By: Dr. Abeer Majid, MD CCFP

Working in primary care settings as a family physician, I’d often find myself wishing for more time. Assessing cancer related fatigue within a 20 minute appointment window, often shared with other health issues, can be challenging. I’d also feel disheartened by experiences of often not being able to fully prioritize and accommodate the helpful pacing and rhythms of people experiencing fatigue during the very limited appointment time available, such as time to rest, pause, and take breaks.

The Canadian Cancer Society identifies fatigue as the most common symptom for people with cancer and also the most common side effect of cancer treatment. A small amount of activity can be exhausting and it can persist for several years and have a profound impact on the lives of people experiencing it. Its comprehensive assessment can sometimes fall through the cracks both in hospital settings, with an understandable priority focus on cancer diagnosis as well as on the acute cancer treatments, and in primary care settings, with an understandable challenge of addressing multiple additional health and related issues. In this context, the presence of the Cancer Fatigue Services clinic is an important supportive and complementary intervention to help address this gap.

At Cancer Fatigue Services, I’m deeply appreciative of the time we are able to offer to facilitate a dedicated evidence-based comprehensive assessment of cancer-related fatigue which is OHIP-funded. This includes the self-reported fatigue questionnaires completed at their own pace by individuals accessing services at CFS. It also includes a multidisciplinary 60-75 minute comprehensive initial intake assessment appointment and the 45 minute follow-up appointments focusing on empowering individuals to identify and understand the combination of factors contributing to their unique experiences of cancer-related fatigue. Most importantly, it also offers a shared collaborative care plan prioritizing individuals’ own values and priorities.