A PURE SELF INDULGENCE!

(no sound card? then just read the text below...)

"I hope you don't mind me including one purely personal yet very moving post about a friend of mine who is battling with breast cancer - her name is Anne-Marie Kesselman.

She uses a blog to reflect upon and share her experiences of being a cancer patient and how the healthcare system has supported her in her fight, which I am delighted to say she appears to be winning.

Why place a link to her blog here on a site that is dedicated to support those who manage in health and social care? Well, at times it can be easy to forget WHY changes in organisational systems and processes are being advocated especially if we are involved in and affected by these changes. Tapping into reflective thoughts from patients/users in such an insightful way whilst change is taking place serves as a useful reminder as to the reasons why many of us have chosen to work in or alongside those in the caring professions.

On the right hand side of the page you will find a link to Anne-Marie's blog (called My Friend - The Cancer Patient) and her musings on her illness, the support and care she has received from the NHS mingled with some family news and views. She has stated how therapeutic writing a blog has been for her state of mind and subsequent recovery, and it makes me wonder how beneficial this can also be for those who provide the services to patients just like her?

Thank you very much for allowing me to make such an important posting."

Have something you want posted? Then send me an e-mail to J.Fawcett@ihm.org.uk