Nirmala Bhoo Pathy: The way we deliver a cancer diagnosis can truly make or break a patient

Nirmala Bhoo Pathy shared a post on LinkedIn:

“Day 2 of World Cancer Congress 2024

At the WCC panel discussion on health literacy chaired by the amazing Sonali Johnson, had the pleasure of joining four other incredible cancer stakeholders Urška Košir, Carolyn Taylor, Thomas Hofmarcher, Richa Pande MSD for a thoughtful conversation on how we can do better.

I highlighted how the way we deliver a cancer diagnosis can truly make or break a patient.
This isn’t just about sharing bad news, it’s about supporting them through one of the most fragile moments of their lives.

Too often in LMICs, our patients are left overwhelmed, unable to process the flood of information that follows the diagnosis. Many experience a temporary mental block, leaving them unable to absorb crucial details about their treatment or prognosis.

That’s why it’s essential to not only communicate with empathy but also provide clear, written information for them to review later, when they’re ready. If we strengthen health literacy at this critical point, we empower patients to take charge of their journey and make informed decisions about their care.

It’s about more than just the message, it’s also about how and when we deliver it.”

Additional information

Source: Nirmala Bhoo Pathy/LinkedIn

Nirmala Bhoo-Pathy is a Professor of Epidemiology in the Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University Malaya, and practices as a public health physician at the University Malaya Medical Centre, Malaysia. She is also a visiting scholar at Queen’s University Belfast, United Kingdom since 2014. Dr Bhoo Pathy’s career is focused on optimizing life after cancer in resource-limited settings through research and advocacy.

 Dr Bhoo Pathy was the principal investigator of phase III of the ASEAN CosTs In ONcology (ACTION) study, comprising close to 10,000 cancer patients from eight low-and middle-income member countries of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN). She currently serves in two Lancet Commissions: the Lancet Commission on Women and Cancer and the Lancet Commission on Cancer and Health Systems. As the founder and scientific lead of a solution-oriented research group ‘Well with Cancer in Malaysia (WeCan@MY) https://spm.um.edu.my/wecan@my/ in the Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Nirmala Bhoo-Pathy currently oversees a wide range of studies on cancer care, cancer control and cancer policy, locally and globally.