Career-Mentoring Options for Pharmacy Faculty and Staff: Navigating the Three Phases of Cancer Survivorship

Cancer rates are on the rise, and new treatments are helping people live longer with cancer, yet the questions remain: when does one consider themselves a cancer survivor, and what direction should one's career take when diagnosed with cancer? This commentary explores how mentoring can support working individuals, such as pharmacy faculty and staff, across the 3 distinct phases of cancer survivorship: (1) the acute phase, which includes testing, diagnosis, staging, and treatment; (2) the post-treatment survival phase; and (3) the permanent phase of disease-free survival. While career-mentoring programs may exist for pharmacy faculty and staff across various pharmacy practice settings, there is a notable lack of structured mentoring programs for those navigating a cancer diagnosis, especially as mentoring needs shift throughout these 3 phases of survivorship. Thoughtful mentoring and support can significantly enhance both the personal and professional quality of life for individuals with cancer. Therefore, it is essential to develop targeted career-mentoring opportunities for pharmacy faculty and staff cancer survivors to meet this growing and unmet need.