If you or a loved one receives a cancer diagnosis, you immediately begin battling the physical and emotional stress of a challenging disease. You must also process overwhelming amounts of information and cancer treatment options while dealing with a complex and unfamiliar healthcare system. This unfamiliarity can cause feelings of fear, uncertainty and dread—all of which are distractions from your cancer care. But you don’t have to face a cancer diagnosis alone.
Cancer Champions—A Compassionate Approach
Cancer Champions was founded to provide compassionate clarity and guidance throughout your cancer journey. My goal is to help you understand your disease, your treatment options and the resources available to you in order to ease your fear and uncertainty.
Different by Design
Our services are unique. I offer individuals facing cancer personalized, compassionate support alongside traditional cancer care. I am different from hospital navigators and institutional patient advocates because:
- I maintain your best interest at all times. While hospitals and insurance companies have people to assist you, they ultimately answer to their employer, not you. I am 100% committed to your needs and goals and, through that lens, I will help you uncover options that apply to your situation. I am your personal advocate.
- My extensive background in oncology, means I understand and can translate your specific diagnosis and the medical terminology, in a way that you understand. I am able to efficiently research clinical trials and treatment options saving you valuable time. I also provide individualized guidance and relevant solutions that apply to your unique situation maximizing your time with your healthcare team.
- My personal experience managing loved ones’ cancer journeys has equipped me to understand the emotional toll a cancer diagnosis has on you and your family. It also taught me about the types of decisions that must be made. Using my experience, I can gently educate you about your choices.
- Through all of the information, appointments and insurance forms, compassionate care often gets sacrificed. As your personal champion, I start with compassion and caring and keep that at the forefront of your entire cancer journey. I am able to hold your hand along the way.
Cancer Champions offers you and your family clarity, peace of mind, and both personal and professional knowledge. Through my services, I empower you with confidence to make informed decisions and effectively manage your care. Engaging a private consultant to work with you and your family is an important decision. By partnering with me, you will benefit from a compassionate guide who understands the cancer journey from both the emotional side and the healthcare side. To schedule a get-acquainted call to see how I can help, please call 703.403.7600 or email me at Dana@cancer-champions.com.
It Starts with Education
You’re facing a difficult diagnosis—now what? One of the most important steps is learning everything you can about your specific type of cancer. When you select Cancer Champions, you gain the advantage of nearly 25 years of experience in the oncology healthcare field. My expertise saves you time and reduces uncertainty. I carefully screen the sources of medical information, sift through and decipher the overwhelming amounts of information, and interpret the medical language. I deliver only the most vital information for your situation and I will share it in a way that makes sense to you and your loved ones. Additionally, I’ll help you “know what you don’t know,” empowering you to make informed decisions and have more productive appointments with your cancer care team.
Cancer Care Tailored to You
Once the information has been gathered and digested, I’ll work with you to develop a personalized plan for your cancer journey. This involves listening to your wishes and then researching treatment options, clinical trials and medical professionals for second opinions or specialized care. My goal is to give you the confidence to make informed decisions about your care. Once you’ve decided your course of action, Cancer Champions will assist you with personal goal setting and partner with you and your healthcare team to meet those goals. I’ll walk with you on your journey offering guidance and empathy along the way.
Facilitating Family Conversations & Decisions
Upon hearing a cancer diagnosis, emotions often take control and inhibit decision making. You and your family may feel overwhelmed and unsure of where to start. Anxiety and fear may stifle important conversations that family members and loved ones need to have with the individual facing the cancer. As a trained facilitator, I assist families with delicate conversations and group decision-making. First, I work with your family to break down enormous amounts of information into digestible pieces and perform additional research on your behalf. Then, armed with relevant information in language everyone can understand, I facilitate discussions with your family members to review relevant cancer care options and gently guide the decision-making process in a sensitive way. Additional services include:
- Preparing you for doctor’s appointments and/or accompanying you on appointments;
- Coordinating multi-disciplinary care;
- Improving communication between you and your healthcare providers;
- Disseminating information to loved ones per your instructions;
- Connecting you with professional and community supportive services;
- Researching pharmaceutical/biotech companies for access to therapy; and
- Reviewing and assisting with simple insurance and medical billing.
You Are Not Alone
A cancer diagnosis can be overwhelming, but you and your family do not need to face it alone. A trusted advisor on your cancer care team can offer compassion for your journey and knowledge that will help you feel confident about your healthcare decisions.