In television and movies, some of the earliest depictions of battling cancer were the physical side effects – like nausea and hair loss after a chemotherapy treatment. While those are the effects that you can see, the ones you can’t – like anxiety, depression and grief – are equally important. Therefore, the best cancer treatment facilities will focus on healing patients emotionally, as well as fighting the disease.

“At Adventist Midwest Health, we focus on treating patients in mind, body and spirit,” says Donald Sweet, MD, medical director with the Adventist Hinsdale Hospital Opler Cancer Center. “Having a cancer team that recognizes and deals with your feelings is critical.” Dr. Sweet offers his advice on what else to look for:

A multidisciplinary team
From prevention and early detection to treatment and rehabilitation, comprehensive care should have a team approach. The cancer care team at Adventist Midwest Health consists of specialists in many different disciplines, including oncology, radiology, surgery and pathology, in addition to technicians and social workers. Oncology-certified nurses play an integral part of the care team by coordinating patient care, explaining upcoming procedures and answering questions. “No one physician has all the tools at his or her fingertips to treat cancer,” Dr. Sweet says. “Working as a team puts a range of knowledge and expertise into a treatment plan, allowing for more successful results.” In fact, the cancer care team conducts weekly meetings to discuss each patient’s case, which allows for multiple opinions on the diagnosis and course of treatment.

Quality care close to home
Adventist Hinsdale Hospital and Adventist La Grange Memorial Hospital are recognized by the Commission on Cancer as having “approved comprehensive community cancer programs.” Patients have access to ongoing clinical trials, cutting-edge treatment options, the newest services and equipment, a cancer registry to coordinate care and lifelong follow-up. “Patients get first-class care in their own communities,” Dr. Sweet says.

Support
Support is often as important as treatment to heal patients emotionally. “Many people who find out they have cancer are angry, terrified or in denial,” Dr. Sweet says. “We have a social worker available for patients on their first visit.”

Although Dr. Sweet says the latest technology and treatments play a major role in cancer care – it’s not the only role. He recently had a patient who found out she had colorectal cancer. “All she could do was cry. She couldn’t even talk,” he says. “That day we didn’t deal with her cancer, but rather focused on her feelings.” Through this meeting, Dr. Sweet found out she was depressed and prescribed her the appropriate medication. “The next time I saw her, she was a new woman and she was able to face her cancer head on,” he says.

Adventist Hinsdale Hospital also connects cancer patients and their families with resources at The Wellness House in Hinsdale. They offer patients psychological support, support groups, education programs, nutritional classes, bereavement counseling and programs for family members with loved ones fighting the disease.

Personalized care
At Adventist Midwest Health, patients can expect care that is personalized – and personal. “It’s impossible to do what we do without getting attached,” Dr. Sweet says. “We deal with people’s feelings 90 percent of the time. Science is the easy part.”

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