Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Passport for Care?
The Passport for Care is a free online resource that provides childhood cancer survivors with access to a tailored and comprehensive long-term care plan that can be shared with their health care providers.
At what point in the treatment journey should a patient access the Passport for Care?
Long-term follow-up for survivors of childhood cancer typically begins once patients are in remission and have fully recovered from the immediate effects of treatment. This may be two to three years after treatment is complete. Click here to learn more about long-term follow-up care.
Why do survivors need long-term follow-up care?
The goal of long-term follow-up care is to ensure that former childhood cancer patients continue to lead healthy, fulfilling lives and that they receive the support necessary to achieve their goals. All survivors of childhood cancer should have ongoing, regular medical care. This is called “survivorship care.” The frequency of these visits depends on how long it has been since the survivor completed treatment, the specific treatments the survivor received, and any complications that resulted from treatment.
There are several ways in which survivorship care may be provided. Care may be given (for example):
- At the same oncology clinic where the original cancer treatment was given
- At an oncology clinic that provides a specialized long-term follow-up program for survivors of childhood cancer
- At a family medicine, pediatric, or internal medicine clinic or through a health care provider in the local community that may be working in partnership with the original treatment center
What can survivors expect when coming off of active cancer treatment?
Learn about what to expect:
- The first month off of treatment
- Two to six months off of treatment
- Six to 12 months off of treatment
- One year off of treatment and beyond
- For young adults transitioning to adult-focused care
Why do survivors need a plan for long-term follow-up care (a “survivorship care plan”)?
Long-term follow-up care is just as important as the cancer treatment itself. Late effects from cancer treatment may appear early after treatment ends or a very long time—even decades—after treatment is complete. Access to a survivorship care plan can help guide survivors and their health care providers so they are aware of potential late effects and can manage any concerns that may arise.
How do survivors access the Passport for Care Long-Term Survivor Portal?
Survivors can get an access code from their treatment center (or click here to send a message to the Passport for Care Navigator).
What can survivors find in the Passport for Care?
The Passport for Care provides:
- Secure access to the survivor’s cancer treatment summary
- Specific, evidence-based follow-up care recommendations developed and updated regularly by the Children’s Oncology Group
- Potential late effects based on the survivor’s treatment exposures
- Tests that are recommended to screen for potential late effects
- A printable summary and follow-up guide to share with health care providers
- Personalized educational “Health Links” tailored to specific treatments
How can the Passport for Care help survivors’ health care providers?
The Passport for Care educates providers on how to provide survivorship care helping them understand possible issues survivors may experience after cancer treatment and how to check for any late effects.
How much does it cost to use the Passport for Care?
The Passport for Care is free for all childhood cancer survivors and for any clinic or hospital anywhere in the world.
How can survivors find a survivorship clinic in their area?
Click here for help finding a Passport for Care survivorship clinic near you. Click here for all survivorship clinics.
Can the Passport for Care help survivors get health insurance?
No, the Passport for Care is not an insurance provider. But, it can help health care providers and survivors know what to expect during long-term follow-up. A financial counselor or social worker in a long-term survivor clinic may be able to help find health insurance options.
Does the Passport for Care use survivors’ treatment information for research?
The Passport for Care will not use survivors’ information for research without first obtaining consent.