For many cancer survivors, diagnosis and treatment aren’t the only hardships. Financial implications of cancer can be devastating. A recent article in Healthzette says a new NPR/Robert Wood Johnson Foundation/Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health poll found that 26% of Americans say healthcare costs have caused serious financial problems for them or their family in the past two years.

Unfortunately, the fiscal burden of cancer is rising. Cancer care costs have gone up two to three times faster than other healthcare expenses in recent years, and approximately one-third of working-age cancer survivors go into debt. This statistic does not even include those who need to take time off from their job or leave the workforce entirely for treatment and/or to manage treatment side effects.

Such money challenges not only wear on the wallet but can also cause stress and strain on an individual’s physiology, which, in turn, can negatively impact one’s immune system.

Learning how to cope with stress and effectively manage your budget can help stave off financial hardship. To start, you can view our Balancing Work & Cancer Webinar recordings on Managing Long-Term Stress and Managing Finances. If your financial resources are stretched to the limit, you may also be interested in ordering our Cancer on a Shoestring Survival Guide, which offers information on how to control your medical costs, find financial assistance for medical care, get free legal advice and more. To download or order, please click here.