Good problem-solving skills are what make people flourish and succeed in coping with major life events such as cancer. These skills are also the hallmarks of optimism, courage and self-confidence. Working with cancer patients for over 20 years, Nezu and his co-authors have crafted a time-limited programme to teach patients these problem-solving skills. This model has been empirically shown to relieve suffering and aid cancer patients in constructing effective plans for dealing with the physical, financial, social and spiritual challenges of cancer.