Shanise Pearce, Credibility Health Equity Advocate, Founder at The Advocate’s Table shared a post on LinkedIn:
“When I was diagnosed with Triple Negative Breast Cancer, I entered the healthcare system not just as an advocate, but as a patient.
In those moments, something becomes very clear.
The experience of healthcare is shaped not only by the treatments we receive, but by the conversations we have with the people leading our care.
- How a doctor explains a diagnosis.
- How a nurse acknowledges fear.
- How leadership cultures shape the environment where care is delivered.
Communication, empathy, and emotional intelligence are not soft skills in healthcare.
They are essential to how patients experience care.
As a survivor, genetic mutation carrier (BRCA2 and PMS2), and patient advocate, I have spent years working to ensure that patient voices are included in the conversations shaping healthcare systems.
That is why I am excited about a collaboration between The Advocate’s Table and Cadence Leadership + Communication.
Together, we are exploring how leadership development in healthcare can incorporate not only communication and emotional intelligence, but also the lived experiences of patients navigating serious illness.
When leaders hear directly from the people their systems serve, it creates a deeper understanding of trust, empathy, and care delivery.
Healthcare leadership is not just about operations and strategy.
It is about people.
And sometimes the most important perspective in the room is the one that comes from the patient chair.
Other articles about Breast Cancer on OncoDaily.