Understanding Cancer
Understanding cancer allows you to better cope with and combat the condition. It's important to obtain information to help you understand cancer, what it is and how it is treated, as well as facts on how your medical plan covers cancer treatment.
This includes answers to first-step questions about cancer, understanding it's development, the variety of cancer classifications, prevalence and key signs and symptoms.
Mindfulness refers to a form of meditation in which you focus on what you are experiencing in the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting your thoughts and feelings without judgment.
While knowledge is strength when it comes to a cancer diagnosis, there's so much misinformation out there, that it's hard to know what to believe. Your medical team will give you the facts as will reliable websites. (Be sure to check out a few recommended sites in the list below.)
There's such a massive amount of information about cancer online that it's hard to work out what's fact and what's fiction.
Before you read anything online and accept the information on offer, check out the credentials of the writer and the site on which it is published. Also, always tell your medical team about the information you have come across and ask them whether the information is current and correct. Remember that there are significant advances regularly being made in the cancer world today and that some of the information on the internet is outdated and not based on the latest research., Some sites claim to have the latest research or treatment methods but they could be untested or unproven.
Always use a reputable source of information - such as those listed below - when it comes to searching for medical diagnoses and information about cancer treatment. If you want to read about other people's experiences of cancer treatment stick to their blog posts (bearing in mind that they are not medical professionals and that they're describing things based on their understanding and frame of reference.).
Credible online resources
Here are some credible local and international websites where you can find good information about cancer and cancer treatment (in no specific order):
General and medical
- CANSA
- National Comprehensive Cancer Network
- American Cancer Society
- Cancer.Net
- WebMD
- National Cancer Institute
- Mayo Clinic
- Cleveland Clinic
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre
- South African Urological Association
- South African Society for Clinical and Radiation Oncologists
- South African Society for Medical Oncologists
- South African Gastroenterology Society
- Genetic Counselling
- Campaigning for Cancer
- Lymphoedema Association of South Africa
- SA Oncology Social Workers' forum
- South African Oncology Consortium
- ICON
General and medical
- People living with Cancer
- Cancer Buddies
- Love your Nuts
- Bosom Buddies
- Cancervive
- Can-sir
- Look Good Feel Better
- Reach for Recovery
- Cancer Alliance
- Sunflower Fund
- Reach for a Dream
- CHOC (Childhood Cancer Foundation South Africa)
- Kirsty Watts Foundation
General and medical