- Filed under: Reflux
Paying It Forward
Liza Blumenfeld is a Speech-Language Pathologist with expertise in managing complex voice and swallowing disorders in a variety of patient populations. She is a master clinician and educator, internationally recognized as a world expert in Dysphagia care, Co-Director of the Hanna and Mark Gleiberman Head and Neck Cancer Center, and the Director of Speech Pathology at the University of California, San Diego. Her research interests lie in exploring innoative methods to optimize quality of life and functional outcomes. She is a Board-Certified Swallowing Disorders Specialist whose therapeutic approach integrates science and technology within a multidisciplinary care model.
My work life exposes me to countless stories of situations laden with pain, grief, and loss. Rarely a week goes by where a friend or family member fails to ask me how I emotionally manage the challenges of working in a cancer center. I understand the rationale behind the question. Initially, this exposure to daily suffering consumed my mind, especially in those moments just before sleep. It would not be possible to care for my patients without bringing some of this pain and anguish home. On a cloudy day in the fall of 2013 I encountered a situation that transformed my perception of critical illness. The humble events of that day forever altered my ability to cope with the daily pain I am exposed to at the cancer center. This encounter motivated me to harness the power of gratitude and helped nurture my ability to inspire others to find joy in paying it forward.
This encounter motivated me to harness the power of gratitude and helped nurture my ability to inspire others to find joy in paying it forward.
Nancy was diagnosed with advanced stage head and neck cancer. She was estranged from her family, had unstable access to both food and shelter, and suffered from multiple medical co-morbidities. Nancy was angry and non-compliant, rightfully so. She lashed out, missed appointments, and went against clinical advice. On this particular day, Nancy arrived at her appointment depressed and inconsolable. She was contemplating discontinuing her life-saving treatment. As I sat and listened, I realized that there was no medicine or therapy that could help her that day. Just me.
On a whim, I asked if she would like to go for a walk. I took my lunch break and, for the next sixty minutes, she talked about life, loss, and heartbreak. She spoke from a place of helplessness – a feeling more detrimental to health outcomes than most disease processes.
When our conversation grew quiet, I stopped walking and took a deep breath. Then, I gave her the only help I had to give, the opportunity she needed to help herself heal. “You’ve come this far because of those cancer survivors who came before you. Those who gave of themselves, whether it was being the first to participate in a dangerous new clinical trial or never before performed surgical procedure; donating or raising funds to make advances in care possible; or just showing up to support, to volunteer, or to hold a hand. They all had the power to make a difference because of the hard, seemingly endless road they travelled. And now, you have that power, too. The only question is, what are you going to do with it?”
We walked back in silence, sat down for some coffee…and then she started to cry. When I asked if she was alright, she said, “I’m crying because I finally feel like maybe there is purpose, maybe there is hope.” Nancy completed her treatment and became a Head and Neck Cancer Ambassador at the Cancer Center. She helps run support groups and offers peer to peer mentorship to newly diagnosed patients. Not only has Nancy found a new life, but she has reconnected with family and successfully mitigated many of her medical co-morbidities. Simply put, she acted on an opportunity to transform her own vulnerability and pain into strength, kindness, and compassion for others.
These precious moments make healing possible and can be as potent as any medical intervention. Paying it forward is a powerful rebellion against the monotony and cynicism that can seep into the world of healthcare.
It is paramount to remember that healthcare extends well beyond “medicine,” beyond the clinic, the hospital, the exam room. Healthcare, or better – healing, is sustained by the strength and resilience of the human spirit, and the willingness for one person to ease the burden of another. These precious moments make healing possible and can be as potent as any medical intervention. Paying it forward is a powerful rebellion against the monotony and cynicism that can seep into the world of healthcare.
As clinicians, we carry immense power. The power that patients possess is often underappreciated or lost along the way. Humans are at their best when they are caring for others. We get so caught up in the technical complexities of our craft that we become distracted from the unique opportunities we have to empower our patients to be of service to each another. The act of supporting patients transition from helpless to helper reminds us of why we selected this profession in the first place and affords us the privilege to witness humanity at its best.
Over the course of my career, I have borne witness to the notion that this humanistic approach can serve as powerful fuel for our patients as they advance through their treatment. It can transform pain into purpose and isolation into connection. I ask each and every patient how they intend to “pay it forward” once they complete treatment. When asked ‘how,’ I give a myriad of options ranging from philanthropic donations, patient mentorship, support groups, quality assurance program participation, to donating medical equipment that they no longer have a need for. It is often that they will not understand until much later that I was not asking for help but was providing an opportunity to serve.
These acts of kindness transform an exquisitely difficult experience into deeply meaningful and impactful interactions. Through these efforts, our team and our patients have enjoyed an endless stream of resources. From funding for novel clinical trials, to purchasing equipment, to reducing the pain and suffering from cancer treatment, these gifts have helped patients make sense of their difficult journey through the act of giving. It is the empowerment to take action when all one is experiencing is “treatment.”
In the vast and complex world of modern medicine, it is easy to veer away from the basics of humanity – that compassion heals, gratitude restores, and we always have the power to create a legacy that can make life better and more fulfilling for the next person who travels the path behind us.