Emotional support is essential in helping cancer patients and their families adjust after a diagnosis, according to Ridge Hospital specialist surgeon Dr Nana Ama Christian.
Speaking on TV3’s The Afternoon Show on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, Dr Christian said the impact of cancer reached far beyond the initial medical diagnosis, with many patients facing fear, uncertainty and anxiety about the future.
She said some patients became difficult to contact after being told they had cancer. Depression and misinformation could also lead them to withdraw from appropriate medical care.
“We are hoping to demystify the concept of cancer being a death sentence,” Dr Christian said, highlighting advances in medicine that are enabling patients to live longer.
At Ridge Hospital, patients receive counselling and are shown evidence of what treatment can achieve. Cancer survivors are occasionally invited to speak about their experiences, while the stories of well-known survivors are also shared to provide encouragement and hope.
Dr Christian said that support should not be directed only at the person receiving treatment. In some cases, women may have to undergo surgery resulting in the loss of one or both breasts, bringing emotional challenges for their spouses and other caregivers.
“They must also get used to that,” she said, referring to the need for relatives and caregivers to adapt to what she called their “new normal”.
She said helping families understand and accept the changes caused by treatment was an important part of cancer care.
For Dr Nana Ama Christian, continued support for both patients and those caring for them is therefore as important as the medical treatment itself.
