Lung Cancer Support Services You Can Count On
The journey through lung and thoracic cancer diagnosis, treatment and recovery can be challenging. Having the proper support is critical to health outcomes.
Your lung cancer specialist at RWJBarnabas Health will ensure that you has access to the resources you need to help your body heal and the programs you need for emotional support.
Want to Quit Smoking or Vaping?
Nicotine is a powerful, highly addictive drug. On average, people try to quit smoking 5 to 7 times before they successfully quit for good.
Because smoking plays such a pivotal role in some lung cancers, we offer access to a wide range of smoking cessation programs led by certified, understanding professionals who provide treatment under the Public Health Service Guidelines.
The Institute for Prevention and Recovery (IFPR) has helped thousands of people overcome their addiction to nicotine. Studies show that individuals are 4 times more likely to quit using tobacco when participating in a structured program as compared to attempting to quit on their own.
Our Nicotine and Tobacco Recovery Program will:
- Help you establish a realistic quit date
- Provide support and guidance throughout your quit experience
- Provide information and individualized information on using prescription and non-prescription smoking medication, including bupropion hydrochloride, varenicline and the nicotine patch, gum, lozenge, inhaler and nasal spray
- Connect individuals with one-on-one or group sessions
- Identify effective tools to reduce withdrawal symptoms
- Understand the impact of e-cigarettes, electronic nicotine delivery systems and vaping
- Offer informational presentations in the community or workplace about how staff and others can utilize our services
We also offer free educational presentations about the services offered to communities and agencies.
The sooner you quit, the more you can reduce your chances of getting cancer and other diseases, according to the American Cancer Society. Also, your risk of lung cancer is about half that of a person who is still smoking 10 years after quitting.
Other cancer patient support services we offer include:
- Oncology nurse navigators. These individuals work with patients, their families, and their oncologists as a liaison. They offer different resources, respond to questions, manage insurance issues and coordinate appointments and other requests to make the patient’s treatment more seamless, convenient and comfortable.
- Cancer rehabilitation program. Cancer patients receive specialized outpatient and inpatient rehabilitation services tailored to their individual needs. This covers any health issues resulting from cancer or treatment, including pain control, bladder and bowel management, weakness and fatigue, occupational and speech therapies, and cognitive health.
- Palliative care and pain program. This program provides medical, emotional and spiritual care in inpatient and outpatient settings. It places a major emphasis on symptom management, including relief from pain, anxiety, depression, or any other distress. We want to make sure that your symptoms are managed as well as possible, providing optimal comfort and function. To achieve this, program staff work as a team with other health care professionals to provide symptom relief through traditional and nontraditional approaches.
- Social support. We can connect you with social workers as well as professionally-led lung cancer support groups for emotional support, relaxation, exercise and education.
Ask us about lung cancer support groups and services, including our program for help quitting tobacco.
To schedule an appointment with one of New Jersey’s best lung and thoracic cancer specialists, call 844-CANCERNJ or 844-226-2376.