Forum Discussion
What research should we be doing?
Hello BCNA community! This is my first post. I'm a scientist working on breast cancer and I was looking through some of the threads here and it strikes me that the issues we scientists think are the important ones to study may not be the only ones where research is urgently needed. So my questions to you are: What outcomes should we be working towards that you think are most important? Are there issues to do with breast cancer diagnosis/treatment/survivorship/anything else that you feel are being overlooked in research? Looking forward to hearing any thoughts on this! xx
63 Replies
- @Giovanna_BCNA - the above has requested the thread be closed.
- Hello All,Thank you very much for all the comments and suggestions. When I asked what research should we be doing it was very much an open-ended question without any specific direction in mind. I am a big believer in research directions being set through engaging with the people who have experienced the disease first hand. There is a big move globally and in Australia towards this, as more and more researchers are realising how much more impact our work can have if it is guided by the people who know it best.One of the central messages I have gained from hearing the posts on this thread is that breast cancer diagnosis, treatment and survivorship can be very isolating and the psychological effects are underappreciated. We need to develop better models of care that treat the whole person, and that care needs to be on a continuum, through all the stages of the disease and after treatment has ended. With breast cancer being as common as it is, and treatments improving all the time, there are an enormous number of people living with the long term impact of the disease. It is a big issue with a lot of different aspects to it, requiring input and commitment from many different health providers, government, health economists, patients. This is a big thing and needs to take time for the ideas to crystalise.Sorry if my lack of response to replies on this thread caused some problems. I have been reading them but not able to respond to them as much I would like with my workload and family commitments. Also, being new here I didn't know the protocols. If it would be appropriate to close the thread then I can request this.
- Good point @Zoffiel hopefully she do so when she logs on after her leave xo
- If she has what she needs, she should probably ask for the thread to be closed. There are a number of 'ghost' threads which are not helpful for new players who find them and reactivate old discussions when a new one would be more appropriate. Mxx
- I too was pleased she took the time to ask.I have met Wendy a couple of times now and I firmly believe she will not only read but act on the guidance we have given her. What is heartening to me is that she is part of a proactive group of young female scientists across Australia driving breast cancer research forward with a new approach that is looking at us as people not just patients - change is coming and I will do what I can to help it.
- Medical research takes years. If she or her colleagues chose to research something we suggested, it would be a long time before results were known. We could have suggested areas that are already being looked at. Grant applications have to be written, approved, studies designed etc. I was pleased we were asked.
- @wingman has 4 young kids and like most working mums taking time to be with them during school holidays.
- It's possible the consultation phase is now complete.
- Agree
- Mmmm... The cynic in me says that we won't hear any more from @wingman. She has her ideas now. She doesn't need us any more.
Years of working in the public health system have made me extremely cynical about researchers.
