Advocating For Yourself: Navigating Through Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment

During the hardest times of our lives, when difficult events place us in a very fragile state, both physically and emotionally, it is very hard to think clearly. Cancer diagnosis causes the same instability. We go from a simple physical exam or from feeling a lump, to having a cancer diagnosis.

Following the diagnosis comes numerous tests to discover the type of cancer and how advanced the cancer is. We start right away going for follow-up tests and appointments, but our minds become foggy and unable to understand what is going on. We assimilate very little information after the cancer diagnosis. Everything seems like a bad dream we want to wake up from. Our emotional state is so fragile that we don't know what to believe, what to do, or whom to trust.

Many of us have little to no social support to help us go through this situation. Many people have moved from other countries or from other states. Referrals and insurance issues start showing up when we least expect it. Many of us have health insurance, but we do not know whether cancer treatment is included or how high the copayments will be. We go from "I have cancer" to "Can I afford this treatment?"