CancerWorld shared a post on LinkedIn:
“In our March–April 2006 cover story, Prof. Lesley Fallowfield DBE shared an undeniable truth:
“Patients will never forgive you for not acknowledging that they are having a tough time.”
Nearly two decades ago, Prof. Fallowfield was a lone, insistent voice saying what many didn’t want to hear: that poor communication in cancer care was harming patients, and that quality of life mattered as much as survival curves.
Back then, psycho-oncology was fighting for legitimacy. Communication training was dismissed as “soft.” And yet, her research showed that the first consultation could determine years of patient wellbeing.
Fast forward to today:
- Communication skills are now a core part of oncology training.
- Psycho-oncology has its place at the table in clinical trials and cancer centers worldwide.
- Quality-of-life measures are taken seriously — though still not always as much as tumour markers.
Her message feels timeless: patients may accept uncertainty in treatment, but never silence, jargon, or being ignored.
Almost 20 years later, how close are we to the standard she envisioned?
Read the CancerWorld’s March–April, 2006 issue here.”
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