At the POGO AfterCare Clinic, we:
-
Monitor your health. Your follow-up appointments at the POGO AfterCare Clinic can help us find signs of late effects of cancer, sometimes even before you have symptoms.
-
Provide you with services you may need. As a client of the POGO AfterCare Clinic, we connect you to specialists, support services and resources related to your cancer experience.
-
Conduct clinical research for people who have had cancer. You can participate in clinical research that help discover better ways to prevent, detect and treat the long-term side effects of childhood cancer.
Taking part in the POGO AfterCare clinic means you can:
- Have access to a team with specialized knowledge about the effects of childhood cancer and its treatment on your long-term health
- Learn about new developments and resources
- Take part in clinical research
The first person you meet at the POGO Pediatric Cancer AfterCare Clinic is the
Patient Flow Coordinator. To sign in with the Patient Flow Coordinator you will need your health card (OHIP card). If you do not have an OHIP card, please bring another form of government-issued photo ID (such as a driver's license, passport, or other provincial health card).
We will ask you to complete a questionnaire so we can get information that will help us plan your care. This information is also essential to our research on survivor health and late effects from treatment of childhood cancer. All information is kept strictly confidential.
Your appointment may include a visit with the clinic nurse and an oncology fellow or a staff doctor, or both. An oncology fellow is a cancer specialist completing further training in a sub-specialty. You may not see the same doctor or fellow at every visit, but our team approach ensures that you get the best care possible.
You will be given a form to fill out. This form contains questions about your background. We collect this information to find out who we serve and what unique needs you may have.
The form is voluntary and you can choose ‘prefer not to answer’ to any or all questions. However, the information you chose to give us will help us improve the quality of care for you and others.
POGO Pediatric Cancer AfterCare Clinic visits vary in length. Depending on your specific needs, you may meet with more than one health care professional during your visit. You may also have to go for
blood work or other procedures.
We do our best to stay on time. Unfortunately, your appointment may be delayed by unforeseen circumstances. We recommend that you come prepared for delays. For example, make sure your arrangements for things like babysitting, elder care and parking can accommodate a longer than usual appointment.
At the end of your first appointment, the nurse or doctor will give you a contact list for your health care team. If you don’t get a contact list, feel free to ask for it.
After every appointment, the nurse will tell you about your next visit. Be sure you understand what is going to happen next. For example, know the time and place of your next visit or if someone will call you with this information.
If you are unsure about what your next steps are, don’t be afraid to ask a member of your team. We are there to help you.
We understand that reaching us by phone can sometimes be difficult. Often our phone lines are busy or are turned over to the message centre so clinic staff can prepare for clinic visits or help other patients.
We make every effort to return your call within 24 hours. Our staff will try to reach you 2 times. If we are not able to reach you directly – and you do not have an answering machine for us to leave a message – you may need to call us again.
