Navigating the Medical Maze

As we saw in the film, people with cancer often must see multiple doctors and other health care providers and make tough decisions about the types of treatments to undergo, whether to participate in clinical trials, whether to end treatment.  Likewise, even after treatment, people must be aware of future health risks and decide which screenings to get, which doctors to see and what issues – medical and emotional – may arise.  Tell us about your experiences with coordinating and planning your cancer treatment and follow-up care.

<< Back to main essay question listing.

Full Name

Diagnosis

Age Now

Age at Diagnosis

Email Address

Zip Code

Are you currently in treatment?    Yes   No

May we post your story on the NCCS website?   Yes   No 

Did you receive a written care plan before treatment and a treatment summary when your treatment ended?  If so, how did either of these help you? If not, how do you think they might have helped? 

 

If you are currently in treatment:

How is your care coordinated among multiple health care providers?  How do they share information?  Is it up to you to keep each one informed of the other aspects of your treatment or do they talk to each other?

 

If you are not currently in treatment:

How do you inform your current doctors about the treatment you had in the past?  Do you have a written summary of past treatments and/or a plan for future care?  Do you have all your medical records? Have your doctors informed you of issues that may come up in the future?

 

How did you make decisions about your treatments, such as getting a second opinion, participating in a clinical trial, choosing among treatments or stopping treatments?

 

 

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Jasan Zimmerman, neuroblastoma and thyroid cancer survivor

Becoming involved in the advocacy community has not only allowed me to make a positive impact, it has also helped me come to terms with what I’ve been through and has made it less painful.
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