European School of Oncology (ESO) shared a post on LinkedIn:
“Cancer is universal. Meaning is not.
In oncology, patients rarely hear only medicine. The same diagnosis can carry very different meanings depending on culture, family beliefs, lived experience, and stigma.
A physician may speak of treatment, survival, or uncertainty, while patients interpret those words through fear, hope, or cultural lens.
This is why cancer care requires more than clinical expertise. It demands empathy, cultural awareness, and the ability to listen beyond what is said.
Sometimes, the most important question is not ‘Do you understand?’ but ‘What does this mean to you’
Science is universal. Meaning is deeply personal.
– Dr. Fatjona Pupuleku Kraja
We are proud to share that this piece was selected as one of the two winning articles in the ESO College Voices Contest 2026, recognizing outstanding writing and original perspectives from ESO College Members.
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