Melanie Leslie-Bernard describes their mother Zoe as a courageous and adventurous woman who loved travel and outdoors.
When diagnosed with stadium 4 colon cancer in December, it was a huge shock. Especially because they say that Zoé had gone to the doctor several times and that he was told that his symptoms were not serious.
“At least four, maybe five doctors meetings from August to November,” said Melanie. “And in November, she had stomach pain, constipation was underway, nausea, the difficulty of eating. She had lost a lot of weight, as obviously, she had lost a lot of weight. »»
Zoé’s family says that neither her general practitioner nor his doctors in clinics without an appointment ordered him a colonoscopy or a blood. Zoe was only diagnosed after she went to another doctor.
She was told that she was about three to five years old to live, but other tests showed that cancer was extremely aggressive, cultivating several centimeters a month, and had spread to her liver. She needed home care, then palliative care, before her death on February 26.
Still in shock from the shock, Melanie did not expect this for their mother otherwise in good health of 65 years.
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“It was the kind of thing I imagined, perhaps in 15 years, my mother will need care, what it will look like, what it will affect my life,” they say. “I have not imagined him perform now, when I expect my first child.”
Melanie says that Zoe was very worthy of colon cancer screening. She had done Coloncheck tests every two years since the age of 50, but had always obtained a negative result.
The Cancercare website indicates that the test is only 78% effective to detect blood in the stool. Melanie and Zoé thought it should be better known – Zoe even asked that it be included in his Billology.
“Zoé wanted to share some tips here. Know that the Coloncheck Biannual does not collect all cancers, if you have persistent symptoms, continue to insist on additional tests in order to obtain precise answers from a doctor, “he said.
Now Melanie also wants to educate other patients who may have their concerns rejected by a doctor.
Tara Horrill, a professor at the University of Manitoba who is researching health care inequalities in cancer patients, says this is commonly reported among socially unsuitable groups, including women. She says it may be due to internalized biases and increasing pressure on health care providers leading to less in -depth assessments. .
“There are these subtle expectations that patients should know which symptoms are worrying and that they are able to articulate their symptoms in a way that health care providers can include. That they can plead strongly to receive care and follow up when they don’t, ”explains Horrill.
Melanie will always wonder if Zoe may have had more time – time to meet her little child, or make a last trip with her family – if cancer was caught earlier.
“If you come back for a few months, it’s potentially less growth, liver spread. There could have been much more chance for chemo to be effective. »»
They urge patients to plead for themselves, hoping that others can avoid the sorrow that their family is going through.
“I don’t know that I will never be at peace knowing that it could have been prevented.”
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