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The perfect packet: Personal Health Manager
The Personal Health Manager (PHM) is a customized tool that packages American Cancer Society resources and information materials related to a cancer patient’s diagnosis and treatment. In the Great Lakes Division, all of the requests for a PHM are fulfilled through the Patient Resource Center (PRC).

When the PRC receives a request for a Personal Health Manager, a Resource Coordinator will call each and every requestor before sending out the PHM to be certain that it is customized to meet their needs. This can include items for children or caregivers, and listings for resources from the Cancer Resource Connection if needed.

So far this fiscal year, over 900 Personal Health Managers have been sent to newly diagnosed patients in our Division. Bill Collins of Sterling Heights, Michigan was one of the individuals to receive a Health Manager. "When I was diagnosed with cancer, I started researching the different avenues of treatment and the different groups that support you. The American Cancer Society was recommended by a neighbor as being very informative, so I called and actually got in touch with [a Resource Coordinator] and she was quite helpful. She made me feel very comfortable."

The Resource Coordinator talked with Bill and knew that the Personal Health Manager would be of assistance to him in his position. "Her questions qualified me for what I was looking for. You know, you can’t just arbitrarily send information out until you know what the situation is," he said.

Because the information was specific to his cancer, Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, Bill used the Personal Health Manager as his go-to-guide for any cancer related questions he had. It was also a helpful tool he used to explain his cancer to his family. "When you verbalize [cancer], emotion can cause the true explanation of what your situation is to be lost. When it’s in writing, in a simple format like in the health kit, then [your family and caregivers] can understand a little bit better and feel more comfortable."

Bill has copied parts of his Personal Health Manager for others and has told cancer patients to call the Patient Resource Center to attain a packet specific to their diagnosis. "You know, when I received the kit it was very specific [to my] cancer. It was laid out in such a way that I found my questions answered without worrying whether it was good, bad, or indifferent information. [That helps] because there is so much stuff out there that you really get [confused]."

"It’s indexed easily for each specific area that you’re looking to delve into. From financial support, to group support, treatments – the different types – any kind of treatment trials, and things like that...I mean it had anything and everything that a cancer patient like myself would want to find out about. It was a perfect packet," said Bill.

With the direction and assistance of the Resource Center, Bill was able to get his own customized PHM packet that he is still using today.

For more information about the Personal Health Manager or to get access to your own customized kit, call your American Cancer Society toll-free at 1-800-227-2345.

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