Pass It On

LELA

When she was 16, Lela was diagnosed with Stage 2 Hodgkin's disease. As no children's hospital existed in Lela's semi-rural Ohio town, she received treatment at an adult oncology clinic for one year.

“When I went off to college a year later, I took my treatment history with me and shared it with the staff at the college health service,” Lela said. “The staff learned some of the signs to watch for. They made sure I always got a flu shot, and were more careful than usual if I got a fever or swollen glands."

After college, Lela brought her medical records to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital's Five Plus Clinic. "The nurses and doctors there educated me about the risks and late effects of my cancer and treatment. For example, I have a higher-that-average risk of getting breast cancer before age 30. They checked my heart and lungs and explained why it is so important that I quit smoking. And they gave me a clear and complete treatment summary, which I have since shared with the student health service at my law school in Boston.

“Being informed can be a little scary at first,” Lela said, “but then it empowers you to take charge."

Pass Your Records On

As a young adult cancer survivor, you want to think of your cancer treatment as ancient history and move on to living. That's understandable. But where you’ve been is an important part of where you are going. You need to have copies of all your cancer treatment records (see Get Your Records) so you can share them with your health care providers now and in the future. Doing this will enable your providers to give you the best possible care.

It's also a good idea to keep the basic facts about your treatment with you at all times as a handy reference. See the wallet-sized treatment summary form provided by SURVIVOR ALERT.

Think of your treatment records and summary as works in progress — update them as your follow-up care progresses.

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