A cancer diagnosis often feels terrifying and overwhelming. Cancer itself is going to take a physical toll, and many survivors talk about how difficult the treatments are physically as well. Cancer also comes with an emotional and mental toll on the patient and their family and friends. It’s also difficult to navigate from a logistical and financial point of view. People worry about what will happen if they can’t work or if they can’t afford the treatments their doctors are suggesting. But many organizations offer resources to help patients and their caregivers find the support they need to navigate a cancer diagnosis and all that it means.
Thrive/Survive Los Angeles teamed up with Well Beyond Ordinary to publish this e-book aimed at young adult cancer patients and survivors.
Men with cancer also need support and the chance to interact with other men fighting the disease.
Answer some questions about your illness and your financial life and this interactive tool will guide you to the information you most need to make sound financial decisions.
The Disability Rights Legal Center founded the Cancer Legal Resource Center in 1997 to help cancer patients and survivors navigate their unique legal issues.
Chemo Angels: Join Us as a Chemotherapy Patient
People undergoing IV chemo treatment or IV immunotherapy treatment are eligible to apply for this support program, which is open to cancer patients of all ages.
Users can sort recipes by health concern, like anti-nausea, at this website aimed at helping those impacted by cancer cook tasty, healthy, appealing food.
The Healthwell Foundation provides grants so that people who are underinsured can still afford the cancer treatments they need.
The Eleanor and Maxwell Blum Patient and Family Resource Center
Patients and their families often want to learn more about what exactly a diagnosis means and how it will impact their family and their lives. Through a combination of online courses and resources, this virtual outpost of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute seeks to provide the knowledge people need to understand the road ahead.
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Find Assistance from Organizations Providing Financial or Practical Help
Sometimes, people need local help. This searchable database can help you find the resources you need in your own community.
Not everyone is fortunate enough to live near a hospital offering the cancer treatments they need. Joe’s House helps cancer patients and their families find lodging near the place where they will be treated.
Good Days: Types of Assistance
Good Days is an organization devoted to helping people afford their copays and medications.
Women with cancer often struggle with feeling unattractive as the illness and treatments cause them to lose their hair and experience changes to their skin. These virtual workshops are aimed at helping women with cancer to connect and to look and feel better.
Those who live far away from their treatment centers can’t always afford the transportation costs associated with traveling for medical care. The Air Care Alliance helps patients find free flights to get them where they need to be in order to receive help.
Younger cancer patients often worry about how the disease and associated treatments will impact their fertility.
Often, the greatest support a patient or family member can receive is from someone who has already lived through this experience. The Imerman Angels program matches patients and their families with mentors to serve as knowledgeable supports.
Returning to Work/Staying at Work
Some cancer patients have to leave work while receiving treatment, and returning to work can be a source of excitement and stress.
Finding transportation to medical appointments is a challenge for many cancer patients. The United Way has a program offering a safe transportation option for those who need it.
The American Cancer Society offers video chats with specialists for people who need support or help to locate resources. The chats are available to patients and their families and caregivers.
Patient Advocate Foundation’s Case Management Program
Trying to coordinate care between doctors, treatment centers, and other care providers is time-consuming and overwhelming, but a case manager can help to lift some of that administrative burden.
What Is the Financial Treatment Program?
The Financial Treatment Program believes that financial assistance to cancer patients should start at the same time as their treatment begins so that the monetary impact of cancer doesn’t have a long-term effect on their financial health.
People who are still working when they are diagnosed have to decide who to tell at work and how to tell them.