Did you know? More than a million people in the U.S. are diagnosed with cancer each year.
According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), the number of living people who have ever been diagnosed with cancer is more than 12.5 million.
If you have been newly diagnosed and are looking for support groups, here are a few that may be of some assistance.
These online groups are available 24/7 and most offer chat rooms or discussion boards for patients and families affected by cancer.
- The American Cancer Society has a list of online cancer support resources, including the Cancer Survivors Network, which offers online peer support, chats, discussion boards and other resources for and by people who have been affected by cancer.
- The Livestrong Foundation offers a number of online cancer support resources. The Livestrong Cancer Navigation Services provides a host of free services to cancer patients, including helping patients with health insurance issues, finding clinical trials and treatment concerns.
- The Association of Cancer Online Resources (ACOR) offers 142 free online communities for parents, caregivers, family members, and friends to discuss clinical and nonclinical issues and advances pertaining to all forms of a specific disease.
- IHadCancer.com is a peer-to-peer online support resource started by Mailet Lopez, a breast cancer survivor, in 2008. It is a social network that has grown considerably in the last few years, and offers a section in which users can post messages “to cancer.”
And don’t forget – FirstHealth offers a wide selection of support services to our patients, their loved ones and the community.
Services include:
- Screening and assessments
- Financial resources and disability information
- Cancer Wellness
- CARE-Net
- Cancer Library and Kiosks
- Community resource coordination
- Transportation options and planning
- Crisis intervention
- Dietary & Nutrition Assistance
- Grief counseling
- Self-image and beauty aids
- Home care and equipment assistance
- Hospice and palliative care
- Cancer-related support groups as needed
For more information call (910) 715-5010.
Resource information provided by Ragan Communications.
