Person-first language began out of the People First movement. This movement sought to change attitudes toward individuals with developmental disabilities, who many believed were not capable of participating in the community the way individuals without developmental disabilities could. Advocates for recognizing those with developmental disabilities as people with rights met at the 1974 People First Conference, and Valerie Schaaf, an individual with a developmental disability, memorably commented, “…label jars, label streets, but don’t label persons.” In the context of developmental disabilities, the movement was critical in the promotion of changing how decisions were made for this group of individuals and recognizing their rights.

Rehabilitation Oncology will now require that all manuscripts use person-first language, honoring the individuals who have cancer or chronic disease as people with rights who deserve respect. This will take some time to implement, as the manuscripts in this issue and subsequent issues have already been published online first (published ahead of print). As we move forward, our Instructions for Authors will be updated to reflect this change, and any manuscript accepted after peer review but not yet published will be edited to reflect person-first language. Look for these changes to roll out over the next year.

Our important policy change aligns with the nearly half a century of progress made toward recognizing people first. The individuals who have been diagnosed with cancer are people, just like you and me, who continue to live with and beyond their medical condition.

– Editor, Mary Insana Fisher, PT, PhD