A fact sheet for persons affected by cancer and their families and friends

When natural disasters occur, access to treatment services and other avenues of support may be restricted and treatment routines may need to change.

In the event of natural disasters, our Helpline remains available to provide patients and the community with up-to-date advice and information about health services and support.

Call us on 13 11 20, 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday or email us at helpline@cancerqld.org.au. We are here to provide emotional support and practical advice.

This fact sheet may help you if you or someone you know has cancer and is affected by a natural disaster. It will help you to make informed decisions about your options for accessing appropriate care and support during the disaster and the recovery phase.

What should I do if my treatment plans have changed?

If you or someone you care about have cancer and have had to evacuate your home, you may not be able to access your doctor or nurse in the usual way. You may also have your treatment times altered and your treatment hospital may be in 'emergency' mode.

If your treatment plan has been affected, you may have questions about what this will mean for you. Changes to treatment times will be managed by your treatment team. If you require cancer-related information and emotional support, please call our Helpline on 13 11 20 or send an email to helpline@cancerqld.org.au.

What should I do in an emergency?

If you have an emergency or notice any new symptoms, please go to your nearest emergency treatment centre or the emergency department at the nearest hospital.

Seek medical advice if you experience the following symptoms:

• Signs of fever
• Shaking chills or sweats
• Redness, swelling, drainage, tenderness or warmth at the site of a cut, surgical wound or vascular access device
• A new pain or one that is getting worse.
• Sinus pain or headache
• Stiff neck
• Sore throat
• Shortness of breath or cough
• Burning or pain when you urinate, bloody or cloudy urine.

You should also notify your treatment team or hospital or provide their details to staff at the emergency department.

What if I can’t get to my treatment hospital?

If you need to attend another hospital because you are staying somewhere different to your usual treatment centre, you must tell the staff in emergency about your cancer, who your treatment team or hospital are, and when you last had contact with them. This will help them to give you the best care and also assist them to make contact with your treatment team on your behalf.

If you cannot access an emergency department you should try to contact your treatment team or hospital directly and they will make suitable arrangements for transporting you to a treating area. Some regional areas provide telephone support for patients who cannot reach their usual treatment centre.

For more information on this call 13HEALTH (13 43 25 84).

What should I do about my cancer medications?

If you have your medications with you and know how to take them, keep taking them. If you need medication, or are nearly out of medication, or are unsure how to take it, you will need to talk to a health care professional who is familiar with your treatment. Again always try to contact your cancer treatment team or hospital first before asking someone new.

Contact details should have been provided with the information kit you received on your first visit to your treatment hospital, if you do not have this with you, you can call our Helpline and we can give you the contact details of the hospital. Email us at helpline@cancerqld.org.au or call us on 13 11 20.

Living Conditions and Hygiene

If you are taking medication for cancer , you need to be careful to protect yourself from disease and infections. Some kinds of cancer and some treatments for cancer can weaken your immune system and make it very easy for you to acquire an infection.

If you are currently undergoing cancer treatment or if you are weakened by your previous treatment, avoid exposure to contaminated sites and the cleanup of buildings and areas affected by the natural disaster. We recommend patients and recent patients avoid returning to buildings affected by floods or cyclones and absolutely avoid coming into contact with mud and mould after a flood event. You may wish to return to your home as soon as possible, but it is important to avoid exposure to germs in order to maintain your wellness and optimise your recovery from treatment.

Queensland Health has developed several excellent fact sheets related to keeping you safe during a natural disaster:

• Stay safe and healthy during flood recovery:
• Beware of sewage contamination:
• Controlling mosquito breeding after floods:
• Control the risk of disease during disasters:

Important rules to follow

Wash your hands as often as possible or use an antibacterial hand wash. This is the single most important action you can do to keep yourself safe from germs.

If you are unsure about the safety of the drinking water, drink only bottled water if you have access or boil water for at least one full minute and allow to cool before drinking

Be very careful with food and food preparation.

Should I get immunisations or vaccines that are offered after a natural disaster?

Following floods or natural disasters, there is a risk of tetanus when wounds may be infected by bacteria which are present in the soil.

It is important before you have any injection that you let the health care worker know you have cancer or you are caring for someone who has cancer.

Because your immune system may be compromised because of your cancer or your cancer treatment it is very important that advice regarding immunisation is sought from a medical practitioner. You may be offered alternative options. Contact your cancer treatment team or hospital for specific concerns re immunization.

Remember if you have a wound, clean and disinfect it and keep it covered. You need to avoid all flood water and mud if you have exposed wounds. Wounds heal most quickly if the limbs are rested and elevated.

What should I do about emotional stress? 

It is normal to feel distressed after a natural disaster, particularly when you are already coping with the challenges of cancer and cancer treatments. Normal reactions include feeling overwhelmed, not being able to concentrate or make simple decisions, difficulty sleeping and frequent thoughts and images of distressing events. These reactions usually become less severe as time passes, enabling adjustment.

If you find you are feeling overwhelmed, or just in need of some additional support, please call our Helpline on 13 11 20 for emotional support and advice. The Helpline can also provide referrals to specialised services such as our face-to-face or phone-based Cancer Counselling Service.

Here are some suggestions that may help you with coping:

• Accept appropriate offers of support from loved ones and friends.
• Try to spend time with people who care about you, such as family and friends.
• Share your feelings when you are ready.
• Try to be open and direct about expressing your needs.
• Try to eat well, get enough sleep and take time-out when you need to.

Remember - if you need any support or more information about the management of your cancer, our Helpline is available 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday on 13 11 20.

The information available on this page should not be used as a substitute for advice from a properly qualified medical professional who can advise you about your own individual medical needs. It is not intended to constitute medical advice and is provided for general information purposes only. See our Disclaimer.