Cancer Survivorship

Cancer Survivorship

The After Cancer Experience (ACE) Program

Helping pediatric cancer survivors thrive

Nearly 90% of children diagnosed with cancer will survive their cancer in the United States. The Gill Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders recognizes that cancer survivors have many unique medical issues and may be at risk of long-term effects as a result of their cancer or its therapy. We follow cancer survivors who are disease-free and are at least two years after completion of cancer therapy. We provide the special care and resources that are customized for their unique medical and psychological needs. 

The After the Cancer Experience (ACE) at Children’s Health/UT Southwestern is the first and largest pediatric cancer survivor program in North Texas. The nationally recognized ACE program is unique among survivorship programs in that it bridges medical care from childhood through adult life within a single medical system.

Conditions We Treat

  • Heart Problems
  • Osteopenia/Osteoporosis
  • Hormone Abnormalities
  • Infertility
  • Second Cancers

Preparing cancer survivors for their future

The ACE Program team works with patients to educate them about life after cancer and monitor for possible therapy-related late effects. 

Each ACE Program participant receives a Cancer Treatment Summary that includes a description of their cancer diagnosis, detailed treatment information, complications encountered during treatment or any late effects. Program highlights include:

  • Education about risk factors and health maintenance
  • Screening for late effects 
  • Consultation with appropriate subspecialties and access to social work support, child life specialists, neuropsychologists and other services
  • Social worker dedicated to helping patients and their families cope with the challenges that are experienced by childhood cancer survivors 
  • Assistance of transition of pediatric cancer survivors to adult survivorship services 

At the forefront of medical research

The ACE Program is a founding member of the Childhood Cancer Survivors Study (CCSS), the leading consortium in late effects research. Numerous studies from the CCSS have determined the frequency of late effects and identified risk factors for late effects in this childhood cancer survivors. ACE team members conduct and participate in research studies about the unique problems and needs of cancer survivors. Learn more about our innovative research. 

Personalized care for pediatric cancer survivors

At Children’s Health, we build personalized cancer treatment summaries and care plans for each cancer survivor. We look at factors like genetics, what treatments you’ve had and how old you are when you went through treatment. We use these factors to help predict, address and prevent future challenges, so every child has the best opportunity for a long, healthy life.

ACE adult appointments

We facilitate transition to adult survivorship services where the personalized comprehensive care continues. Within the adult primary care survivorship clinic, ACE patients are able to have a targeted survivorship visit, or have both their primary care and survivorship needs taken care of by our team. Our goal is to ensure all components of survivorship care are addressed at your visit (acute concerns, late and long term effects, and preventive health).  Working closely with the UTSW Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, survivors of cancer are able to access expanded support services such as social work, exercise, behavioral health/psychology/ and nutrition. We have locations for our adult program that include: 

Ft Worth: Primary Care Cancer Survivorship Clinic

Address: 
400 W Magnolia Ave
Ft Worth, TX 76104
817-645-3900
(The clinic is located within the Moncrief Cancer Institute on the first floor)

Dallas: Primary Care Cancer Survivorship Clinic

Address: 
5939 Harry Hines Blvd; Ste 303
Dallas, TX 75390
214-645-3900
(The clinic is located within the Family Medicine Practice Office)

Resources

For additional support, connect with an ACE social worker

The ACE social worker is dedicated to helping patients and their families cope with the challenges that may result from childhood cancer. Psychosocial issues can affect every aspect of the survivor’s life, but your social worker helps to find needed resources. The ACE program social worker is trained to provide a variety of services for you and your family.

Meet the Care Team

Locations