This article was contributed by Chris Smith of Spend It Like Beckham
Receiving a cancer diagnosis can be a shock. It’s the kind of news that catches everyone off-guard, and the road ahead often turns into a challenging journey. Suddenly, every thought you have is likely to turn toward preparing for cancer treatment.
Fortunately, there are ways you can make it easier for yourself and keep your life on track as you move through your treatment plan. No matter your diagnosis, it’s important to remain calm and prepare yourself for the changes to come. Here are some of our top tips.
1. Looking After Your Finances
Money is one of the main worries for patients when preparing for cancer treatment. You may be unable to work as your care progresses. This may be due to the cancer itself or the stress of treatment.
You might be concerned about the time and resources it will take to prepare financially. Fortunately, plenty of places offer advisory services for those in need. You can even access government benefits, either by yourself or with the help of an advisor. This can give you a financial boost when you need it. Plenty of charities also offer grants that can assist you and your family as treatment progresses.
2. Considering Your Future
Being concerned about the here and now is entirely understandable as you try to focus on just making it through. However, with cancer recovery rates climbing, you should continue to think about the future. If you’re planning and preparing for cancer treatment, thinking about your reproductive health and having children in the future may be something you want to consider.
After treatment, some people may experience infertility. This is because some cancers and, more rarely, treatments can damage the reproductive organs. Fortunately, this doesn’t necessarily mean you can no longer have children in future. If your heart is set on having a family, there are ways you can still make your dreams come true. For example, having your eggs or sperm frozen pre-treatment is a simple but effective way to make sure you can still plan a family in future. You can work with your medical team to help this happen if you think this is the right decision for you.
3. Thinking About Aftercare
After treatment, you may struggle to get your life back on track. Every treatment team you visit on your road to recovery may recommend different things. However, there are a few basics to consider that can help post-treatment. In fact, thinking about your recovery whilst preparing for cancer treatment can keep your body strong, by adopting a mindset that you will get through it.
Getting active and engaging in physical activity can help you after treatment and reduce the risk of other cancers and reoccurrence. While it can be challenging to motivate yourself, participating in any exercise is an excellent idea due to its positive effects. You can reduce anxiety and improve your overall quality of life through exercise. Suppose you’re concerned about vigorous exercise affecting you due to the physical side effects of treatment. In that case, gentler activities like yoga could be more helpful for keeping you going.
4. You’re Not Alone
Remember that it’s okay to ask for help. If you’re struggling to cope with your diagnosis and plan your treatment, you should speak to someone. Working through it alone can be overwhelming, but your family, friends, and medical team are around you to make sure you can handle whatever life throws your way. Taking things one step at a time and thinking ahead can help to reduce future stress and keep you happy and healthy. After all, everyone deserves to be.
For extra peace of mind during treatment or as you recover, you may wish to consider a personal alarm. With a personal alarm, you can call for help in an emergency at the press of a button. Our trained Response Team are available 24/7, 365 days a year to provide peace of mind to you and your loved ones. Find out more by reading about our products, or get in touch with our helpful customer service team today by calling 0800 030 8999.
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