As the child has to deal with the effects of the cancer, physically, emotionally, and socially, their parents have to deal with their child 's diagnosis of cancer emotionally, socially and financially. Any type of medical process is stressful, worrisome, and cost a lot of money. Being a parent is a stressful job, most often including, cooking for the family, taking care of a house or apartment, taking care of a car, caring for a child, working, and trying to maintain a social life with friends. When you add on the role of caretaker of a child with cancer, this causes much more stress. Often times, parents who were both working have to decide which spouse will quit their job to be the child. This lack of an income plus increasing medical bills
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Four major themes emerged from this qualitative study as contributing factors for these expenses: necessary travel; loss of income because of a reduction or termination of parental employment; out-of-pocket treatment expenses; and inability to draw on assistance programs to supplement or replace lost income." (B. Miedema, PhD, J. Easley, MA, P. Fortin, PhD, R. Hamilton, MSES, and M. Mathews, PhD). These expenses aren’t usually extra costs that come to mind when someone thinks about medical expenses. Typically the largest expense comes out of the treatment from the hospital. However the cost can rise if the family lives in a rural area. The family would have to commute to the hospital daily for a few weeks, depending on the severity of the diagnosis and the treatment plan developed by the child’s oncologist. Or the family might have to move or find a temporary place to stay near the child. On a Frequently Asked Questions page on the UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center webpage states, “Most radiation therapy treatments are daily, five days per week, for a specified period of one to eight weeks, depending on the disease and the course that your physician prescribes.” (Frequently Asked Questions). Chemotherapy, however, can be a bit different. According to the American Cancer Society’s Guide to Chemotherapy, “The place you get your treatment depends on which chemo drugs you’re getting, the drug doses, your hospital’s policies, your insurance coverage, what you prefer, and what your doctor recommends. You may be treated with chemo: at home, in your doctor’s office, in a clinic, in a hospital’s outpatient department, or in a hospital.” If a family lives in a rural area has limited options they may have to travel quite a way just to reach the
Four major themes emerged from this qualitative study as contributing factors for these expenses: necessary travel; loss of income because of a reduction or termination of parental employment; out-of-pocket treatment expenses; and inability to draw on assistance programs to supplement or replace lost income." (B. Miedema, PhD, J. Easley, MA, P. Fortin, PhD, R. Hamilton, MSES, and M. Mathews, PhD). These expenses aren’t usually extra costs that come to mind when someone thinks about medical expenses. Typically the largest expense comes out of the treatment from the hospital. However the cost can rise if the family lives in a rural area. The family would have to commute to the hospital daily for a few weeks, depending on the severity of the diagnosis and the treatment plan developed by the child’s oncologist. Or the family might have to move or find a temporary place to stay near the child. On a Frequently Asked Questions page on the UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center webpage states, “Most radiation therapy treatments are daily, five days per week, for a specified period of one to eight weeks, depending on the disease and the course that your physician prescribes.” (Frequently Asked Questions). Chemotherapy, however, can be a bit different. According to the American Cancer Society’s Guide to Chemotherapy, “The place you get your treatment depends on which chemo drugs you’re getting, the drug doses, your hospital’s policies, your insurance coverage, what you prefer, and what your doctor recommends. You may be treated with chemo: at home, in your doctor’s office, in a clinic, in a hospital’s outpatient department, or in a hospital.” If a family lives in a rural area has limited options they may have to travel quite a way just to reach the