Quality of Life in Oncology
Quality of Life in Oncology
Patients' voices
This page is an updated collection of comments, suggestions, and observations from patients and stakeholders involved in the EUonQoL project.
As the project develops, it will be populated with meaningful content, giving voice to patients' perspectives on quality of life.
I am so happy but also feeling a huge sense of responsibility for being a co-researcher in EUonQoL! Quality of life is the main goal for a cancer survivor and it is thus a privilege to be able to contribute to such aim.
Quality of life means being able to live as close to normal as possible, doing the things I used to love—working, spending time with friends, and enjoying moments with my family, just like anyone else.
What truly affects my quality of life is the need to be accepted for who I am in each moment of my illness. As things get more difficult, people tend to drift away, and that can make an already challenging situation even harder…
My family has been incredibly close to me throughout this journey, supporting and encouraging me every step of the way. It's important to remember that the patient is not the only one affected by this experience—there are others who walk this path with them. We must be mindful of the loved ones surrounding the patient, as they often bear the weight of the most difficult and negative aspects of the illness.
Another crucial factor that has made, and will continue to make, a difference is my relationship with the doctors who care for me. Their empathy and the trust I have in their expertise allow me to feel secure and confident in relying on them throughout this journey.
The first thing that changed after my diagnosis was the loss of the light-heartedness with which I once approached life. You’re forced to grow up suddenly, in a way that feels both abrupt and traumatic.