Three Steps Every Breast Cancer Patient Should Take
By: Sarah Swistak
Updated: January 12, 2012
Hearing the words "You have breast cancer" can be a devastating diagnosis, but you don't have to go through it alone. Cheri Woll, an Oncology Nurse Navigator at Mt. Nittany Medical Center, came on the show to teach Sarah how to navigate through those uncharted waters.
After the diagnosis, Woll recommends finding a Cancer Care Navigator to help you with appointments, insurance, transportation and even second opinions. It's a free service, and the patient is in charge of the frequency and method of communication.
The second step Woll recommends is getting on track and getting organized. Many groups like Live STRONG, the American Cancer Societyand the Cancer Survivors' Association will hand out free binders and notebooks to help you.
Finally, Woll recommends reaching out for support from people and the community.
Here are the options in our area:
Breast Cancer Support Group
1st Monday of the Month
Mount Nittany Medical Center
18 E. Park Ave. Conf. 3
Phone: 814.231.7005
Cancer Survivor's Support Group
3rd Monday of the month from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm at the United Way building on West College Avenue.
6th Annual Pink Zone
Penn State Vs. Minnesota
Sunday, Feb. 26, 2012
Bryce Jordan Center
Flip for the Cure
Saturday, January 21 @ 7:00 pm
Penn State Women's Gymnastics
Michigan State, Cornell & Alabama
Rec Hall
The team will be wearing pink leotards, selling their pink t-shirt design, canning whenever the score goes above 9.85 and holding a silent auction.
$8 per person
CLIMB
The CLIMB program, which stands for Children's Lives Include Moments of Bravery, is a support program for children who have parents or loved ones recently diagnosed with cancer. This nationally recognized Penn State Hershey Cancer Institute at Mount Nittany Medical Center and TIDES is offering cancer support program, a local grief support group for children and adults. Kristin Sides, Certified Patient Navigator at Mount Nittany Medical Center, will facilitate the program and TIDES outreach coordinator Holly Torbic. Both Kristin and Holly are certified facilitators of the CLIMB program through the national Children's Tree house Foundation.
