Taking a Summer Break from Cancer
Cancer is rarely convenient and summertime is no exception. The traditional time for relaxation and vacations arrives every year in June, July, and August, but cancer does not pay attention to a calendar. If you are in cancer treatment and wondering about how possible a vacation may be, keep reading for helpful tips and guidelines.
What to Know
A cancer patient may be in a position to have never needed a break or vacation more, but experiencing the least opportune time to do so. Breaks are not impossible, but require careful consideration, planning and flexibility. Treatment schedules are often extended, so if planning a trip around the end of treatment, leave some wiggle room with dates.
The type of cancer treatment being received may also impact vacation plans. For instance, interrupting radiation is not recommended. Being on a clinical trial would make any treatment adjustments difficult. Before committing to any plans, consider timing and setting realistic expectations.
A once in a lifetime mountain climbing trip squeezed in between treatments may not be in the cards, but a relaxing cottage may be perfect. There are benefits to a cancer patient focusing on their mental health and wellbeing and sometimes a few days away that prioritizes those things can benefit treatment.
Who to Tell
As with all things related to cancer, talking to your doctor and treatment team cannot be stressed enough. If a vacation is a priority, an oncologist is the one with the best sense of the treatment plan, potential obstacles, and what the immediate future might look like.
When planning a vacation or getaway while in active treatment for cancer, communication becomes key. Once your treatment team is on board and if more extensive travel is approved, the next step is to contact your insurer.
Insurance companies can help a cancer patient connect with any out-of-town resources that may be covered, if needed. Many insurance providers have a concierage service that can help make connections with healthcare facilities or doctors in other locations. They may also inform you that no such resources exist that would be covered under your policy, which is important information to have.
Finally, be certain to make any necessary arrangements with the airline or hotel for any accommodations that will be needed. Some airlines may require a medical clearance from a physician for travel.
How to Prepare
Any vacations during treatment should be tailored to a cancer patient’s current capabilities and needs. When planning, put a focus on rest, relaxation, good food, and time to socialize or recharge, whatever feels most needed. Spend time focusing on what needs are most important and thinking about your whole self, not just that part that is being treated for cancer.
While doing so, it is also important to remember that no matter where you are, the impact of cancer treatment, including an immune system that may be compromised, will be right there with you. Wash your hands, stay clear of large crowds, and ask for help when and if needed.
What to Take
Traveling with cancer requires some adjustments and extra attention paid to being prepared and equipped with specific things related to cancer and treatment. Here are a few items that will be important to remember:
Bring all medications, including those to treat side effects, along with a few extra
Have a written copy of all medications, diagnosis, and treatment history
Pack medications in your carry-on luggage, if flying
Sunscreen, as cancer treatment creates sun sensitivity
Program all important numbers into your phone, including emergency contact, doctor, and pharmacy
Have a Plan B
If a long and involved trip is not possible this summer, there are alternatives that can be just as enjoyable. Perhaps a shorter trip closer to home is more realistic. Or treating yourself to a staycation with a few nights in a local hotel, meals out, and tourist activities that could provide a similar sense of relaxation that vacations provide without the stress of travel and being away.
There is so much to enjoy and savor in the warmer months that has nothing to do with airplanes or being a long distance from home. Finding ways to relax and recharge locally could provide mini breaks and opportunities to take full advantage of being outdoors and away from treatment settings.
“Breaks and vacations are an important part of a person’s wellbeing, and that includes people with cancer. If it is not feasible for a patient to take a long trip away because of their treatment schedule, I want to work with them to find a solution. That might be adjusting schedules so that a long weekend can be arranged. And if plane travel is too much, finding something closer to home, wherever that may be, is possible,” says Dr. Srilata Gundala, a hematologist/oncologist and founder of Hope & Healing Care Center in Hinsdale, Illinois, “Relaxation is not a place, but a state of mind and it can and should be accessible to any cancer patient.”
Written By: Sheila Quirke, MSW
Reviewed By: Srilata Gundala, MD
