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Cancer Support Services

The team at Lawrence General knows a cancer survivor's recovery is made a little bit easier when a patient has support pillars in place. Our comprehensive suite of support services includes Nutrition, Social Services, a Pharmacy team, and Spiritual Services.

Nutrition

Food and Nutrition Services are provided to all Lawrence General Hospital cancer patients. A registered nurse and dietician work with patients to create a personalized plan when it comes to healthy eating. This comprehensive approach helps ensure a patient's dietary preferences and nutritional needs are met at all stages of treatment and recovery.

Social Services

The integrated care department at Lawrence General provides counseling and support for patients and families. This includes information and referrals to community support groups, resources for supportive services such as financial and transportation assistance and even crisis intervention. Our team also helps by coordinating discharge planning, including long-term care placement; hospice and home care services including Visiting Nurse Association, home infusion, and durable medical equipment.

Pharmacy

The Pharmacy Department at Lawrence General Hospital is an integral part of the multidisciplinary team approach to planning, providing, and evaluating the care delivered to cancer patients. The Pharmacy Department provides up-to-date chemotherapy treatment modalities for inpatient and outpatient care. Patients are closely monitored from visit to visit to ensure accurate dosing of all agents prescribed. Patient leaflets are also provided containing the brand and generic names of the medications, uses, how to use medications, side effects and when to notify your doctor, precautions, and drug interactions.

Spiritual Care

The chaplains of Lawrence General Hospital provide spiritual, emotional and sacramental support to cancer patients and their families. The chaplains collaborate with the multidisciplinary team by attending multidisciplinary rounds to provide comprehensive Spiritual Care. Our team includes an Interfaith and Catholic chaplain. Eucharistic Ministers volunteer to bring communion to patients daily as well.

What you can expect from the Chaplains:

Prayer/Sacraments
Confidentiality
Compassionate listening
Regular visits
Spiritual support for Individuals and Families
Linking Individuals and Families with Staff
Religious Services, Sacraments, Prayers
Information and guidance regarding medical ethics questions, health care proxies, organ donation, end-of-life care decisions and questions concerning spiritual care
Grief ministry in dealing with loss or death
Prayer Shawl Ministry

FAQs

What is cancer?

Almost all the cells in the body multiply throughout life. Normal cells multiply under control and die when they are supposed to. Cancer cells, on the other hand, lose this control and start multiplying more than required or continue to live beyond their natural time. These cells can damage the organ in which the cell multiplication is taking place and can also spread to other sites.

In which part of my body can I get cancer?

Cancer can occur in any part of the body. Cancer is usually painless at onset and generally presents as swellings or growths. These lesions gradually increase in size and can damage the surrounding tissue.

How does cancer spread?

As cancer grows, it invades the surrounding structures and can invade lymphatic and blood vessels. It then can spread to the draining lymph nodes and other organs; through the blood stream, it also spreads to others parts of the body like the lung, liver, bones and/or brain.

What causes cancer?

The exact cause of cancer is not yet known. However, there are certain risk factors that may lead to it. Common factors include tobacco, obesity, a strong family history of certain cancers, alcohol (in the case of liver cancer), certain infections (HIV, H pylori in the stomach and HPV, among others), exposure to certain hormonal treatments, certain toxic chemicals (asbestos, benzene compounds), radiation exposure and more.

Is cancer preventable?

Yes, to a large extent. About 50% of cancers are tobacco-related, including lung cancer, cancer of mouth, cancer of the voice box and many others. Avoiding intake of tobacco can prevent these cancers. Certain cancers like cancers of the colon, breast and cervix can be detected early and cured if treated promptly. It is therefore important to be aware of the early warning signals and consult a health professional. It is equally important to go through the appropriate screening for those cancers – colonoscopies for colon cancer, mammograms for breast cancer and so on.

What are the signs and symptoms of cancer?

The common symptoms of cancer are: - Lump or swelling - A sore that doesn't heal - Recent change in a wart/mole - Unusual bleeding or discharge - Changes in bladder or bowel habits - Nagging cough or hoarseness - Difficulty in swallowing or dyspepsia - Otherwise unexplained significant weight loss - Unexpected uterine or rectal bleeding

How is cancer treated?

Surgery, radiation and chemotherapy (drugs) are the common ways of treating cancer. Treatment often requires more than one of these modalities. To decide on the best treatment for a given patient, initial testing is done to make the diagnosis and determine how far the disease has progressed. Based on factors like this, the patient's age and his or her clinical status, the treatment is planned. The response of disease to treatment is assessed periodically. Treatment generally needs to be given over a period of time. Once the planned treatment is completed, cancer patients need regular follow-up.

What can I do to prevent cancer?

- Avoid tobacco (most importantly) and alcohol - Avoid obesity - Indulge in physical activity - Be aware of your body so that you can detect any changes early - Be alert for the warning signs of cancer Contact a health professional immediately if you come across any suspicious symptom and go through the appropriate screenings.

Cancer Care Support Services