Ideas for Roy Castle patient magazine

[MarkH]

Hi

My name is Mark Harland and I'm working with Roy Castle to create a new magazine for people affected by lung cancer and their carers.

I've already spoken to some members of this online group at Roy Castle's recent conference in Manchester and received lots of useful ideas for the magazine.

If you have any ideas about what sort of information we should feature in the magazine, please add a comment here or email me at [e-mail].

It could be helpful information you received at diagnosis, during treatment or after treatment. Or it could be information you wished you'd received at diagnosis, during treatment or after treatment. All suggestions welcome.

Also, if you attended the Manchester conference and have thought of some further ideas, please post as well.

Many thanks, Mark

[Robertlowe]

*** Oncologists and their patients are increasingly challenged with making difficult decisions about screening, prevention, and treatment. Most patients are neither armed with adequate knowledge nor the means of interpreting the information they get in a qualitatively and quantitatively useful way. The role of the Lung Cancer Nurse Specialist supports patients through the difficult process of obtaining a diagnosis, as well as offering information, and advice. They coordinate the care of the patients undergoing treatment by liaising closely with the patient, oncologists, respiratory physicians, GP’s and district nurses. A visit from the lung cancer nurse should be available to every newly diagnosed patient, to ensure plenty of opportunity to ask questions and to better prepare the patient for their appointments with the oncologist. They can spend more time with you, visit you at home, and be accessible by phone, to answer your questions.

[MarkH]

Hi Robert

Thanks for the info. Very helpful.

We're definitely giving lung cancer nurse specialists a big push in the magazine and telling people how to find out the contact details of their local one.

Cheers, Mark

[00kitkat]

I'd like to see info on all these alternative therapies such as the raw foods or keeping your body in an alkaline state or the apricot kernels (laetrile) and maybe list dangers if any of taking these alongside the doc's prescribed treatment of chemo/radio etc. Also info on drugs available outside the UK that may help would be fab as I would go anywhere to get my Dad something that would buy us a bit more time

[MarkH]

Hi there

Thank you for the ideas for the patient magazine. We've nearly finished putting together our first edition, but these are great suggestions for future editions.

Many thanks, Mark