Alwena & Jim's story: Improving communication around cancer diagnosis

Alwena was diagnosed with stage 4 peritoneal cancer. In this video, her husband Jim (a health care professional) shares the story of Alwena's diagnosis and their whānau's experience within the health system.

The way Alwena's diagnosis was delivered left Alwena, Jim and their whānau with a lot of questions. Support for the whānau and communication about Alwena's diagnosis, could have been improved; having a dedicated staff member or team to answer their questions would have been helpful.

Despite the challenges, there were also many health care professionals who had a positive impact on their whānau.