How to Cope with a Cancer Diagnosis

Receiving a cancer diagnosis is an emotional experience for you, your family and your friends. Feelings of anger, frustration, and fear are normal. For most people, proactively addressing the diagnosis then exploring the options is the most effective way to deal with a cancer diagnosis. The most important thing to remember is that you don't have to do it all at once. Recognizing this will alleviate a considerable amount of stress and make it easier to focus on the most important task at hand...beating your cancer.

Here are some of the important things you can do to help you and your family as you cope with your cancer diagnosis, and prepare for the next steps in your treatment:

Build a Support System: Start by building a support team. You are not alone and your support team should include your physician, your family, a counselor, and if possible, someone who has gone through treatment and has defeated the same type of cancer. This will help exponentially as they can provide a level of support and comfort that will help you in the most difficult of times. As you go through your journey, your support team will give you the guidance and encouragement you need to keep moving forward. Learn more about some of our recommended cancer treatment resources and support available to you.

Get Educated About Your Cancer: Knowledge is power when fighting cancer. The more you know, the better prepared you will be. Learn everything you can about your cancer and the treatment options available. Research the cancer medications you will be taking, the treatments to be administered, and what you can expect as your treatment progresses. Most importantly, keep the lines of communication with your medical team open. Always ask your physician questions and be open to treatments and therapies they recommend. Here are some of the questions you may want to have ready to ask your doctor:

• What are my treatment options?
• What can I expect during treatment?
• What are the side effects of the treatment?
• When should I call the doctor?
• What can I do to prevent my cancer from recurring?

Stay Adherent to Your Treatment: We understand that cancer treatment is difficult both physically and mentally. The medications used for cancer treatment can be incredibly complex and that’s why Avella is dedicated to providing you with guidance, support and education to help you get the best outcome from your treatment. We offer tools to help you take your medication correctly, including a patient mobile app, patient portal, and several other technology-driven programs. 

Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle: Your body needs your help, and this means that you have to let go of bad habits such as smoking, fast food, etc. as your body heals. The more you can boost your immune system, the better you will feel. Light exercise, a healthy diet, and plenty of rest can really improve your energy level and your outlook. Taking care of yourself with healthy habits will also help you manage the stress and fatigue that may accompany your cancer treatment.

Do you have questions regarding your medications and how they will be used to tackle your cancer? We invite you to reach out to one of our pharmacists by clicking here.

In addition, if you're looking for a pharmacy to partner with you or your family member during cancer treatment, you can download our complimentary guide to selecting an oncology specialty pharmacy partner.