Resources
After I was diagnosed with cancer
I did so much online research it felt like being back in school writing a paper (except we didn’t have the internet back then!). I found an incredible amount of information, much of it helpful, some of it unsettling and a little bit of BS. These are some resources that I found to be helpful, information about my medical team and sources that I relied upon.
A bit of advice...
Don't make yourself crazy using “Dr. Google” (as my oncologist refers to it). Do some research, write up your questions and bring them to your medical team. Every cancer and every patient are different, and no one knows your situation better than your team.
You are not a statistic!
DO NOT get overwhelmed with statistics. Many of these studies are not current (particularly in relation to the innovations in treatment) and if you are a stronger participant in your recovery by eating healthy and exercising you are likely already a statistic outlier.
Cancer
When reviewing research-based information be sure it is from a legitimate source or is a peer-reviewed study.
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National Institute Health (NIH) NCI
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Angiogenesis Foundation (the science behind the drug Avastin)
Ovarian Cancer
Gynecologic Related Cancer
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Ovarian Cancer Action (UK based)
Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC)
Medical Treatment Team
My primary cancer care has been with the team at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore, MD.
Dr. Peter Ledakis, Oncologist extraordinaire! A former fellow at the National Cancer Institute at NIH, he is always on top of the latest research. Incredibly kind and patient, he always answers my long list of questions and has encouraged my holistic approach.
Dr. Armando Sardi,
Surgical Oncologist (HIPEC Specialist). Known for his meticulous surgeries, he will work as long as it takes to inspect every area to make sure cancer is not hiding. He is prolific with HIPEC treatment and has an amazing PA team.
I would not be here today without the help of my unofficial medical team member and neighbor, Dr. Carole Miller. Dr. Miller is the Director of the Cancer Institute at St. Agnes Hospital. She was the second person I called when I received my initial diagnosis and checked in on me every week.
My diet while undergoing chemo treatments was based on the information in Dr. William Li’s book “Eat to Beat to Disease”. This is not about a diet fad, but is science-based information on how food can help your body to heal itself.
Chef Laurie translated my target-foods list into amazing, healthy and delicious meals! When you’re exhausted from chemo the last thing you want to do is think about what to cook, much less do it. She is incredibly talented with plant-based foods and was a key part of my treatment team. Follow her on Instagram.
Sobotanical has been my go-to resource for all natural, healthy products for many years. Gentle soaps for your chemo skin and hair, scar treatment oil for post-surgery healing and the “holy grail” mouth rinse to keep mouth sores away!
Keeping It Healthy!
Crowd-Sourcing Information
Like many others, I use Facebook to stay connected with friends, but it didn't initially occur to me that I might find such a rich resource of people going through exactly the same thing thatI was! I found amazing groups of people that helped me “crowd source” a wide variety of information on what to expect from my treatment and how to deal with side effect issues.
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Inspire (information sharing network)
Keep Supporters Informed
When you’re undergoing something as intensive as cancer treatments, friends and family are going to want to be kept up to date. Caringbridge is a free online platform for you to share your journey and give updates on how things are progressing. It’s completely private and you control who is allowed to see the information. It relieves a tremendous amount of pressure so that people are not constantly reaching out individually. You can include photos with posts and guests can leave comments of encouragement, which I always looked forward to reading. It’s also a great way to document your experience, as you may not have the energy or concentration to keep a journal friends can help write posts as well. We used Google sheets so that people could schedule themselves for hospital visits and chemo buddy sessions.