Transamerica, Aegon's U.S. subsidiary, has published a guide and a financial toolkit to help people and their loved ones navigate the many decisions and actions require after cancer diagnosis and treatment.
[node:field_featured_media:entity:field_media_image]The informational guides are written by Dr. Bill Lloyd, an active, licensed physician who is also a board-certified surgeon and pathologist.
The patient's guide, "Planning to Outsmart Cancer," offers information and insights about cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment, expenses, and emerging discoveries. The guide introduces patients and their families to oncology terms, information on what causes cancer, how cancer is diagnosed, and the steps that follow a cancer diagnosis.
"One immediate step to take following a cancer diagnosis is to expand your support team. These are the people who will help you gather the information needed to make informed decisions. It's important to avoid the temptation to deal with everything alone," says Dr. Lloyd, Transamerica's Health Director.
"For example, many people don't immediately think their financial professional would be in their circle of support. But unplanned expenses like those associated with a cancer diagnosis can be a huge source of stress and anxiety. A good financial professional will help you develop a financial strategy to get you through your cancer treatment and beyond. You are not going to fight cancer alone, nor should you manage your finances alone."
The guide delves into critical areas to help patients organize their thoughts, feelings, and correspondingactions in many areas, including how a cancer diagnosis can impact family members, a wide range of financial considerations, and cancer survivor tips.
Financial tool kit
The guide is supplemented with Transamerica's "Tool Kit for Planning to Outsmart Cancer," which provides patients with steps for working with a financial professional to create a financial strategy after a cancer diagnosis.
For financial professionals, Transamerica created a separate tool kit on how to serve clients living with a cancer diagnosis. The financial professional tool kit provides guidance on how to support a client's wealth and health, a detailed checklist, and additional considerations that can help financial professionals better serve clients and their families.
"Our goal is to help people make the connection between their wealth and their health, so they can develop meaningful strategies in case a cancer diagnosis happens. We care deeply about helping people outsmart cancer," Lloyd concludes.
The guide and tool kit for patients and their families can be accessed on Transamerica's website. The financial professional tool kit can be accessed by financial professionals by visiting the "New Age of Advice" section of Transamerica's website.