Resources

When a person is diagnosed with a disease as life-threatening as a blood cancer, many people step up and say “Let me know if there is anything I can do to help.” That’s a kind and generous response, but frequently, patients and their families are hesitant to ask others to help.  They’re often overwhelmed by emotion, fear of the unknown, questions, and anxiety. Coping with all of this means having a good, dependable support team - those family members and friends who can be a second set of eyes and ears, a shoulder to lean on, and people who can take over some of the day-to-day tasks that may fall by the wayside as the patient goes through treatment.

A support team doesn’t necessarily have to be large; it just has to have people you can depend on.  A family can and should talk about these questions to build a support team that can ease some of the burdens:

  • Will the hospital have a medical professional (such as a social worker) assigned to you, and who will that person be?
  • Who can help provide emotional support to any children in your family who might need it?
  • Will you need assistance with any day-to-day tasks at times (such as getting kids to soccer practice, scout troop meetings, etc.), or with seasonal tasks (such as shoveling snow)?
  • How will you let concerned family members and friends know about the patient’s progress?  (They often want to be kept informed, but are hesitant to call at the ‘wrong’ time.)
  • If you need help, but can’t find the time to ask people to help, who can do that for you?
  • What other kinds of support or services might benefit the patient and/or family?

This Resource Center is designed to provide families and friends with information to help them build a strong support team that can greatly reduce the stress the family feels as they move through treatment.



Support

Hearing the diagnosis that you or a loved one has leukemia can be devastating. You don't have to be a medical expert to help your loved one going through leukemia. Patients and families frequently feel that the only ones who understand what they are going through are those who have 'walked in their shoes.'  Here are some things you can do to provide support.

Family Support

Helping the family deal with outside stressors allows them to focus on healing.

patient Support

There are some kinds of support for the patient that are best given by friends and colleagues. 

Financial

People are often unaware of the financial strain that fighting a blood cancer can place on a family, especially when the patient or family caregiver has to stop working.  Bills from monthly living expenses and medical expenses not covered by insurance can easily pile up; check out our list of resources for additional financial assistance for families.

Other Resources

As patients and families go through treatment, challenges and questions about how to cope with day-to-day living arise.  Many helpful resources are available through programs, online support, and other health practices.
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Local resources available in New England.
Discussion boards, phone groups, online chats, etc.
Other health practices can contribute to comfort & healing

Glossary

Medical terminology can be confusing, and as a new patient or family trying to cope with a blood cancer, it’s helpful to have a clear understanding of what the terms mean.