Supportive Oncology and Palliative Care
Through all phases of cancer treatment and beyond, recovery or survivorship, our support care teams will design an integrated program with the primary goal of improving your quality of life.
Improving Your Quality of Life
At Winship, we have many specialists who can help you manage your symptoms and reduce the burden of side effects. These teams draw from wide-ranging resources in supportive oncology, integrative oncology and palliative care.
Supportive Oncology
Supportive oncology helps you manage your symptoms and also provides support for the emotional and spiritual aspects of dealing with your diagnosis. Winship has several supportive oncology services that meet the needs of our cancer patients.
Our Supportive Oncology Outpatient Clinic delivers state of the art services that cover the full spectrum of cancer care from diagnosis to survivorship. Our team strives to reduce the physical and emotional suffering through comprehensive pain and symptom management and supportive counseling.
Benefits of supportive and palliative oncology include:
- Managing symptoms such as nausea, difficulty breathing, loss of appetite, fatigue and depression.
- Providing counseling for making difficult medical decisions.
- Offering emotional and spiritual support.
- Coordinating home care referrals.
- Assisting in navigating the complex health care system.
- Aiding in advanced care planning regarding future care and treatment.
- Providing resources, counseling and referrals for evidence-based integrative oncology community resources.
Our supportive oncology team is constantly evaluating new therapies to find the most effective ways to reduce the burden of cancer on your quality of life.
Ask your oncologist or care team for a referral, or call 404-778-1900 to request an appointment.
Palliative Care
Palliative care is comprehensive treatment of the discomfort, symptoms and stress of serious illness, but it does not replace your primary care treatment. Palliative care focuses on all the ways a serious illness like cancer can affect patients and families.
Often confused with hospice care, palliative care is appropriate for any stage of a serious illness, whereas hospice care is meant specifically for those approaching the last stages of life or for those who prefer to discontinue treatment.
The Emory Palliative Care Center is a comprehensive program providing multidimensional collaboration through the unique services and expertise provided across Emory, its affiliates and community partners. The Palliative Care team coordinates closely with your health care team to prevent and ease suffering, and improve your quality of life. Discussing palliative care at the beginning of cancer treatment provides the maximum benefit.
You and your family may have many questions and concerns regarding treatment choices, side effects, emotional issues and more. We are here to help you through the entire process. For more information about palliative care at Emory, please ask your nurse or doctor for a referral or call 404-778-7777.
Meet Our Palliative Care Team
Kimberly A. Curseen, MD Director, Palliative Medicine Program
Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University
Research Program
Cancer Prevention and Control
Board certified in internal medicine, geriatrics and palliative care, Dr. Curseen is the primary provider for the Supportive Oncology Clinic at Winship.
Laura Brachman, MD Assistant Medical Director, Outpatient Palliative and Supportive Care
Emory Healthcare
Dr. Brachman provides patients with cancer with relief from their symptoms and helps improve their quality of life throughout their journey.
Tammie E. Quest, MD Director, Emory Palliative Care Center
Robert W. Woodruff Health Sciences Center of Emory University
A nationally recognized expert in palliative care in the emergency setting, Dr. Quest is the director of the Emory Palliative Care Center for Emory's Woodruff Health Sciences Center.
Susan K. Kunihiro, MD Assistant Professor, Division of Palliative Medicine, Department of Family and Preventive Medicine
Emory University School of Medicine
Dr. Kunihiro works to improve quality of life for patients with cancer, no matter the stage of illness - from initial diagnosis, during treatment, in remission or closer to end of life.
Meredith Maxwell, MD Assistant Professor, Division of Palliative Medicine, Department of Family and Preventive Medicine
Emory University School of Medicine
Dr. Maxwell collaborates with the multidisciplinary care team at Winship to help patients address symptoms and improve their quality of life during their journey with cancer.
Jesse A. Soodalter, MD Assistant Professor, Department of Family and Preventive Medicine
Emory University School of Medicine
A palliative care specialist, Dr. Soodalter provides specialized outpatient medical care with a focus on relief from the symptoms and stress of cancer and other illnesses.
Ali J. Zarrabi, MD Assistant Professor, Department of Family and Preventive Medicine
Emory University School of Medicine
Research Program
Cancer Prevention and Control
Dr. Zarrabi provides physical, emotional and spiritual care for patients living with serious illness.
