Patient assistance still available during COVID-19 pandemic

​New infographic highlights how ACS is continuing to help cancer patients and caregivers

The COVID-19 outbreak has greatly impacted cancer patients, their caregivers, and health care providers. The American Cancer Society has a number of resources that can help. We stand ready to assist patients throughout their cancer journey, even during these challenging times. This new infographic illustrates how our important work is continuing, and we encourage staff to share it. 

As you know, we’ve made the difficult decision as an organization to suspend transportation and Hope Lodge programs to ensure a safe and healthy environment for cancer patients, caregivers, volunteers, and staff. While we are not keeping our Hope Lodges open, we are working with our hotel partners to find patients a place to stay while continuing their treatment away from home. 

Here are the services we are continuing to provide: 

NCIC - Our National Cancer Information Center is being staffed 24/7 so that even now families can get answers from a live person wherever they are, no matter what time it is. Our trained cancer information specialists provide accurate, up-to-date information. People may call us by phone (1-800-227-2345) or Live Chat. Approximately 80% of all calls received at NCIC in the last three weeks were related to COVID-19 and cancer, including service requests and questions about health safety. 

Reach To Recovery - We’ve shifted our Reach To Recovery one-on-one support program to completely phone-based, linking new breast cancer patients with survivors who have had a similar diagnosis and treatment plan

Support Group Resources – We have online support resources so those touched by cancer can connect, interact, and find answers in this time of crisis. 

• Cancer Survivors Network – Patients and caregivers can find a safe, supportive online connection at csn.cancer.org. There are discussion boards and chat rooms where people can built their own support network.
• Springboard Beyond Cancer – Learn tips to help manage common cancer-related problems and concerns. 

Additional ACS Resources

• Cancer.org – Get comprehensive information about cancer risk, prevention, screening, detection, treatment, survivorship, and end-of-life care, and learn how to manage common problems and concerns.
• Personal Health Manager – Track and organize information about a cancer diagnosis and treatment with this helpful tool.
• “tlc” – Tender Loving Care®  – Helps women with appearance-related side effects find affordable wigs, hats and scarves, and a full range of mastectomy products.
• Caregiver Video Series – Find support for those giving care to loved ones with cancer, including strategies for self-care as they navigate the caregiver experience. 
• Caregiver Resource Guide – A tool for people taking care of someone with cancer.
• American Cancer Society YouTube Channel – View or listen to information about the impact of important ACS work and research.
• Cancer Information Videos – Learn more about cancer and cancer prevention, early detection, treatment, programs and services, and listen to survivors’ stories of hope. 
• Patient Navigation – Fifty hospital-based navigators, many working with safety net hospitals around the country, are reaching out to the patients to help them with the resources they require.

ACS urges all patients to maintain contact with their cancer care team to determine the best course of action during this pandemic. 

*Shared from MySocietySource.