Chemotherapy Support

As soon as the diagnosis of cancer is given, the person is in need of support. There are programs provided by CancerCare.org to help you receive information about any type of cancer. They provide one hour telephone calls with cancer experts. They are recorded so you can listen more than once. They have written booklets to further explain your cancer. In addition to the call programs, CancerCare.org has education classes or information for similar programs in many communities across the country.

A person with cancer can turn to a spouse, family member, friend, or their pastor for support. The help you receive from your caregivers range from emotional, physical, to research. All is required to get you through your chemotherapy treatments.

Emotional support is needed to give you the strength of mind to give you hope. This sharing of feelings with family can give you peace, knowing they are praying for you. You can pull from their strength to make you feel better. They can ask the hard questions about your treatment and help you make decisions. Their encouragement is invaluable to your healing process.

Talking with others who have had the same chemotherapy gives you hope for yourself. The exchange of similar side affects brings you closer together. The exchange of shared experiences with a person like yourself has power in it, rather than reading about someone unknown to you.

You need the physical support to help you to get up and move when you are so weak. If you have someone to lean on, it gives you security. A loss of hair is a physical change that many experience, but it will grow back. You can use hats, wigs, or scarves to cover your head. The American Cancer Society has some available to cancer patients. Just go for a style you feel good about.