Topic outline

  • Treating cancer can have high costs. Learn about financial programs that can help you pay for treatment, medicine and other expenses.

    URLs: 7
    • Drug Coverage Programs for Patients with Cancer URL

      Many programs can help pay for drugs. Read this brochure to find the best program for you and how to use it.

      Format: Brochure - Time to Complete: 13 minutes
    • Drug Coverage for Ontario Residents URL

      People who receive a transplant need to plan how to cover the cost of the treatment. This resource explains how to pay for transplant medicine.

      Format: Website - Time to Complete: 5 minutes
    • Drug Coverage for Non-Ontario Residents URL

      People who live outside of Ontario need to arrange how to get medicines. This brochure explains who to contact to arrange for medicines.

      Format: Website - Time to Complete: 1 minutes
    • Learn how to access unfunded cancer drugs at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre URL

      People Information on injectable (given by needle) cancer drugs.

      Format: Website - Time to Complete: 1 minutes
    • Basics of Financial Support  URL

      Some cancer costs are for practical needs. This resource explains how to pay for travel and lodging using financial programs.

      Format: Website - Time to Complete: 11 minutes
    • Financial Programs for Patients with Cancer and Their Caregivers  URL

      Caregivers and people with cancer can get financial support from many programs. This brochure talks about these programs.

      Format: Brochure - Time to Complete: 30 minutes
    • Wellspring’s "Money Matters" Services URL

      This service connects you with case managers who can assess your financial needs. Wellspring can help you find options for financial aid.

      Format: Website - Time to Complete: 5 minutes

  • Advance care involves thinking about future steps and sharing what kind of health care a person wants to receive. This information is useful for all people who are going through treatment at a hospital. This section talks about advance care planning and common questions. You will also learn about legal issues related to care.

    URLs: 3
    • Advance Care Planning in Canada URL

      Planning how we want to receive care during an illness is important. Talking about values and needs with the person with cancer is part of being a caregiver. This brochure can help you plan advance care in Canada.

      Format: Brochure - Time to Complete: 30 minutes
    • Frequently Asked Questions About Advance Care Planning URL

      You may have questions about advance care. Learn what advance care involves, when the planning comes to effect and other answers.

      Format: Brochure - Time to Complete: 6 minutes
    • Substitute Decision Makers and Naming Power of Attorney for Personal Care URL

      People with cancer may need someone to make legal decisions for them. People who go through treatment should have a substitute decision maker even when the prognosis is good. This brochure talks about how to assign a substitute decision maker.

      Format: Brochure - Time to Complete: 13 minutes

  • Some websites can be very helpful to find information. But you should not trust all websites. Learn how to find trusting information about health online. Both resources in this section have the same information. You can choose the format that you like best.

    URLs: 2
    • Using the Internet to Find Information About Your Health  URL

      This resource is a brochure that explains how to find information on the Internet you can trust.

      Format: Brochure - Time to Complete: 8 minutes
    • How to Find Good Quality Health Information on the Internet   URL

      This resource is a video that explains how to spot trusting information.

      Ads (advertisements) may appear before this video plays. Princess Margaret Cancer Centre does not control or endorse the content of these ads.

      Format: Video - Time to Complete: 3 minutes

  • Caregiving can take a lot of time. Caregivers who work may need support at work, and with their caregiver tasks. This section provides information about things you can do at work to reduce stress. Also, you can learn about programs that can support you as a caregiver who works.

    URL: 1SCORM package: 1
    • Caregiving Benefits and Leave: What Caregiving Benefits Offer URL

      In Canada, caregivers can access programs and resources to take some time off work. This resource explains how to take a caregiver leave of absence.

      Format: Website - Time to Complete: 5 minutes
    • How to Speak With Your Employer About Your Needs as a Caregiver SCORM package

      Caregivers who work can ask for support from their employers. This eLearning module explains how to ask for help at work and shares tips to balance work and caregiving.

      Format: eLearning Module - Time to Complete: 20 minutes

  • Smoking can impact cancer treatment results. This section talks about smoking and cancer, cancer cessation programs and what you can do as a caregiver to reduce the effect of smoking in the person with canecr.

    Label: 1SCORM packages: 2URLs: 5

    • Smoking Cessation Series

      These courses were designed to help you and your family quit smoking to improve cancer treatment and recovery.

    • Quit Smoking to Improve Cancer Treatment SCORM package

      Learn how quitting smoking can improve cancer treatment.

      Format: eLearning Module - Time to Complete: 15 minutes
    • Quit Smoking to Improve Recovery after Surgery SCORM package

      Learn how quitting smoking can improve recovery after surgery.

      Format: eLearning Module - Time to Complete: 20 minutes
    • Get the Best from Your Cancer Treatment: Quit Smoking URL

      Patients should quit smoking during treatment. Learn why someone should quit smoking before, or during their cancer treatment.

      Format: Brochure - Time to Complete: 10 minutes
    • About the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre Smoking Cessation Program URL

      The smoking cessation program can support patients stop smoking. Learn what this program is about and how to access it.

      Format: Video - Time to Complete: 3 minutes
    • Help Someone Quit Smoking: One Step at a Time URL

      You can take action to help the person with cancer quit smoking. This resource explains how to talk to others about quitting smoking and how to create a plan to quit.

      Format: Brochure - Time to Complete: 40 minutes
    • Live Free of Second-Hand Smoke URL

      People who are close to smokers are exposed to second and third hand smoke. Learn how being close to smokers can affect a person with cancer, and what you can do to reduce the effect of second and third hand smoking.

      Format: Brochure - Time to Complete: 30 minutes
    • Smoker's Helpline URL

      This service helps any person who wants to quit smoking. This service is not only for people with cancer. You can register here to get help to quit smoking.

      Format: Website - Time to Complete: 3 minutes

  • Some cancer treatments can impact the chance of having children. This section explains fertility options for people with cancer.

    URLs: 4
    • Fertility and Cancer Treatment URL

      Some treatments can affect fertility. This website talks about fertility for people who go through a cancer treatment.

      Format: Website - Time to Complete: 3 minutes
    • Fertility Preservation for Men URL

      Treatment can impact fertility for men. Read this pamphlet to learn more about sperm banking.

      Format: Brochure - Time to Complete: 7 minutes
    • Fertility Preservation for Women URL

      Treatment can affect fertility for women. Read this pamphlet to learn more about egg and embryo freezing.

      Format: Brochure - Time to Complete: 7 minutes
    • "Fertile Future" Fertility Preservation Service URL

      This service can help preserve eggs or sperm before cancer treatment.

      Format: Website - Time to Complete: 3 minutes

  • Alcohol and drugs can have harmful effects on people with cancer. This section explains the harmful effects of alcohol, cannabis and vaping on a person getting cancer treatment.

    URLs: 4
    • Know About Alcohol and cancer Risk  URL

      Alcohol is a cancer-causing agent. This brochure explains how alcohol can increase the risk of cancer. In this brochure you can learn about where to find support to lower the amount of alcohol you or the patient drinks.

      Format: Brochure - Time to Complete: 8 minutes
    • Cannabis and Cancer URL

      This brochure explains what is known about cannabis and cancer. It can help you understand the effects of cannabis on people with cancer who receive cancer treatment.

      Format: Brochure - Time to Complete: 5 minutes
    • Vaping and Your Health  URL

      This brochure explains what vaping is and the effect it can have on the body.

      Format: Brochure - Time to Complete: 5 minutes
    • What to Expect at UHN if You Use Cannabis  URL

      In this resource you can learn about rules for use of cannabis inside UHN hospitals.

      Format: Brochure - Time to Complete: 8 minutes

  • Eating well can be a challenge for a person with cancer. This section explains how you can help a person with cancer eat well. This section has tips to prepare food and recipes for people with cancer.

    URLs: 6
    • Eating Well When You Have Cancer URL

      Eating well is important at each stage of cancer and recovery. Eating well can help people with cancer feel stronger and have more energy. This resource explains how to manage changes in appetite from cancer treatment, how to manage side effects related to eating, and has recipes that are easy to follow.

      Format: Brochure - Time to Complete: 1 hour
    • Nutrition Tips for Caregivers URL

      Cooking healthy meals is important when you are caring for someone with cancer. This video explains how to save time when preparing meals, how to meet different calorie needs, and shows a recipe that is easy to make.

      Format: Website - Time to Complete: 5 minutes
    • Eating Hints: Before, During and After Cancer Treatment  URL

      People with cancer may have eating problems before, during or after cancer treatment. This brochure explains how cancer treatment can cause eating problems, how to manage eating problems, types of foods and snacks to eat, and offers eating tips.

      Format: Brochure - Time to Complete: 1 hour 15 minutes
    • Food Safety Videos  URL

      Food safety is important for people with cancer who have a weakened immune system. These videos offer instructions on how to choose foods in a safe way, how to handle foods safely and how to cook foods safely.

      Format: Video Series - Time to Complete: 3 minutes per video
    • Food Safety Brochure URL

      Food safety When you have cancer, there is a greater chance that a serious illness may develop from eating food that may have bacteria or germs. This pamphlet has information on how to lower your chances of getting food poisoning.

      Format: Brochure - Time to Complete: 13 minutes
    • Low-Iodine Diet URL

      Information about a low-iodine diet for people preparing for radioactive iodine treatment (RAI) or test.

      Format: Brochure - Time to Complete: 6 minutes

  • Some cancer treatments affect the mouth. People with cancer should visit the dentist before they start treatment. This section has resources that talk about dental care and cancer treatments.

    URLs: 5
    • Know About the Dental Oncology and Maxillofacial Prosthetic Clinic URL

      Some treatments can affect the mouth. This brochure explains why dental care is important for people with cancer.

      Format: Brochure - Time to Complete: 5 minutes
    • Why You Should Visit the Dental Oncology Clinic Before Your Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplant URL

      People who get allogeneic stem cell transplants need to visit the dentist before they start treatment. This brochure explains why oral care is important and how to take care of the mouth during a stem cell transplant.

      Format: Brochure - Time to Complete: 14 minutes
    • Why You Should Visit the Dental Oncology Clinic Before Your Autologous Stem Cell Transplant  URL

      People who get autologous stem cell transplants need to visit the dentist before they start treatment. This brochure explains why oral care is important and how to take care of the mouth during a stem cell transplant.

      Format: Brochure - Time to Complete: 10 minutes
    • Why You Should Visit the Dental Oncology Team Before Your Head and Neck Cancer Treatment  URL

      Radiation treatment can cause side effects in the mouth. People who get radiation treatment to the head and neck need to visit the dentist before they start treatment. This brochure explains why oral care is important and how to take care of the mouth before, during and after radiation.

      Format: Brochure - Time to Complete: 8 minutes
    • Understand How Bisphosphonates or Similar Medicines Can Affect Your Dental Care  URL

      Some medicines can affect the mouth. This brochure explains the risks of these medicines and what to do before taking them.

      Format: Brochure - Time to Complete: 5 minutes
  • URLs: 6
    • After Your Biopsy URL

      Instructions for patients going home after a biopsy.

    • What You Need to Know About Your Biopsy URL

      Information on what a biopsy is, how to prepare, what to expect and how to care for yourself when you get home.

    • After Your Biopsy at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre URL

      Information on what a biopsy is and how to care for yourself after your biopsy.

    • After Your Lymph Node Biopsy URL

      Instructions for patients going home from the diagnostic imaging day unit after your lymph node biopsy, including what to do on the day of, caring for the biopsy site, making a follow-up appointment and emergency signs to watch for.

    • CT-Guided Lung Biopsy URL

      Information on why a CT-guided biopsy is done, how to prepare for the test and what to expect.

    • Ultrasound-Guided Soft Tissue Biopsy URL

      Information on what to expect and how to prepare for your ultrasound-guided soft tissue biopsy.