My Loved One Has Cancer

General Cancer Resources

One of my jobs with cancer was the research end of everything.

To help you, here are the top rated general cancer sites. They will have links to specific cancers, overviews on the latest treatments available, and tools to help you make informed decisions about your loved one's health care.

American Cancer Society is a national, community-based organization that focuses on research and education, but also provides some patient services.

Cancer Care is a national organization that helps cancer patients and their families find support and information. They offer one-to-one counseling and group educational sessions over a toll-free help line and they help patients locate local support.

Cancer Consultants is dedicated to providing the most up-to-date news and information on cancer treatment, side effects, support, resources, and clinical trials to help cancer patients and their families make informed decisions.

Cancer Dictionary The National Cancer Institute's complete online cancer dictionary....a thorough and wonderful resource.

LiveStrong has many resources for specific cancers, and focuses on survivorship and quality of life. This organization actively promotes research, and survivor involvement.

People Living with Cancer is a patient information web site of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). They provide oncologist approved infromation to help you make informed decisions. This site provides comprehensive information for over 85 types of cancer, and also provides coping resources, research, daily cancer news updates, a series of online events, and much more.

Top Ten Cancer Hospitals

U.S. News and World Report recently published their list of the top 10 cancer hospitals in the U.S. Here they are:

University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston

Memorial Sloan-Kettering, New York

Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore

Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston

University of Washington Medical Center, Seattle

University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago

UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles

Duke University Medical Center, Durham, N.C.

Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston

How Can We Help Our Nation's Caregivers?

Gail Sheehy published a very informative article on Parade.com titled "How Can We Help Our Nation's Caregivers?" She begins by sharing the story of her husband's cancer and how it has impacted their lives. She continues by analyzing the impact of long-term care expenses and the effect it has on a generation that has saved for retirement.

Sheehy begins her story:

'"It’s cancer.' Those words from my husband’s oncologist plunged us into the whirlpool of fear, denial and confusion that suddenly drafts many in middle life into the wars against aging and physical decline. Within the first few days of sharing the news with stunned family members, Googling disease sites, tracking down doctors, comparing hospitals and growing dizzy from conflicting opinions, it began to dawn on me that my life had changed radically. I had a new role: “family caregiver.” It’s a job nobody applies for. You don’t expect it. You won’t be prepared."

She then goes on to talk about states and companies that are recognizing the need for caregiver support in terms of family leave, benefits and support.

Crazy Sexy Cancer Tips — Great Resource, Fun Read

Kris Carr was diagnosed with cancer at 31, and she decided to document her experience through her cancer journey. What started out to be a documentary about her own story ended up being about all the wonderful stories of cancer patients, or as she calls them, cancer cowgirls, that she met along the way. She decided that cancer needed a makeover, and she was the gal to do it!

Her book, Crazy Sexy Cancer Tips, is full of information and resources, on everything from insurance, to tips and tricks about hospital gowns. It’s both an insightful and fun read, and she talks to everyone that’s been affected by what is both a physical and emotional journey. Her title came from her attitude of not wanting to be defined by cancer. She talks about all the young women she's met along her cancer journey, and how vibrant, sexy, and full of life they are.

Resource Guide: Great starting point

The Patient Resource Guide is an incredibly comprehensive guide to all things cancer. It’s written for the newly diagnosed patient, but is incredibly valuable for the caregiver, and any family member that wants to learn more about cancer as well.

This guide lists the best specialists and hospitals in the country, how to find clinical trials, how to deal with insurance, and a million other helpful tips for navigating the new world after a cancer diagnosis.

The publisher, Linette Atwood is a breast cancer survivor, but lost her father, husband, and sister to cancer. She’s immersed herself in providing cancer resources for patients and their families..

You can order a copy online.