Who's Who On Your Health Team

AND WHY THERE ARE SO MANY MOVING PARTS!

When your diagnosis is advanced prostate cancer, you’ll soon have a powerful force built around you in the form of a healthcare team. You may already have a variety of medical pros and specialists working together to bolster care for you and your family. Good news: From oncologists to nutritionists, you’ll have a whole army of experts joining you in this fight. Your crucial role? To speak up whenever you have questions, and persist in your quest for answers.

AN MVP OF YOUR HEALTHCARE TEAM

"Bill was sheepish at first," says Joanne, who was his oncology nurse. Bill had been healthy as an ox. The 55-year-old father of 3 served honorably in the military. He was a pillar of the community.

"He’d proudly rattle on about his experience in the military and knew every facet of his kids' lives," says Joanne, "but facing an advanced prostate cancer diagnosis, Bill and his wife were lost.

"First things first, Joanne connected with Bill the person, not just Bill the patient she'd care for. Once they had a rapport going, Joanne got real, saying:

Joanne saw fear melt away, the message sink in. "After two weeks, Bill came back a fighter. He was ready to tackle his new job, of fighting advanced prostate cancer in partnership with his healthcare team," she says.

BEYOND BEING YOUR TEAM'S EYES AND EARS, HERE ARE MORE KEY ROLES ONCOLOGY NURSES (ONs) PLAY:

THE GLUE: You'll have up to 9 (or more!) pros on your healthcare team. ONs play a vital role in coordinating all the moving people and parts of your treatment.

TRUTH DETECTOR: ONs have the unique vantage point of being on the “front lines” of patient treatment, as they get to spend a lot of time with the patients and get to know them well. Treatments wiping you out? Side effects taking a toll? ONs often know, even if you don't say. "Men tend to sweep symptoms under the rug. We know. And get to the truth anyway."

MASTER EXPLAINER: Your ON knows your full treatment plan and can walk you through, step by step.

CONSTANT COMPANION: Whomever you're visiting at the clinic, your ON is likely to pop by to see you. "Men may not be as open as women, but their anxieties, fears, frustrations…their needs are the same." Your ON is with you on this journey, the friendly face you can count on.