I really enjoy reading (and writing!) blogs. A blog provides a less formal environment to share information than other forms of writing, and it enables regular people to have their voice be heard by potentially anyone and everyone. I feel pretty privileged to be able to read people’s personal cancer experiences through their blogs, and was delighted to be introduced to Mike Hamel’s blog, Cells Behaving Badly.

Mike was diagnosed with lymphoma in early July of this year, and is taking the time to document his experience. He writes regularly and with a wonderful sense of humor that makes the experience sound less daunting.

Mike has graciously given us permission to share one of his blog posts with you, so without further ado, read on!

A Client, Not a Patient


^{Mike Hamel, client, and Nurse Sharon}

I won’t be able to change the nomenclature of the medical profession but I refer to myself as a client, not a patient. By definition, a patient is “One who receives medical attention or treatment.” The archaic meaning was “One who suffers,” from the Latin verb meaning “to endure.” A client on the other hand is “The party for which professional services are rendered.”

Catch the nuance? A patient is the object of medical care, a client is the subject of medical services. In language as in life, an object is passive, a subject is active.

A patient complies with the experts. A client consults the experts, then follows what seems the best advice.

A patient might complain but would never contradict an authority. A client will ask questions and weigh alternatives before deciding.

A patient goes where sent and doesn’t change doctors or clinics. A client tries to find the best physicians and facilities realistically available.

A patient asks “What?” A client asks “Why?”

Being a client takes a lot more work. I have to educate myself about my condition and treatment options. It’s a daunting but doable task thanks to the Internet. There are plenty of reputable sites with reliable information the average person can understand. (See the LYMPHOMA INFO box in my sidebar for a start.)

Oncologists know a shipload more about lymphoma than do its sufferers, but they don’t know everything. It’s impossible to keep up with the ocean of new information. A dialogue with a well-informed client could suggest new possibilities to a thoughtful physician.

When I see Dr. Kurbegov in two weeks, I’ll ask if radioimmunotherapy is an option for my type of lymphoma based on an article I read in the New York Times. I’ll ask about any clinical trials for which I might be a candidate, especially those sponsored by the MD Anderson Cancer Center where Dr. Kurbegov was a Chief Fellow.

I’m not trying to play doctor or impress anyone with my research skills. I’m just trying to understand my cancer and to be proactive in eradicating it. After all, it’s my life.

Learn more about Mike by visiting his blog. It’s possible you may already be acquainted with his books which include the Matterhorn the Brave series, as well as The Entrepreneur’s Creed.

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Recently I’ve been reading some articles online about the costs of cancer medications like Avastin* and Gleevec. When insurance companies up the cost of co-pays for these medications (our very own Hildy Dillon, Senior Vice President, Patient Services responded to this NYTimes article in a letter to the editor), it can cost the patient many thousands of dollars, and even doctors and medical practices can be hard hit by the rising cost of drugs. For the patients interviewed in these articles, the benefits outweigh the costs because the drugs mean living longer, but many patients do not have the adequate monetary resources to cover the costs of their medications. It’s not even fully clear to the medical industry if the extended length of life for some patients is because of drugs like Avastin.

Our Public Policy team here at The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) has also been learning about these issues of higher co-pays vs. the benefits of the cancer drugs, and they are interested in hearing if you are experiencing some of this from your insurance companies.

Please consider sharing your answers to the following questions.

Do you have to pay more for blood cancer medications than you used to?

Do you rely on Gleevec or any other high priced medicine? Do the benefits outweigh the cost?

Would you be interested in LLS fighting for lower drug co-pays?

Leave your answers and comments here or you can contact the Office of Public Policy by filling out our online contact form.

Learn more about how you can get involved with the Office of Public Policy as an advocacy volunteer.

*We understand that blood cancer patients do not use Avastin, but we believe that issues like this that may affect other cancer patients may ultimately affect the blood cancer patients we seek to serve.