Coronavirus and Cancer Patients: Protecting the Vulnerable in Our Community

Those who are healthy can take part in helping protect those who are most vulnerable

FARGO, N.D. — According to the American Cancer Society, this year alone more than 4,000 North Dakotans are expected to get a diagnosis no one wishes for.

“We know that when folks are going through a cancer diagnosis, sometimes it can already be very lonely and isolating, and sort of all-consuming in a normal world, and so to have a pandemic happening in the midst of a cancer diagnosis or to be diagnosed right now is just very difficult,” says American Cancer Society Health Systems Manager Shannon Bacon.

The difficulties of the pandemic are even more challenging for those already grappling with a serious illness.

“During the cancer diagnosis, often times, people are immunocompromised either because of the cancer or because the treatment that they’re going through, and so the vulnerability they have during a pandemic is very concerning,” says Bacon.

Those at the American Cancer Society say they’re continuing to offer services like their 24-hour helpline, virtual support groups and lodging programs.

“What we keep saying is that cancer hasn’t stopped, and so neither are we, so our mission continues.”

Their mission is to save lives, celebrate lives, and lead the fight for a world without cancer.

But they can’t do it alone.

They say it’s everybody’s role to help protect those with serious illnesses and help flatten the curve.

“People who are healthy are choosing to stay home right now, and that’s one of the most important thing we can do right now to support cancer patients, is for healthy people in our community to stay home, to slow the spread, so that we are making sure that those that have the highest risk are protected as much as possible,” says Bacon.

The American Cancer Society is hosting a virtual event celebrating cancer survivors and caregivers on April 25th.

Find more information about the Relay For Life event at: www.relayforlife.org/RelayUSA.

Call the Cancer Information Helpline at 1-800-227-2345.

You can also live chat with a specialist at www.cancer.org.