Conversations on Cancer: Religious Literacy and Spiritual Care for Patients and Caregivers

Research shows that spiritual care for cancer patients remains an unmet need. During this discussion, the panel will explore the differences between religion and spirituality and how increasing religious literacy and spiritual care may impact overall patient care. The discussion will focus on the patient and caregiver experience of their spirituality during cancer care and how religious literacy may improve the care they receive and provide. While the patient will remain central to the discussion, this conversation will also address how providing spiritual care also impacts the often-overlooked family and friends who care for cancer patients and the burnout-prone clinicians in today’s healthcare arena, who may or may not consider themselves religious.