American Cancer Society Mission Training and Support for Volunteers

Helpful Links

Online Cancer Information Resources

Please use the following list of websites as a resource for further information about cancer-related topics as part of your continued learning process.  This list is not comprehensive, but can serve as a starting point should you want more information about cancer, treatments, and resources.  The American Cancer Society is not responsible for maintaining information on any non-Society websites.

American Cancer Society - www.cancer.org
Provides patients, caregivers, friends, health information seekers, professionals, donors and volunteers with a vast array of information and community resources to help individuals make informed decisions, cope with cancer diagnosis & treatment, and make healthy lifestyle decisions to promote cancer prevention.  Information can also be found on prevention advocacy, research, and fundraising events (i.e. Daffodil Days and Relay For Life).

American Cancer Society California Chinese Unit – www.acsccu.org
An online resource in Chinese for patients, caregivers and volunteers throughout the state. Includes information about community resources serving the Chinese community, Relay for Life, services and programs, trainings for volunteers, and more.

Cancer Action Network – www.acscan.org
The non-profit, non-partisan sister advocacy organization of the American Cancer Society. ACS CAN is dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major public health problem through voter education and issue campaigns aimed at influencing candidates and lawmakers to support laws and policies that will help people fight cancer.

Cancer Survivors Network – csn.cancer.org
An online, worldwide community created by and for cancer survivors and caregivers.  Create a personal homepage to share stories; participate in chats and discussion groups; communicate with other survivors and caregivers via secure email, search suggested books, articles, Web sites, support groups, organizations, and more!

Look Good…Feel Better – www.lookgoodfeelbetter.org
Look Good…Feel Better (LGFB) is a free, national public service program that helps female cancer patients cope with the appearance-related side effects of cancer treatments.  Find information on the use of makeup, wigs, scarves, and accessories, as well as detailed advice for proper skin and nail care.  The website also discusses and promotes hands-on patient workshops.  Luzca Bien…Siéntase Mejor is the LGFB program offered in Spanish.  Visitors can also find information on Look Good…Feel Better for Teens (www.2bme.org) and Look Good…Feel Better for Men (www.lookgoodfeelbetterformen.org).

FightCancer.org - www.fightcancer.org
An online resource for health and wellness, presented with help from the American Cancer Society. Learn how you can reduce your risk for cancer, boost your energy, and simply feel better everyday.

National Cancer Institute - www.cancer.gov, www.cancer.gov/espanol (website in Spanish)
Provides visitors with information on cancer types, treatment, prevention, genetics, causes, screening, testing and clinical trials.  Find and view NCI publications, current NCI research priorities, and learn about funding and grant opportunities.

CancerEducation.com - www.cancereducation.com
Provides the global community of oncology professionals, patients, caregivers, and friends the latest information on cancer types, risk factors, prevention, signs and symptoms, screening, diagnosis, staging, prognosis, treatment options, chemotherapy, side effects, clinical trials, research and supportive resources.

The Southern California Cancer Pain Initiative (SCCPI) - http://sccpi.coh.org
Works with the Northern California Pain Initiative (NCPI) to promote effective pain management throughout California.

The Northern California Pain Initiative (NCPI) - http://home.earthlink.net/~norcalpain
A project of the American Cancer Society, California Division, the NCPI is dedicated to promoting the right of all people to control pain in order to maximize quality of life. Provides education about effective and appropriate pain management, conducts outreach regarding pain-related issues, provides information regarding access to services and influences public policy.

CancerCare – www.cancercare.org
A national nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide free, professional support services to anyone affected by cancer.  Programs include expert-led educational programs on a variety of topics (via teleconference), professional counseling and facilitated support groups (online, via telephone, or face-to-face), resources and strategies for finding help (including a cancer resource online reading room), as well as financial assistance for cancer patients and families in need. Services also available in Spanish.

Medline Plus - www.medlineplus.gov
A service provided by the United States National Library of medicine and the National Institutes of Health.  Provides general information on site/type specific cancers, alternative cancer therapies, radiation and chemotherapy, coping skills and local community resources including health services, libraries, and organizations.  Website includes a Medical Encyclopedia, Medical Dictionary, Medical Directories, and current medical news.

National Comprehensive Cancer Network - www.nccn.org
Provides visitors with detailed cancer treatment guidelines and information by cancer site, as well as supportive care resources and information focusing on palliative care, cancer pain, fatigue, anemia, distress, nausea, clinical trials, etc.  The NCCN and the American Cancer Society (ACS) have partnered to translate the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology into a patient-friendly resource outlining appropriate treatment. This information can be viewed via the website or hardcopies can be ordered through an online catalog.  Materials are also available in Spanish.

OncoLink - www.oncolink.org
Provided by the Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania, and is the Web’s first online cancer resource.  OncoLink provides information by cancer type and treatment.   Services include a cancer clinical trials matching service, Ask the Cancer Expert link, OncoLink Cancer Library, Oncotip of the Day, Nurses Notes, and Cancer Awareness information, news, and resources.  Website is also available in Spanish.

Asian American Network for Cancer Awareness, Research, and Training (AANCART) - www.cancer.org/apicem
Developed by the American Cancer Society and AANCART in support of ACS’s priorities to eliminate disparities in the prevention, detection and treatment of cancer.  Offers health care providers and information seekers the ability to search for Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) cancer patient education materials by specific Asian language, cancer site, and screening topic. 

Network of Ethnic Physician Organizations – www.ethnicphysicians.org
A new coalition of 41 of California's Ethnic Physician Organizations established in June, 2002. Identifies strategies for building the capacity of Ethnic Physician Organizations to reduce health disparities and improve access to health care for their communities through increased collaboration with community organizations and policy advocacy in both the public sector and within organized medicine.  Also addresses diversity and cultural competency in the healthcare workforce.

Official U.S. Government Site for People with Medicare – www.medicare.gov
Developed by the U.S. Government to provide information to those with Medicare.  Find information on Medicare billing, appeals, plan choices, compare Medicare prescription drug plans, etc.  Also access resources reviewing long-term care and preventive services.

Official U.S. Department of Health and Human Services site for People with Health Insurance Assistance Programs – www.cms.hhs.gov
Information regarding Medicare, Medicaid, and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, in addition to other Health Insurance Assisted Programs. 

American Pain Foundation (APF) – www.painfoundation.org
An independent nonprofit organization whose mission is to improve the quality of life of people with pain by raising public awareness, providing practical information, promoting research, and advocating to remove barriers and increase access to effective pain management.

Alliance of State Pain Initiatives (ASPI) – http://aspi.wisc.edu
Network of state-based Pain Initiative organizations that work to remove barriers that impede pain relief through education, advocacy and institutional improvement.

City of Hope Pain/Palliative Care Resource Center (COHPPRC) – http://prc.coh.org
Provides information and resources to assist others in improving the quality of pain management and end of life care.  Materials include pain assessment tools, patient education materials, quality assurance materials, end of life resources, research instruments.

American Chronic Pain Association (ACPA) – www.theacpa.org
Strives to facilitate peer support and education for individuals with chronic pain and their families so that these individuals may live more fully in spite of their pain. Also focuses on raising awareness among the health care community, policy makers, and the public at large about issues of living with chronic pain. 

California Medical Association (CMA) - www.cmanet.org
Promotes the science and art of medicine, care and well-being of patients, protection of public health and the betterment of the medical profession.  Resources include information on attaining medical records, making complaints, medical care for minors, comparing health plans and Advance Health Care Directives.