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Olubukola Ayodele: Cancer Care Is Not Just About Medication And Monitoring, It’s About People

Olubukola Ayodele/LinkedIn

Jun 14, 2025, 02:01

Olubukola Ayodele: Cancer Care Is Not Just About Medication And Monitoring, It’s About People

Olubukola Ayodele, Consultant Medical Oncologist at the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, shared a post on LinkedIn:

“I just finished a clinic that left me quietly reflective.

An 87-year-old woman with metastatic breast cancer came in today, accompanied by her 90-year-old husband. She’s been on endocrine therapy and her latest CT scan showed stable disease. As I shared the news, he gently reached for her hand and said, “Come on, time for a cuppa.”

There was something incredibly moving in that simple gesture. No drama. No fuss. Just quiet reassurance and love that’s stood the test of time.

In the same clinic, another woman arrived with her line manager, now a close friend. What started as a work relationship has evolved into a source of unwavering support. He listened closely, asked thoughtful questions, and kept steady presence throughout the consultation.

Two very different stories, one common thread: the importance of having someone in your corner.

As clinicians, we often focus on scans, bloods, protocols, and rightly so. But support systems, both old and newly formed, are powerful. They can ground our patients, help them cope, and give meaning to what can be a frightening and uncertain journey.

We talk a lot about patient-centred care, but the centre isn’t always the patient alone. It’s the ecosystem around them. The partners. The children. The friends. The neighbours who drive them to hospital. The person who knows their favourite biscuit. These quiet supports are rarely documented in clinic letters, but they’re often what makes the journey bearable.

It’s a reminder that cancer care is not just about medication and monitoring, it’s about people. The people who sit in the waiting room, who take notes during appointments, who make tea when words fall short.

Today, I was reminded that sometimes our patients’ biggest source of strength isn’t just the treatment we prescribe but the person who walks through the door with them.

Sometimes, support sounds like:
“Time for a cuppa.”