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Carmen Monge-Montero: EDI in Cancer Care Diaries – Neurodiversity

Carmen Monge-Montero/LinkedIn

Feb 27, 2025, 12:43

Carmen Monge-Montero: EDI in Cancer Care Diaries – Neurodiversity

Carmen Monge-Montero, Researcher and patient advocate at Youth Cancer Europe, posted on LinkedIn:

“EDI in Cancer Care Diaries: Neurodiversity – A Personal Reflection.

I have to be honest – when I first started working in Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI), I had to Google neurodiversity. But to my surprise, it wasn’t new to me at all – I just didn’t know the term.

This is a deeply personal topic for me and one that makes so much sense in cancer care.

Growing up, my cousin was just different. No one ever said why. He wasn’t diagnosed as a child, and our family simply adapted. We played together, changed the rules when needed, and never questioned it. He was simply him. It wasn’t until I was a teenager that I learned he had an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

Years later, his father – my uncle – was diagnosed with cancer. We went through treatment together, and he became my support system. Sadly, he relapsed and passed away in 2019. His nickname was Mano (which means “hand”). That’s why my YouTube channel is called Mano: because we all need a hand to keep moving forward, and he was mine.

When we were diagnosed, my first thought was: How will my cousin handle this? At first, I don’t think anyone told him. But eventually, he learned the truth. And while he had some tough moments, he handled it better than I expected.

Now, having met so many neurodivergent people who are living with and beyond cancer, I understand just how much harder a diagnosis can be for them. That’s exactly why diversity in research and cancer care matters. Different perspectives help us see what others might overlook, leading to more inclusive and effective care for everyone.

How many of you have felt different but never asked why? Maybe if we realized that more than 1 in 7 people are neurodivergent, we could finally create systems that adapt to all of us.

If you want to learn more about neurodiversity, join us today for our webinar on ‘Neurodiversity and Cancer.'”

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