The diagnosis of RMC raises a wide range of challenges and concerns. Fortunately, there are a number of local and national resources to assist you with many of the issues that may occur.
What kind of help am I able to receive?
- Emotional support: RMC can make you feel scared, lonely, and distressed. Counseling, support groups, and patient-to-patient networks are available to help you overcome these emotions.
- Financial help: There are many organizations that exist to help people with cancer and their families with the medical billing, insurance, and reimbursement complications. There are also a umber of co-payment organizations and patient assistance programs that help individuals who cannot afford the costs of medications and procedures.
- Housing/Lodging: Some organizations provide lodging for families of a patient undergoing treatment. Joe’s House, a nonprofit organization that helps cancer patients and their families find a place to stay while traveling for treatment, is an example. For more information, visit www.joeshouse.org.
How am I able to find these resources?
- Your health care team: Doctors, nurses, and social workers can provide a plethora of information regarding your RMC diagnosis and treatment. The libraries at cancer centers are also excellent sources of information. Hospital social workers and discharge planning coordinators are great resources for information about counseling, home care, transportation, and child care.
- CacnerCare’s A helping Hand: CancerCare’s A Helping Hand is a searchable, online database of financial and practical assistance available to people with cancer. This extensive online database offers up-to-date contact information and descriptions for hundreds of national and regional organizations offering financial help to people with cancer. For more information, click here.