Dr. Krista Wilkins- Monday, April 12th, 2010

List of Atlantic Dialogue Speakers
(Organized by Core Issues)

Core Issue #1: Cancer Care & Population Health:

Session Lead: Dr. Louise Parker
Participant: Dr. Krista Wilkins, (Patient Perspective)
Participant: Dr. Donna Murnaghan, (Health Professional)
Participant: Dr. Chris Kaposy, (Health Care Ethicist)

Core Issue #2: Cancer Care & the Health System:

Session Lead: Dr. Kara Laing
Participant: Ms. Pam Bowman, (Patient Perspective)
Participant: Mr. Geoff Eaton, (Patient Perspective)
Participant: Dr. Pierre Whitlock, (Health Professional)
Participant: Mr. Chris Skedgel, (Health System Economist)

Core Issue #3: The Science Behind Cancer Care:

Session Lead: Dr. Geoff Porter
Participant: Dr. Stewart Rorke, (Health Professional)
Participant: Dr. Eshwar Kumar, (Health System Economist)

As we move forward with patient-centred care and personalized treatment, there is a word of caution from cancer survivors. Cancer patients and their families often get caught in the blame game, finding themselves in the position where they feel that they have caused the cancer. Feeling ashamed and guilty, cancer patients and their families may wonder should I have gone to the doctor sooner or should I have done something to minimize the cancer risk long ago?

This sense of self-blame may be perpetuated by societal messages that equate cancer with personal responsibility. Insistence on personal responsibility may encourage a heightened sense of individual control over health. However, the concern with focusing solely on personal responsibility for cancer is that we may dissociate cancer from the complex interaction of societal factors that have contributed to its development. This is not to suggest that cancer patients are absolved of all accountability. Indeed, we need to explore individual and social responsibility for cancer control.