How We Can Help

Are you experiencing pain, fatigue, or having difficulty completing daily tasks? Having difficulty speaking or swallowing? Are you experiencing other challenges that might be affecting your quality of life?

Without the right support, cancer-related problems can extend beyond initial care — occasionally from the disease itself, but more commonly from the side effects of surgery, chemotherapy or radiation. We understand the challenges you are facing and we’re here for you.

The MedStar Cancer Rehabilitation Services team is passionate about helping you address these challenges, enabling you to positively impact your quality of life before, during, and after your cancer treatments.

The involvement of rehabilitation will maximize the cancer survivor’s ability to gain endurance and mobility, and improve activities of daily living. In addition, highly skilled Rehabilitation specialists empower the cancer survivor to gain independence and maximize the quality of his or her life.

Do you need cancer rehabilitation services?

Below are just a few of the many conditions/side effects that our therapists and physicians can help you conquer to get you back to feeling like yourself again.

• Fatigue
• Difficulty swallowing foods or speaking
• Trouble with balance or walking
• Interrupted sleep
• Reduced mental sharpness or ability to concentrate
• Pain, tingling or numbness
• Difficulty with mobility or completing daily activities

Services Offered

• Adaptive Equipment Recommendations
• Balance Training
• Cancer Related Fatigue Management
• Chemo Brain Management
• Communication Enhancement Strategies
• Coping Skills and Stress Management
• Daily Living Management
• Energy Conservation
• Gait Training
• Neuropathy Management
• Pain Management
• Swallowing Management
• Therapeutic Exercise and Strengthening

We provide a variety of cancer rehabilitation services to all patients with all types of cancer. Learn more about cancer rehabilitation treatments. 

You Have Questions, We Have Answers

Dealing with cancer is a challenging experience for patients and their families. We are here to help you minimize the side effects of cancer and cancer treatments, helping you return to the activities you enjoy.

#1

QUESTION

• From Susan, Ben's daughter: My dad has cancer. He is really struggling to get through his days and seems to get down more often than we' like to see. The chemotherapy is taking its toll. His energy level, mood, even how he relates to us seems to be affected at times. We know the MedStar Cancer Program has the best cancer rehabilitation component of any health care provider in our region. How can the MedStar Cancer Rehabilitation services help my dad?

ANSWER:

• No question about it, Susan, cancer and many of the treatments used to help your dad beat cancer do take their toll on a person. More...

#2 

QUESTION

• Rick regarding his wife Mary: My wife recently had a mastectomy with reconstruction immediately following. She remains very hesitant to use her arm due to pain, has some mild swelling still and insists that it will get better on its own. Is there something that the MedStar Cancer Rehabilitation Services team can do to help her improve the use of her arm, and address this swelling, or does it just get better on its own?

ANSWER

• This is a question that we hear often, where people just don’t know what the options are for post surgical rehabilitation. More...

#3

QUESTION

• This question is from Sheryl regarding her sister Tonya who has lung cancer:
  I am hoping you can help. My sister is being treated for lung cancer. She is a single mother and has 2 young children. Tonya sleeps a lot during the day, feels weak and tired and has difficulty breathing during activities around the house. She is taking chemotherapy which drains her after the treatment. My sister has always been a very active person who loves being outdoors playing with her children, going to the movies and shopping at the mall. Now she sits around the house and is tired all the time. Caring for her children is becoming more and more challenging for her. I came over to take her to the lunch and she is too fatigue to even leave the house. I want to know what can be done to help Tonya return to playing with the children and being less tired during the day.

ANSWER:

• Sheryl, you asked a great question. Tonya has been through a lot with her lung cancer diagnosis and MedStar Cancer Rehabilitation Program can help her with the recovery process and provide education information for how you can help her at home. More...

#4

QUESTION:

• I have been having trouble with balance since my chemotherapy. I have not fallen, but I am afraid that I will. Is that normal?

ANSWER:

• Chemotherapy can affect your nerves causing problems with balance, in addition to other symptoms like tingling, numbness, or weakness. More...