Herbert Irving Child and Adolescent Oncology Center

Herbert Irving Child and Adolescent Oncology Center

(Jan 27, 2009)

Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital of NewYork-Presbyterian claims home to one of the best children's oncology programs in the United States: The Herbert Irving Child and Adolescent Oncology Center. Here, hope and comfort is offered to young people, while state-of-the-art therapies and supportive, compassionate care offers the best possible chance for a cure. Recognized by the National Cancer Institute as a center of excellence, the Center performs clinical and basic science research as an integral part of its existence.

The Center is located at Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital of NewYork-Presbyterian, which ranked as the #1 children's hospital in New York by U.S. News and World Report. It has one of the largest and most distinguished pediatric oncology programs that provides unparalleled patient care for more than 150 children and adolescents diagnosed with cancer and serious blood disorders each year. The Herbert Irving Child and Adolescent Oncology Center serves as the academic division of Columbia University Medical Center – a top 10 ranked academic medical center.

Each program consists of a basic science research component and a clinical team that includes physicians, nurse practitioners, social workers, clinical oncology nurse specialists, research nurses, clinical research associates and coordinators. This overall structure of laboratory investigation linked with a clinical enterprise promotes the translation of the laboratory findings into improved treatments for children with cancer.

The HICAOC has four over-arching, clinic-wide programs that provide expertise and care to all patients and their families:

INTEGRATIVE THERAPIES PROGRAM FOR CHILDREN WITH CANCER

The first of its kind to mainstream complementary medicine with conventional surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. It is the largest such program in the country. Services such as nutrition and herbal counseling, aromatherapy, acupressure, acupuncture, Reiki, yoga and movement, massage, and guided imagery are provided "without walls" as practitioners care for patients both on the inpatient and outpatient units.

VALERIE FUND PSYCHOSOCIAL PROGRAM

Dedicated child psychologist provides individual and group counseling as well as neuro-psych testing. The child-life therapists use activities to help children gain coping skills. The social workers assist patients and their families to help navigate the health care system and assist them with all psycho-social matters.

PEDIATRIC CANCER FOUNDATION DEVELOPMENTAL THERAPEUTICS PROGRAM

The HICAOC is one of only 20 pediatric oncology programs in the country, and the only one in New York selected by the Children's Oncology Group and the National Cancer Institute, to conduct phase I clinical trials that investigate novel treatment strategies for patients with relapsed or refractory disease. In addition, we are the only program in New York to participate in TACL (Therapeutic Advances in Childhood Leukemia) and NANT (New Approaches to Neuroblastoma Therapy), two limited, exclusive consortia dedicated to testing new drugs for children.

CENTER FOR SURVIVOR WELLNESS

The center staff provides patients and their families a comprehensive medical and psychosocial assessment and introduces interventions to mitigate the long-term complications of treatment for childhood cancer. Particular attention is paid to the needs of adolescent and young adult survivors, including issues of education, job training, fertility, and a healthy lifestyle. The Center offers several innovative initiatives such as "Cancer Dancers," an exercise dance troupe, a summer internship program in conjunction with WCBS Radio, and "Survivewell.org", a site that embraces 21st century technology.

From: http://nyp.org/enews/adolescent-oncology.html