In episode two of Burning Questions, host Bhairavi Madhusudan Shibulal looks at the aftermath of the cancer diagnosis, when decisions need to be made about the way forward.

Patients and their families often need time to process the diagnosis before understanding and weighing their options, and deciding on what the best course of treatment is. But with doctors and healthcare professionals under tremendous pressure, struggling to keep up with staggering caseloads and optimizing resources, time is often presented as something one doesn’t have the luxury of. So where does that leave the patient and the family?

Bhairavi speaks to Chinmayi and Bennita about their respective cancer journeys: what helped and what didn’t. And the support groups that gave them hope, solidarity and vital information. 

Dr. Paul Salins and Dr. Vijay Agarwal, both highly regarded medical professionals, share their perspectives why multidisciplinary care is vital in treating chronic diseases like cancer. And Bhairavi continues her conversation with Dr. Shobana Ramasamy about the importance of building openness, honesty and trust with your care team. As Bhairavi’s conversations reveal, ultimately it’s the patient who has the right to decide what they really want. To ask, is this right for me? Does this care plan fulfill the goals I have for myself? Can we afford this course of treatment? And, crucially, what other options do I have available to me?

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