The power of trust through the eyes of a patient

One of the first things to be impacted when a patient receives a cancer diagnosis is Trust. Trust in their body, in the world as they see it and very quickly they need to learn to build trust in their clinicians and the proposed pathways to tackle one of the toughest experiences of their lives.

Cancer is a deeply humbling, life-affirming event that not only impacts the patient, but has a ripple effect on loved one's too.    As a three-time cancer patient, and cancer carer for my husband, mother and father, I'm passionate about restating trust so a patient can be a critical part of their own cancer pathway, have improved mental wellbeing and make decisions that feel right for them.

Having experienced Chemotherapy, Immunotherapy, surgery and radiotherapy, I have empowered myself through nutrition, movement and an empowered mindset, re-building trust in myself to navigate three different diagnoses, before being diagnosed with Lynch Syndrome, and continuing to advocate for my health and wellbeing, and that of my family.

Understanding the importance of Trust can support clinicians to work more effectively with their patients driving better outcomes and greater mental wellbeing whilst navigating so much of what can feel is out of the patient's control.

She is a part of the curriculum for a couple of Trusts in the United Kingdom, sharing her experience as a patient and carer with Oncology students.  She is a passionate patient advocate, working with Oxford Cancer on a number of projects, ensuring that patient's feel seen and heard and to know their voices matter in seeking support to enable them to feel empowered as they navigate a cancer diagnosis.   This work has recently resulted in co-authoring an article on Ethnicity and Breast cancer that has been published in the British Medical Journal.