Rachel Lee

This piece is a reflection of my experience with patients living with breast cancer. Over the past few weeks, I have been able to participate in the Breast Health Clinic which is often involved in the diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of breast cancers. In my interactions with patients, I have noticed that there are many different reactions to a new diagnosis of malignancy. Some patients are very subdued and stoic, while others outwardly express their disappointment, fear, and uncertainty. During these brief exchanges with a patient, it is often difficult to predict how that patient will feel in 5 minutes, 5 hours, 5 days, or 5 weeks from our interaction. Will this conversation be repeated in an endless loop in their mind throughout their car ride home? Will they lie awake at night, wondering how they will break the news to their close friends and family? Will this diagnosis impact their self-confidence, self-worth, or identity? I chose to use 12 white cancer awareness ribbons arranged as the hours on a white clock face, with two intravenous catheters as the hour and minute hands. This symbolizes the cyclical and lasting impact of a cancer diagnosis on the lives of our patients, and the relative brevity of interactions with the healthcare system. My experiences have stressed the importance of being mindful and present for each patient interaction, because it represents a sliver of time in their journey.

Rachel Lee