Picture: Dolly Parton
From The Nijasun News Desk
The death of country music legend Dolly Parton following a brief battle with cancer has drawn attention to a sensitive question in cancer care: why do some patients choose to keep their diagnosis private?
According to a report by Fox News, Parton’s family disclosed that the singer died Tuesday at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, surrounded by loved ones, after what they described as a brief battle with cancer.
The revelation that the celebrated entertainer had kept her illness largely private has prompted discussion about the emotional and psychological challenges that often accompany a cancer diagnosis.
Dr. Kristin Higgins, chief clinical officer at City of Hope Cancer Center in Atlanta, said keeping a cancer diagnosis private, at least initially, can be a natural response to the shock of the disease.
She suggested that Parton may have wanted the public to remember her for her remarkable career rather than focus on a diagnosis at the end of her life.
“It’s very natural to cling to that identity of being a healthy, vibrant person without a diagnosis of cancer,” Higgins explained.
According to the oncologist, patients may need time to adjust psychologically to the reality of having cancer before deciding who they want to tell.
“The patient really needs to acclimate to the idea of themselves having this disease and then start to tell friends and family kind of slowly after they go through that adjustment process,” she said.
Why patients hide cancer diagnoses
Higgins noted that fear, embarrassment and stigma can also influence a patient’s decision to keep a cancer diagnosis private.
She particularly cited cancers associated with tobacco use, saying some patients may feel that they are personally responsible for their illness.
However, she stressed that nobody deserves a cancer diagnosis.
While privacy can initially help patients cope with the emotional shock of the disease, Higgins said there can also be significant benefits when patients eventually share their experience with trusted family members, friends and their wider community.
For religious patients, she said, informing others can provide an important support network, including prayers and emotional encouragement during treatment.
“I think, overall, it’s a very beneficial thing to eventually tell as many people as possible so you can get that support,” she said.
Sharing can open doors to treatment
Beyond emotional support, disclosure can also expose patients to information about treatment options that they might otherwise miss.
Higgins pointed to clinical trials and other emerging cancer treatments, noting that information about such opportunities is not always easy for patients to find on their own.
The more people who know about a patient’s diagnosis, she said, the greater the possibility of receiving useful information about treatment centres, specialists and clinical trials.
She also stressed that cancer treatment has continued to advance, offering hope to many patients diagnosed with the disease.
According to Higgins, about 70 per cent of people diagnosed with cancer survive for five years or more.
She described the possibility of overcoming cancer and the support that can come from sharing one’s experience as important reasons patients may eventually choose to disclose their diagnosis.
The discussion surrounding Parton’s private battle also highlights the importance of respecting patients’ autonomy. While sharing a diagnosis can provide emotional, social and medical benefits, the decision about when, how and with whom to disclose a cancer diagnosis ultimately belongs to the patient.
For many people, cancer is not only a medical challenge but also a deeply personal experience—one that can take time to understand, accept and share.
Source: Fox News
