Facing a diagnosis of cancer is overwhelming. Often patients and caregivers don't know where
to turn for reliable health information to understand their medical condition and treatment plan. Many families facing a new
diagnosis find they do not have time or energy to devote to extensive
research even if they want to learn more. The Health & Education Resource Center has suggestions for getting started.
Talk with your doctor and care team
Plan questions for
your doctor before your visit. Take the time to write down
your questions and bring them with you to the appointment. MedlinePlus has even more suggestions for
talking with your doctor.
Talk with the librarian
Our librarian is
available to help you find more information about your diagnosis. Try to schedule time to meet with the librarian after your first few visits. We can help you focus
your search, locate quality information, find information that is
written in a friendly format, decode medical terminology, and
even find answers to non-medical questions that may come up during
treatment. You can contact our librarian in the way that is easiest for
you:
in person, by phone, or
by email.
Search quality websites, not quantity
It's easy to get swept
away on the Web. Try to focus your search by looking at a few reputable
health information websites instead of everything on the web.
We've prepared an extensive list of recommended websites organized by subject which are called
Health Topics.
