"I Finished My Cancer Treatment Program - Now What?" Why After Care Programs are so Important
I have a really good friend whose father is a Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma survivor. He was diagnosed in January of 2007, underwent six rounds of chemotherapy, and fortunately, it did the trick. His cancer is gone, and this summer he will celebrate his 80th birthday.
My friend often talks about her Dad with me, and shares some of the struggles he’s had since his diagnosis. What always strikes me the most from our conversations is how many of this man’s current health issues and problems are not a result of the cancer itself, but rather the chemotherapy medications he received. Although it’s almost the two-year anniversary of the completion of his treatment, my friend says he continues to suffer from gastrointestinal issues, emotional stress, and other symptoms that he and many specialists all attribute to the chemotherapies.
Of course, he, my friend, and I’m sure everyone else who knows him is grateful that chemotherapy exists, and that it worked. It beats the alternative, right? But as he has shared with my friend on several occasions, it seems like once the cancer treatment ended, so did his care from the cancer center where he received his treatments.
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Michele, I agree with you that 'after care' is critical. I just posted an article on EmpowHer.com called Cancer Support Groups: The Good,The Bad, and The Beautiful. It's based on my vast experience with support groups and how they can help. As for medical centers offering after care, I participate in programs at Virginia Piper Cancer Center in Scottsdale/Phoenix. They offer survivors a wide variety of cancer support survices for FREE. Many cancer centers across the country do this, as well as community groups like The Wellness Community (which has a lymphoma support group in Phoenix). These wonderful organizations exist in most major cities, so it would be great to hear from some on this site. Thanks for raising this important question. Annette Mattern, HerWriter at EmpowHer.