Even during major weather events, the American Cancer Society is there to offer patient services and programs.

People in areas affected by storms who need American Cancer Society services should call our National Cancer Information Center at 1-800-227-2345. Cancer information specialists are available to answer calls 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

If you (or a loved one) have cancer and have had to evacuate your home or treatment center, or if your treatment plan has been changed due to a recent natural disaster, you may have trouble getting the cancer care you need. The following questions and answers may help you figure out what to you need to do to get your treatment back on schedule.

Cancer treatment

Q. What do I need to do first?

A: If you are in a temporary shelter and there are health care professionals on site, make sure you see them right away. Let them know that you have been getting cancer treatment and that you need to be put in contact with a doctor or hospital as soon as possible. If you will need a ride to the doctor or hospital, be sure to let them know this, too.

If there are no health care professionals at the temporary shelter or housing, ask the shelter director, landlord, or person you are staying with to help put you in touch with a local hospital, or call the American Cancer Society and we will help you. Our number is 1-800-227-2345. If 1-800 numbers are not working due to phone problems caused by the disaster, look up your local American Cancer Society office number in the phone book.

Q. What should I do if I have an emergency?

A: Get treatment at the nearest emergency room, especially if you have:

• a fever of 101º F or higher taken by mouth, or a temperature of 100.4º F if it lasts an hour or more
• shaking chills or sweats (often goes along with fever)
• redness, swelling, drainage, tenderness, or warmth at the site of an injury, surgical wound, or vascular access device, or anywhere on the skin including the genital and rectal areas
• a new pain or one that is getting worse
• sinus pain or headache
• stiff neck
• sore throat
• shortness of breath or cough
• burning or pain when you urinate, bloody or cloudy urine

Many shelters have nursing staff who can help get you to an emergency room. Once you are at the emergency room, make sure you tell them about your cancer and if you do not have a new doctor yet, ask them for help finding one.

Q: What can I do to keep getting cancer treatment?

A: If you are still in the area where your cancer doctor or treatment facility is located but have stopped treatment due to power outage, loss of transportation, damage to your home, or damage to the doctor's office or treatment center, contact your doctor as soon as you can and find out what you need to do to continue treatment. If you cannot get in touch with your cancer doctor, try your treatment center, local emergency room, or your regular family doctor.

If you have had to leave the area where you were getting treatment, you need to find a new cancer doctor and treatment center as soon as you can. Ask for help from the shelter staff, Red Cross, Salvation Army, or local health department. If all else fails, go to a local hospital information desk and ask for help.

Q: What about my cancer medicines?

A: If you have your medicines with you and know how to take them, keep taking them. If you need medicine, are almost out of medicine, or are unsure how to take it, you will need to talk to a disaster-relief nurse or ask someone at your shelter for help getting in touch with a pharmacy or doctor.

Q: What if I don't know what kind of cancer treatment I was getting or what medicine I was taking?

A: If there is any way you can contact your doctor or treatment center, call them and get your medical records sent to you or to a local cancer doctor as soon as possible. This helps the new doctor know how to go on with your treatment right away and get you any medicines you need.

Sometimes there are other ways to get details about your treatment. If you have health insurance and coverage for your cancer treatment, your insurance company will have records on what services you have had. You can ask that they share this information with you and/or the new doctor.

Q: What if I can't get my medical records or get in touch with my doctor?

A: Write down anything you can remember about your treatment so that you will have this information to share with the new doctor. Include things like:

• type of cancer and stage of cancer if you know it
• type of treatment like chemotherapy, radiation, or surgery
• date of last treatment
• name of your doctor and treatment center
• any medicine you are taking, include cancer medicines and other medicines. If you don't know names, describe it by color; size; shape; shot, pill or in a bag; how often you take it; etc.
• other illnesses or health problems you may have

Q. What if I am taking pain medicine or medicine for depression?

A: Some pain and depression medicines can cause problems if you stop taking them all at once. When you contact your doctor, a new doctor, or a pharmacy about getting your cancer medicines, be sure to ask about your pain and/or depression medicines, too. Be ready to tell them if you are still taking them, have cut down on how much you are taking, or have run out of pain and/or depression medicine. If you have run out, tell them how long you have been without the medicines. It is also a good idea to tell the nurse at the shelter, a shelter worker, or a family member or friend that you take these medicines -- just in case you have any problems.

Q. When will I be able to go back to my doctor and treatment center?

A: If you plan to go back to your previous doctor or treatment center, let the new doctor know that, when possible, you want to go home for further treatment. As cancer treatment centers are reopened, the new doctor will let you know when he/she is aware of those openings that affect you. Make sure to ask for a copy of your medical records when going back to another treatment center. Also, contact your health insurance company to make sure proper steps are taken to ensure you the best care.

Living conditions and hygiene

Because you have cancer and may be taking medicines to treat it, you have to be careful to protect yourself from disease and infections. Some kinds of cancer and some treatments for cancer can weaken your immune system and make it very easy for you to get infections. Other people with cancer may not have this problem. Until you hear otherwise from your doctors, it's a good idea to be as careful as possible. The following questions look at things you can do to be safe in a shelter or temporary housing.

Q: Should I get immunizations or vaccines that are offered to displaced citizens?

A: If you are in an area where safe water and food may be a problem or injury is a risk due to the natural disaster, you may be asked to take shots for Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, and Tetanus. While these vaccines are safe and may be necessary, you want to make sure the person giving the shots knows you have cancer. If at all possible, talk to your doctor or a local doctor before you get any shots.

It is very important that you do not let anyone give you a "live" vaccine unless a cancer doctor who knows your medical case says it's OK. Some vaccines that have live virus in them can cause serious problems for you. Also, try to avoid close contact with other people who have gotten live virus vaccines.

Q. What can I do to protect myself from infection and germs?

A: The best way to protect yourself is to do these things:

• Wash your hands with soap and water as often as possible. A good rule of thumb is to wash as long as it takes you to sing "Happy Birthday to You."

• If you can't get soap and water, ask for alcohol hand sanitizers and be sure to follow directions on the product.

• If there is no safe water or you are unsure if the water is safe, drink only bottled water or boil water for one full minute. Allow it to cool before drinking.

• Some foods can contain germs that may be harmful to you. Make sure all meats are thoroughly cooked and all fruits and vegetables are thoroughly washed in safe water. Don't eat cooked foods that have been left at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Be sure to ask your new doctor if there are foods you should avoid until you can get into permanent housing.

• Keep any cuts or wounds clean and covered with bandages UNLESS your doctor tells you otherwise. If you have antibiotic cream, like Neosporin^®, use it daily.

• Bathe or shower as often as you can and use clean towels if at all possible.

• Don't share toothbrushes or unwashed eating utensils with others.

Q. Should I ask to be separated from others in the shelter or home? Should I ask to go to a "special needs" shelter?

A: You probably lived around other people before the disaster and it is still safe to live around others as long as you avoid germs and stay away from people who are sick.

You may find more medical care is available in special needs shelters, but don't worry if you can't get into one -- just make sure to take good care of yourself and follow any instructions the doctor gives you.

Other information to help you through this time

Q. What should I do if I have private health insurance?

A: Be sure to contact your health insurance company as soon as you can, and let them know where you are staying. Ask if there are cancer doctors and hospitals nearby who are in your plan, or whether they want you to go to outside your network area. Because of the disaster, your insurance company may offer special services to help evacuees. Be sure to take proof of insurance with you to any doctor or treatment appointments. If you have lost or do not have your insurance cards, ask your insurance company to mail you information at a local address, or they may send it to the new doctor's office.

Q. What should I do if I have Medicare, Medicaid, or children on the state Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP)?

A: Contact the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the national organization that oversees these 3 programs to see if they have made special plans to help disaster evacuees. The number is 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).

For cancer information and resources 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, contact the American Cancer Society at 1-800-227-2345 or visit us at cancer.org.

Q. How can the Red Cross or FEMA help me?

A: The American Red Cross provides shelter, food, and emotional support for those affected by natural disasters. Contact the Red Cross at www.redcross.org or by calling 1-800-REDCROSS (1-800-733-2767).

If your losses occurred in an area covered by a disaster declaration, you may qualify for federal relief funds through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Go to www.fema.gov/assistance, call 1-800-621-FEMA (1-800-621-3362), or TTY users can dial 1-800-462-7585 to find out whether you are eligible.

Last Medical Review: 08/17/2009
Last Revised: 08/17/2009