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Step 1: NOW! Take Control
Be Proactive
Research tells us that cancer patients who are
the most proactive and involved get the best treatment results
and quality of life. But what exactly is being proactive?
It means taking action as opposed to sitting back and waiting
for something to happen or waiting for someone to tell you
what something means or telling you what to do. Being proactive
is the opposite of being passive, of seeing yourself as a
victim. It is about being a survivor and taking steps to be
a victor. It's finding out for yourself and putting a game
plan into motion.
Becoming proactive
The first step to becoming proactive is to adopt
a proactive mental attitude. At the end of this step we will
provide you with a story and a tool to help you embrace a
proactive attitude and then use that attitude to take the
necessary steps to:
- Establish a patient/physician partnership with your
doctor to obtain the best treatment possible
- Try to buy time to think about what is best for you.
It may be important to take immediate action but ask your
doctor hard questions about time and urgency; try to slow
down the process.
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