Posts by SudiptaRay:

    Financial Planning for Fighting Cancer

    September 8th, 2023

    Cancer is a reality that we all are aware of. It is a disease that can happen to anyone no matter what the age of the person is. In this article we will discuss how we can deal with this disease financially. Cancer today can be cured and that is something we all know. Yet the treatment of cancer is an expensive one and the process is really long.

    It can take years for cancer to get cured and the worst part is that it can come back. When a person goes through the treatment of cancer the physical pain is fine but what matters more is the mental pain of the patient. The pain can become even more if the person is not financially prepared for it. We will try to discuss what we can do in order to ensure that we have enough funds to deal with the treatment of cancer. Especially in countries where people suffering from cancer are huge there is a strong need for a financial planner who can help the patients and families. It has been noted that in some cases more than one family member can also develop the disease and this can be an even more terrible crisis to face.

    The Crisis

    Many financial institutes have seen that families dealing with cancer can go through severe financial crisis. As a result they have come up with funds to deal with this disease in an effective manner. For example if a child in the family develops cancer then either one of the parents has to leave their jobs and take care of the child. This can suddenly become a problem as the money is less and the expenses are huge.

    Not only kid’s even old people find it a challenge to pay for the expenses of cancer treatment. It is true that medical insurance can cover the treatment but to what extent. Moreover, medical insurance pay only for the hospitalization and nothing else. The costs of medicines in cancer treatment itself are huge and that is not covered by insurance. The hospitals and medical institutes realised that the costs of treating cancer is so huge that many people stop the treatment mid-way as they cannot afford the expenses. This leads to more and more suffering as a result the ideas of financial planners for cancer started to develop.

    Financial Planning and Management

    The main aim of financial planning for fighting cancer is to understand how the expenses can be managed in such a way that the financial crisis can be controlled. Managing expenses and reducing debts is the key to financial planning for fighting cancer. There are pro bono financial planners that can help the family members of the cancer patients to deal with this situation. The financial planners regularly meet these family members and try to understand the real cause for the financial problems.

    The aim of the financial planners is to see that the family members can deal with this difficult financial situation. The families find it tough to find a balance between money and their loved ones. What should they do? Should they pay attention to the well-being of the loved ones or think about the money. Actually they have to do both and finding this exact balance is the challenge.

    The plan is always a long term one. It is aimed at looking at how a family can get over the financial crisis over a long period of time. Each family is treated as a separate entity as no two families are the same. The budget needs to be leveraged and balance sheets too. The expenses of cancer are huge and as a result they can only be overcome with time. Long term disability insurance is a good option to deal with the expenses that fall upon the families suffering from cancer. The financial planners are certified for the job and they know well what they need to do. They help the families understand that the situation is actually not as bad as they think it to be and as a result they can help the shattered families to sail through this.

    When a family suddenly comes across a disease like cancer they just feel so lost and do not know what they would be doing next. How to deal with this crisis and they start losing all hope and get into depression. A qualified and experience financial planner can really help a family in distress. Many courses are available online and any one working in the field of financial planning can actually take up these courses and try to specialize in this field. Many cancer hospitals are also looking for professionals who can help families to handle the expenses of cancer better. Perhaps in the near future it will be mandatory for all families dealing with cancer to get a financial planner to help them deal with the situation.

    The Pro Bono

    One prominent foundation for financial planning in cancer is Pro Bono for Cancer Campaign. They are also called FPP. They basically work with strategic grants to ensure that they can grow very strong and effective program models to help patients suffering from cancer. FPP is funding many such programs across the country to ensure that the families get a better awareness on how they can deal with the expenses of cancer in a better way. They also try to get grants from non-profit organizations so that they can help people to fight with cancer better and in an effective manner.

    CENTS

    They are trying to reach the families dealing with cancer through a program called the family reach. They have also come up with a program called the CENTS (consumer education and training services). Using this program they can reach cancer patients who are keen on getting individual financial consultation and planning. With the help of CENTS the patients can also approach the bankruptcy attorneys. They can reach out to patient advocates who can help with health insurance and pharmacy assistance too.

    It is true that if there is a family history of cancer then there is a possibility that you might develop the disease sooner or later. It is true that people who have cancer in the family must prepare more for a fund to deal with this disease. In today’s world cancer can happen to anyone so it is always better to be safe than sorry. A family can meet the financial planners and try to work out on a plan just as a precautionary measure too. Many families have gained a lot from the same and will continue to do so in the future.

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    How does Arsenic get into my body? Part – I

    February 18th, 2015

    It is a well known fact that Arsenic is toxic. Arsenic contamination of groundwater is a common problem affecting millions of people around the world. The article starts with a brief overview about arsenic and moves on to discuss how it seeps into groundwater and its harmful effects. Read the rest of this entry “

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    Kidney Cancer Symptoms

    July 17th, 2014

    Cancer is a disease that can happen in any part of the body. We have already discussed that cancer may also develop in the kidneys. Early cancer in the kidneys may not exhibit any signs or symptoms. In this article we discuss the symptoms associated with kidney cancer. It is important to remember that similar symptoms may also be caused by benign conditions but it is always better to rule out cancer.

    Read the rest of this entry “

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    Weight, Obesity and Cancer

    June 3rd, 2014

    We have discussed time and again that weight; obesity and Cancer are all interrelated. In this article we will discuss in more details how. When a person gets obese there are lot health complications that can happen. Obesity can be dangerous to both men and women.

    Types of Cancer and Obesity

    When a woman gets obese she is at increased risk to develop cancer in her breast (this happens mostly after menopause). Some women also can develop cancer in colon and rectum. Cancer in uterus can also be associated with obesity in women. When women become obese they also get cancer in kidney, pancreases and Esophagus. Some women may get ovary and cervix cancer as they are obese. It is not that only women stand the risk of getting cancer due to obesity even men has an equal chance of getting cancer due to obesity. Men who are obese tend to be so for all their lives. Women on the other hand mostly become more obese post menopause which can be a great problem.

    Menopause and Cancer

    Women mostly tend to put on more weight after menopause. This is the time that they also develop the chance of cancer. We recommend all women that they should be extra careful of their diet and exercise as they are nearing menopause. This can ensure that they have a healthy life and they stay away from all cancers that can be caused by obesity. We are not saying that you should become lean. All that you must do is maintain a good health and a normal BMI.

    The Other Extreme: Size Zero

    If you are too thin that too can lead to many other complications. Apart from maintaining a good BMI you must also ensure that you lose weight slowly. If you are too fast with your weight loss then too you may complicate your health. If you have put on a lot of weight after menopause then you must ensure that you meet a good doctor and dietician. When you get the proper guidance you will be able to deal with the obesity issue better. Gradual weight loss is definitely recommended. Crash dieting is also not recommended. You must eat healthy and smart.

    Why Obesity is Risky?

    Some cancer is associated with obesity simply because they cause the immune system to become weak. When the immune system becomes weak you tend to become more prone to catch cancer. With obesity there are certain hormones in the body that increases. These are insulin in both men and women and estrogen in women. These hormones can cause all the various types of cancer that we have discussed above. Insulin can help the cells to glow this is exactly why the chances of developing cancer increases. Obesity can also increase the protein in the body.

    These proteins increase the functionality and production of some hormones that lead to cancer in the body. Weight, obesity and Cancer do go hand in hand. Not only cancer obesity can also cause many other diseases. Obesity if genetic then there is not much that can be done. Yet if the person is very determined he or she can ensure that they do not get obese. Obesity can also be caused by lifestyle. Some people eat a lot and eat a lot of junk and oily food. This can be controlled. Exercise, meditation and Yoga can all be used in order to ensure that a person can fight obesity better.

    When you become obese you must try all the means to control this from becoming a bigger issue. When you can control your weight you will feel healthier. It is not that you cannot fight obesity all that you need is the determination to do so. Many people across the world have fought obesity successfully. Just love yourself and the people who matter to you and you will be able to achieve the BMI. Obesity is also caused by drinking.

    People who are involved in drinking stand a high chance of becoming obese. Try to reduce or completely leave alcohol at the earliest. If you have been obese for a major part of your life then you must contact your doctor and do at least two cancer screenings in a year. This will ensure that if you are getting cancer it can be detected and treated on time. There is not denial of the fact that there is a direct relationship between cancer and weight. Some steps that we have mentioned above will ensure that you lead a healthy and a happy life that is free from weight, obesity and Cancer.

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    Oral Cancer: Overview

    May 9th, 2014

    Oral Cancer as the name suggests is the cancer of the mouth. This particular type of cancer can develop in any part of the mouth namely – the tongue, under the tongue, gums, palate, skin lining of the mouth or the lips. Most of the oral cancers start from the tongue and the palate. Each year several thousand patients are detected with oral cancer all over the world, hence it is important to  go to a dentist regularly and that would also ensure that any such symptoms get noticed immediately at the beginning stages itself.

    download (1)Cancer cells may spread from the original site to the other parts like the neck and the lungs. If the new tumor has the same cells as the original it is considered oral cancer and not lung cancer. New tumor is termed as distant or metastatic cancer.

    As we have already discussed cancer is growth of abnormal cells. While in some cases it may not be clear why cancer may develop there are certain factors that may lead to development of cancerous growth in the mouth.

    Some of the things which should get you worried are as follows

    • images (2)Have you developed patches inside your mouth, normally red or white coloured ones?
    • Have your teeth suddenly become loose while they were healthy earlier?
    • Is there any sore inside the mouth which may or may not be bleeding?
    • Have you suddenly started to experience any difficulty in eating or swallowing food or liquids?
    • Have you been experience constant pain in your ears?
    • Have your dentures become out of size suddenly?

    If you have any of the above symptoms, please visit a dentist as soon as possible. Of course you can also go to any other physician like an ENT specialist as well. The main purpose is to get it checked as soon as possible.

    Reasons for oral cancer

    Of course ideally the reasons for oral cancer should be taken note of from the very beginning so that one can avoid those reasons and avoid any possibility of developing such a condition. Some of the major reasons for oral cancer include

    • Tobacco consumption in any form is the gravest reason for oral cancer. It could be in the form of cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco etc etc
    • After that comes the dragon of alcohol, which as usual is the reason for many ills.
    • Lack of proper diet have sufficient amount of fruits, vegetables could be cause as well
    • Age, which is a natural factor and cannot be controlled but as age progresses one should be more careful about above factors
    • Some people might get over exposed to UV rays either due to their nature of work or simply for cosmetic reasons like tanning and this could also lead to oral cancer apart from other types such as skin cancer and so forth

    Cure of Oral Cancer

    There is nothing like prevention but in case a person has not been lucky enough, there is no need to worry for cure is duly available for the same. Treatment is carried out from case to case basis and no general statements can be made. It is important to start treatment with a good doctor and a good hospital. It is equally important that treatment be started as early as possible.

    So take care to avoid all the reasons listed above and being a dentist my first and foremost advice would be – just visit anyone of our community at least once or twice a year even if everything seems normal

    Keep Smiling

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