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 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.
View all of our support services
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.
Smoking Cessation
Roswell Park Cessation Services (RPCS) provides evidence-based, best practice tobacco cessation services to Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center patients, employees, healthplans, and employer-sponsored programs.
Learn more about cessation services
New York State Smokers’ Quitline
Based at Roswell Park and supported by the New York State Department of Health Tobacco Control Program, the NYS Smokers' Quitline has logged well over one million calls since its inception. Call 1-866-NY-QUITS (1-866-697-8487). Roswell Park was the first health care facility in Western New York to go entirely smoke-free.
Nutrition
Good nutrition is especially important while you are receiving cancer care. During your treatment, adequate intake of calories, protein, vitamins and minerals will help you to be strong, maintain your weight, and promote the healing process. Before and after your treatment, a healthy diet based on moderation, variety and balance will help to promote a good immune system, give you energy, and enhance your overall health. Our Nutrition and Food Service team is dedicated to providing nourishing meals and nutrition care to promote quality of life throughout the spectrum of your cancer care experience.
Pain Management
Of all the side effects of cancer, pain is most feared by patients. Unfortunately, this fear is not without grounds. Approximately 60 percent to 90 percent of patients with advanced cancer report significant pain, and one-third state that it interferes with daily activity. The truth is that 90 percent of all cancer-related pain can be alleviated, eliminated or significantly reduced by available means.
How should you determine the quality of a cancer pain management program? Look at the stats. Eighty-five percent of patients who receive treatment at Roswell Park report “very” and “totally” successful outcomes in controlling or eliminating their pain after three months. According to our pain management doctors, there have been no patient reports of Roswell Park interventions being either “not successful” or “mildly successful,” and our patients have had substantially lower hospital stays than similar patients at other Comprehensive Cancer Centers.
Patient Advisory Council
Created in 2012, Roswell Park’s Patient Advisory Council represents a “culture change” in the way the hospital operates and how it receives feedback from our patients. Patients who join the advisory council become involved with every level of care and are invited to take a hard look at the services and procedures in place at Roswell Park, then provide suggestions for how to make improvements.
If you are interested in joining the Patient Advisory Council, please call Roswell Park’s Department of the Patient and Family Experience at 716-845-8114.
Social Support
Our team of social workers and clinical psychologists work side by side with your medical team to provide individualized assistance and support to you and your family throughout the course of care. Services include:
- Educational programs about cancer
- Emotional support, including support groups and psychotherapy
- Assistance with sick leave and disability
- Arrangement of lodging, transportation or language/interpreter needs
- Linkage with financial assistance programs and other community resources
- Assistance with advance care planning, palliative care and/or hospice referrals as needed
Psychology Psychiatry Social work
Other Resources and information
CancerConnect: To expand care beyond the hospital’s walls and hours of operation, Roswell Park has launched an online community for people affected by cancer. CancerConnect is intended as both a source of information for patients, family members and caregivers and a 24/7 extension of the support networks that are a crucial resource for those affected by cancer. Visit the CancerConnect website to register.
Data Bank and BioRepository: The Data Bank and BioRepository (DBBR) is a large database of information from patients and healthy individuals that may help us understand why some people get cancer and others do not. It may help shed light on the roles of lifestyle, genetics and environment in cancer; and explain why some patients do better with certain treatments. Participants must be over 18 and give a blood sample. Call 716-845-7774 to speak with a staff member and/or schedule an appointment. All information is confidential.