¡Empoderando a las sobrevivientes de cáncer de ovario para que prosperen!
Welcome to Ovarian Cancer Thrivers
What does it mean to be an ovarian cancer thriver? An ovarian cancer thriver is a person who has been affected by ovarian cancer and makes the daily decision to overcome challenges related to the disease by engaging in activities that are meaningful. Ovarian cancer thrives are interested in self-development and learning ways to advocate for themselves so that they can heal and flourish.
The Ovarian Cancer Thrivers (OCT) website was created as a capstone project for a post-professional doctoral degree at the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences. The creator and author is an occupational therapist and ovarian cancer survivor (now thriver). Learn more about the author here.
Ovarian cancer survivors experience numerous persistent physical and psychological issues after treatment, limiting participation in daily activities, known as occupations. Occupational therapy is the use of occupations to facilitate or improve participation. The field of occupational therapy offers a holistic approach to problems that threaten or limit engagement in valued activities and quality of life. The creation of this occupation-focused website is intended to increase access to education and resources for ovarian cancer survivors and health information seekers. The ultimate aim of the OCT website is to reduce the experienced distress of ovarian cancer survivors through the promotion of engagement in purposeful occupations so that they can thrive rather than just survive!
We Are Occupation-Focused
Occupations are everyday activities that people need and want to do.[11] Occupations can be anything that an individual does to occupy their time. Examples include bathing, dressing, driving, working, cooking, managing medications, caring for family members, exercising, hiking, and playing games.
The OCT website uses an occupation-focused approach, which means our primary emphasis is on improving the performance of meaningful occupations so that ovarian cancer survivors can enjoy life to the fullest.[28, 29]
To accomplish this goal, the OCT website provides evidence-based strategies to demonstrate how survivors can enhance their quality of life.
No study has evaluated occupational therapy interventions specifically for ovarian cancer survivors. However, occupational therapists are qualified to address cancer-related effects using best practices and evidence-based and evidence-informed interventions. Therefore, current research and occupational therapy principles are used to compile and develop occupation-focused content for this website.
We are Guided by Theory
Occupational therapy emphasizes the necessity of treating the whole person and the use of valued occupations to enhance life.[11] Therefore, OCT employs several theories and frames of reference to examine the relationship between the mind, body, and spirit and the impact of external factors.
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Wellness Theory recognizes that the environment impacts health and wellness in addition to biological, psychological, spiritual, and social factors.[35] Wellness is achieving physical and mental harmony while maintaining balance with external contexts such as social relationships and the environment.[11, 35] Further, an imbalance of any internal or external factors can be detrimental to the person and must be addressed. WT proposes that attaining wellness begins with the person defining the situation, identifying strengths and areas of need, and practitioners providing resources to facilitate problem-solving and personal development. Therefore, WT promotes empowerment and is appropriate for addressing chronic health issues.[35]
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Self-Advocacy Frame of Reference: Self-Advocacy is the actions or conscious decisions an individual makes to improve their own life. [11,41,68]Self-Advocacy among cancer survivors may be ingrained from birth, established before diagnosis, or can be learned to overcome challenges.[68]Ovarian cancer survivors can employ Self-Advocacy skills to seek information, understand their rights, make informed decisions, and initiate discussions with providers.
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Model of Human Occupation (MOHO) suggests that engagement in meaningful activity positively influences health.[65]However, cancer diagnosis and treatment can disrupt daily routines and occupations, threatening an individual’s well-being.[16]The principles of MOHO can be used to restore and reorganize current occupations and foster occupational adaptation based on the survivor’s physical and mental abilities.[16] Also, occupational-focused interventions can help ovarian cancer survivors develop self-efficacy and motivation to participate in new occupations.
Disclaimer
The OCT website is an educational resource designed to connect ovarian cancer survivors with general information, support, and programs so they can advocate for themselves and live more fully. The information on this website is not intended to provide specific advice for any individual and does not replace medical evaluations, diagnoses, treatments, or recommendations, which should be obtained from qualified physicians and healthcare professionals familiar with you. Ask your healthcare provider specific questions about your health condition. Always talk with your healthcare team before making decisions about your health and wellness.
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