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Care Partners: Enrolling Others To Help You

Medical Professionals: 

When seeking medical assistance it can be tough finding the right oncologist while keeping your loved ones' insurance plan in mind. Some tips for narrowing down the right oncologist include:

  • For rare cancers like ovarian cancer, it is critical that women are are seen by a gynecologic oncologist. You can search the Society of Gynecologic Oncologists website to find a doctor in your area: https://www.sgo.org/seek-a-specialist/
  • We also suggest getting a second opinion! If you are unsure about your loved ones’ diagnosis it is always recommended to seek out another oncologist to ensure that she has been diagnosed correctly. Key questions to ask the doctor are:
    • What other support services are available?
    • Are you and your team up to date on the latest treatments?
    • How much experience do you have with this specific cancer?

Peer Support Groups:

Although doctors are needed for guidance, peer support groups can offer a wide range of resources and support.

Specifically, COCA offers a professionally led peer support group, Nicki’s Circle and a mentor program. You can find more information on Nicki’s Circle via http://www.colo-ovariancancer.org/programs/nickiscircle/about-nickis-circle.html and http://www.colo-ovariancancer.org/programs/peer-support.html

Emotional and Social Support:  

  • COCA offers the COCA Connections  program, helping women with ovarian cancer connect to resources in the community that offer support. For more information on COCA Connections Program please visit: https://www.colo-ovariancancer.org/programs/coca-connections.html
  • Ask your medical professional about the oncology social worker at your hospital, who can help you access useful tips and resources.

Care Partner Apps and Online Resources:

Care partners have many tasks to fulfill every day. Fortunately, there are apps that can help care partners become more organized, manage their duties, and maintain health care record keeping. Some of these Apps include:

  • Care Zone: Creates a medication list, access to pharmacy services, log and track health information, and file important contacts. https://carezone.com/home
  • Caring Bridge: Keeps family members and friends updated on health of loved one and updates notes of support. https://www.caringbridge.org/
  • MyLifeline: Founded by a Denver Ovarian Cancer survivor, My Lifeline lets you keep family members and friends up to date on what’s happening with your loved one. Create your community! https://www.mylifeline.org/
  • Lotsa Helping Hands: This app utilizes a calendar for family members and friends to offer and volunteer on every day health activities. Well Wishes is an announcement page on the app that shares love and support for the loved one. http://lotsahelpinghands.com/