A new study, funded through the Hirshberg Foundation’s Seed Grant program, will focus on the emotional wellbeing of patients and their caregivers as they face pancreatic cancer.
Through a new partnership with the clinical teams at the UCLA Agi Hirshberg Center for Pancreatic Diseases and the psychosocial clinicians at the Simms/Mann-UCLA Center for Integrative Oncology, Dr. Eden Brauer, Dr. Denice Economou, and Barbara Demman have developed a study to identify the optimal way to provide a mindfulness-based intervention to patients and caregivers facing pancreatic cancer. The team has devised an intervention plan to provide four pre-recorded, self-paced modules that will focus on four aspects of the cancer journey and ways to be mindful. These include: 1. Introduction to Mindfulness, 2. Cultivating Self-Compassion, 3. Making the Most of the Moment, and 4. Life Review and Legacy Envisioning.
These modules, recorded by a nursing faculty member who is a mindfulness certified facilitator, will be available online through a study website so participants can engage with them in a flexible way. This will allow study participants to access the four modules when it is convenient for them and as often as they need over a six-week period. The team’s primary objective will be to determine the best way to provide a web-based mindfulness practice and set of tools for those facing pancreatic cancer. Another objective of the study is to collect data on other aspects of the patient and caregiver emotional well-being throughout the cancer journey. This mindfulness intervention aims to track and improve self-reported symptoms of depression, anxiety, spiritual wellbeing, sleep, and quality of life for both the patients and caregivers.
The Hirshberg Foundation is honored and excited to partner with the UCLA School of Nursing to work towards understanding the ways to support and improve both patient and caregiver emotional well-being throughout the cancer journey. This research is made possible thanks to our community.