After Hurricane, Cancer Patients from Puerto Rico Find Care and Community at Dana-Farber
Hurricane Maria made it impossible for these patients to be treated in Puerto Rico. Now, they’re receiving care at Dana-Farber.
Psychosocial Oncology
Can Anxiety or Depression Be a Sign of Cancer?
Medically reviewed by Fremonta L. Meyer, MD and Patrick Y. Wen, MD Many people experience anxiety or depression, or both, after a cancer diagnosis, studies show. But in rare cases, anxiety and depression can be an early symptom of a tumor in the brain. Doctors point out that anxiety and depression are among the most … Read more
What It’s Like to Be a Young Adult with Cancer [Webchat]
Being a young adult with cancer comes with its own unique circumstances – and Lauren Leonard is no stranger to those hurdles. Diagnosed with stage IV primary bone diffuse large b-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma at 22, and now in remission, Leonard has faced challenges in all parts of her life as a result of her diagnosis as … Read more
Becoming a Mom with the Help of a Friend – Despite Metastatic Synovial Sarcoma
Deciding to have a baby can be a happy – and sometimes scary – time for parents. Worries and questions about finances, the future, and the baby’s health are common. But most parents-to-be don’t have a cancer diagnosis looming over their heads like Abby and Tom Morgan did. A 32-year-old teacher, Abby says she always wanted … Read more
The Loss of a Child: Stories from Three Bereaved Parents
As told to Sue Morris, PsyD As director of Dana-Farber’s Bereavement Program, I regularly sit with bereaved individuals, listen to their stories, and help them navigate their lives after they have been completely turned upside down. I recently spoke with three bereaved parents who are members of Dana-Farber’s Pediatric Patient and Family Advisory Committee (PFAC), … Read more
Tips for Coping with Grief After a Cancer-Related Death
By Rosemary Maconchie When my husband Jim died from stage IV pancreatic cancer in April 2015, I was suddenly without my lifelong partner. We were together since high school; and when he died at age 69 I was suddenly alone for the first time in my life. The experience of grief is different for everyone, … Read more
What to Say — and Not to Say — to Someone Whose Loved One Has Recently Died
By Sue Morris, PsyD While the number of cancer survivors continues to increase, unfortunately some cancer patients do die from their diseases, leaving grieving family members and friends behind. Many people avoid talking to someone whose loved one has just died – from cancer or other causes – because it makes them feel uncomfortable and … Read more
A Better Way to Care for Seriously Ill Children and Their Families
This post originally appeared on WBUR’s Cognoscenti blog. By Joanne Wolfe, MD, MPH How is it that, in this day and age, a talented teenager treated for lymphoma emerges cured but with a life-threatening eating disorder? How is it that, in our nation’s capital, a boy dying at home from neuroblastoma experiences excruciating pain in his final moments? … Read more