Last week, at the MCT Congress conference in Edinburgh, I had the pleasure of meeting Jack Whellan.
Jack Whellan
For those of you that are not aware of Jack, he was diagnosed with a rare, incurable blood cancer which research showed had an overall five year outlook for symptomatic patients requiring treatment.
Despite his situation, Jack is Mr Positive, and, a great speaker. I would like to thank him for his presentation.
Meeting Jack reminded me why we are doing what we are doing. Jack truly wants to be involved in the research and treatment around his own condition. He does not simply want to take a back-seat and wait for what happens. He wants to do what he can.
Jack may not necessarily be representative of every patient that participates in a clinical trial, but I believe he does represent every patient in wanting to have the information to make their own choices.
Not every patient will choose to be an ‘Engaged Patient’, but with new technologies – like clinpal, and others, together with appropriate patient centric information and support, they will have the option of choice.
We believe this should be the right of every patient that participates in a clinical trial.
Thanks Jack, and good luck.