In the face of an acute health problem or a life-altering diagnosis, feeling uncertain and worried is an understatement. As a medical oncologist and, at times, a patient, I’ve witnessed the ongoing challenges of accepting the unknown. However, I’ve also seen how when individuals feel empowered, they are more at ease, equipped to make informed decisions and often experience better long-term outcomes.
Whether confronting an illness or simply trying to enhance our overall well-being, having a go-to guide for activating our power is helpful. By leaning in and leveraging these few easy-to-follow tips, we can all gain greater control and confidence during our health journeys.
1. Stay informed. As the saying goes, knowledge is power. If we have recently received a diagnosis, the provider should offer a thorough, clear explanation of the illness or disease and potential next steps. That said, we shouldn’t be afraid to ask for additional resources or dig into the research. Maintaining an open line of communication with our care teams is crucial. I often ask my patients to bring a notebook with questions we can answer together. Patients who write down information or record our conversations feel better having notes to reference when questions arise.
2. Identify risk factors. Knowing our family history can be essential in reducing our risk of developing certain health issues. While we cannot change our genes, we can proactively make lifestyle modifications and receive recommended screenings like mammograms or colonoscopies for earlier detection and more effective treatment if issues occur. Even without a positive family history, ensuring you are up to date with your recommended screenings is key. As I once heard a wise breast radiologist say, “Your biggest risk factor for breast cancer is that you have boobs!” So, as women, staying on top of our mammograms is vitally important.
3. Be proactive. We should talk to our doctors about screenings, tests or other early detection tools that should be on our radar. Our providers should make these recommendations based on current medical guidelines, family history and other known risk factors.
4. Practice self-care. We can’t advocate, maintain or improve our well-being on an empty tank. We should prioritize our physical, mental, spiritual and emotional health with habits like exercising regularly, meditating or spending time outdoors with family and friends.
5. Build a tribe. A robust support system provides countless physical and mental health benefits, from reduced anxiety to better coping skills. These can be focused groups, such as those offered at CARTI’s The Bridge, or be more informal and include our church families, book clubs, recreational athletic teams or local gyms.
6. Speak up. At CARTI, we often say to our patients, “You know your body best.” And it’s true. If something doesn’t feel right or we don’t feel like our concerns are being heard, we should seek additional medical guidance or a second opinion. When in doubt, we must remember to go with our gut.
Achieving a sense of empowerment won’t happen overnight. But with steady, incremental steps, we can become more confident and capable of making decisions to safeguard our health.
Dr. Grace Raja is a board-certified medical oncologist who sees patients at the CARTI Cancer Centers in Little Rock and Conway.
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