NACES Quality of Life Tree

Native American Cancer Education for Survivors (NACES) Quality of Life (QOL) Tree

The NACES Tree Keeps Growing.

The Native American Cancer Education for Survivors (NACES) Quality of Life (QOL) Tree was initially funded for breast cancer only. However, so many Natives diagnosed with cancers other than breast, contacted NACR and asked to use the site. Due to limited funding, the NACES Team has been able to update only a few sections of the website for multiple cancer sites (e.g., oral side effects, fertility).

The NACR team continues to seek additional funding to add more content and stories for all cancer sites. They are aware that much more is needed

Watch AIAN Survivors' Vignettes here

Click the QOL tree image on this page to find information.

  • The information is laid out like a tree with a trunk, limbs, branches and leaves.
  • There is a lot of information. You can look at a single section (leaf) or as much information as you want (or is available so far).
  • The trunk has survey questions that help to personalize the information by highlighting leaves (topics) of special interest to you or that are specific to your type of cancer.
  • The large limbs include major quality of life areas
    • Spirituality
    • Communication
    • Treatment
    • Clinical trials
    • Health Information
    • Treatment side effects
    • More health problems (also called "co-morbidities" (diabetes and cancer; arthritis and cancer)
    • Help & Support
  • The branches are individual education topics. For example, under the "side effects" limb, there are branches on hair loss, lymphedema, fatigue and pain.
    • NACES is constantly adding more topics. Many of these are based on how survivors' respond to items on the surveys. This helps us identify which topics are of most need and interest to survivors than are other topics.

"Native American Cancer Education for Survivors"
(NACES) is supported by:

  • The National Cancer Institute #NCI R25 CA 101938
  • The National Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Grants #POP0503920 and #POP0202135
  • Mayo Clinic's Spirit of Eagles Community Network, Programs [NCI U01 CA 114609]
  • Native Navigators and the Cancer Continuum (NNACC) [PI. Burhansstipanov, R24MD002811]
  • Mayo Clinic's Spirit of Eagles Communities Network Program 2 [PI Kaur, NCI1U54CA153605]