Cancer patients need choices now more than ever before.

By Dr. Melanie Adrian, Executive Director, Be the Choice.

Cancer is confusing. When I was diagnosed with advanced breast cancer in 2011, I was overwhelmed by the diagnosis, the available treatment decisions, and the speed with which I had to act. I felt like I’d been forced to take a cruise on a ship I was a hostage on, one with an endless array of dark hallways and no map, where no one spoke my language, and the cocktail options were terrible! I knew as I was living this experience that I wanted to help change it for others that would follow in my footsteps.

Fast forward ten years and I am healthy and serve as the volunteer Executive Director of an organization called Be the Choice. Be the Choice is an award winning, non-profit, digital decision support tool that empowers newly diagnosed breast cancer patients to understand and participate in the decisions about their treatment options.  The content and design were created, scientifically double-blind peer reviewed, and user-tested by clinical and academic experts. Since launching Be the Choice a few years ago, over 26,000 people have engaged with the tool. Check it out! Pass it along!