Cancer Supportive Care Services Directed by Connecticut Children’s oncologist Andrea Orsey, MD, MSCE, the Cancer Supportive Care Program collaborates with medical providers and researchers on a regional, national and international basis to provide state-of-the-art supportive care for oncology and hematology patients. The program has been recognized for its clinical care and research efforts. The Cancer Supportive Care Program is committed to providing evidence-based supportive care to patients, enhancing consistency between providers and treatment plans, and providing education regarding supportive care needs of our patients. Areas of Focus Prevention and treatment of infectious diseases Management and prevention of side effects of cancer treatments (such as: fatigue, nausea and vomiting, heart health, etc) Nutrition support Pain management Optimization of quality of life Education of children, adolescents, young adults and families Psychosocial support which helps to provide developmentally-appropriate education, coping skills, resources, and emotional support Our Team The supportive care team at Connecticut Children’s includes: Andrea Orsey, MD, MSCE – A medical oncologist well-versed in the most current research data and clinical innovations related to cancer supportive care Mary Keller, MSN, RN, CPHON – A clinical nurse specialist dedicated to the care and education of pediatric oncology patients and their families Lauren Ayr-Volta, PhD & Siddika Mulchan, Psy.D. – Dedicated psychologists specializing in the psychosocial impact of pediatric cancer Tiffany Ruiz, RN, BSN, CPN, CCRC – A clinical research nurse dedicated to promoting supportive care research and offering research opportunities to our patients and families Elizabeth Lachat, LCSW- A clinical social worker focused on providing psychosocial support and resources to the patient and family
