You don’t have to be a doctor or a scientist to help someone with cancer. There are other ways you can be of service. Whether it’s training to be a nurse, enrolling in an alternative medicine course, starting a nonprofit, or simply assisting with daily tasks, your help is fully appreciated. Here are some ways you can help people with cancer.
Oncology Nursing
If you prefer to be in the thick of it and on the frontline, becoming an oncology nurse undoubtedly fulfills that need. These healthcare professionals are specially trained to administer chemotherapy and radiation treatments. An oncology nurse is also responsible for monitoring their patients’ vital signs and overall well-being.
You first need to complete an entry-level nursing program, after which you must qualify as a registered nurse by studying for a nursing degree over two years. Finally, you take the RN licensing exam after you have graduated.
After passing the exam, you can start applying for your first nursing role. To then advance into oncology, you typically choose a patient population as your focus and select oncology as a subspecialty. You can find nursing jobs by searching online.
Practitioner of Alternative Medicine
Alternative treatment methods, such as acupuncture, homeopathy, and massage, may help the person you’re caring for cope with the symptoms caused by cancer.
- Acupuncture. This practice is clinically proven to reduce the side effects associated with cancer therapy, such as pain, vomiting, nausea, dysphagia, and fatigue.
- Homeopathy. Homeopathy may help manage the side effects caused by therapeutic practices, such as chemotherapy and radiation, and Omnia Health notes that it may help treat various types of cancer, such as uterine, stomach, and pancreatic cancers.
- Massage. Many cancer centers offer massage therapy as a complementary treatment. The American Massage Therapy Association points out that the manipulation of the muscles during a massage may help with pain, cancer-related fatigue, and quality of life.
Helping With Daily Tasks
You don’t have to spend two years training as a nurse or enroll in college to help someone with cancer. Simply helping them with daily tasks can be just as rewarding and is a welcome helping hand for someone struggling to cope. Handling trips to the grocery store, babysitting, doing the laundry, and picking up kids from school are a great help to those needing some respite during recovery.
Starting a Nonprofit
If you’re considering starting a nonprofit cancer corporation, you first need to create bylaws detailing how you intend to operate. Bylaws specify the corporation’s governance procedures, frequency of board meetings, and how voting works. One significant benefit of starting such a corporation is that it makes it easier to apply for grants and public funding.
A Fantastic Service
Whether you spend several years training to become an oncology nurse, enroll in a college course to learn alternative medicine, start a nonprofit, or take a stroll down to the grocery store to pick up a carton of milk, you’re providing a fantastic service to those with cancer.
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