And the Survivors Say …

After you’re brain dead from reading stacks of print and bleary-eyed from Web brows-
ing, you’ll probably want someone to talk to, to listen, to answer questions, to serve
as a sounding board. Whatever the case, survivors are ready to help. (For more about
connecting with other survivors, see Chapter 17, “Groupies: Yea or Nay?”) How can
you hook up with someone to talk with? Try some of these steps:
1. Call your local chapter of the American Cancer Society. The number is in the
business White Pages. Tell them you need to talk, and they’ll connect you with
a volunteer.
2. Call one of the national support groups, like Reach to Recovery (part of the
American Cancer Society) or Y-Me (phone numbers given previously), and ask
about a local chapter. They’ll connect you with survivors.
3. Ask at your doctor’s office for someone to talk to. They may connect you with
a survivor volunteer or one of the nurses. Nurses usually have more time than
doctors do to answer questions and listen to concerns.
4. Call your local hospital and ask for Patient Services. Tell them you need some-
one to talk to. They’ll help.
5. Call someone you know who’s been through the battle, even if you don’t know
her (or him) well and especially if she’s been through it recently. Treatments
have changed dramatically over the last few years, so hook up with someone
who’s familiar with the how of now.
6. Finally, ask your healthcare professional to provide you with a password to CHESS
(Comprehensive Health Enhancement Support System), a University of Wisconsin
site that includes information, case studies, and a discussion group. The password
ensures confidentiality and is available through any provider with a license to
CHESS. (Call 1-800-361-5481 or 1-888-553-5036 for more information.)
Armed with all the details from hotlines, books and magazines, and the information
superhighway, and with your survivor’s notebook as your log, you’ll be an informed
consumer confidently speaking an all-new vocabulary. As a result, you’ll be far better
prepared to join the new world of the battlefield and to march toward successful
treatment.