| Sumario: | Significance & Background: Spiritual well-being (SWB) is a critical but often under-addressed component of holistic oncology care. High levels of SWB are associated with improved emotional resilience, quality of life, and treatment adherence among patients with cancer. The SWB Scale (SWBS) is a validated tool that measures overall SWB and two subdomains: Religious Well-Being (RWB) and Existential Well-Being (EWB). National data on SWBS exist for U.S. adults and cancer patients; however, little is known about SWB among faith-based cancer support programs. Understanding how faith engagement may influence SWB is essential to inform supportive care strategies for patients, survivors and caregivers. Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate SWB of cancer survivors and volunteers in a Christ-centered support community using the SWBS. The objective was to describe SWB levels and compare them to published benchmarks for the general U.S. population and individuals with cancer. Findings may inform the integration of spiritual support into oncology nursing practice. Interventions: A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 52 members of the Cancer Companions faith- based cancer program, including 28 participants and 24 program volunteers. Respondents completed the SWBS, which yields scores for overall SWB, RWB, and EWB. Descriptive statistics were used to assess SWB levels, and results were compared with published normative values for U.S. adults and cancer patients. Results: Respondents reported higher mean overall SWB scores (-107; participants 104.6, volunteers 108.4) than U.S. adult norms (-92) and higher than previously reported typical cancer patient scores (80-90). RWB scores were particularly elevated, indicating strong perceived connections with faith and God, consistent with the Christ-centered focus of the program. EWB scores, which reflect life meaning and purpose, were also robust across both participants and volunteers, demonstrating that spiritual well-being is well supported across different roles within the program. Discussion: Findings support the value of Christ-centered support programs in fostering high levels of SWB for individuals affected by cancer. Oncology nurses can improve patient-centered care by assessing spiritual needs using validated tools like the SWBS and facilitating access to faith-based support resources. Supporting SWB through tailored, faith-centered programs may promote holistic survivorship care, emotional resilience, and improved quality of life. Next steps include exploring how program participation impacts long-term outcomes such as emotional distress and survivorship quality.
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