Treatment plans at Community Healthcare System include medical, physical and emotional support
A breast cancer diagnosis can shatter your world. It can bring you to your knees and release a flood of anxiety and depression. But that diagnosis is not a death sentence.
Community Healthcare System physicians, nurse navigators and other medical professionals understand the profound impact mental health issues may have on patients facing a breast cancer diagnosis and treatment. When discussing a treatment plan, a Community Healthcare System team understands the important role mental health plays in the successful treatment of the whole patient.
“Being diagnosed with breast cancer is a very emotional time,” said Mary Nicholson, MD, a fellowship-trained radiologist and regional director of the Women’s Diagnostic Centers of Community Healthcare System. “I've even had women say, ‘I don't know who’s going to raise my children.’ And we say very calmly, ‘You are.’ We help patients beat cancer by treating the whole person, and that means getting them on a path to wellness – physically, mentally and emotionally.”
Cancer services at Community Healthcare System include nurse navigators to help guide patients through diagnosis, treatment and beyond. Three navigators on staff work exclusively with breast cancer patients.
The navigators often are the first person to contact a patient after a breast cancer diagnosis. They answer questions, provide support and assist with setting up appointments for services. Navigators serve as their patients’ advocates during every part of the health journey. At any time, patients and their family members may access the navigation program, which is a free, confidential service of Community Healthcare System.
“A breast cancer diagnosis is not something a person ever wants. It can make you feel depressed, anxious and scared,” said Jennifer Sarkey, director of Cancer Care Services for Community Healthcare System and Community Cancer Research Foundation. “Knowing how breast cancer can affect your mental health can help you get the support you need. The nurse navigators at Community Healthcare System are here to support every patient, and that includes helping them address anxiety, depression and other mental health issues.”
A breast cancer diagnosis may affect some people’s mental health more than it does others. Some factors include a history of mental health issues, a previous trauma and a lack of social support from family, friends or community.
Patients also may find mental health support at the Cancer Resource Centre in Munster. The center helps those affected by cancer obtain the guidance, camaraderie and resources they need to cope with the diagnosis, treatment and survivorship. A comfortable setting awaits visitors who wish to review educational materials, gather with others in social setting, attend special events or classes, or come together in a professionally led group for support. The center offers patients and their families a non-medical atmosphere where they can celebrate life, deal with hardships and get their questions answered.
“It helps to talk to people who are experiencing a similar situation,” Sarkey said. “Many of the people who attend the support groups at Cancer Resource Centre find it comforting to share stories with others facing a breast cancer diagnosis and treatment. It helps alleviate fears and anxiety.”
The Cancer Resource Centre is a program of the Community Cancer Research Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the quality of cancer care available in Northwest Indiana and the Chicago suburbs. All services of the Cancer Resource Centre are offered free of charge, and individuals do not need to be patients of the Community Healthcare System.
Among the services are yoga, meditation and other classes aimed at calming the mind and invigorating the spirit.
“Participants often comment on how at ease they feel mentally after participating in one of these classes,” Sarkey said. “We want people facing a cancer diagnosis to know they are not alone. They can find a groundswell of support through Community Healthcare System, our navigation program and the Cancer Resource Centre.”
CTA: Services at Community Healthcare System
For more information on the Women’s Diagnostic Centers, visit COMHS.org/services/womens-care/womens-diagnostic-centers.
For more information the Cancer Resource Centre, visit myccrf.com/about-us/cancer-resource-centre.
For more information on clinical navigators, visit COMHS.org/about-us/patient-resources/clinical-navigators.
