An illness can often change a person's life suddenly and unexpectedly. At such times, financial worries, feelings of loneliness and psychological stress may pose major challenges.
Social support, both from family and friends, is very important in this difficult phase, as is professional help and exchanges in self-help groups. These networks not only offer emotional support, but also valuable information and tips on how to better deal with your own situation.
Self-help groups
- COPD and long-term oxygen therapy (only available in German): COPD Austria
- Lung Hypertension / pulmonary hypertension: PH Austria
- Lung cancer (only available in German): Lung Cancer Forum Austria
- Lung transplantation (only available in German): Austrian Association of Heart and Lung Transplant Patients
- Sleep-related breathing disorders: Sleep apnea in Austria
- Respiratory and lung diseases (allergy, asthma, COPD, lung cancer and urticaria; only available in German): Austrian Lung Union
- Pain (only available in German): Chronic Pain Alliance
Patients can obtain further valuable information (only available in German) from the Austrian Society of Pneumology (ÖGP).
Platforms for patients and relatives
- „Leben mit Krebs“ („Living with cancer“; only available in German)
The Patient Initiative, founded by Prof. Dr. Christoph Zielinski and other proponents at the end of the 1990s to remove the taboos surrounding cancer from the public eye, offers patients and their relatives easily accessible, highly competent information from proven experts. - Oncare Wien
The Vienna Healthcare Group offers supportive psycho-oncological care. The Oncare Wien platform, for example, arranges an appointment to a suitable treatment facility within ten days of an initial diagnosis. - selpers FlexCo (only available in German)
Austrian online platform for patients and relatives with over 250 free patient training courses on over 90 diseases – developed in collaboration with renowned experts and with the support of self-help groups – to educate those affected and their relatives about diseases and support them with real-life tips and assistance.