April 8, 2016 (Friday) at 4:00 p.m. at the Oncology Center in Warsaw at ul. Roentgena 5, the first educational meeting for people struggling with thyroid cancer will be held. During the meeting, you will be able to learn more about the stages of thyroid cancer treatment, talk to your doctor, and meet people who have experienced cancer.
Thyroid cancer is the ninth most common malignant neoplasm in women. It is estimated that every year up to 2.5 thousand patients are diagnosed in Poland (according to the data of the National Cancer Registry from 2011). According to statistics, in 90% of cases, thyroid cancer can be successfully cured, which makes it a relatively benign neoplasm. However, for people who hear the diagnosis, it is simply cancer - a life-threatening disease.
ImportantEducational meeting for people with thyroid cancer
The meeting will take place at the Oncology Center in Warsaw - Instytut im. Maria Skłodowskiej Curie, at ul. Roentgena 5, main entrance A. For the meeting, go to the Educational and Therapeutic Center, which is at the end of the main corridor, on the right behind the glass partition. The meeting will be attended by prof. Marek Dedecjus, head of the Department of Oncological Endocrinology and Nuklerana Medicine, ward nurse, and patients who will talk about their experiences with thyroid cancer.
"I remember going to my appointment for the biopsy result. I was so nervous. I also clearly remember the moment when the doctor told me I had cancer. He said - cancer. I asked if it was malicious. He confirmed. Instantly I burst into tears. It was stronger. Then he briefly told me what the next steps were, but I didn't understand. I was only thinking about what I heard a moment ago "- recalls Justyna Cyran-Waksmundzka, vice president of the Projan Foundation, partner of the" Butterflies under protection "campaign
Treatment for thyroid cancer differs from the common perception of cancer therapy. This is the process that starts an operation to partially or completely remove the thyroid gland. Then the patients undergo treatment with radioactive iodine, which is associated with a strict procedure - stay in a closed ward and special quarantine. Patients use for the rest of their livesalso artificial thyroid hormones that have disappeared from the body along with the excised gland.
“About a month after the surgery, I was referred for radioiodine treatment. And that was an unpleasant surprise. I had absolutely no idea what that meant. I did not know that I would not be able to leave the room for several days, and if I tried to leave the ward, the alarm would go off. I also didn't know that everything I brought into the ward would be thrown away. It was terrifying. And all because of a small pill, swallowed in a special room, taken from a special container and given to me in a strictly defined manner. In such a surprise, a person feels weak and really ill "- recalls Justyna Cyran-Waksmundzka.
"Unfortunately, in hospitals, doctors are rarely able to devote enough time to a specific patient to prepare him for the entire treatment process. It is natural to look at the number of patients visiting clinics and hospital wards. From the patient's perspective, such information allows you to consciously go through the disease, learn about the next stages of treatment, prepare for them and react to the effects of the disease. All this information contributes to the comfort of every person affected by the disease "- emphasizes Elżbieta Kozik.
Worth knowingAs part of the Butterflies under Protection campaign, a special guide for patients was created, which can be downloaded from the association's website. Detailed information on the campaign is available at: www.ruchspoleczny.org.pl
