MENUSpring, 2020
The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network has priorities each year based on needs in Michigan and other states. Additionally, researchers across the University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center advocate for patients of all cancer types at the statewide and national level.
For many, a cancer diagnosis may be the first time a person stops to think about what it means to have a serious illness. Before the diagnosis, there was no reason to contemplate end-of-life wishes, let alone put together the legal paperwork to make those wishes official. It's important to understand why advanced care planning is important and what can
be gained by making end-of-life decisions well before they are needed.
When it comes to diet and cancer, the Rogel Cancer Center dietitians help patients simplify. Rather than feeling stressed about choosing the wrong food or drink, remember that moderation is the key.
Dealing with a cancer diagnosis is stressful. No matter if your illness was caught early or is advanced, whether you live close to the hospital or hours away, or whether your treatment plan requires surgery, chemotherapy, radiation or all of the above, hearing the word cancer can change your life in profound ways.
Viruses like the flu and the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 can be particularly dangerous for people with cancer. Older patients, those who have received bone
marrow transplants and those receiving chemotherapy are especially at risk of becoming seriously ill since their immune systems are already weakened.
Megan Heeringa, 24, and Natalie Cameron, also 24 are both survivors of acute myelogenous leukemia and bone marrow transplant recipients. In addition, they both live with chronic graft-vs.-host disease as a result of their transplants. They became friends after being diagnosed their senior year of high school and are a source of support for each other ever since their parents met at the University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center.
For almost a year, Daniel Szkarlat thought his intestinal pain was due to an ulcer. When the symptoms didn't go away, a colonoscopy found he had a large mass. His doctor removed the mass and 33 lymph nodes and said he wouldn't need chemotherapy or radiation treatment. Dan and his wife weren't so sure, so they got a second opinion from John Krauss, M.D., director of the Multidisciplinary Colorectal Cancer Clinic at the University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center.