We were lucky, we caught the leukaemia early. Many other families are not so fortunate.
To diagnose Leukaemia, you have to look at the blood under a microscope. But doctors need to suspect that there is something wrong before taking blood.
Often there are outward signs of the disease, such as fatigue, dizziness, fever, infections, bruising and swelling. Yet these symptoms are common to many other illnesses, some of them benign. It’s unlikely that the presence of any one of these symptoms in a child will lead a doctor to suspect Leukaemia. This can lead to delays in diagnosis.
This problem is not limited to cancer of course.
Tragedies from late diagnosis are not uncommon, in UK and around the world. After all, healthcare systems are often under pressure, doctors and nurses are only human and some illnesses (like ALL) are, thankfully, relatively rare. More importantly, medical professionals are sometimes working with incomplete information.
This is where you come in because, although Healthcare is a made up of a myriad of different parts, I want to focus on the things that are within our control, as parents.
Based on my family’s experiences and advice that we have received from doctors and nurses over the years, I believe that part of the solution lies with all of us taking action at the right time. To help you do that I’ve developed a model.
If your child is ill, or indeed your spouse, or your parent, and you find yourself in hospital with them, remember these 3 words.
ASK. CHALLENGE. TALK.
Firstly, you should ASK as many questions as you need to, in order to make sense of the situation. Ask doctors and nurses to help you understand. Don’t be afraid to be a bother – it’s in their interest that you understand fully what’s going on.
Secondly, don’t be afraid to CHALLENGE decisions if you don’t think they are in the best interests of the patient. Challenge decisions, no matter who made them, from the junior doctor right up to the professor, and get an answer.
Finally, you must TALK. Talk to doctors, nurses, friends, family, charities and even strangers who have been through similar challenges. It’s through talking to other people that we are able to make sense of the situation and cope with the new normal.
If you are worried, ACT.