Colorectal Cancer: The Team that Helps You Thrive

Hello Beloved, we hope these words will bring practical encouragement to you in your time of need. Life is so fragile. In a matter of seconds, our lives can transition us into unfamiliar places. These places are unfamiliar by choice. We do not desire to inhabit them: we sensed, from afar, that in them was our destruction. But, thanks be to God! He visits us in these places with His faithful love and compassion, so that we are not consumed.

May the fresh wind of God bring you hope, peace, love and even joy, in this season. We pray that today’s tips will support you in choosing life, still, post diagnosis:

Tip #1: Build a Relationship with Your Patient Care Navigator 
A Patient Care Navigator is “A person who guides patients and their families through complex medical systems and helps them work with the rest of the cancer care team to overcome barriers to care that may come up so they can successfully complete their treatment. Navigators can be lay people with special training and experience or health care professionals, like nurses or social workers.” You will be introduced to this person, who will also form a part of your multidisciplinary treatment team.(https://www.cancer.org/content/cancer/en/treatment/finding-and-paying-for-treatment/choosing-your-treatment-team/health-professionals-associated-with-cancer-care.htm). 

A Patient Care Navigator can also be a colorectal cancer survivor, who has completed treatment in the form of surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy or a combination of other acceptable cancer treatments. In this case, the Patient Care Navigator must be in good health. She may serve you in a volunteer capacity or as a paid staff member. 

You can expect your Patient Care Navigator to :

1. Coordinate your care.
2. Accompany you to some of your appointments.
3. Facilitate your engagement with support groups and other forums for the maintenance of your emotional health.
4. Provide sound counsel.
5. Model confidence and be a minister of hope, as she cares for you with the comfort she has already received, especially if she is a cancer survivor.

Consider finding such support here: https://www.ccalliance.org/patient-family-support/patient-family-support-navigator-program

Tip #2: Build Relationship with Your Multidisciplinary Care Team
An important next step is to meet with the multidisciplinary care team to help you develop a treatment plan for your specific stage of cancer. Each member of the team is a valuable asset and contributes expert advice in their specialty that can be used to plan the best treatment options to give you the best possible outcome for treating the cancer. Click here to learn more about who the possible members of your multidisciplinary treatment team may be. 

Happy temple building!