HOPE Clinic Launches to Address Complex Cancer Pain
Spearheaded by Dr. Franchesca König and Team
Zachary Noriega, MPA | Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation/CU School of Medicine Apr 4, 2025
Last Friday, March 28, 2025, marked the official launch of the HOPE (Holistic Oncology Pain Evaluation) Clinic, a multidisciplinary complex cancer pain clinic. This initiative, spearheaded by Dr. Franchesca König, Assistant Professor of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, and team, has been in development for the past 1.5 years and is now ready to provide much-needed support to patients struggling with cancer-related pain. The clinic is located on the second floor of the Cancer Center – Oncology Specialist Clinic.
The HOPE Clinic brings together a team of specialists from various fields to offer comprehensive pain management. The team includes Dr. Franchesca König, who specializes in Cancer Rehabilitation Medicine, Dr. Devin Gilhuly from Palliative Care, Dr. George Zlotchenko from Interventional Radiology, and Drs. Liz Fleagle and Olivia Pointer from Oncology Counseling (Psychology). Amber Maniates, NP, serves as the APP Lead. This collaborative approach ensures that patients receive holistic and innovative care tailored to their unique needs.
Initially, the clinic will operate on a monthly schedule, seeing 4-5 patients per half-day clinic. However, due to anticipated high demand, the frequency of the clinic is expected to increase soon. This setup allows the team to provide focused and personalized care to each patient, ensuring that their pain management needs are thoroughly addressed.
The HOPE Clinic is dedicated to advancing compassionate and holistic pain management strategies for patients undergoing active cancer treatment or those within six months post-treatment. By integrating multiple disciplines, the clinic aims to improve the quality of life for patients dealing with complex cancer-related pain, offering them hope and relief during their challenging journey.