People living with cancer

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Helping you get the most out of virtual cancer care

Virtual care gives people living with cancer the option to connect with their healthcare teams remotely, including by:

phone
video call
secure messaging (such as email, text and online chat)

Virtual care can make it easier to schedule cancer care appointments. It reduces travel time to appointments, reduces costs and offers flexibility. But not everyone has the tools and support they need to use virtual care.

These resources are here to help you feel better prepared and more confident using virtual care – whether you’re newly diagnosed or having treatment. The tools and tips are designed to support you before, during and after virtual cancer care appointments.

Browse the videos and tips and share them with anyone who might find them useful!

Making the most of your time and space

Virtual cancer care appointments can be a great way to connect with your healthcare team. Find out how to make time for appointments, set up your space and feel better prepared for virtual care.

Preparing for Virtual Care: Making the most of your time and space

Voice-over (VO): Virtual cancer care appointments can be a great way to connect with your healthcare team, and some setup can go a long way in helping you have a positive experience.

[The main character walks on screen from the right. They are preparing for their virtual cancer care appointment. An oversized laptop slides in from the left. Members of the healthcare team wave from the screen of the laptop. The main character waves back. Then the laptop fades out.]

VO: Making the most of when and where you have your appointment is an important part.

[The main character turns and walks to the right side of the screen. An open door appears and they walk through it.]

VO: You may not be able to choose when you have your appointment, but here are some things you can do to prepare.

[The main character walks to a desk with a laptop. They open the laptop and then look at their watch.]

VO: Try not to plan other commitments right before or after your virtual care appointment. You could use this time to relax and focus.

[As the main character stands in front of their laptop, a thought bubble appears to their left. In the thought bubble, there is a page from an appointment book with many meetings and other commitments on it. The thought bubble disappears.]

VO: Talk to your employer about changing your work schedule that day if you need to.

[The screen splits down the middle. The main character is on the right. The left side of the screen shows what the main character is thinking. They imagine talking to their employer about their schedule. Both the main character and their employer look satisfied. The split screen fades out.]

VO: You may want to ask someone to help you with some of your daily responsibilities so you can make time for your appointment.

[The view returns to the main character at their desk. A new thought bubble appears to their left. There is a list in the thought bubble. As the voice-over speaks, checkmarks appear next to several of the items on the list. The thought bubble fades out.]

VO: Try to have your appointment in a quiet, private place. This might be at home, in a private space in your local library or in a quiet corner of a coffee shop.

[As the voice-over speaks, 3 circles appear next to the main character. The first circle has a house in it. The second circle has a library building in it. The third bubble has a coffee shop in it. The circles with the house and coffee shop in them fade out. The background transforms into a library setting with a wall of bookshelves and a closed door behind the main character. The circle with the library in it fades out.]

VO: If you can, remove anything that may be noisy or distracting. This may mean turning off your cellphone or closing the door to the space you’re in.

[The focus zooms in on the main character in front of their laptop. They are now in a quiet, private space at the library. A cellphone appears on the desk. It vibrates and the main character turns it off.]

VO: It won’t always be possible to have your virtual care appointment at the perfect time or in the perfect space. Try your best. If you need help, your healthcare team, your caregiver or someone else close to you can support you.

[The focus zooms out to show more of the room around the main character. Their caregiver comes to their side and puts a comforting hand on the main character’s shoulder. They look at each other and smile. The scene ends.]

VO: The Canadian Cancer Society is also here to help. Visit cancer.ca or call us at 1-888-939-3333. You can also visit our virtual care resource hub at cancer.ca/virtualcare.

[The Canadian Cancer Society’s name, logo, phone number and website address appear in the centre of the screen. The Merck logo appears below with the following text: “Made possible through the support of Merck Canada Inc. The opinions expressed are those of its authors and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Merck Canada Inc.” As the voice-over mentions the virtual care information hub, the URL cancer.ca/virtualcare appears on the screen.]

Testing technology

Preparing for your virtual cancer care appointment can help things go smoothly. Get tips on reviewing information in advance, getting connected with your healthcare team and asking for help if you need it.

Preparing for Virtual Care: Testing technology

Voice-over (VO): Virtual cancer care appointments can be a great way to connect with your healthcare team. Making sure your technology is ready in advance can help make the experience as smooth as possible.

[The main character walks on screen from the right. They are preparing for their virtual cancer care appointment. An oversized laptop slides in from the left. Members of the healthcare team wave from the screen of the laptop. The main character waves back. Then the laptop fades out.]

VO: Your healthcare team may have given you information on how to connect with them virtually, such as by phone, video call or another way.

[The main character turns and walks to the right side of the screen. An open door appears and they walk through it. The door disappears and as the main character continues walking from the left, a stack of papers slides in from the right. The paper on the top of the pile has the words “Getting ready for your appointment” on it.]

VO: It’s important to review the information, so you know you have everything you need and how to use it.

[Another piece of paper slides down from the top, covering the pile. It has images of laptop, headphones, a cellphone and a speaker or sound icon. Each image has a blank checkbox below it. Red checkmarks appear on the checkboxes below the laptop and the headphones, suggesting the main character has these items ready for their virtual care appointment.]

VO: You’ll need a reliable internet connection or phone service to make sure your appointment isn’t interrupted.

[The papers slide off to the right and the main character moves to the middle of the screen. A bubble appears on either side of them. There is a laptop and tablet with symbols showing a strong wifi connection in the left bubble. In the right bubble, there is a cellphone showing text messages and 4 bars indicating a strong cell connection. The scene ends.]

VO: If your home internet connection is slow or not always reliable, you may want to ask other members of your household to stay off the internet during your appointment.

[The main character is at home. They walk into the living room from the left and find a young family member sitting on the couch, using a tablet. The family member has their arm around a cat and they look relaxed. Speech bubbles appear above the main character and the family member, and then the family member turns off their tablet. The scene ends.]

VO: If you don’t have internet access at home, ask your caregiver, a friend or a family member if they can help. They may be able to find a place with a good connection to use, such as a library or community centre.

[A jagged line splits the screen in half. The main character walks in from the right as their caregiver walks in from the left. They are each holding a phone with sound lines coming from it, indicating they are on a call with each other. A wifi symbol appears in a bubble on the middle of a jagged line. A bubble appears below it with a library in it, and another bubble with a community centre in it appears above. The scene ends.]

VO: You may also be able to use a computer or other device at the library.

[The main character is at the library. They walk up to a desk that has a monitor, webcam, headphones, mouse and keyboard on it. The librarian shows them how to use the equipment.]

VO: Sometimes, even when you prepare as much as possible, technical issues happen.

[The librarian disappears and the main character is alone at the desk. A bubble pops up showing a strong wifi connection. Suddenly, the bars become blank, indicating the connection has been lost. The main character looks worried. The scene ends.]

VO: Don’t worry. Remember that your healthcare team is there to support you. If you’re having trouble with technology or are concerned about connecting, let them know before your virtual care appointment so you can find a solution together.

[A jagged line splits the screen in half. Members of the healthcare team are on the right. The doctor is on the phone at their desk while the other member of the team stands beside them with the main character’s patient file in their hand. The main character walks in from the left, holding their cellphone as they talk to the doctor. Everyone looks content. The scene ends.]

VO: The Canadian Cancer Society is also here to help. Visit cancer.ca or call us at 1-888-939-3333. You can also visit our virtual care resource hub at cancer.ca/virtualcare.

[The Canadian Cancer Society’s name, logo, phone number and website address appear in the centre of the screen. The Merck logo appears below with the following text: “Made possible through the support of Merck Canada Inc. The opinions expressed are those of its authors and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Merck Canada Inc.” As the voice-over mentions the virtual care information hub, the URL cancer.ca/virtualcare appears on the screen.]

Remembering the important stuff

You may be worried about remembering important information before, during or after your virtual cancer care appointment. We can help. Find out what you can do to keep track of the important stuff.

Preparing for Virtual Care: Remembering the important stuff

Voice-over (VO): Virtual cancer care appointments can be a great way to connect with your healthcare team. There are things you can do before and during your appointment to help you remember the important stuff and have the best experience possible.

[The main character walks on screen from the right. They are preparing for their virtual cancer care appointment. An oversized laptop slides in from the left. Members of the healthcare team wave from the screen of the laptop. The main character waves back. Then the laptop fades out, and the main character turns and walks through a door to the right. The scene ends.]

VO: If you can, take some time before the appointment to write down your questions, your symptoms, and your medicines and their doses. Have those notes with you during your virtual care appointment.

[The main character slides in from the left, holding a piece of paper and a pen. A larger version of the paper they are holding appears on the right. As the main character writes on the page they are holding, scribbled lines appear next to empty checkboxes on the larger version of the paper. Red checkmarks appear in the first 2 boxes, indicating the main character is checking things off their list ahead of their virtual care appointment. The scene ends.]

VO: Don’t worry if you forgot to include something in your notes. Try to focus on the conversation.

[A jagged line splits the screen in half. On the right, the doctor is on the phone at their desk. The main character walks in from the left, holding their cellphone. A speech bubble appears above the phone as they talk to their doctor.]

VO: You may want to have your caregiver or someone you trust with you during the appointment. They can help you remember what you wanted to say or ask, and they can give you support if you need it.

[The previous scene continues. The speech bubble disappears and the camera pans to create space on the left side of the screen. The main character’s caregiver walks in from the left to join them. The main character looks at the caregiver and smiles, and the caregiver puts their hand on the main character’s shoulder. The call with the doctor continues with the caregiver joining the conversation.]

VO: You might also feel more comfortable if your pet is there with you.

[The jagged line and the doctor on the right side of the screen disappear. The main character’s cat walks in from the right and sits down between the main character and their caregiver.]

VO: Taking notes during the appointment can help you remember the important things later. If your caregiver or support person is joining you, they may be able to take notes for you.

[The main character lets go of their phone as it gets bigger and moves to the right side of the screen. There is a speaker icon on the screen and multiple speech bubbles pop up briefly around the phone, representing the voices on the other end of a call. The characters shift slightly to the middle as a pen and a piece of paper with scribbled notes on it appear on the left side of the screen next to the caregiver. A speech bubble reappears near the phone as the call continues.]

VO: You could also ask your healthcare team in advance if you can record your appointment so you can watch or listen to it later.

[The previous scene continues. The paper and pen next to the caregiver slide left off the screen and the characters shift back to the left. The phone on the right gets slightly larger and shows a microphone icon and a red record button on its screen.]

VO: And you can call them between appointments to ask any other questions or to book another appointment.

[The microphone icon and red record button disappear from the phone screen. The phone returns to its normal size and comes back to the main character’s hand. Two bubbles pop up on the right side of the screen. The first bubble has a question mark in it and the second bubble has a monthly calendar page with an appointment marked on it. The scene ends.]

VO: You may not always feel fully prepared for virtual care. That’s OK. Talk to your healthcare team, your caregiver or someone else close to you if you need support.

[The main character is lounging on a chair at home with their cat. The camera pans back and shifts the main character and their cat slightly to the right as 2 bubbles appear on the left. The first bubble has members of the healthcare team in it. The second bubble has the main character’s caregiver and young family member in it. The main character waves. Everyone looks happy. The scene ends.]

VO: The Canadian Cancer Society is also here to help. Visit cancer.ca or call us at 1-888-939-3333. You can also visit our virtual care resource hub at cancer.ca/virtualcare.

[The Canadian Cancer Society’s name, logo, phone number and website address appear in the centre of the screen. The Merck logo appears below with the following text: “Made possible through the support of Merck Canada Inc. The opinions expressed are those of its authors and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Merck Canada Inc.” As the voice-over mentions the virtual care information hub, the URL cancer.ca/virtualcare appears on the screen.]

Staying on track with your goals when you have cancer

Staying on track with your health goals after an appointment is an important part of virtual cancer care. Get tips on how to work towards the goals you created with your healthcare team – and how your caregiver or someone else close to you can help.

After a Virtual Care Appointment: Staying on track with your goals when you have cancer

Voice-over (VO): Virtual cancer care appointments can be a great way to connect with your healthcare team and create health goals.

[The main character walks on screen from the right. They are preparing for their virtual cancer care appointment. An oversized laptop slides in from the left. Members of the healthcare team wave from the screen of the laptop. The main character waves back. Then the laptop fades out.]

VO: Staying on track with your goals after the appointment is an important part of virtual care.

[The main character turns and walks to the right side of the screen. An open door appears and they walk through it.]

VO: If you or your caregiver took notes during your appointment, it can be helpful to review them right after the call.

[A new scene opens. The main character is in their living room with their caregiver. Their doctor is waving from the smartphone in their hand as they end a virtual care appointment. The caregiver is holding a piece of paper with the notes they took during the appointment. A speech bubble with a magnifying glass appears as the main character looks at the notes their caregiver is holding.]

VO: If you have a transcript or recording of the appointment, you can review that too.

[The scene continues. The speech bubble and magnifying glass disappear. The main character raises their phone, which has a recording app on the screen. Speech bubbles come out of the phone as the main character plays their recording of the call.]

VO: Make a plan for how you might work toward the goals you created. For example, if you talked about getting in more movement, taking a short walk each morning could help you reach that goal.

[The scene continues. The speech bubbles disappear and the main character lowers their phone. An oversized piece of paper appears between the main character and their caregiver. The paper has notes and images such as running shoes, utensils and a moon with “zzz.” An outdoor scene showing the main character walking outside on a sunny day appears over the paper.]

VO: If you have questions after your appointment, write them down and keep them in the same place as your list of goals or next steps, so that you can easily find them during your next appointment.

[The scene continues. The outdoor scene disappears and is replaced with a thought bubble with a question mark. Then the thought bubble disappears and is replaced by a folder with calendar pages and a list of questions coming out of it.]

VO: Remember – you don’t have to do everything all at once. Start with one goal at a time.

[The scene continues. Four bubbles appear over the folder and papers, showing running shoes, a broom and dustpan, medicine bottles and utensils. The main character and their caregiver seem overwhelmed by the many goals. Then 3 of the bubbles disappear, leaving only the running shoes, and they look relieved. The scene ends.]

VO: If your caregiver didn’t attend your virtual care appointment, tell them about it – and consider if you’d like them to join you for the next one.

[A new scene opens with the main character sitting at their kitchen table. They have notes, a pen and their phone on the table in front of them. Their caregiver walks in from the left and they smile and wave at each other. A speech bubble appears next to the main character as they tell their caregiver about the virtual care appointment they just had.]

VO: Let them know how they could help you stay on track with your goals. For example, they could help you by cooking, cleaning, driving you to appointments or just being there when you need to talk.

[The scene continues. The paper from an earlier scene with notes and images outlining the main character’s health goals appears in the speech bubble. Then the paper and speech bubble disappear and 3 new bubbles pop up, showing groceries, household cleaning products and a car. Finally, those 3 bubbles disappear, and speech bubbles with hearts in them come from the main character and their caregiver as they have a heart-to-heart talk. The scene ends.]

VO: Living with cancer can be hard. It’s not always easy to stay on track with goals when you’re tired or in pain. Some days will be tougher than others. You’re doing your best, and that is enough.

[A new scene opens with the main character standing against a white background. A thought bubble showing the main character walking outside on a sunny day appears next to them as they think about going for a walk. But then the bubble disappears and they reach for their head and lower back. Red lines radiate from those areas indicating pain. The main character looks distressed. But the red lines disappear and a calendar with gold stars on many days appears. The main character looks relieved, knowing that they are doing their best while living with cancer.]

VO: You’re not alone. Tell your healthcare team, your caregiver or someone else close to you if you need support.

[The scene continues. The calendar disappears and those who make up the main character’s support team fade in to stand on either side of them. That includes their healthcare team, their caregiver and their family member. The main character smiles, knowing they are supported. The scene ends.]

VO: The Canadian Cancer Society is also here to help. Visit cancer.ca or call us at 1-888-939-3333. You can also visit our virtual care resource hub at cancer.ca/virtualcare.

[The Canadian Cancer Society’s name, logo, phone number and website address appear in the centre of the screen. The Merck logo appears below with the following text: “Made possible through the support of Merck Canada Inc. The opinions expressed are those of its authors and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Merck Canada Inc.” As the voice-over mentions the virtual care information hub, the URL cancer.ca/virtualcare appears on the screen.]

Tips for people living with cancer

These are some key tips to help you stay on track with virtual care appointments. For more tips, check out our virtual cancer care checklist for people living with cancer and caregivers.

Get familiar with technology

Virtual cancer care can feel overwhelming when you’re trying it for the first time or you’re unfamiliar with the technology. Logging in and exploring how the virtual care platform works before your appointment can help you feel more confident.

Talk about privacy

If your caregiver will be joining you for a virtual care appointment, talk to them before the appointment about how they can support you and when you might need privacy. For example, they may be able to take notes for you during the appointment – but you can also ask them to step out if you want to discuss something privately with your healthcare provider.

Know what to do if you get disconnected

Before or at the start of the virtual care appointment, ask your healthcare team what to do if the phone or video call gets disconnected.

Know what tools you need

Virtual care can be a great tool, but you may need extra support to get the most out of it. For example, using headphones can help reduce background noise. Before your appointment, you may also want to ask your healthcare team if you can record the call or get a transcript of the call to help you remember important details.

Ask about including a long-distance caregiver

You may have a caregiver that you’d like to be a part of virtual care but they live too far away to join you in person. Ask your healthcare team how you can include them during a virtual care appointment.

Other virtual care resources

Our virtual cancer care checklist can help you remember important details for your virtual care appointments. You can print this checklist or save it to your device.

You can use our handy notepad to take notes during your appointments. You can also share our virtual care postcard with anyone who might find these resources helpful. They can point their phone camera at the QR code on the postcard and click the link to easily access the resources.

We’ve also created videos and tips for caregivers and healthcare providers who use virtual care that you may find helpful.

Checklist Notepad Postcard Resources for caregivers Resources for healthcare providers

Cancer advocate: John Zeus Tokatlidis

John Zeus shares his experience with virtual care after a cancer diagnosis. Hear why he thinks resources like our virtual care resource hub are important and how they can help people living with cancer.

[The video opens with John Zeus Tokatlidis sitting on a couch and speaking to the camera. He is wearing a yellow daffodil pin to show support for the Canadian Cancer Society. His name and the the words "Cancer Advocate" are shown on screen in a yellow box.]

John Zeus Tokatlidis: My name is John Zeus Tokatlidis. I'm a cancer survivor. I was diagnosed with stage 4 non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in 2019 and I'm currently living vibrantly.

[John Zeus is sitting at a desk looking at a laptop screen.]

John Zeus: Virtual care was a new thing during the pandemic.

[The previous scene continues, with John Zeus sitting on a couch and speaking.]

John Zeus: So one of my greatest fears was that I wouldn't be cared (for) enough. That my doctor doesn't care enough. Why do I have to have a virtual care appointment? How are they going to know how I'm feeling? All these questions ran through my head.

[The camera zooms in on John Zeus typing on a laptop and scrolling through the virtual care resource hub on the Canadian Cancer Society’s website.]

John Zeus: I could stay at home. I could prepare a list of questions and I can sit comfortably in a well-lit room and talk to my oncologist or my psycho-oncologist.

[John Zeus is sitting on a couch and speaking to the camera again.]

John Zeus: Certain knowledge, the education that's provided could help transform somebody's life in terms of doing better nutrition, stress exercises.

[John Zeus returns to scrolling through the virtual care resource hub on the Canadian Cancer Society’s website.]

John Zeus: Resources on taking notes, resources on asking questions and what questions do I need to ask my care team?

[John Zeus is once again sitting on a couch and speaking.]

John Zeus: And there’s wonderful resources out there that we can utilize too to help us, and help us thrive and lead a more healthier life.

[“Learn more at cancer.ca/virtualcare” appears on screen. Then the Canadian Cancer Society’s name and logo appear along with the words “It takes a society,” the phone number 1-888-939-3333 and the URL cancer.ca/virtualcare. Merck’s name and logo also appear near the bottom of the screen. Small text below the Merck name and logo reads, “Made possible through the support of Merck Canada Inc. The opinions expressed are those of its authors and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Merck Canada Inc.”]

Programs and services

Our programs and services help answer your questions about cancer, manage life with cancer, find community and connection, and build wellness and resilience. Many of our programs are available in different languages.

Cancer Information Helpline

The Cancer Information Helpline provides information and support to people living with cancer and their families and friends. Our information specialists can answer your questions and connect you to helpful resources.

Talk to an information specialist

Search for services

Online cancer support community

CancerConnection.ca is a safe online community that provides connection, information and peer support to people living with cancer and their families and friends. You can search for topics and connect with others using virtual cancer care.

Visit CancerConnection.ca