Jenna Forsythe Discusses Challenges Faced by Patients With Leukemia and Lymphoma

Jenna Forsythe, MSN, RN, OCN, a nurse in the leukemia and lymphoma outpatient center at John Theurer Cancer Center, discusses some of the challenges patients with leukemia and lymphoma face.

In addition to chemotherapy, one of the most visible struggles Forsythe sees among patients with leukemia and lymphoma are financial, as they may have trouble having their health insurance providers to cover costs of treatments and supportive care. Anecdotally, she speaks of a patient who had to pay $6200 out of pocket before their insurance stepped in to pick up costs.

Fitting a leukemia or lymphoma diagnosis and its treatment plan into a normal routine is another challenge, Forsythe says. She adds cancer is becoming more of a chronic illness, versus a terminal illness, so the balance of taking care of a family and the disease can be a struggle. John Theurer Cancer Cancer has social workers and nurse navigators available to assist patients with these challenges.