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.