Early Detection

One thing is very clear--cancer can spread quickly throughout the body. Catching cancer early and beginning treatment before cancer cells begin to spread is essential for improving your odds for survival.

Notify your doctor if you experience any of the following symptoms:

Changes in bowel or bladder habits
A sore that does not heal
Unusual bleeding or discharge
Thickening or lump in breast or elsewhere
Indigestion or difficulty in swallowing
Obvious change in a wart or mole
Nagging cough or hoarseness

While cancer is not the only explanation for these symptoms, it is best to have your doctor determine the cause.

Coping With Cancer

Remember . . .

• Dreaded illnesses such as smallpox and polio are now non-existent. Believe that cancer will be added to this list.
• Participate fully in your recovery by learning all the details of the cancer, its diagnosis, its prognosis and its treatments, both conventional and alternative.
• Plan for the future.
• Hold on to hope.
• Fill your life with diversions. To fill your life with your ailment is to surrender to it.
• Laugh. Laughter lightens the heart and hastens recovery.

You do not have to face this battle alone. The list of people who want to help you includes your physicians, other cancer survivors, nurses, family members and friends. Asking for assistance is a way of making friends and relatives feel useful and important in your life.

Life After Treatment

Coping strategies vary from person to person. Here are a few suggestions from cancer survivors:

Maintain a positive outlook	Laugh and joke
Talk to other people about being a cancer survivor	Live life to its fullest
Use meditation, visualization or biofeedback	Write a personal journal
Take one day at a time	Seek counseling

The emotional strain of living with cancer can be tremendous and, at times, overwhelming. Cancer support groups are an integral part of cancer treatment at the Health Alliance.

Cancer Support Groups

As cancer research continues, the promise of better treatment methods, fewer complications and increased survival rates shines brightly on the horizon. There is a real cause for hope and celebration.

Celebrate!

And...to help celebrate life on National Cancer Survivors Day, the Health Alliance is sponsoring a “Festival of Life” on June 7. You can enjoy the day with other cancer survivors and take part in the "Festival of Life" while cruising down the Ohio River on a riverboat.

If you notice a warning sign, see your doctor. Remember . . . early cancer usually does not cause pain, so do not wait to feel pain to see your doctor. Also, see your doctor for regular checkups and do not wait for problems to occur. Prevention is the best cure.

If you’d like more information on cancer care, including information about cancer treatment, screening, prevention, supportive care and clinical trials, please contact one of our facilities.