Support and Resources
Living with a serious disease such as cancer is not easy. You may worry about caring for your family, keeping your job, or continuing your daily activities. Concerns about treatments and managing side effects, hospital stays and medical bills are also common. Doctors, nurses, case managers and other members of the health care team can answer questions about treatment, working and other activities.
Meeting with a social worker, counselor or member of the clergy can be helpful to those who want to talk about their feelings or discuss their concerns. Often, a social worker can suggest resources for financial aid, transportation, home care or emotional support.
Support GroupsSupport groups can also help. In these groups, patients or their family members meet with other patients or their families to share what they have learned about coping with the disease and the effects of treatment. Groups may offer support in person, over the phone or on the internet. Please check with our Social Work department for a listing of support groups that may interest you.
Community Cancer Resource Center (CCRC)At the CCRC, located on the first floor of the hospital, trained information specialists help cancer patients, their families and friends, and the general public to properly access, correctly interpret, and effectively personalize the wealth of cancer information available. The CCRC’s clearinghouse of cancer information includes:
- support programs (including yoga, mediation, and teleconferences)
- assistance with using the Internet
- the Wig, Scarf and Hat Boutique
- a lending library of books, videotapes and audio cassettes
- free brochures and gifts
To learn more about CCRC services, stop by the CCRC, or call (716) 845 - 8659 or toll free 1-877-ASK-RPCI (1-877-275-7724).
Patient Education Department
The Roswell Patient Education Office coordinates the distribution of materials—including this document—specifically designed to support your physician and support staff as they interact with you. To contact the Patient Education Office, call (716) 845-1308.
National Cancer Institute (NCI) ResourcesThe NCI provides accurate, up-to-date information on cancer to patients and their families, health professionals, and the general public. Information specialists translate the latest scientific information into understandable language and respond in English, Spanish, or on TTY equipment. The National Cancer Institute's Cancer Information Service provides the latest and most accurate cancer information to patients, their families, the public, and health professionals. The CIS provides personalized, confidential responses to specific questions about cancer.
- By telephone: U.S. residents may call the CIS toll free at 1–800–4–CANCER (1–800–422–6237). CIS information specialists answer calls Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. local time, in English or Spanish. Callers with TTY equipment may call 1–800–332–8615. Callers also have the option of listening to recorded information about cancer 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
- Online: CIS information specialists also offer online assistance in English Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Eastern Time through the LiveHelp link at http://cancer.gov/ on the Internet.
NCI on the Internet
The NCI's Cancer web site provides information from numerous NCI sources. It offers current information on cancer prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment, genetics, supportive care, and ongoing clinical trials. It has information about NCI's research programs and funding opportunities, cancer statistics, and the NCI itself.
NCI Booklets
These National Cancer Institute (NCI) booklets are available from the Cancer Information Service by calling 1-800-4-CANCER. They are also available on the NCI Web site, which is located at http://cancer.gov/publications on the Internet.
- Chemotherapy and You: A Guide to Self-Help During Treatment
- Helping Yourself During Chemotherapy: 4 Steps for Patients
- Radiation Therapy and You: A Guide to Self-Help During Treatment
- Get Relief From Cancer Pain
- Understanding Cancer Pain
- Pain Control: A Guide for People with Cancer and Their Families
- Eating Hints for Cancer Patients
- Datos sobre el tratamiento de quimioterapia contra el cáncer (Facts About Chemotherapy)
- El tratamiento de radioterapia: Guía para el paciente durante el tratamiento (Radiation Therapy and You: A Guide to Self-Help During Treatment)
Booklets About Living With Cancer
- Advanced Cancer: Living Each Day
- Facing Forward: Life After Cancer Treatment
- Siga Adelante: la vida después del tratamiento del cáncer (Facing Forward Series: Life After Cancer Treatment)
- Taking Time: Support for People With Cancer and the People Who Care About Them
- When Cancer Recurs: Meeting the Challenge
Booklets About Cancer Research
- Taking Part in Clinical Trials: Cancer Prevention Studies
- Taking Part in Clinical Trials: What Cancer Patients Need To Know
- If You Have Cancer... What You Should Know About Clinical Trials
- La participación en los estudios clínicos: Estudios para la prevencion del cáncer (Taking Part in Clinical Trials: Cancer Prevention Studies)
- La participación en los estudios clínicos: Lo que los pacientes de cáncer deben saber (Taking Part in Clinical Trials: What Cancer Patients Need To Know)
- Si tiene cáncer...lo que debería saber sobre estudios clínicos (If You Have Cancer... What You Should Know About Clinical Trials)


