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Notes from our ACS patient navigator: Screening and prevention — how can the American Cancer Society support you?

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Author Swedish Blogger

notes_from_our_acs_patient_navigator
Carisa Almquist, American Cancer Society patient navigator at Swedish.

Almost every person has been touched by cancer, either personally or through someone else, so cancer prevention may be something you are curious to learn more about. At this point, you may be wondering how to find support and information on how to prevent cancer and reduce your risk, as well as where you can get reliable and up-to-date facts.


In addition to supporting people through treatment and survivorship, the American Cancer Society (ACS) provides free information on how to reduce your risk of cancer by making healthy choices. On the ACS webpage for how to “Stay Healthy” (find it at: Cancer.org/healthy) you can learn more about the following topics:

  • Stay away from tobacco – information on how to quit, the relationship between tobacco and cancer, and keeping your kids tobacco free
  • Be safe in the sun – tips to protect yourself and your family, and learn about the damaging effects of too much sun
  • Eat healthy and get active – guidance and tips on how to choose healthier options, using nutrition and physical activity to prevent cancer, and practical tools including recipes
  • Cancer screening guidelines – learn about the screening tests used to look for cancer, and see when ACS recommends using these tests
  • Tests to find and diagnose cancer – learn about the types of tests used to find and diagnose cancer
  • Other factors – learn about the impact of factors such as the environment and genetics on cancer risk

In addition to these online resources, the American Cancer Society is partnered with the Swedish Cancer Institute and offers an innovative patient-assistance program called the ACS patient navigator. Carisa Almquist (pictured) is your ACS patient navigator and she can help connect you with more information on prevention, treatment and survivorship. You'll find Carisa’s contact information on this page. You can also get information and support from the American Cancer Society 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-227-2345.

Be sure to check out “Part 2” of this series: “Diagnosis and Treatment – How can the American Cancer Society support you?” in the next issue of Life to the Fullest.

This article is from the Spring/Summer 2017 issue of Life to the Fullest, the newsletter from the Swedish Cancer Institute (SCI) dedicated to those with cancer, cancer survivors, and their family members and caregivers.