Patient Education Library
This wide range of information is given to you from Roswell Park experts and trusted organizations that specialize in this area of healthcare.
We understand the worry and confusion that comes with a diagnosis of cancer. In addition to comprehensive, superior medical care, Roswell Park provides a holistic range of services to help you cope with the physical, emotional, practical and day-to-day concerns related to your illness, treatment and lifelong wellness. We hope that our colorectal patients and their families find these resources helpful.
View all of our support services
Pelvic floor therapy
This type of rehabilitation focuses on the muscles of the pelvis, especially the ones that form the floor your pelvis and support your pelvic organs, such as the bowel, bladder and uterus. Pelvic floor therapy can improve pain, sexual dysfunction, and bladder and bowel incontinence, urgency and other symptoms.
Sacral nerve stimulation
This treatment to address urinary and fecal incontinence uses a small implanted medical device to stimulate and send electrical signals to the nerves and muscles in the pelvic area, including the pelvic floor, urethral sphincters and bladder sphincters, which alert the brain to sensations of fullness of the bladder or rectum.
Nutrition Services
Optimizing your nutrition is a critical part of cancer care for patients with colon and rectal cancer. Our dietitians are integral members of your healthcare team and uniquely experienced in working with cancer patients to improve nutrition status before, during and after cancer treatment. Our team can help you meet vital nutrient needs to maintain strength, energy and prevent loss of muscle mass; improve your tolerance of your treatments; and promote healing to assist recovery and reduce infection risk.
Supportive & Palliative Care
Supportive and palliative care is a medical subspecialty that focuses on quality-of-life issues for patients and their families. Sometimes confused with hospice or end-of-life care, supportive and palliative care is provided at any stage of a serious illness and alongside cancer treatment. Our team provides essential support and symptom management to relieve pain, nausea, poor sleep and anxiety; ease emotional distress; and improve quality of life.
Assessment & Treatment Center (ATC)
This center provides medical evaluation and treatment to our current patients with urgent, but not life-threatening, symptoms. The ATC is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The ATC is not an emergency room and does not accept walk-ins; you must be referred by your Roswell Park physician or the physician-on-call.
The 11 Day Power Play Cancer Resource Center
Our staff can help you find reliable, current information on many cancer topics, access books, videos, computers and printers, and connect with Roswell Park and community resources. Check out our headwear boutique to find a hat, wig or scarf that’s right for you.
Survivorship Care
This program — specifically designed for our patients who have completed active treatment — offers clinical and supportive services to help you face forward and aim for a higher level of lifelong wellness.
Sexual Health Clinic
Cancer and cancer treatment impact ability to interact intimately in a number of ways. This clinic addresses issues such as low libido, pain with sex, anxiety, depression, body image, changes in anatomy or function of the genitals, breasts or skin, and other factors that affect sexual life.