Sufferers can finest advocate for themselves by asking questions, staying knowledgeable, and remembering they’ve the proper to be energetic contributors of their care, based on Bryan Lewis, CEO and co-founder of KidneyCAN, a patient-founded and –led group.
Lewis sat down for an interview with CURE, during which he defined that selections made throughout therapy could also be irreversible, so you will need to contemplate them fastidiously. He added that drugs continues to be a “follow,” which suggests sufferers ought to really feel empowered to hunt readability and have interaction within the decision-making course of.
Transcript
What recommendation would you give to sufferers on how they’ll advocate for themselves all through their most cancers journey?
I feel the very first thing any affected person can do to advocate for themselves is to query issues and to get as educated as they’ll, as their illness will permit them to. I imply, you get thrown into the deep finish with a most cancers analysis. Some individuals need to go all in on the science, whereas others do not need to hear about it. You need to do extra than simply not hear about it. You need to, typically, combat, typically push, and typically push again to query what is going on on as a result of they’re treating you, and you’re the affected person. You may have immense rights to determine what is going on to occur to your physique.
Once I was identified, I received two actually good items of medical recommendation. One in all them was that when making a decision on this journey, typically you are going to go down a path and should make a proper or a left, and if you make that call, you will not be capable of return to the place you had been. You are going to should hold going. So hold that in thoughts—typically selections on therapies, surgical procedures, or no matter, when you go down that path, there is no going again to begin over.
The second factor was, considered one of my oncologists stated to me, “Brian, bear in mind this: we’re within the follow of medication, with the emphasis on the phrase ‘follow.'” He stated, “We all know so much. We have discovered so much about all of this, however we’re nonetheless practising drugs. We do not have all of the solutions. So really feel like you possibly can ask questions on what we’re doing as a result of we do not have 100% certainty of what we’re doing, however we’re fairly assured in what we’re doing. That is why we’re treating you.” I took that to coronary heart—that sure, docs many occasions are an authority and are those who know the proper solutions, however you’re part of the method, and you want to arise and ask for info if you want it or need it and be entitled to it.
Transcript has been edited for readability and conciseness.
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