Being diagnosed with cancer is the most traumatic event that can happen to an individual. Someone who has not been there cannot possibly appreciate the gravity of this event. Normally, the diagnosis comes from a visit to a physician for a supposedly innocuous illness while the patient feels relatively healthy. All of a sudden they are told it is malignant which conjures up a vision that they are dying and there is nothing they can do about it. They have heard that the treatments are supposedly worse than death itself.
Their beautiful life has abruptly come to an end, and there is nothing they can do about it. They are facing untold pain and suffering prior to their certain expiration. To whom will they turn? What will they do? They are in shock. They are scared. They cannot think straight.
Now, with the help of numerous volunteers and Sprint, there is an answer for all Americans. The Cancer Hotline, founded in 1980, is a group of individuals who have had cancer who are available to talk to newly diagnosed cancer patients, promptly after their diagnosis. We do not make a prognosis or give medical advice. We talk strictly from personal experience, emphasizing prompt treatment, proper treatment, thorough treatment, and a positive mental attitude.
Psychologically, we enable them to get over the initial shock and fear and to understand that death and cancer are not synonymous. The patient realizes that because he is talking to someone who has had a similar cancer, it is possible for him to overcome it. We give true HOPE. But we give a lot more than psychological help.
Because cancer is over 100 different diseases and there are at least six primary forms of cancer treatment, it is impossible for any single doctor to know the latest and best treatment for every type of cancer, or even for any single type of cancer. If a doctor knew the latest surgical technique for a specific type of cancer, he could well be unaware of the up-to-the-minute chemotherapy, immunization therapy, hyperthermia or radiation therapy for that particular type of cancer.
We recommend the patient consult with a qualified physician, such as an oncologist. Because we accept no cash contributions from any patient (When offered, we recommend they donate to their church or hospital), we are free to suggest any qualified physician we personally like. We further recommend a qualified second opinion because we know how serious cancer is and no one is perfect. We try to help them find a qualified doctor in whom they have faith and who says he can successfully treat them. If this doctor cannot be found, we then try to get them to the institution that is doing the most successful work on their type of cancer.
Because we have been there with a similar cancer, we can explain in lay terms what the treatments their doctor recommends are like and how they affected us. We can give practical hints on what we did to help ourselves. We try to take the fear of the unknown out of cancer treatment. We attempt to get them in control of their cancer and become more of a partner with their doctor.
We recommend to each patient that they read Fighting Cancer by Richard and Annette Bloch, available free by calling the Bloch Cancer Hotline. We believe we improve the quality of life for every patient and extend the quantity of life for many. Our sole goal is to give the next person getting cancer the best chance of beating it. We educate them about their options and try to motivate them to fight.
In our first 25 years we have received calls from over 75,000 newly diagnosed cancer patients. We furnish an 800 number for patients to call in on and for our volunteers to return the calls from their homes at no cost to the volunteer or the patient.
- We need volunteers who have had all types of cancer to be trained in their homes to return calls of these patients.
- We need volunteers to help us spread the word through publicity that we are available to help newly diagnosed cancer patients absolutely free and with no strings attached.
If you would like to volunteer to help, please send a note with your background to the R.A. Bloch Cancer Foundation, One H&R Block Way, Kansas City, MO 64105 or e-mail us directly by using the form To Volunteer listed near the top of our web site. Call, write or e-mail today. Your help is needed and the rewards are tremendous.
R. A. BLOCH CANCER FOUNDATION, INC.
One H&R Block Way
Kansas City, MO 64105
816-854-5050
1-800-433-0464
hotline@blochcancer.org