Mandatory Discussion Question
Imagine that a family friend or colleague has just been diagnosed with cancer. Explain how the American Cancer Society might provide education and support. What ACS services would you recommend and why?
The American Cancer Society helps patients, families and anyone that is involved in the care of a loved one or themselves while dealing with cancer. The American Cancer Society help people to understand what to expect and what might help to cope with this devastating diagnosis.
They provide basic information about any cancer and its causes as well as detailed information on specific cancer types. The American Cancer Society also provide information about risk factors, early detection, diagnosis, and cancer treatment options. On their website, they provide information on how to stay healthy, treatment and support as mentioned before as well as how to get involved and their research.
A service from the American Cancer society that I would recommend is "Tools to Help you Navigate Treatment." Being in shock and going through the grief stages from finding out someone has cancer is tough. Adding that to treatment options like choosing a treatment team, and insurance resources may make it more overwhelming for the patient and their loved ones. On their website, they help you understand the healthcare system.
They have links where you can read about what questions to ask your healthcare provider, they explain the doctor-patient relationship and they also explain about healthcare professionals associated with cancer care. Under that same page, they will have information about directories of healthcare professionals, treatment centers, and how to choose a doctor and a hospital that fits your needs.
For parents who have a young child with cancer, the American Cancer Society also has information about pediatric cancer centers that will be more appropriate for their care and age. One of the other things that they have under support is that they provide information about choosing home care agencies instead of hospital treatment. They also provide information about hospice care, which is one of the last resources when a patient is suffering from cancer.
According to statistics published by the American Cancer Society, there will be an estimated 1.5 million new cancer cases diagnosed each year over the next decade. What factors contribute to the yearly incidence and mortality rates of various cancers in Americans? What changes in policy and practice are most likely to affect these figures over time
Factors that contribute to yearly incidence and mortality rates in Americans are: diet, exercise, stress, tobacco, infectious agents, and environmental factors. For example, men who smoke are more than 20 times likely to develop lung cancer than men who don't smoke (American Cancer Society, 2017).
It is important to keep in mind that many other factors like age, gender, family history and lifestyle choices may increase the risk of someone getting cancer. Changes in policies like offering healthier meals at schools may help in lowering cancer statistics. Teaching children about healthy habits like eating healthy foods, and exercise might prevent them from smoking, lowering stress levels, and even if they are at risk, they will lower their chances of getting cancer.
Select a research program from among those funded by the American Cancer Society. Describe the program and discuss what impact the research will have on the prevention or treatment of cancer.
The American Cancer Society funds the Clinical Cancer Research, Nutrition, and Immunology. In this program, scientists investigate new ways to identify and monitor cancer, explore how the immune system can be used to fight cancer, and increase our understanding of the effects of the environment on cancer, among other areas of research (American Cancer Society, 2017).