Are you a new cancer patient?
If you, or someone you love, has just been given the devastating news of a cancer diagnosis, I have been there and done that. See below for the first steps you can take as you begin your cancer journey.
If your diagnosis was only 1 – 2 weeks ago, click here.
So you were just diagnosed with cancer…
Watch this video to see what to do next and follow the tasks below .
Task 1
Getting the Details of Your Cancer Diagnosis
As a new cancer patient, you need to prepare yourself for when you go to your appointment with the oncology doctor. Watch this video to learn more.
Task 2
Ask About a Second Opinion
You’ll want to ensure that you’re working with a doctor who is knowledgeable about your type of cancer and its treatments. Learn more in this video.
Task 3
Find Out About Your Medical Coverage
Most cancer patients don’t take full advantage of their insurance. Follow the steps in this video to ensure you are getting the most out of your insurance.
Task 4
Choose Your Oncology Doctor
Find the right doctor who will be your partner in fighting your disease. Learn more in this video.
Being Your Own Wellness Advocate
The videos above reference a book called “My Notebook.” It is a resource I developed as a counselor and advocate for newly diagnosed adult cancer patients and distills over 30 years of my work analyzing cancer research data and developing information materials and databases used by cancer researchers, cancer doctors, and cancer patients. You can learn more about me here.
“My Notebook” is an invaluable resource for any new cancer patient and is available below for free as a PDF download.
Click Here to get a Free Copy of My Notebook
If you need help printing the "My Notebook" PDF, follow the "Print a PDF" instructions here or follow the video tutorial here. For instructions on assembling "My Notebook", click here.
Disclaimer
The Jaffe Charitable Foundation LLC provides its resources and services, including, but not limited to, the information contained on our website, printed material, videos, or work-shops. The information provided is for informational purposes only and does not, and is not intended to, constitute medical advice. While users should expect fact-based guidance and non-clinical information related to issues faced by those who are touched by, or who are living with, cancer they should not rely on these resources for clinical and medical advice regarding their cancer diagnosis and treatment, and should they do so, they do it at their own risk. All resources are available free of charge. Any user may download the copyright-pro-tected text of My Notebook: A Notebook Guide for Newly Diagnosed Cancer Patients and then customize and personalize that copy for their own use. If a user seeks to redistribute videos, website pages, or an altered copy of the text for profit or attribution, that is considered an unauthorized use of materials.
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