Since 2004, World Lymphoma Awareness Day (WLAD) has been observed as an awareness-raising campaign for this common type of blood cancer. This awareness mission ties in with the broader campaign for blood cancer awareness every September.
Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL) is the most common group of blood cancers and one of the most common types of cancer overall in the United States. Depending on the specific subtype and types of cells affected, prognosis and treatment options for NHL can vary, and the condition can be relatively aggressive or chronic as a result.
The Patient Perspective
Even for less-aggressive forms of NHL, symptoms like fatigue, fever, and loss of appetite can make patients feel continuously burdened by their condition.
Let’s listen to an NHL patient in her late 30s describe what it’s like dealing both with these symptoms and other challenges associated with a more chronic form of blood cancer.
Decoding the Patient Voice
Understanding the patient voice is at the heart of what we do at inVibe, which we approach holistically by analyzing what is said, how it’s said, and how it sounds.
Let’s focus first on the different experiences she describes. Her description of symptoms as a loss of “normal” and remission as returning to normal life captures both how NHL affects her and what her treatment goals are. Rather than foregrounding symptoms, she focuses much more on thinking ahead to when things won’t be normal again, describing remission as temporary and continuing to structure her life around her diagnosis. This perception contrasts sharply with how peers – and even loved ones – see her as someone who no longer has to worry about cancer.
This sense of frustration and concern comes through very strongly in how this patient’s response sounds. Her response is markedly negative both in terms of emotional affect (‘valence’) and enthusiasm (‘activation’), which aligns with her portrayal of NHL as a chronic cancer to which she feels resigned.
While this patient’s account is just one of many possible experiences one can have with NHL, it illustrates the different kinds of pressures patients can feel even while in remission, and the ongoing need for support and management throughout the NHL patient journey.
Simple, Systematic, Scalable
Our Listening Platform makes it simple for patients to speak with us about their experiences in an open and authentic way and easy for you to engage with their perspectives directly.
If you’re interested in hearing from more patients like this one so that you can gain insight into their experiences, beliefs, behaviors, and desires, schedule a demo with us today and see for yourself.
