Radiation Medicine 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 Groups
Support 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.
Patient Education Department
Roswell's Patient Education office coordinates the distribution of materials specifically designed to support your physician and support staff as they interact with you. To contact the Patient Education Office, call 716 845-1308 or 716 845-8784.
National Cancer Institute (NCI) Resources
The 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 800–422–6237. CIS information specialists answer calls Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm in English or Spanish. Callers with TTY equipment may call 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 am to 10:00 pm through LiveHelp
The National Cancer Institute Web site 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.
National Cancer Institute Booklets
These National Cancer Institute booklets ar online and also available from the Cancer Information Service by calling 1-800-4-CANCER.
