Conclusion
[Narrator]
In summary, every person, regardless of what kind of cancer they have or what kind of treatment they choose, needs certain, basic information. Every person affected by cancer should take these specific steps:
· Take the time to get the information you need: You will need solid information on the best drugs, and doctors and clinics with the best records for success in cancer treatment.
· Put Together the Best Team: You can help pick the experts to be part of your health-care team. Call on other cancer survivors, nurses, social workers and other health-care professionals to be part of the team.
· Pick people you respect and trust, and who will treat you as a part of the whole team.
· Get a Second Opinion: Good doctors welcome second opinions. When you are faced with more than one treatment option, it is good to ask for another viewpoint.
· Look for What's New: There may be openings for cancer survivors willing to try promising new treatments in one of hundreds of clinical trials.
· Don't Go It Alone: Helpful friends, other cancer survivors, and support groups can make the tough times easier, and may even be a factor in helping people with cancer live longer.
· Read the Fine Print: Ask questions and study your insurer's benefits handbook so that you will know what is covered and what is not. Find out about the limits or "caps" of your insurance and work with the health-care team to use your insurance funds wisely.
· Keep Your Care on Track: Records are the key to keeping track of all the information you are collecting, including the information about your treatment and plan of care.
[Narrator]
Your knowledge about your cancer, and how you use this knowledge, can make a difference in how well you live with your cancer, and even how long you live. The decisions that you will make about your plan of care are just too important to let someone else decide for you. Knowledge is the most powerful tool you can have in your own personal Cancer Survival Toolbox. Remember, your best advocate is you. If you have a piece of paper and pencil handy, you may want to write down some of these toll-free numbers. You can also find many useful phone numbers and Internet addresses in the booklet that's part of this Cancer Survival Toolbox. For more information, you can call the National Cancer Institute's toll-free telephone number at 1-800-4-C-A-N-C-E-R, which is 1-800-422-6237. You can reach the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship at 1-888-650-9127.
This is the end of Program Two of the Cancer Survival Toolbox, entitled Finding Information. Please continue on to Program Three, entitled Making Decisions About Cancer.
