by Madison Gilmore
In the ebb and flow of life, we all encounter waves—waves of stress, waves of change, waves of challenge and waves of adversity. For those affected by hereditary cancer, these waves often take the form of frequent cancer screenings, the pressure of making health and medical decisions, and the uncertainties that surround their health and the health of their loved ones. At times, these waves can become overwhelming, and it can be difficult to stay afloat or remain hopeful.
But amidst these turbulent waters are opportunities to take charge and be well. As Jon Kabat-Zinn famously said, “You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn to surf.” This is a fitting visual to understand resilience: riding the waves of life instead of trying to control them. The PreCharge program aims to help those affected by hereditary cancer do just that by equipping them with the support they need to surf the waves that come with being a previvor.
The PreCharge study is an Institutional Review Board-approved nationwide research study funded by the National Cancer Institute. This study seeks to evaluate the effectiveness of a new digital program—designed specifically for those who are affected by hereditary cancer but who have not been diagnosed with cancer—to empower previvors to take charge of their health and boost their mental and emotional well-being.
Participants in the study will have access to the PreCharge program for one month, during which they will receive daily, personalized messages and will have the opportunity to interact with online activities designed to enhance their coping skills and resilience. Messages and activities focus on topics such as making informed decisions, advocating for wants and needs, managing challenging emotions, finding community and engaging in self-care—all of which are key to taking charge and learning to ride the waves of life.
The PreCharge study team is recruiting hereditary cancer previvors who are 18 years of age or older, U.S. residents and speak and read English. The PreCharge Study is open to people who are affected by hereditary cancer but have not been diagnosed with cancer. People with an inherited mutation in any of the following genes are eligible to participate in the study: APC, ATM, BARD1, BRCA1, BRCA2, BRIP1, CDH1, CDKN2A, CDK4, CHEK2, EPCAM, HOXB13, MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, MUTYH, NBN, PALB2, PMS2, PTEN, RAD51C, RAD51D, STK11, TP53.
Our hope is that, through testing the PreCharge program, we will uncover the tools, resources and skills previvors need to navigate the choppy waters of hereditary cancer.
To learn more about the PreCharge Study, visit https://www.facingourrisk.org/research-clinical-trials/study/292/precharge-digital-program-for-people-with-hereditary-cancer-syndromes or check out prochange.com/precharge to find instructions on how to sign up.
We hope that you will consider being a part of this research to create programs to help those who have been affected by hereditary cancer build the resilience and coping skills they need to surf the waves of previvorship.
Let’s join forces to make a difference in the lives of people affected by hereditary cancer!
Madison Gilmore is a Research and Project Manager at ProChange Behavior Solutions. She is the project manager of the PreCharge study.