Skip to content

Cancer

A Person Living With Cancer Reminds Us It Is Values Based Care That Counts

Values based cancer care. Yes, you read that right: VALUES based, not value based. Isn’t it about time we made the effort to define the values that patients and families expect from us when they have a diagnosis of cancer and need treatment? That was the topic of a webinar hosted by Executives for Health Innovation featuring Amy Low (a person living with advanced colon cancer who is Managing Director, Fellowships and Nonprofit Media for the Emerson Collective), Adam Pellegrini (the CEO of Jasper Health, Inc. which is a company focused on using digital technologies to improve the journey for… Read More »A Person Living With Cancer Reminds Us It Is Values Based Care That Counts

Help For Your Pet During Your Cancer Journey: What A Great Idea!

A cancer diagnosis and treatment is difficult enough. Having a pet that needs attention during one’s journey shouldn’t add to the burden. That’s the philosophy behind a program offered by CancerCare, a national charity focused on the emotional, social, and financial well-being of those with cancer and those who love them. The program is called the Pet Assistance and Wellness Program, or PAW for short. When I first heard about it, I realized how important such a program can be for those with cancer who love their pets, particularly their cats and dogs, and how the financial, medical, and social… Read More »Help For Your Pet During Your Cancer Journey: What A Great Idea!

Message From “The Deathclock”: “Your Time Has Expired.” Really???

“I am sorry, but your time has expired. Have a nice day!” Nope, not a friendly message from a parking meter app. This was from Deathclock.com, a site that purports to tell folks their predicted date of death based primarily on their date of birth. Mine was May 3, 2020 according to “the clock”. Uh, I don’t think so… Clearly—and fortunately for me as I write this blog—the date was more than a little off. Frankly, predicting a date of death is not something to laugh about. Too many folks facing serious illnesses deal with the burden of their mortality… Read More »Message From “The Deathclock”: “Your Time Has Expired.” Really???

How We Deliver Cancer Care: Time For A Change?

One cannot ignore that fundamental change is coming to how we deliver cancer care. And although we don’t know how all of this will work out, we should be concerned that with change we run the risk there will be folks who could be left behind. And that is not a good thing. This past week’s annual conference for the National Comprehensive Cancer Network—an organization I admire for its efforts to keep cancer treatment guidelines up to date in real time—gave some hint as to how these shifts are taking hold. Usually this is a meeting chock full of updates… Read More »How We Deliver Cancer Care: Time For A Change?

Are Cancer Patients Getting The Best Care? Maybe; Maybe Not

Have we made great strides in cancer research and treatment? Yes. Are folks getting the care they need? Maybe not. That is the lesson learned from recent experience helping some cancer patients in their journeys. Our ability to treat cancer has advanced, but if people don’t get the right care or understand their care or feel capable of participating in their care are we really doing the best by them in their times of need? I don’t think so and I hope you would agree. Let me offer an example from real life (and I assure you there are others!!!):… Read More »Are Cancer Patients Getting The Best Care? Maybe; Maybe Not

COVID, Two Years Later: Too Much To Grieve?

Two years ago, life changed: the pandemic had started taking roots in the United States, people were scared, communities were impacted and life as we knew it started to shut down. Little did we realize how long-lasting and deep the impact would be. I looked at the New York Times data this morning and realized (again) that we have lost close to 1 million souls in this country. One can debate whether we could have mitigated that number through various measures over these past two years, but one cannot debate the deep emotional scars and losses that have resulted from… Read More »COVID, Two Years Later: Too Much To Grieve?