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Moving Through the Pandemic: Tips for Living With Metastatic Breast Cancer
(Philstar.com) – Oct 11, 2020 – 11:05 am
MANILA, Philippines – Cancer care in the time of the coronavirus can be challenging not only for patients with metastatic breast cancer, but also for healthcare providers.
The World Health Organization findings ruled out that cancer patients might be at higher risk for COVID-19 than people without cancer.one While the rise in cases can be scary, especially when you’re in a high-risk group, there are many steps you can take to lower your risk of becoming seriously ill with COVID-19.
With October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Pfizer Philippines is committed to doing its part to help Filipinos become more aware of how life with cancer can be supported even through this pandemic, sharing the following tips:
1. See your oncologist
Doctors and cancer patients should talk with their doctors about their treatment plans, especially when there are scheduled appointments. They should be kept, unless patients experience symptoms that may put them at higher risk for contracting the virus.
Physical consultation should be limited to treatment sessions only. Checkups can now be done online, and most healthcare providers have switched to teleconsultation or consultation through online platforms to help maintain social distancing.
2. Plan your visit
Patients with metastatic breast cancer who are currently undergoing treatment, if possible, should avoid taking public transportation. While not all patients can afford a private service, ICanServe Foundation Inc. offers free transportation services for indigent cancer patients without access to transportation for their chemotherapy sessions. Since then, this service has been available with the government’s mandate to put the country in enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).two
Now that several places have entered general community quarantine (GCQ), patients who need help going to their hospitals for treatment only need to coordinate through the ICanServe Foundation Inc. social media account, provide their address, medical history and date of consultation and chemotherapy hours.
3. Seek therapy for mental health management3
It is important to take extra precautions to avoid becoming infected with COVID-19, but so is keeping the patient’s mental health status of equal importance.
Metastatic breast cancer is both psychological and physical, and the two often intersect. Patients grieving the constant unpredictability and turmoil of life with cancer can seek comfort and help from mental health professionals to keep them more calm and centered.
4. Get some exercise
Fighting metastatic breast cancer can cause fatigue in patients. Light exercises, such as 15-minute walks, can help patients get a much-needed energy boost instead of staying in bed.
Light exercise has been proven to improve self-efficacy and promote a domino effect when making other healthy and balanced decisions in life, such as getting adequate nutrition and sleep. Movement of any kind can also help patients process their feelings in association with their grief.4
5. Be creative
On days when patients are feeling insecure and stressed, it helps for patients to pick up hobbies and find creative outlets while in home quarantine. Positivity attracts positivity and, like exercise, creative tasks can help patients feel immersed in a joyful process. Patients may find a sense of comfort in hobbies such as watercolor painting, writing poetry, playing musical instruments, and journaling.
At the end of the day, metastatic breast cancer is not a life sentence. Whether you’re staying home or still undergoing treatments, remember that the support of your loved ones and your willpower will help you endure just about anything. Life with metastatic breast cancer is no piece of cake, but the journey is still beautiful.
About Pfizer: Life-Changing Advances for Patients
At Pfizer, we apply science and our global resources to bring therapies to people that significantly extend and improve their lives. We strive to set the standard for quality, safety, and value in the discovery, development, and manufacture of healthcare products, including innovative drugs and vaccines. Every day, Pfizer colleagues work in developed and emerging markets to promote wellness, prevention, treatments and cures that challenge the most feared diseases of our time. Consistent with our responsibility as one of the world’s leading innovative biopharmaceutical companies, we partner with healthcare providers, governments and local communities to support and expand access to reliable and affordable healthcare around the world. For more than 150 years, we have worked to make a difference for all who trust us. We routinely post information that may be important to investors on our website at www.Pfizer.com.
For more information, visit www.Pfizer.com and follow them on Twitter at @Pfizer Y @Pfizer News, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Facebook likes at Facebook.com/Pfizer.
PP-PFE-PHL-0080
SOURCES:
one Coronavirus: What do cancer patients need to know? , Online: https://www.fredhutch.org/en/news/center-news/2020/03/coronavirus-what-cancer-patients-need-to-know.html?fbclid=IwAR3UQy9cnIP1OtvT92w9Ac-C-Mp- BuE1nItanDMPsv5RoPvcBwz
two The groups provide carpool services to cancer patients attending chemotherapy during the lockdown, online: https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/07/20/groups-provide-carpool-services- to-cancer-patients-attending- chemotherapy during blockade? fbclid = IwAR1mjqh0d8QoXA4TRw5mmZXVeENhqsKwNBR9O4W5aFD-WvNYSmWGRYVzogk
3 Ways to Support Your Mental Health with Metastatic Breast Cancer, Online: https://www.healthline.com/health/metastatic-breast-cancer/mental-health-support
4 10 Ways to Support Your Mental Health with Metastatic Breast Cancer, Online: https://www.healthline.com/health/metastatic-breast-cancer/mental-health-support
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