Cancer support & wellness

Some cancer treatments can change how food tastes or curb your appetite, and after cancer treatment, it’s important to maintain a well-balanced meal plan. Advocate's registered dietitians can help you plan a diet that will taste good while still meeting providing you with the daily nutrition you need.

Going through cancer treatment can be a very involved and complicated process, affecting patients and their loved ones both socially and emotionally. Just as Advocate has cancer treatment teams, we also have teams of mental and social health experts who understand how cancer affects a family and can offer you support during this time. Psychosocial support can include mental health counseling, education, spiritual support, group support and more.

Lifesaving treatments – radiation, chemotherapy and hormone therapy – are critical tools in the fight against cancer. Unfortunately, these treatments may also affect certain bodily functions, causing pain and sexual dysfunction, including:

• Dryness
• Burning
• Discomfort with sexual activity
• Unintentional loss of urine or stool

And since any of these conditions can lead to emotional distress, damaged self-esteem and relationship issues, Advocate is committed to providing a safe, nurturing environment where no topic is off-limits. We also offer medical and therapeutic support as well as education and resources for female cancer patients struggling with sexual health and wellness.

Our cancer center team also makes referrals to other departments – urogynecology, urology, physical therapy and our continence center – to ensure patients receive the specialized care they need to regain sexual wellness. To learn more, call our Cancer Center at 773-296-7248.

Our chaplains provide spiritual support when patients and their family members are wrestling with tough issues. Whether you are an Advocate patient or a loved one, a member of our chaplain team is here to compassionately accompany you with:

• Listening
• Open-hearted conversation about hope, gratitude, fear, connection and meaning
• A calm presence
• Prayers and blessings

We understand that managing your cancer diagnosis isn’t always easy. But you are not alone. Advocate Health at Home provides compassionate medical care and services – all in the comfort, safety and convenience of your own home.

Many people prefer to recover, manage a chronic condition, or receive end-of-life care in their own homes. Our services deliver these benefits for you.

• Convenience: Our home care specialists travel to you. You don’t have the hassle of getting to a health care facility when leaving home is a burden.
  Tailored treatment: We design our home care treatment plan to fit your needs and lifestyle. Our wide range of services ensures the right care for each individual.
  Greater independence: Our patients tend to stay involved in their care and enjoy more independence at home.
  Quicker recovery: Patients often recover sooner in the familiar surroundings of their homes and with the support of family and loved ones.
  High quality care at lower cost: We provide the same level of care you would receive in the hospital without an expensive stay.
  Personal attention: Every member of our home care team provides the quality, compassionate, patient-focused care that Advocate Health is known for

Cancer patients can receive hospice care when the cancer treatments they have been receiving are no longer controlling the disease. Hospice services at Advocate include medical, psychological and spiritual support for both patients and their loved ones. We focus on controlling pain and other symptoms of illness so patients can remain as comfortable as possible near the end of life. If the patient’s condition improves or the cancer goes into remission, hospice care can be discontinued and active treatment may resume.

Relieving a person’s symptoms and side effects is an important part of cancer care. At Advocate, we offer our patients a variety of palliative care options. Palliative care is any treatment that focuses on reducing symptoms, improving quality of life, and supporting patients and their families. Any person, regardless of age or type and stage of cancer, may receive palliative care.

Rehabilitation plays a significant role in the cancer healing process. As part of your cancer treatment, Advocate's physical therapists can design an individualized exercise program that combines range-of-motion training with light resistance exercises. These therapeutic exercises aim to reduce fatigue and improve physical function, safety and well-being.

When cancer treatment requires removal of lymph nodes and/or radiation treatments, patients may be at risk for lymphedema, which can lead to an accumulation of fluid that causes abnormal swelling in one or both arms or legs.

Advocate’s lymphedema prevention program emphasizes education and awareness. We encourage post-mastectomy patients and others at risk to learn the causes, symptoms and risk factors for lymphedema, as well as activities, exercises and skin care to prevent it

Cancer treatment isn’t just the clinical services you receive. It’s the ongoing care and support you need to be well. That’s why Advocate Health Care offers a number of free, open-door community support groups for patients and families dealing with the impacts of cancer.

We know that the struggle to overcome a cancer diagnosis doesn’t stop at the end of a hospital stay. It lasts a lifetime. At Advocate, we provide comprehensive, holistic support for patients, family members and caregivers throughout their care.

Our philosophy includes offering evidence-based, patient-centered care by:

• Providing assistance to achieve a healthier lifestyle
• Empowering and aiding in navigating the healthcare system
• Supporting the patient and healthcare provider relationship
• Offering care for long-term recovery of physical and mental well-being
• Giving tools needed to live life beyond cancer

In support of these goals, Advocate is proud to feature our Cancer Survivorship Center, located on the Advocate Lutheran General campus. The Survivorship Center offers classes & programs designed to focus on the physical, social, psychological and spiritual needs of patients, family members and caregivers. We offer these services for adults undergoing or recovering from cancer treatment, as well as for their caregivers (ages 18 and older).