Recounting the untold stories of breast cancer patient experiences : lessons learned from a patient-public involvement and engagement (PPIE) storytelling event

Cunningham, Margaret R. and Rattray, Nicholas J.W. and McFadden, Yvonne and Berardi, Domenica and Daramy, Karim and Kelly, Patricia E. and Galbraith, Allison and Lochiel, Isobel and Mills, Lorraine and Scott, Yvonne and Chalmers, Susan and Lannigan, Alison and Rattray, Zahra (2024) Recounting the untold stories of breast cancer patient experiences : lessons learned from a patient-public involvement and engagement (PPIE) storytelling event. International Journal of Pharmacy Practice, 32 (6). riae052. ISSN 2042-7174 (https://doi.org/10.1093/ijpp/riae052)

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Abstract

Objectives Breast cancer remains a prevalent disease in women worldwide. Though advancements in breast cancer care have improved patient survival, a breast cancer diagnosis, and subsequent interventions have a lasting impact on patients’ lived experiences during the pandemic. Methods We present the collaborative learning process from this patient engagement workshop series as a community-academic partnership. Narrative medicine tools were used to recount patients’ lived experiences following diagnosis, where both patients and researchers shared their cancer research activities in each workshop, and the role of the multidisciplinary healthcare team was discussed. Key findings We used an iterative approach to cohort building, narrative development, and the use of multiple media formats to capture stories. Over 20 patients with breast cancer shared their stories for the first time since their diagnosis with a wider audience. Here, we present the learning process and considerations from this event. Conclusions Understanding patients’ lived experiences can support researchers and healthcare professionals in developing an empathetic approach to shared healthcare decision making. Moreover, understanding the lived experiences of patients is critical to addressing disparities in healthcare.

ORCID iDs

Cunningham, Margaret R. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6454-8671, Rattray, Nicholas J.W. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3528-6905, McFadden, Yvonne, Berardi, Domenica, Daramy, Karim, Kelly, Patricia E., Galbraith, Allison, Lochiel, Isobel, Mills, Lorraine, Scott, Yvonne, Chalmers, Susan ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8073-7576, Lannigan, Alison and Rattray, Zahra ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8371-8549;
CORE (COnnecting REpositories)