As genetic counselors we see life in its rawest form. We meet people facing death, fighting death and sometimes succumbing to it or many a time coming out victorious!
It depends on the inherent nature of the person whether he pulls himself out of the quagmire of darkness or puts all his arms down and loses the battle of life.
I narrate one such episode in the recent past where a breast cancer survivor has turned life coach.
She had breast cancer, a BRCA pathogenic variant was detected and she went through all that cancer patients go through. I happened to be her genetic counselor then! She was one among the many who I counseled, but she remained in my memory as a very young mother affected with breast cancer.
Only last month a senior gynecologist at Apollo hospitals told me that a patient whom she had performed prophylactic salpingo oophorectomy on, mentioned me. She said she had opted for this surgery after a session which she had with me more than a year ago. She suggested I meet her since I am in Apollo now!
I went ahead, apprehensive about my decision to do so. Persons might not react politely to being disturbed socially after a surgery. As new kids on the block, we genetic counselors, are quite used to be being turned away unheard! Nevertheless, I did go ahead to meet her. She recognized me even as she saw me through her recuperating eyes. She was cheerful and emanated a halo of positivity as she spoke about her life after my last encounter with her. I learnt that she has trained herself to be a life coach and guides other women to overcome the mental trauma which accompanies breast cancer.
We made small talk and I left, richer with a resource for my future counselees.
Last week I had another proband with breast cancer. Again, a young mother who missed breast feeding her newborn because she was diagnosed just 3 months after her birth. She was torn and bruised with the horrible game her health had played on her. Emotionally upset, tearful and fearful of what was to come. Nothing I said could comfort her. I recommended that she speak to my haloed counselee. I gave her the number and I passed on her number to my life coach counselee. Just an exchange of numbers for me, but succour for the injured soul.
Not very often do we come across such situations where we can be heralders of comfort. Life gives us many such opportunities. It is we who have to be aware of catching them and recognizing them as our resources. Through life experiences and anecdotes such as these we give wings to our empathy.
Genetic counselors don’t just give complex information in a simple way, they can give simple solutions in complex life situations too!
-Reena Trivedi
Senior Genetic Counselor
Apollo Hospitals
Gandhinagar
