The importance of healthcare self advocacy | Shoba Rao | TEDxTaftAvenue | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

Overcoming multiple health challenges through self-advocacy and informed decisions, leading to survival despite kidney failure and cancer diagnoses.

Key Insights

• 😷 Self-advocacy is crucial in healthcare, helping individuals make informed decisions and challenge medical professionals if necessary.
• 🧑‍⚕️ Understanding the ingredients in medications, both herbal and pharmaceutical, is essential for maintaining health and preventing adverse effects.
• 🥺 Researching and connecting health issues can lead to insights and better decision-making in managing complex diagnoses.
• 🤳 Overcoming adversity in health requires resilience and empowerment through self-advocacy and active participation in treatment decisions.
• 🧑‍⚕️ The speaker's journey exemplifies the importance of being proactive, informed, and persistent in advocating for one's health.
• 🥺 Seeking multiple opinions and being vigilant about treatments can lead to better outcomes and potential life-saving interventions.
• 🤩 Personal experience and knowledge about one's health conditions are key factors in navigating the complexities of medical diagnoses and treatments.

Transcript

imagine you're just 22 years old lying on a hospital bed when a doctor walks in and announces you have kidney failure and at 30 another doctor confirms that you have cancer but it doesn't end there at 37 you are diagnosed with bladder cancer and at 39 you are diagnosed with angio saroma in your liver a rarest of the sarcomas a saroma that affects o... Read More

Questions & Answers

Q: How did the speaker's journey with multiple health diagnoses begin?

The speaker's health challenges started at 22 with kidney failure, leading to a kidney transplant from her mother, and continued with subsequent cancer diagnoses.

Q: What role did self-advocacy play in the speaker's health journey?

Self-advocacy empowered the speaker to seek second opinions, research connections between diagnoses, and make difficult decisions like removing affected organs.

Q: How did herbal medication play a role in the speaker's health issues?

Herbal medication for Vitiligo unknowingly contained harmful herbs, leading to kidney issues and cancer diagnoses, highlighting the importance of understanding ingredients.

Q: What message does the speaker convey about self-advocacy in healthcare?

The speaker stresses the significance of being the captain of your health, questioning treatments, and making informed decisions to navigate through challenging diagnoses.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Diagnosed with kidney failure at 22, cancer at 30, bladder cancer at 37, and angiosarcoma at 39.

• Faced each diagnosis with self-advocacy, seeking second opinions and making informed decisions.

• Removed kidneys due to herb-induced issues, emphasizing the importance of being the captain of your health journey.