They say that when it rains, it pours – and for cancer patients in oncology clinics across the country, that truth has a sharp point.
As COVID-19 has ravaged hospitals and medical staff, these are the people who have experienced some of the worst effects of the pandemic – and often in isolation, without the physical proximity and support of friends and family.
Undeniably, the medical professionals on hand in these clinics have been the heroic presence we all need, but the question demands to be asked…
What happens when the people looking after us don’t have a chance to look after themselves?
In times like these, there’s a lot to be said for little moments of human connection and physical outlets, especially for radiation oncologists like Kristina Young.
Kristina’s passion for her field began with the cancer diagnosis of a close friend’s mother, and that passion has led her into a long career researching breakthrough technology and immune therapy for breast cancer.
When she’s not on the job, Kristina enjoys boxing, hiking, and gardening with her family, but sometimes, even those outlets are not enough to alleviate burnout – especially when she’s worried about protecting her family from burnout…
And in those times, we do what humans have been doing for years:
We talk about it.
In this episode of the SheBurns podcast, Kristina talks about the emotional burden of helping her patients through COVID-19, her family support network, and how she’s using the hard times as teaching opportunities with her children.
So what’s this episode really about?
- The shift in our collective attitude towards the medical profession
- How to manage the stress of caring for your family and the rest of the world
- The intense, transformative relationship between the physician and the patient
- Learning to be okay with the way things turn out
Why you should listen
For parents all over the world, the pandemic has shifted protective instincts into overdrive – and while we’ve been working hard to keep our kids safe, they have been learning brand new lessons in a brand new world. If you’ve been feeling stressed, guilty, or worried about the changes in your role as a parent, this episode will remind you that you are far from alone – and that there is a silver lining to every burned-out cloud.
Links
You can quote me on that…
“Getting a cancer diagnosis is almost a death sentence – scary in a lot of people’s minds. And then you add COVID on top of it. So it’s been such a difficult time for cancer patients, I would imagine having to juggle their treatments, and then having to be not only careful about their regular immune system, but then, ‘oh my gosh, there’s a virus out there that could also kill me’.” – Hannah Austin
“I think having connection is always something that has helped me in times where I’m feeling low, and my tank feels empty – and then doing things to fill my tank.” – Kristina Young
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