• All About INTRON® A
  • What Is INTRON® A?
  • Why INTRON® A?
  • Getting Started
  • Treatment with INTRON® A
  • Managing Side Effects
• Understanding Your Condition
  • Malignant Melanoma
  • Skin Basics
  • What Is Cancer?
  • Types of Skin Cancer
  • Focus on Melanoma
• Give and Get Support
  • For People Living with Melanoma
  • For People Who Care
• Professional Resources
  • Indications
  • Why INTRON® A
  • Managing Therapy
  • Patient Support
  • Professional Resources
  • Contact Information

Setting Up Your Support Team

Coaches and caregivers make a big difference

Facing cancer and treatment with INTRON® A demands a lot - from you and the people around you. It may help you to line up some special helpers right from the start to create your support team.

You might be a person who doesn't like to ask for help. Remember that people around you often benefit from being helpful. They feel less hopeless and more useful. You'll also feel less alone when you let people lend a hand.

Two types of helpers to think about are coaches and caregivers.

What is a coach?

A coach helps you stick to your treatment routine through thick and thin. Your coach may come with you to learn about giving yourself injections of INTRON® A; he or she might even learn to do the injections for you. Coaches are usually strong, reliable and organized.

What is a caregiver?

There are many different kinds of caregivers. Some will help you with day-to-day needs such as shopping, meals, getting to medical appointments, childcare, paying bills, or household chores.

Some people provide caregiving through emotional and spiritual support. These are the ones who make you feel the most comfortable; who listen well and can help you deal with fear, anger, or sadness. You can even receive this kind of caregiving over the telephone.

Another type of caregiver is the person who organizes the helping process. The organizer can set up a list of daily or weekly needs with you, and then make telephone calls or send e-mails to fill slots on the list. You might want to approach someone from your church, synagogue, mosque, club, union, PTA, or neighborhood to be an organizer.

It's helpful when all the burden of caregiving doesn't fall on one person's shoulders. But remember, even if you don't have a lot of helpful people in your life, there are ways to find care and support. These include support groups for people with cancer, health care professionals, community groups, and faith-based organizations. Read more about where to turn for help.