UF launches free online program to support people facing new cancer diagnosis

Press release from UF/IFAS

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Navigating a new cancer diagnosis can mean walking through a scary new world, not only for patients but also for their families and caregivers. To help ease this complex and overwhelming transition, UF/IFAS Extension and UF Health Cancer Center experts have launched a new, free web-based curriculum, Taking Control of Your Cancer Diagnosis, designed to provide reliable, evidence-based information to those newly diagnosed with cancer about what to expect.

Developed by experts in social sciences and cancer treatment, the curriculum through UF Extension Online features 14 self-paced modules that address a wide range of concerns commonly faced during the early stages of a cancer journey. Topics include financial planning, managing stress, and avoiding predatory practices, among others. Each module is presented by a subject matter expert and is meant to be used when you need it, not in any particular order.

“I think first and foremost, I want it to be a resource that someone can go to and know that this has been developed by experts,” said Melissa Vilaro, a UF/IFAS assistant professor of family, youth, and community sciences and a member of the UF Health Cancer Center. “This is a place where people can come to find information that is evidence-based and accurate during one of the most stressful times of their lives.”