The American Cancer Society: A valuable resource for cancer patients and their families

Aug 5, 2009

A diagnosis of mesothelioma, or any kind of cancer, can turn a person’s life upside down. There are so many questions to answer, so many unknowns about treatment and prognosis, and often issues such as the costs of health care and the toll of the disease not only on the patient’s physical health, but also the emotional well-being of the patient and his or her family.

Fortunately, many resources are available to patients and families dealing with mesothelioma and other forms of cancer. One of the oldest and largest in the U.S. is the American Cancer Society.

The American Cancer Society (ACS) is a nationwide, community-based, volunteer health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives, and diminishing suffering from cancer through research, education, advocacy and service. Founded in 1946, the organization has over 3,400 local offices providing services in their local communities.

Here is a sampling of the services ACS provides to cancer patients and their families. You can learn more at the ACS website, www.cancer.org.

National Cancer Information Center
1-800-ACS-2345

This 24-hour hotline is answered by cancer information specialists trained to help people dealing with cancer understand their diagnosis and make informed decisions about their health. In addition to answering callers’ questions about cancer, the information specialists also help connect people with resources within their local communities. Specialists are able to help callers who speak English, Spanish and a host of other languages.

Publications
ACS offers publications for patients, families and health care professionals on a variety of topics. ACS also publishes the following clinical journals for medical professionals: Cancer, Cancer Cytopathology and CA-A Cancer Journal for Clinicians. For more information about these and other ACS publications, call 1-800-ACS-2345 or visit ACS’s online bookstore.

Patient Services
ACS provides support services for patients and their families and caregivers, to help them cope with all stages of the disease.
Hope Lodge® is an ACS service that provides housing free of charge for patients undergoing outpatient treatment at cancer centers away from home.
I Can Cope® is an educational program for cancer patients and their caregivers.

Advocacy
ACS also advocates at the local, state and federal levels for laws to help prevent cancer, detect cancer early, assist cancer patients and fund research to find a cure and treatments for cancer. For more information or to volunteer, visit www.acscan.org.

Local offices
ACS has over 3,400 local offices. To find an office near you and to learn more about ACS activities in your area, visit their website, www.cancer.org, and enter your zip code in the search field.

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