Sunday, June 8, 2014

How An Online Cancer Magazine Can Help Both Patients And Their Families

By Sally Delacruz


Being diagnosed with a dread disease is a terrible shock for both the patient and everyone around him or her. Priorities change overnight and in most cases there are important decisions that must be made without delay. This is often very difficult because the patient needs time to come to terms with the new reality. It is very important to learn as much as possible about the specific disease. By subscribing to an online cancer magazine, for example, both patients and their loved ones can learn more about the disease.

Patients and their families must remember that no situation is ever totally hopeless. New breakthroughs are made all the time and new treatment methods become available. It is necessary to keep up to date on all the advances made in this particular field. This knowledge will help patients to understand their options and to communicate intelligently and in an informed manner with their doctors and other care givers.

It is understandable that so many diagnosed patients feel helpless and scared. The only way in which to overcome such negative and destructive emotions is through knowledge. Many studies have shown that patients that have a positive attitude are more likely to benefit from treatment. Informed patients are better able to prepare themselves emotionally and physically than those who refuse to accept facts.

Families are often at a loss about the best way in which to provide support for a diagnosed patient. Internet based publications can help patients to contact others that suffer from the same disease. In this way the support network of the patient can be enlarged. Of course, being able to access advice and encouragement from somebody with the same disease can be extremely comforting.

Another way in which these publications have proven to be helpful is by providing practical advice on matters such as diet, regular exercise and how to cope with the side effects of treatment. Many patients need to make changes to their lifestyles by quitting smoking, for example. Some sites offer practical advice, ongoing support and even structured programs to help their members to live healthier lives.

Some patients feel bewildered by the numerous sites offering advice, information and support to cancer patients. It may be best to subscribe to a few at a time and to discard those that do not provide the level of support or the information that is required. It is a good idea to opt for sites that have access to expert opinions or that is managed by health care professionals.

It is unfortunate that there are also a large number of sites that claim to be custodians of miraculous treatment options. Many of these sites will only reveal their secrets once a fee is paid. Medical experts warn that patients can place themselves in grave danger if they opt for untried and possibly harmful treatments. Many patients actually believe the promises made by such sites, often because they are desperate.

Dread diseases are by no means death sentences. Patients now have many treatment options and new advances are made regularly. Modern medication can help many patients to lead productive lives and to continue enjoying a good quality lifestyle. Modern medication also helps to limit the negative side effects that were common in the past.




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