Cancer therapy is a complicated topic, but by understanding it you can make a real difference in the lives of your employees if they receive a cancer diagnosis or if one of their family members is diagnosed. Although cancer is a leading cause of death and disability, there is some good news—deaths from cancer have decreased in recent years because of advances diagnosis and treatment of cancer.

As an employer, it is important to set policies for your employees based on current cancer therapy and to have some understanding of traditional and alternative cancer therapies. Because most Americans depend on their employers for health care insurance, your human resources person can guide a person recently diagnosed with cancer to the right resources. To become a valuable resource for your employees, you should:

1. Learn about state-of-the-art and traditional cancer therapy.

2. Research alternative cancer therapies and find clinical trials conducted in your area.

3. Identify the best physicians and cancer treatment centers in your area who are treating various types of cancer and learn what services your insurance company will cover.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Get the best information about treatment for cancer

There are so many types of cancer, and new therapies are being introduced every day. Finding a reputable source for this information is important. You can pass this information along to employees and human relations people can use it in their discussions with insurance companies.

I recommend: Find out about available cancer treatment at the National Cancer Institute website. This valuable resource provides statistics and information about available therapies. ClinicalTrials.gov will allow you to search for clinical trials.

Find out about complementary and alternative cancer therapy options

When combined with traditional therapies, alternative therapies such as reiki have been found to advanced healing, especially when used as an adjunct to breast cancer treatment.

I recommend: Search the International Center for Reiki Training website to find out if reiki might be helpful for a particular type of cancer. Learn more about a cancer alternative treatment on the NCCAM website. You can also search for NCCAM clinical trials for a particular type of cancer; these trials sometimes provide a way for people with a cancer diagnosis to receive valuable treatment free of charge.

Help your employee to find the right provider of cancer treatment

It is important that your employee finds a reputable physician or a cancer treatment center that specializes in the particular form of cancer that he has been diagnosed with. Your insurance company might have its own website and search engine. There are also websites that will help you to find a provider. Just remind your employee to discuss insurance information before beginning treatment.

I recommend: Begin by going to CancerConsultants.com, a website that offers a provider directory. You can also contact Fifth Season Financial Corp, which offers funding options for people with cancer.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Encourage your employees who have gone through cancer radiation therapy, chemotherapy, or another form of cancer treatment to speak to the newly diagnosed employee. Of course, some employees will not want to do this, but many will welcome the opportunity to share what they've learned about treatment for cancer with others.