By Valena Wright
The approach taken in this book to women’s cancer is original and powerful and provides a lesson to us all. It is written by a gynaecologic cancer surgeon and comprises the case studies of some 30 women she has treated. Her bottom line is – don’t deny your symptoms (get them checked out straight away as symptoms are your body’s nudge to pay attention) and – don’t tolerate your pain (be your best advocate when something hurts. Learn to communicate with your doctor to get the best health care possible).
So the two most important actions you can focus on are addressing your symptoms as soon as they show up and speaking up for yourself in the world of doctors and medicine to receive the care you deserve.
Our annual visits to the doctor are not necessarily sufficient and a more pro-active approach is called for. As the author says – learning from these real life stories will illustrate what symptoms never to ignore, when you absolutely need to see your doctor. We are lucky to live in developed countries where it is not too difficult to get the necessary help.