to more people, including those living with cancer who might find it difficult to travel to a Mayo Clinic location.

Here is an overview of Mayo Clinic's virtual cancer education resources:

Free webinars and online courses open to all

Anyone touched by cancer can now take advantage of:

Webinars

Take advantage of free weekly webinars. Topics range from fatigue to stress management to disease-fighting foods.

Video library

Peruse an online video library of previously recorded speakers and webinars.

Online courses

Course available include:

• "Moving Forward: Life After Cancer Treatment."
• "Coping with Cancer-Related Fatigue."
• "Stress Management for Cancer."
• "Nutrition During Cancer Treatment."
• "Physical Activity and Cancer."

Blog posts

Read regular blog posts on cancer-related topics.

Online patient community with support from others living with cancer

Mayo Clinic Cancer Center's virtual cancer education resources are part of Mayo Clinic Connect, a free online community for patients and caregivers. Join the community to find other people living with cancer who can support you and help you find the practical information and answers you need.

Mayo Clinic Connect includes information on events and groups that can offer additional support to patients with cancer and their families, including online video Q&As with Mayo Clinic experts and online support groups.

Get tips on how to use Mayo Clinic Connect here.

Patient navigators who guide Mayo Clinic patients with cancer through the health care system

Mayo Clinic's Cancer Education Program also includes patient navigators who help patients and their families access cancer information, resources to meet day-to-day needs, and emotional support. Patient navigators help patients overcome any obstacles that might prevent them from getting the care they need.

Mayo Clinic Cancer Center patient navigators are active members of the health care team, assessing and addressing a patient's immediate needs, and laying the groundwork for future or ongoing support. The Mayo Clinic Cancer Center has general patient navigators who assist all patients and patient navigators who serve specific cultural patient populations. Mayo Clinic has navigators on staff serving these communities: Hispanic/Latino, American Indian/Alaskan Native, and African descent.

Learn more

Learn about the classes and resources offered by Cancer Education at Mayo Clinic.

For more information on Mayo Clinic cancer education resources, or to share an idea for a webinar or online course, email Mayo Clinic's Cancer Education Program.