A new future for cancer care | Bárbara Oliveira & Cathy O'Boyle | TEDxGalway

Key Concepts

• Holistic Health: The World Health Organization’s definition of health encompassing physical, social, and mental well-being, not just the absence of disease.
• Cancer Side Effects: Specifically, hair loss, peripheral neuropathy, time burden of treatment, and financial strain.
• Compression Technology: A novel approach to mitigate chemotherapy side effects by reducing drug exposure to healthy cells.
• Decentralized Cancer Care: Shifting cancer treatment from hospital settings to the patient’s home via technologies like auto-injectors.
• Patient-Centric Innovation: Focusing healthcare innovation on addressing the holistic needs and experiences of patients, beyond just disease treatment.

The Gap Between Healthcare & Patient Wellbeing

The speaker begins by posing the question of what “good health” truly means, highlighting the diverse range of responses received from individuals – from simply avoiding sickness to achieving specific physical goals and attaining peace of mind. This illustrates the subjective and multifaceted nature of health. The World Health Organization’s 1948 definition of health as “a complete state of physical, social and mental well-being, not merely the absence of disease or infirmity” is presented as a foundational understanding, emphasizing quality of life alongside disease-free existence. However, the speaker notes a disconnect between this ideal and the often reactive, one-dimensional nature of current healthcare practices, which primarily focus on treating disease rather than the broader impact on a patient’s life.

The Silent Side Effects of Cancer Treatment

The presentation focuses on cancer as a case study to illustrate this gap. While acknowledging advancements in cancer therapies leading to increased survival rates, the speaker emphasizes the often-overlooked and untreated side effects experienced by patients. Four key side effects are detailed:

• Hair Loss: Described not merely as a cosmetic issue, but as a loss of control and privacy for patients, impacting their self-image and social interactions. The speaker notes the immediate association people make – seeing someone without hair and assuming a cancer diagnosis – highlighting the social stigma.
• Peripheral Neuropathy: Defined as nerve damage caused by cancer treatment, affecting sensation in the hands and feet. Two out of three patients experience this, often with persistent and debilitating pain, impacting everyday activities like texting, typing, running, or even simple tasks like tying shoelaces.
• Time Burden: A significant portion of a cancer patient’s time (approximately one-third) is consumed by logistical aspects of treatment – travel, parking, waiting rooms, and infusion chairs – time that could be spent living.
• Financial Strain: The economic impact of cancer treatment is substantial, with nearly half of all patients losing their assets due to medical bills, lost income, and associated costs. This is described as a “silent cost” of cancer.

The Need for Holistic Health Innovation

The speaker argues that healthcare innovation has historically been driven by the problems observed by doctors within the clinical setting. However, cancer’s impact extends far beyond the clinic, encompassing the daily struggles and side effects experienced by patients in their personal lives. Therefore, healthcare innovation must address both the disease itself and its associated side effects to truly improve patient wellbeing.

The Genesis of a New Approach – Goe & the Team

The speaker details the founding of their company in Goe, Ireland, in 2018, motivated by the desire to address the holistic needs of cancer patients. The team has grown to over 50 people with diverse backgrounds – opticians, engineers, clinical trial specialists, scientists, doctors, nurses, and finance professionals – fostering a multidisciplinary approach to problem-solving. A key principle guiding their work is directly soliciting patient feedback to understand their needs and priorities. The team’s mission is to deliver technologies and services that enable patients to live better lives during cancer treatment.

Compression Technology: Targeting Side Effects

The speaker explains the mechanism behind chemotherapy’s side effects: while effectively targeting cancer cells, chemotherapy drugs also damage healthy cells, leading to issues like hair loss and neuropathy. To address this, they have developed “compression technology” – a method to temporarily restrict blood flow to healthy tissues during treatment, reducing drug exposure and minimizing side effects.

A demonstration using index fingers illustrates the principle: applying pressure reduces blood flow, turning the fingertips white. The technology is being developed into devices like hats, caps, gloves, and boots designed to be worn during treatment.

Decentralized Treatment: Bringing Care Home

Recognizing the time and logistical burdens of hospital visits, the team is also developing technologies to enable patients to receive cancer treatment at home. The concept of auto-injectors is presented as an existing example of self-administered medication. This approach offers several benefits: comfort, convenience, the ability to remain in a familiar environment surrounded by loved ones, and reduced exposure to other illnesses in the hospital setting. It also frees up caregivers’ time to focus on providing support.

Reclaiming Wellbeing: A Synthesis

The presentation concludes by revisiting the initial question of “what does good health mean?” and reiterating the World Health Organization’s definition. The speaker emphasizes that good health is not simply the absence of disease, but about caring for patients and enabling them to live well. They express optimism that, with the right people, innovative technologies, and a willingness to address the challenges directly in front of them, significant improvements can be made in healthcare, ultimately enhancing the quality of life for cancer patients.