Wendy Harpham on Healthy Survivorship

A Living Legacy

Our memories serve as a living legacy to someone who dies before we do. "Living legacy" has a nice alliterative ring to it, but what does it really mean?

If Kennedy Didn't "Lose," Then What?

Each Healthy Survivor forges and follows his or her unique path to getting good care and living as fully as possible. A war-like stance helps some  survivors --  not all -- summon the courage needed to live with illness. 

Ted Kennedy Didn't Lose

Last month, I wrote about something that drives me crazy when reading or hearing about celebrity deaths: A Misguided Metaphor. *

Lessons of Elie Wiesel's "Night"

I've just finished listening to a reading of Elie Wiesel's Night, a story of survival.

A Healthy View of Protecting Your Thyroid

The post "Mammogram of the Thyroid" prompted concern among some readers. Note: Today's post refers only to diagnostic x-rays (not therapeutic radiation therapy to treat cancer).

Healing Touch

What is the role of healing touch in modern medicine?

Mammogram of the Thyroid?

Why is the thyroid gland often left naked when patients are x-rayed?

Not Hoping For Good News

After my first course of chemotherapy in 1990-1991, I went for my first set of post-treatment scans. My greatest hope was for my oncologist to call me and tell me, "Wendy, your scans are all clean. Your cancer is in remission."

When I went for my most recent set of scans, I put my hopes in something other than "clean" scans and good news: 

Sand-and-Music Healing

I'll bet you've never seen an act of healing such as the one I'm about to share. Never.

The Second Opinion Path

"We can cancel your upcoming surgery. The suspicious changes seen on your recent biopsy are completely benign."

Bloggers Beware

For the past 1 1/2 years I've ventured where relatively few physicians go, namely, survivors' blogs and listservs. For all their benefits, one thing has me rattled: crass commentors.

To Fight Cancer, Know The Enemy

James D. Watson, co-discoverer of DNA's double helix, said the words I've been waiting years to hear.

How To Die Well in America

Healthy Survivorship revolves around living as well as possible for as long as possible. What about when patients are nearing the end? Jane Brody's Guide to the Great Beyond outlines and discusses many ways patients and their caregivers can live as fully as possible as the end draws near. One suggestion is rarely mentioned in self-books for patients: 

Fighting Cancer With Knowledge & Hope

With two of my three steps to Healthy Survivorship mentioned in the subtitle, I had to check out a new release by Yale University Press: Fighting Cancer with Knowledge and Hope.

Lack of Study Volunteers May Hobble Cancer Fight

"Why can we put a man on the moon yet we can't cure cancer?" Usually I respond, "That's an unfair question." But not today.

Informed Consent

NY Times health columnist, Dr. Pauline Chen, tackles the topic of informed consent in modern medicine in an article entitled "Treating Patients as Partners, By Way of Informed Consent." Does a patient's signature on the bottom of a form signed minutes before a procedure or surgery signify truly informed consent ?