At Mercyhealth, we know how important support and education can be during your cancer journey. Our priority is to provide you with support to help you take care of your overall health and well-being.
Individualized support
Facing a cancer diagnosis can be overwhelming, and having someone on your side can provide the necessary support you need. At Mercyhealth, our oncology nurse navigators will assist you and your family members as you navigate through the continuum of care process. They will serve as an advocate and will assist throughout your time with us.
Case managers also offer compassionate, personalized support for patients and their loved ones. While helping you process their thoughts and feelings, case managers also help identify your needs and strengths, then help find community resources and services, including:
- Information and referrals for insurance and financial assistance
- Transportation
- Housing
- Clothing
- Complementary medicine
- Nutrition
- Advance directive assistance
- Mental health services
- Palliative care and hospice care
- Bereavement counseling
Cancer-related genetic counseling
We believe you should feel empowered to make healthier choices for you and your family. That includes understanding the risks of developing certain conditions like cancer. That's why we offer cancer genetic counseling to help you and your family understand your risk for specific types of cancers.
Our genetic counselors will review your personal and family history to determine the likelihood of inherited cancer in your family. If you undergo testing, your counselor will provide in-depth information about the results.
Is genetic counseling right for me?
If you meet any of the following qualifications, you and your family could benefit from genetic counseling.
- You or a family member were diagnosed with breast, colon, intestinal, or uterine cancer before the age of 50, or ovarian cancer at any age.
- Multiple generations have been diagnosed with a combination of the above cancers.
- You or a family member were diagnosed with a rare tumor type.
Genetic testing can be a valuable tool for identifying and decreasing the risk of cancer in families with these gene mutations and for decreasing anxiety in individuals who aren’t affected.
Learn more about genetic counseling
If you're interested in genetic counseling, talk to your doctor about your concerns and ask your doctor for a referral.
Palliative care
Palliative care is specialized medical care focused on relief of pain, symptoms and stress due to serious illness, whatever the diagnosis may be. It works best when introduced early in the care process and can be provided at the same time patients are undergoing treatment.
At Mercyhealth, our palliative care providers offer physical, emotional and spiritual support to help patients and their families live the best possible quality of life through all stages of illness.
Learn more about palliative care.
Wigs for Patients
The Wigs for Patients program provides monetary help to patients undergoing treatment so they can get a wig. Offered by the Mercyhealth Association of Volunteers, this program is available to patients in Rock and Walworth counties in Wisconsin and McHenry County, Illinois. For more information about the Wigs for Patients program, call 608.756.6739.