I am a Patient Advocate of Inspire2Live along with Mark, my husband and carer. I was diagnosed late at A&E with St. IV colorectal cancer in 2006, having been misdiagnosed for 6 years. My life is attributable to my loving family who gave me strength and encouragement and also to our personal involvement in my treatment. A three month prognosis has turned out to be 3 years of treatment followed by 12 years cancer free life! Our lives turned upside down has now been turned to a new life, much richer, in being involved , as advocates, in encouraging a new way of looking at cancer survival. Overall survival is not always what the patient wants; quality is often the most important element. Both Mark and I work voluntarily for several patient organisations along with Inspire2Live: Bowel Cancer UK, DiCE EuropaColon, EAPM, EMA, NICE and we believe that sharing information is the quickest way to help cancer patients to survive. I was an English teacher for 30 years.Now, Mark & I have the independence to speak our minds because our work is voluntary.
Bulgaria
Christina Rousseva
Clinician, Psychiatrist
Mental Health Clinic ‘St.st Cozma and Damian’, Plovdiv
