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Taking Charge

The responses women have when diagnosed with cancer are as individual as the women themselves. But in the words of one newly diagnosed vice president, "If you're a businesswoman, you get organized." Take the time you need to grieve and absorb your diagnosis. Then turn yourself into an educated consumer.

BEYOND YOUR DOCTOR: WHO'S WHO ON YOUR CANCER CARE TEAM
The physical and emotional effects of cancer can be significant. The good news is that help is available from the different people who make up your health care team...

CREATING AN ACTION PLAN
Having a plan can help restore your sense of control and leave you with more energy to cope with the rest of the process. But keep it flexible, because things will change. Start by make a list of everything you need to do -- breaking it up into small parts can make things less daunting -- and then ...

DOING ONLINE RESEARCH
A diagnosis of cancer brings with it a million questions, and the first and most important source of information is your treatment team. Whatever your questions or concerns, you should never hesitate to share them with your physician. That said, doing research on your own can make the dialogue with ...

GETTING ORGANIZED
It is important to tackle the "cancer" part of your plan before you confront the "career" part. Develop a treatment strategy first...

READING YOUR PATHOLOGY REPORT
"A cancer pathology report is a kind of snapshot of the disease," says Charles Balch, M.D., professor of surgery at the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions. While understanding that captured moment can help you cope with your disease, the language and format can be daunting, especially in the ...

UNDERSTANDING YOUR DIAGNOSIS
Learning you have cancer is a little like being dropped into a strange country where you don't speak the language. You may not even know what "biopsy" means when you're first diagnosed, but within a few weeks, you'll be speaking medicalese like a native. Having a clear understanding of your ...