When a person is diagnosed with cancer and is facing fear, pain, suffering, and potentially even death, multiple other problems also loom. Astronomical medical bills, the inability to work, and the need for expensive long-term care may add to an already-heavy burden.
CancerHawk (www.cancerhawk.com) and Triage Cancer (www.triagecancer.org) were founded to help guide cancer patients and their loved ones through the experience. These organizations offer free services to help individuals find the most appropriate information and resources for their situation.
If you or someone you love is facing cancer, check out these sites early to make the journey easier.
Want to Help a Loved One Coping With Cancer?
Stay Positive
Research by Wayne Beach, PhD, a professor of communi-cation at San Diego State University, has proven that how a cancer patient’s family communicates from diagnosis through cancer treatment plays a critical role in the patient’s overall well-being and health.
“If you hear someone has been diagnosed with cancer, our natural inclination tends to be to think of it as a death sentence,” he says.
This is why Beach and his research team’s initial findings were surprising. Much of the communication observed between family members and cancer patients “focused on life, rather than death,” he says. “It is so much more about hope than despair. I really didn’t expect that going in.”
A Focus on Life, Hope
Through communication, we share our fears and uncertainties with one another, but also our hope and optimism, which makes all the difference in a patient’s well-being and outlook on life and his or her disease, Beach explains.
Sharing stories and memories, in particular, serve as effective coping mechanisms for both patient and supporter.
Beach has developed When Cancer Calls…, a theatrical production based on his book A Natural History of Family Cancer, that follows one family’s telephone conversations following a cancer diagnosis.
“Cancer patients do cope and heal better depending on their communication within their families. Without this proper communication, these patients don’t heal as well or as long,” he says. “Having a dysfunctional environment around you is not good—it’s stressful.”
The Power of Positivity
When someone you know is battling cancer,
Do:
- Offer encouraging and positive words
- Express your emotions
- Actively listen to the patient’s concerns and thoughts
- Communicate frequently; cancer patients need to be able and encouraged to vent and share their concerns, feats, and fears
Do not:
- Stay silent
- Ignore the diagnosis and avoid speaking about anything
cancer-related - Focus on or introduce negativity
This article was adapted from information provided by the California State University Chancellor’s Office.
