Steve shares his knowledge, experience, and wisdom to help better equip and empower your capacity to mount a robust and effective response to a serious challenge.

steveHOLMES

2 brothers diagnosed with the same aggressive terminal cancer and 6 months to live. 

“Steve survived, but Graeme did not. Steve’s survival became a modern-day medical breakthrough that provided a new doorway to how patients can better respond and survive a serious cancer diagnosis.”

Surviving stage 4 metastatic and terminal cancer is remarkable in itself, it attracts attention, and therein lays a new unexpected responsibility.

Cancer patients suffer a lot, that’s what it is to be a patient, so anything that I can do to alleviate that suffering is a good thing, a positive thing, a meaningful thing. Sharing my story, knowledge, experiences, and wisdom in the best way possible does exactly that, it helps make other patient’s lives more liveable and shines a light on what is possible.

cancer READY

I find a lot of patient suffering comes from not understanding things and the confusion and overwhelm that comes from that. So helping people understand their diagnosis and options is a good start to improving their survival chances.

I have also learned the advantages of becoming cancer-ready, just as CPR awareness and basic knowledge can improve survival rates.

steveHOLMES

2 brothers diagnosed with the same aggressive terminal cancer and 6 months to live. 

“Steve survived, but Graeme did not. Steve’s survival became part of a modern-day medical breakthrough, providing a new pathway for how patients can better respond to and survive a serious cancer diagnosis.”

Surviving stage 4 metastatic and terminal cancer is remarkable in itself, it attracts attention, and therein lays a new unexpected responsibility.

Cancer patients suffer a lot, that’s what it is to be a patient, so anything that I can do to alleviate that suffering is a good thing, a positive thing, a meaningful thing. Sharing my story, knowledge, experiences, and wisdom in the best way possible does exactly that, it helps make other patient’s lives more liveable and shines a light on what is possible.

cancerREADY

I find a lot of patient suffering comes from not understanding things and the confusion and overwhelm that comes from that. So helping people understand their diagnosis and options is a good start to improving their survival chances.

I have also learned the advantages of becoming cancer-ready, just as CPR awareness and basic knowledge can improve survival rates.

SITE MENU

MY STORY | FOCUS | PROJECTS |

WHY | CONTACT | ARTICLES

SITE MENU

MY STORY | FOCUS | PROJECTS | WHY | CONTACT | ARTICLES

In ANUTshell

As a Stage 4 Cholangiocarcinoma survivor, I am a living testament to the latest advancements in genomics and personalized medicine. My personal journey from person to patient to an empowered patient has been a transformative experience, navigating the complex landscape of scientific theories and their medical applications. This unique combination of personal experience and technical acumen has empowered me to develop a next-level approach to patient empowerment.

Empowering Patients to Transcend Constraints

Medical professionals and the healthcare system operate within the confines of evidence-based opinions and guidelines. However, patients facing a terminal cancer diagnosis are not bound by such constraints. They have the remarkable capability to look and see beyond these limitations and embrace boundless possibilities.

Embracing a Scientific Mindset and Personal Journey

Patients fighting for survival embody the spirit of scientists at their core. They possess the innate inclination for exploration, questioning assumptions, and seeking out alternative options. By adopting a scientific mindset, patients can transcend conscious limitations and become beacons of inspiration, resilient, and proactive in their pursuit of better outcomes.

My personal journey from a hospital ICU bed facing certain death to becoming a survivor of terminal stage 4 cholangiocarcinoma is proof of the power of transcending beyond the 1% survival of my prognosis it underscored a hard-earned realization; “The opportunity is life until our last breath. I have not wasted a single breath since that realization.” The Empowered Patient became part of the opportunity and I came to realize that only a successful experienced patient with the right type of obsession had the capacity to drive this over the line. Luckily, there are now more patients who are also embracing this mission as if their lives depended on it.

Shaping the Future of Healthcare

Functioning on the sole currency of their survival a patient’s role in shaping the future of healthcare is paramount. By challenging the status quo and embracing patient empowerment, individuals become catalysts for transformative change in the healthcare system. This empowered mindset not only benefits the individual but also has a profound impact on the larger healthcare community.

From Patient to Patient Expert: Bridging a Vital Gap

As a successful patient who has navigated cutting-edge experimental cancer interventions, I have acquired a professional-level understanding and proficiency in the latest scientific and medical advancements. I did not simply survive; in fact, I became the 2nd ever CCA patient to achieve a full and complete response from a stage 4 setting. It was a remarkable feat that only took 3 days unofficially and 9 weeks officially. This unique opportunity has propelled me to develop a clear, coherent, patient-centered pathway that equips and empowers patients from the moment of their diagnosis.

I am privileged to be in a position where I can contribute to improving survival rates by utilizing my experiences and acquired skills. Outside of waiting for medical science to provide more curative solutions, I am actively involved in innovative initiatives that aim to decrease avoidable cancer deaths resulting from lack of knowledge, understanding, or access. My goal is to help others achieve the same level of success and survival that I have experienced.

All of this is born from my need to survive and now extend a helping hand to others. It requires fresh thinking and the development of new “rocket ships” to navigate this space of patient empowerment and transformative change.

Driving Patient Empowerment Through Initiatives

As the Founder and Director of the Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation Australia and New Zealand, and the creator of The Empowered Patient Initiative, I leverage my personal experiences and technical expertise to unlock the full potential of patient empowerment. Through initiatives like The Cancer Toolkit, Patient Journals, and The Second Opinion Project, I strive to better equip and empower patients, enabling them to navigate their healthcare journey with confidence and make informed decisions. By providing these resources and support, I believe we can accelerate improved survival outcomes and drive a healthy patient-led transformative change in healthcare.

In Conclusion:

How patients digest, understand, and act upon the knowledge that emerges at the intersection of these communities will shape their future but most of all Patient survival – the reason for being.

A healthcare system that understands that the patient is and will always be the central uniting force for these communities will continue to excel.” does it still fit and align with this content or should it be in another section about the empowered patient

My personal journey from patient to patient expert has provided me with a unique perspective. I have navigated cutting-edge experimental cancer interventions, gaining valuable insights and proficiency in the latest scientific and medical advancements. Now, I invite you to join me in transforming lives through patient empowerment. Embracing the concept of patient empowerment is not just a nice idea, but an absolute necessity. Together, we can achieve what once seemed impossible and shape a future where patients are at the center of their healthcare journey.

Thinking and imagination transcend knowledge; they transcend the ‘now’ to new realities and new knowledge beyond our current conscious measure.

Attitudinally

Thinking is my biggest activity

Life is a harsh yet effective teacher through the experiences it serves up as lessons. It is those experiences that have profoundly shaped my thoughts and how I think and act on them.

Through these lessons, I have evolved a daily mantra of ‘Eat light, move light, be open, be willing, be consistent. It lightens the load in all ways. It has also helped me rebuild my road cycling discipline with a rhythmic version of ‘ride within, ride with rhythm, ride for tomorrow, be open, be willing, be consistent.’ a rhythm that feeds the dreams, visions, and aspirations a way that honors the opportunity I have been given.

TheCHALLENGE

It has been a significant challenge to separate out my emotions which have been such an integral part of my battle, from the harsh lessons learned within them. Initially, I tried to separate them so as to provide greater clarity when sharing. However, I came to realize that these emotions were in themselves an incredibly important component that essentially encased and carried the lesson(s).

It is my hope that I can present both in a way that you can take away something that really helps.

Pathway &Navigation

I have meticulously documented my treatment journey so as to contribute to the success of future patients, providing them with the knowledge they need from the moment of diagnosis. Through my experiences, I have forged new pathways beyond the physician’s office.

To know what must be known, in the order it must be known” from that very moment of receiving a diagnosis.

At the forefront of a new era in healthcare, I help to better equip and empower patients to respond to an unexpected cancer diagnosis. This era emphasizes patient empowerment, cutting-edge research, and innovative funding approaches that are driving new breakthroughs and advancements in cancer treatment and care.

My involvement in innovative patient empowerment initiatives places me at the forefront of these breakthroughs, where we strive to improve human health and extend life expectancy. I am excited to be part of the next stages of this journey.

Patient empowerment emerges as a central focus in this new era, spearheading generational changes in cancer treatment with a focus on parity and empowering patients.

RealityCheck

HEALTHY PEOPLE GET CANCER TOO; We are all healthy until we are not.

None of us can predict when we might face a cancer diagnosis. Even healthy individuals, including doctors, nurses, and scientists, are not immune. That’s why being well-equipped with knowledge and resources becomes a crucial factor and advantage if we are ever unexpectedly diagnosed with a serious cancer.

While we can’t wait for the next big medical breakthrough, we can better prepare ourselves with the available resources today. Consider checking out or following my ongoing work on developing a cancer CPR-styled program. I was surprised to learn that 40% of all cancer diagnoses occur during our working years. Here is the link to view my initial outline.

Focus &DETAILS

Patient-Centric Lens and Input on Research and Innovation

Specific areas of focus and experience

  • Tumor Immunology
  • Immune response
  • Checkpoint Pathway
  • NGS (Molecular/Genomic) findings
  • Patient Literacy
  • Gold Standard Patient Response & Attitude

Patient-Centric Research and Social Enterprise –

Flipping the Org;

A radical change to the incumbent charity and advocate organizational models were necessary to achieve patient-centric and empowered patient initiatives, so the priority was to replace old, inefficient financial models with a nimble and leaner patient-centric approach.

I developed “Patient-Centric Research & Social Enterprise,” a next-gen model prioritizing patient-centric expectations, research, and innovation.

It targets patient-centered projects, thus enabling higher net throughput of funds to innovative patient resource initiatives. This increases transparency and confidence for patients, donors, and investors, enabling more progressive strategies and timely outcomes for improved patient survival.

Empowering the Patient; Patient-First Innovations and Initiatives.

Equipping patients from the moment of diagnosis through innovative patient-centric empowerment initiatives like the Cancer Toolkit, Patient Journals, and the Second Opinion Project.

All initiatives provide highly targeted evidence-based, best-practice information and resources with the goal of increasing patient survival and reducing avoidable cancer deaths due to lack of knowledge, understanding, and or access.

The Cancer Toolkit: An all-screen web application. Designed by successful patients and caregivers to better equip and empower a patient’s ability to mount a robust and effective response from the moment of diagnosis. Toolkits are tailored for specific cancer types – example ‘CCA Patient Toolkit’ commissioned by Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation Australia

Patient Journals: A patient resource and experience through a tangible physical interactive journal, with all the benefits of the Cancer Toolkit web application and other simple technology cues. We invite experienced patients to become part of this initiative through our limited editions – click here to view details

The Second Opinion Project:  A not-for-profit providing patients across Australia and New Zealand with remote access to diagnosis-specific medical professionals with the current expertise and experience for their exact diagnosis.

cancerREADY and cancerCPR are workplace initiatives to deal with the 40% who are diagnosed during their working lives causing significant impacts on both family and the workplace environment:

Steve, cancer has taken so much

“Steve, I know that cancer has taken so much from you, but it can also give back so much more if you let it!” ~ Erin (my first clinical trial nurse) 

I remember thinking what drugs are you on Erin, I was so weak I could hardly lift my head to acknowledge her comment. How could I ever think cancer would give me anything other than pain and misery? Erin’s comment stuck and really frustrated me until I finally understood – “If you let it!” that understanding redefined my thinking and attitude. It was then that I realized I just needed to get out of my own way and let my inner willingness and potential(s) rise up and lead the way. Yes, Cancer had forced my hand but it had also provided me a new lens on life, I could now see what others could not.

A view through my lens on life

The position I now find myself in is incredibly unique. I am a successful patient who has emerged from a new generation of cancer research and treatment, a generation that the average practicing medical professional may not be current with or accepting of.

As a patient who has journeyed through the heart of this new scientific frontier and gained unparalleled cutting-edge knowledge and experience, how can I inform future patients about what is possible and what they should know without upsetting or embarrassing those who should already be aware? It is a delicate task, but therein lies my greatest challenge, despite my strict adherence to providing only proven evidence-based best practice knowledge.

It has been a significant challenge for me to separate my emotions, which have been such an integral part of my battle, from the harsh experiences endured and learned. I began by trying to separate so what was learned – the pure logic to share with those who follow me. However, I came to realize that these emotions are an incredibly vital factor that encases and carries the lesson(s).

It is my hope that I can present both in a way that you can take away something that really helps.

EmpoweredPatient

The Empire of the Empowered Patient

“The Empire of the Empowered Patient” rises above the limitations imposed by the need for certainty in healthcare. It recognizes that just because something cannot be seen, it does not mean it does not exist. In the realm of science, possibilities abound, and everything is within reach.

The empowered patient is a visionary, seeking to navigate the uncharted territories and connect the dots that lie beyond the boundaries of certainty. They are driven to explore the vast array of possibilities, embracing them as opportunities for growth and transformation.

By bridging the gap between what is known and what is yet to be discovered, the empowered patient empowers not only themselves but also others to challenge assumptions, seek alternative options, and drive positive change. With their knowledge and agency, they become agents of transformation, pushing the boundaries of healthcare and shaping a future where possibilities become realities.

In the Empire of the Empowered Patient, the quest for certainty is balanced with a willingness to explore the unknown. It is a realm where patients take control of their healthcare journey, harnessing their inner strength and resilience to shape a brighter future for themselves and those around them. Join the movement, embrace the power of empowerment, and together, let us build an empire where possibilities reign supreme.

The evidence-based burden, a cancer in itself: In other words, the over-reliance on evidence-based approaches can lead to the proliferation of rigid thinking and limitations, similar to the uncontrolled growth and spread of malignant cells in the cancer we as patients are already fighting.

The beauty of humanism has been its ability to consistently knock down its own walls, it is the most special thing that we have ever done.

There is nothing in science and its downstream products of evidence-based opinions that are not vulnerable to being knocked off their pedestals of certainty. As individuals, we all possess a natural inclination for exploration and inquiry, embodying the spirit of scientists at our core.

Cancer Patients facing certain death with all evidence-based options exhausted must become their own scientists and transcend the limitations and constraints that created these finite evidence-based medical opinions.

Patients fighting for survival must embrace the boundless possibilities beyond the limitations of evidence-based dogma.

There can be no bigger motivation than survival itself. A patient’s pursuit of survival should never be marginalized, or disempowered by those entrusted to their healthcare.

A scientific mindset, seeking out options, questioning assumptions, and exploring possibilities for one’s own survival is the mindset of an empowered person, resilient, and proactive in their pursuit of better outcomes.

Thoughts and Observations in Plain Sight

Below are segments of observations, viewpoints, and feedback gained from my extensive relationships with patients fighting for their lives and their relationship with the wider healthcare landscape. In recording these it is my aim to continue focusing on how I can contribute and be part of the solution.

Unlocking the Future of Cancer Survival: The Empowered Patient

The next big wave of success over cancer is coming from those patients that have bridged the cancer information abyss to empower their efforts. While scientists continue to work hard at providing curative solutions to cancer, we can also honor their efforts by better utilizing what they have already developed and contributed. Although this may seem like common sense, the reality is that much of the research and innovations in cancer care are not being effectively translated into practical tools and resources for patients.

Ultimately the responsibility remains on the shoulders of the patient, but equally, the healthcare system must have a culture to provide patients with the means and pathway to support that responsibility.

Consider this unique perspective:

Without a cancer patient, there would be no need for the cancer cure equation and no necessity for medical professionals and scientists.

The cancer success equation can be represented something like this; Empowered Cancer Patient + Empowered Patient-Centric Medical Professional =  Improved Patient Parity & Improved Survival Rates

A healthcare system that provides a clear pathway to empowering the patient from the moment of diagnosis,  provides more parity to this equation. Improving how a patient is able to more confidently navigate the diagnosis, treatment, and healthcare process, reduces mental and financial burdens on families, and similarly, the healthcare system – a truly innovative concept don’t you think?

An Empowered Patient Environment and Culture

A patient-first approach to cancer care is the next step in empowering the patient. By developing a robust patient-centric environment and culture, we can better equip and empower newly diagnosed patients to take up the responsibility and more effectively respond to their diagnosis and treatment process.

To achieve this, patient empowerment must be front-loaded into the diagnosis process, starting the moment a patient receives their diagnosis. Integrating patient-empowerment principles into the healthcare system will require a patient-led approach to ensure a better delivery of innovative solutions that can more directly address this.

Time: A Critical Factor to a Cancer Patient

Most patients with a serious cancer diagnosis hanging over them simply do not have the luxury of waiting for the next medical breakthrough. Therefore, we are working to better utilize and deliver what has already been discovered and made available. If you share this purpose and have the financial capacity to contribute, please feel free to get in touch with me.

The key components of my focus are as follows;

The Empowered Patient necessitates a healthcare advocacy and treatment environment that is aligned and up-to-date with the rapidly evolving landscape of cancer and technology. It is crucial to implement structural and strategic changes to ensure that new innovations and initiatives become an integral part of an effective patient toolkit.

The empowered patient represents the next generation of well-informed individuals who possess knowledge, understanding, and the ability to take action based on what they have learned. This directly contributes to achieving higher patient parity. It is essential to embed this concept deeply into the models and processes of healthcare advocacy and treatment.

Flipping the Org is an innovation waiting to happen

The time has also come for outdated patient advocacy and charity models, to be replaced with new thinking – innovative next-gen models such as the Patient-Centric Research and Social Enterprise model which is now used by CCF Australia. These models and their strategies more directly provide a higher level of transparency and prioritize patient empowerment and parity throughout the cancer treatment journey, and are leading the charge to more significant breakthroughs and advancements at the grassroots of the patient’s cancer response and treatment, and care.

Quantum Funding is tied to social impact investment and improved patient survival

Advancing the concept of Quantum Funding for social enterprise in cancer is driving the use of innovative funding approaches to support impactful breakthroughs and transformations in patient-centric cancer response and care. With this, he provides a more transparent project-focused conduit that aligns patients, donors, and social impact investors in achieving meaningful improvements in cancer survival rates.

Empowering Patients and Driving Innovations

Through this work focus, I will be able to generate and lead a larger movement on how we approach cancer, improve human health, and extend life expectancy. patient empowerment creates empowered patients – it’s a quantum leap for all!

The Empowered Patient: No patients, no doctors; no football, no game!

I firmly believe that shaping the patient ultimately shapes the healthcare system that serves them. Empowering patients is not only essential for the individual but also a catalyst for transformative change in healthcare.

View my personal story

What is Patient Empowerment?

Although patient empowerment is now becoming more recognized in the cancer success equation there are very few resources available to support this. Most often the unselfish best intent effort is divided and broken by a lack of formal recognition of the real impact of patient empowerment. For too long it has been a nice thing to express and be seen alongside, mere window dressing in terms of the absolute potential that organized patient empowerment will have if embedded directly into the diagnosis and treatment process.

So understanding exactly what is empowerment means, becomes an essential beginning point in developing and providing new initiatives to the newly diagnosed patients and their community of healthcare professionals and supporters.

To break this down a little further, here are a few observations;

  • Patient Empowerment: Delivering the relevant information at the point of diagnosis and beyond in a timely way so that patients can digest and understand before they are called on to make big decisions. (This may require neutral unpressured support)
  • The Empowered Patient is the patient who understands the relevant information and is capable of participating in big life-impacting decision-making. (This may require neutral unpressured support)
  • Empowered patients make better decisions and are more engaged in treatment.
  • Empowerment will improve cancer survival outcomes.
  • Empowerment transforms the way patients respond to cancer.
  • Empowered patients reduce mental, physical, and financial burdens on family and healthcare

Going with the theme of self-responsibility it is we the patients who lead this in a way that the healthcare system understands and can support these initiatives, with the aim of assimilating them into their larger picture.

What is a Patient-Centric and Centered Culture?

A Patient-Centric and Centered culture is a patient-first culture, so a healthcare system that provides a clear pathway for patients to be able to quickly and efficiently become empowered from the moment of diagnosis is my focus.

Step 1: The Diagnosing Medical Professional:

The medical professional delivering the diagnosis is the first point of contact and the critical step in beginning the patient empowerment process. The responsibility of the healthcare provider must support the medical professional to achieve this.

The assumption at this point is that it will take time for the healthcare system to adapt and become accountable for this delivery responsibility. So in the spirit of the cancer success equation and the ultimate responsibility being on the individual it is imperative that this become a patient-led exercise and as such innovative patine resources are required.

Patient-led initiatives in the absence of an immediate response from the healthcare system.
Step 2: Orientation of Diagnosis and Treatment

This means healthcare professionals must orientate patients from the moment of diagnosis so they can become well-informed (equipped) and more capable of before being asked to make life-impacting decisions. Additionally, it is essential to have healthcare professionals who have the expertise and experience to deliver the orientation effectively and ensure that it remains true to its intended purpose.

The focus on orienting patients from the moment of diagnosis is crucial for empowering them to become informed and capable decision-makers in their healthcare journey.

Diagnosis orientation and treatment orientation are two distinctly different components and it is crucially important to the patient empowerment process that this be recognized.

To be clear, orientation is the process of ensuring the patient has sufficient depth of knowledge to move forward.

The term ‘patient-centric’ is very often used in public relations and media, but rarely fulfills its intended purpose of empowering patients. This is the area where patient/professional innovative education initiatives can bridge the gap until it is fully assimilated by medical professionals and healthcare providers.

The crucial question is this;

How can we establish a patient-centric, patient-first environment (culture) that empowers newly diagnosed cancer patients to respond effectively to their diagnosis? By intelligently incorporating patient-centric principles into the diagnosing and treatment phases and introducing patient-focused innovations, we can directly contribute to improved cancer survival rates while supporting ongoing scientific efforts to find a cure.

What is Patient Parity and why it is essential

Patient parity is a concept that emphasizes treating patients as equal partners in their care and decision-making processes. At the core of patient parity is the empowered patient, who has the knowledge, tools, and resources to take an active role in their healthcare journey.

Empowered patients are more confident, better decision-makers, and have a higher level of engagement with their diagnosis and treatment process. They are also able to communicate more effectively with medical professionals, reducing the historic paternalistic overtones in healthcare.

Patient Parity is a shift away from a traditional, paternalistic approach to medicine, where healthcare providers make decisions for patients without necessarily involving them and instead recognize the value of patient perspectives, experiences, and preferences in improving health outcomes and quality of care.

As previously highlighted ultimately parity in the patient-doctor setting is a shared responsibility requiring both sides of this equation to equally contribute.

This is an area that requires more attention and innovative initiatives to help provide patient parity. My aim is to inspire positive changes in the healthcare system and encourage a more patient-centric approach to cancer care.

Highlights

  • Patient parity means treating patients as equal partners in their care and decision-making processes.
  • Empowered patients are more confident, better decision-makers, and have a higher level of engagement with their diagnosis and treatment process.
  • Patient parity involves recognizing the value of patient perspectives, experiences, and preferences in improving health outcomes and quality of care.
  • It is a shift away from traditional, paternalistic approaches to medicine.
  • Achieving patient parity is a shared responsibility between patients and healthcare providers.
  • Innovative initiatives are needed to help provide patient parity and empower patients.
  • A patient-led approach can lead to better health outcomes and more collaborative relationships between patients and healthcare providers.
  • By prioritizing patient parity and encouraging patient empowerment, we can ensure that every patient receives the support and resources they need to face their cancer journey with confidence and optimism.

The Power of the Patient Lens: Enhancing Cancer Care through Patient-Centered Research

Incorporating the patient’s perspective in the evaluation of evidence-based research findings and decision-making processes. There is a greater need for collaboration between patients, healthcare professionals, and researchers so as to capture the full opportunity. This will also further refine and adapt evidence-based practices to be more patient-centric leading to improved outcomes for patients.

Five key takeaways about the importance of the patient lens over cancer care:

  1. The patient’s perspective is essential to evaluating evidence-based research findings and decision-making processes.
  2. Collaboration between patients, healthcare professionals, and researchers is critical to creating more relevant and effective cancer care solutions.
  3. A patient-centered approach to cancer care requires understanding the unique needs and perspectives of each patient.
  4. By incorporating the patient’s lens, we can bridge the gap between research findings and real-world applications.
  5. By emphasizing the value of the patient’s perspective, we can create a more comprehensive and compassionate approach to cancer care.

Creating a Clearer Patient Pathway: Addressing Conflicts in the Healthcare Landscape

The healthcare landscape is a complex field where patient empowerment, healthcare costs, and business profits often find themselves at odds with one another, leaving the patient further disorientated and disempowered. The key to resolving these conflicts lies in embracing a patient-first, patient-led approach, and adopting innovative patient-centric research and social enterprise models.

A Patient-First, Patient-Led Approach:
  1. Drives better overall decisions and health outcomes for patients
  2. Supports the financial interests of healthcare providers and businesses
  3. Encourages a shift away from the traditional paternalistic approach where doctors make decisions for patients without involving them
  4. Improves the culture and clarity within healthcare, ultimately leading to better quality decisions
  5. Provides clarity to health providers and businesses that service the patient-provider relationship
The Advantages of a Social Enterprise Model:
  1. Attracts impact investors who are interested in supporting organizations with a strong social mission
  2. Provides a sustainable funding model that ensures long-term success and growth
  3. Fosters innovation by encouraging collaboration between healthcare providers, patients, and businesses
  4. Reduces the burden on the current healthcare system by providing alternative funding and support
  5. Contributes to a more inclusive and effective healthcare system that prioritizes the needs of patients

By creating a clearer patient pathway that addresses conflicts in the healthcare landscape, we can empower patients, support healthcare providers and businesses, and foster a more inclusive, patient-centric culture. Embracing a social enterprise model as part of a patient-centric research initiative will not only attract impact investors but also lead to long-term success and innovation within the healthcare sector.

“We Do Not Know What We Do Not Know: The Dangers of Assumption in Our Healthcare”

As an experienced patient, I have witnessed the risks associated with assuming that doctors possess the expertise and experience specific to one’s diagnosis. This assumption has significantly impacted patient outcomes, leading to missed opportunities for informed decision-making and improved healthcare.

When facing a serious life-altering cancer diagnosis, such as cholangiocarcinoma, it is crucial to acknowledge that we are confronted with unknowns that necessitate critical thinking. However, it is during this vulnerable and disadvantaged state that we often lack the capacity to undertake extensive research on our own, especially when we have little experience in the specific area.

To empower ourselves, we must actively question, seek information, and take ownership of our health. By doing so, we can make more informed decisions and actively participate in our care. However, we must also recognize the importance of support and resources to navigate the complexities of a cancer diagnosis.

Experienced patients and caregivers have both the capacity and the responsibility to bridge the gap of inexperience by sharing their hard-earned knowledge with others. This is the driving force behind the creation of the Cancer Toolkit. Through the toolkit, we capture, distill, and share invaluable knowledge, experiences, and wisdom. It serves as a comprehensive resource, equipping and empowering newly diagnosed patients to mount an effective and robust response from the moment of diagnosis and beyond the physician’s office.

The CCA Patient Toolkit and the Patient Journals are direct beneficiaries of the original Cancer Toolkit. They serve as roadmaps and guides, providing essential information to navigate the unknown terrain of a cancer journey. By knowing where to look and having access to reliable information, patients can save precious energy and avoid dangerous assumptions that may hinder their progress.

In understanding the power of patient empowerment, I introduce the Cancer Success Equation:

Empowered Patient + Empowered Patient-Centric Doctor = Greater Parity = Improved Patient Outcomes.

This equation highlights the importance of collaboration and shared decision-making between patients and healthcare professionals. When patients are empowered with knowledge and actively participate in their care, it leads to greater parity in the patient-provider relationship and ultimately improves patient outcomes.

Together, let us dismantle the dangers of assumption and champion patient empowerment. By embracing our collective knowledge and experiences, we can shape a healthcare landscape that prioritizes informed decision-making, bridges the gap between patients and healthcare professionals, and paves the way for improved patient outcomes.

Steve
The Empowered Patient

BeyondPatient

Beyond Our Conscious Measure lies greater Opportunities and their Realities; You just have to look through!

To go beyond our conscious reality, question your truths and challenge their truths. Brace yourself for the ensuing backlash. If you can withstand the challenges, you will transcend limitations and discover a new world of possibilities and realities. In doing so, you can become a beacon of inspiration rather than a thorn.”

My reality is mine and your reality is yours; therein lies the distinction of survival and the opportunity it affords; Life!

Happen on life or life will happen on you.

Embrace change and see the all opportunities within it, or change will embrace you with all its chaos and overwhelm.

Be open, Be Willing, Be Consistent:
  1. Be a little unrealistic often and feed the dream, and the visions and aspirations that rise up from them.
  2. Do that one thing,
  3. Be remarkable @ it,
  4. Be Resourceful with it,
  5. Add Value to it or don’t do it,
  6. Surround with people of talent and great character, people who can lift it to its higher reality.
  7. Pursue its Perfection: It’s the Pursuit that flushes out the potential within the perfection.
Fiction always proceeds its Reality

There would be no reality if not first it was someone else’s fiction.

👉 The Definition of Fiction; *Something imagined – a story not yet real- ‘NOT YET!’

To walk on water, I had to believe it was possible, despite everyone else knowing it was impossible.

I had to look through the impossible to where it could be and take that first step, and the one beyond that, until momentum reached out and embraced, lifting me up and above the now, transporting me to that place where dreams can breathe and their visions and aspirations free to rise up and meet their own realities, and make plans for their outward appearance.

Thinking and imagination transcend knowledge; they transcend the ‘now’ to new realities and new knowledge beyond our current conscious measure.

My hard-earned distinction:

My reality is mine and your reality is yours, therein lies a distinction within the constant struggle for survival and the opportunity within it – that is how I survived

These words are my journey, should you choose to follow them, be forewarned; you will have to cross a sea of other people’s realities to find your own. These words were not my realities before I began – they are now.

SteveH

Why DoTHIS?

Why would I undertake such a challenge?

Why would I undertake such a challenge? Because I survived, and because I can. It was a higher sense of responsibility that I never anticipated, which led me to develop patient empowerment initiatives relevant to today’s patients.

I deeply understand that ‘hope’ is a real, tangible human asset often dismissed as unrealistic. Yet, all ‘hope’ needs is a little structure to move it forward. As a patient who has overcome stage 4 cancer from a very terminal setting, I know the true value of ‘hope’ and my own ‘reality’ from a patient’s perspective. Being a little naive and unrealistic has allowed me to see beyond the limitations of others’ realities.

Another reason is that I have acquired significant experience-based skills and insights that would be a disservice not to share for the benefit of those who follow. When it comes to cancer, it always boils down to actions. You have to lean into it with your best, or it will lean back even harder. Hard is harder than hard; there are no shortcuts.

If you have the capacity to pitch in and provide some financial support, I would be very happy to talk with you.

Steve
+61415153522
steve@steveholmes.net.au

Why would I undertake such a challenge?

Because I survived, and because I can. Ultimately, it was a higher sense of responsibility I never saw coming that led me to develop patient empowerment initiatives that are relevant to today’s patients.

Because I know ‘hope’ is a real tangible human asset, that is very easily dismissed as not being realistic. All ‘hope’ requires is a little structure to move it forward. As a patient that has overcome stage 4 cancer from a very terminal setting, I know the true value of ‘hope’ and ‘ my own ‘reality’ from a patient perspective. Sometimes great achievements can only come at the expense of other people’s realities. I have found that being a little naive and unrealistic has helped me see beyond the limitations of their realities.

Another reason is I have acquired significant experience-based skills and insights that would be a crime to not share to the benefit of those who follow. When it comes to cancer, it always boils down to actions. You have to lean into it with your best, or it will lean back even harder. Hard is harder than hard; there are no shortcuts.

If you have the capacity to pitch in and provide some financial support, I would be very happy to talk with you.

Steve
+61415153522
steve@steveholmes.net.au

ContactME

For toolkits, courses, and modules, please contact me to have a chat and discuss how I may be of help.
Steve

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