Why isn’t it ok to die?

Posted April 9th, 2018

A few weeks back the US House of Representatives passed a “Right to Try” Law. In all honesty, I don’t completely understand the need for this when compassionate use already exists, but that is a topic for another day. The discussions and news stories I heard surrounding this law got me contemplating, why isn’t it […]

Don’t throw that out! How can we reduce food waste at home?

Posted March 19th, 2018

March is National Nutrition Month, an annual educational campaign by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. This year’s campaign is titled “Go Further with Food.” The campaign brings attention to food waste and how we, as consumers, can reduce our own food waste. I was surprised to read that the USDA estimates 30% of US […]

Go For the Gold!

Posted February 22nd, 2018

Every 2 years, the Olympics cause excitement in my house. The kids actually want to watch the same thing on TV as the adults! We love cheering on these hard working athletes and learning the rules of sports we don’t typically watch. I also love hearing their inspiring stories, the risks they took and the […]

Cancer and Its Effect on Kids

Posted January 18th, 2018

For the first time, January has been recognized as Children Impacted by a Parent’s Cancer Month! There are over 5 million children who have a parent being treated for cancer, have lost a parent to cancer, or have a parent who is a survivor. These kids experience their parent’s cancer in their own unique ways. […]

The Unsung Heroes

Posted November 6th, 2017

If you spend any time talking to someone going through cancer treatment (or treatment for any serious illness really), they will likely comment on the doctors and nurses caring for them and the kindness of friends and family. Some may mention their primary caregiver, but many forget to publically acknowledge these heroes of cancer care. […]

Carolyn Vachani

Now Hiring – Help Manager!

Posted October 17th, 2017

We all know that a new cancer diagnosis is challenging, to say the least. You are filled with anxiety, uncertainty, a sense of urgency and fear. We also realize that the rest of life doesn’t stop- kids still need to get to soccer, dinner still needs to be made, and the list goes on and […]

What is Health Literacy? (And why should I care about it?)

Posted October 6th, 2017

October is Health Literacy Awareness Month! What on earth does that mean? Health literacy is a hot topic in the world of patient education these days. On the outset, you might think this has to do with education level and reading ability. But, not so fast! The US Department of Health and Human Services defines […]

Working with Cancer

Posted September 26th, 2017

I happened to turn on the TV this weekend to see Senator John McCain talking on 60 Minutes about his latest cancer battle (he had been treated for melanoma in 2000). I do love to hear survivor stories – they can be so inspiring and remind me how important the work we do is, supporting […]

Results: Skin cream usage for radiation-related skin reactions study

Posted July 28th, 2017

Maybe you took part in our online survey about using skin creams and lotions or antiperspirants during radiation therapy? If so, we thank you! The survey study was done in conjunction with a simulated test to measure if lotions or antiperspirant had any effect on the dose of radiation received. The results were recently published […]

The Little Care Plan That Could

Posted April 24th, 2017

When OncoLink launched in 1994, it was the first cancer information website on the internet. Twenty-three years later, it remains one of the largest. Housed at Penn Medicine, with a focus on patient and provider education, OncoLink has continued to evolve as cancer treatment has changed over the years. In April of 2007, the group […]