Kristen Dahlgren, a breast most cancers survivor who’s the founder and CEO of the Most cancers Vaccine Coalition, understands the significance of sufferers with most cancers discovering dependable sources of knowledge to be able to preserve themselves knowledgeable and empowered.
“I believe we have now to do our personal analysis. I believe we have now to be our personal advocates. If there’s something that I discovered by my most cancers journey the place my most cancers was missed by a mammogram and once I noticed one thing that was out of the strange I pushed to get further screening, is that I believe we at all times must be listening to what is going on on, what is going on on within the science,” Dahlgren mentioned.
Dahlgren sat down for an interview with CURE to debate affected person empowerment and why most cancers is “a non-partisan problem.”
Transcript
What recommendation do you’ve gotten for sufferers with most cancers processing all the things they’re listening to within the media and maintaining a tally of the science?
I am a affected person, too, so that is actually private for me. I imagine {that a} most cancers vaccine may stop a recurrence for me. God forbid my most cancers ever got here again, I believe having a vaccine may stop that. So, this implies quite a bit to me, and I am watching this information each as a affected person and as an advocate.
I believe we have now to do our personal analysis and be our personal advocates. If there’s one factor I discovered by my most cancers journey (the place my most cancers was missed by a mammogram and I needed to push for extra screening once I noticed one thing was out of the strange) it is that we at all times have to concentrate to what is going on on within the science. I imagine that listening to trusted sources, just like the Most cancers Vaccine Coalition and different advocacy organizations which have the sufferers’ finest pursuits at coronary heart, is how one can get the true details about what the analysis means and the place it stands. We’re partnering with AACR, the American Affiliation for Most cancers Analysis, to host this most cancers vaccine summit. We’re all seeking to get the perfect info for sufferers and proceed to push the science ahead.
So, I believe sufferers and caregivers can have a voice on this, too, and that is what I’d encourage folks to do: watch the information, ask questions, and communicate together with your oncologist. Vaccines, or no matter remedy you are contemplating, will at all times be a dialogue together with your oncologist. It is the identical method you determine whether or not or to not do chemotherapy. Your oncologist has solutions about what is going on on, the place the analysis stands, and what scientific trials can be found. So, I believe that is a very trusted supply of knowledge. Hunt down the trusted sources of knowledge.
Most cancers is a non-partisan problem; most cancers is the enemy. It would not know or care the way you vote. We’re all human, and our biology implies that many people, sadly, are going to face this prognosis in our lifetimes. So, I believe conserving politics out of it’s a very powerful factor we are able to do. We should always actually observe the science and help it by organizations and researchers. That is how we are able to make a distinction now, and at any time.
This transcript has been edited for readability and conciseness.
Reference
- “May Most cancers Vaccines Turn out to be a Actuality Throughout the Subsequent Decade?” CURE, Aug. 21, 2025; https://www.curetoday.com/view/could-cancer-vaccines-become-a-reality-within-the-next-decade-
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