More and better information is continually being added to the Internet for nearly every major illness. In addition, doctors and hospitals are doing a much better job of providing support and information to patients and caregivers to help them make better decisions.

I recommend www.ACOR.org (Association of Cancer Online Resources) as a collection of information and patient forums where you can find out about the latest trends in treatment for a variety of cancers. This article from the New York Times describes how one patient used ACOR with great success. It may be difficult to think more like a consumer than a patient, but when searching the Internet for medical advice, this is a good mindset to adopt.

I found this TED program with “e-patient” Dave deBronkart very interesting relating to e-patients and the responsibility of patient and caregivers.

http://www.cancer.org is a good place for cancer patients to begin.

http://www.mayoclinic.com provides a disease finder on its website.

The Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center website is http://www.mskcc.org. This website is a good source of information about the latest cancer treatments and studies.

Article: 25 Cancer Symptoms Men Are Likely to Ignore

Suggested Reading
Days of Grace: Meditation and Practices for Living With Illness by Mary C. Earle and Phyllis Tickle. New York: Morehouse Publishing, 2009.

Handbook for Mortals: Guidance for People Facing Serious Illness by Joanne Lynn, Joan Harrold, and The Center to Improve Care of the Dying. New York: Oxford University Press, 1999.

Living with Life-Threatening Illness: A Guide for Patients, Their Families, and Caregivers by Kenneth J. Doka. San Francisco: Josey-Bass, 1998.

We Need to Talk: A Practical Guide for Those Facing Terminal Illness by Larry E. Quicksall. Effingham, IL: Family Growth Publishing, 2002.