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Innovations in Radiation Therapy Part D

The Head & Neck Cancer Innovations 2020 Video Series is brought to you by St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney & The Kinghorn Cancer Centre. In this episode we talk to radiation therapist Lisa Gia about innovations in radiation therapy for head & neck cancer patients, particularly how to support patients when using the immobilization mask. For more information please visit our website or our You Tube channel. The podcast versions can be found on our SoundCloud channel.

Julie McCrossin, Head & Neck Cancer Survivor
Lisa Gia, Radiation Therapist, Unit Leader, GenesisCare.

Julie McCrossin
Just before we leave the land of radiation therapy, I couldn’t resist showing you what happens backstage. What happens out here, while the patient like me is inside being treated under the mask. And so it’s my great pleasure to introduce a radiation therapist. Can you introduce yourself and just explain what you do out here as a radiation therapist?

Lisa Gia
My name is Lisa. I’m a radiation therapist and what we do is we sit up here in the control room, watching you as you’re inside having your treatment. Depending on the patient, we can do various things. We can leave you alone so you can concentrate. Two, we can play you music, or whatever you like. Three, we can talk throughout the entire process. Or four, sometimes, occasionally we can sing to you.

Julie McCrossin
And I don’t think you’re going to sing for me today, but seriously, do some of the radiation therapists sing?

Lisa Gia
Absolutely. If they have a beautiful voice, unlike mine.

Julie McCrossin
But Lisa, does that tell me that, to work well with a head and neck cancer patient who has to manage this experience of wearing the mask, you have to develop some kind of relationship with them?

Lisa Gia
Yeah, absolutely you do. You need to have a real understanding of the patient because no two patients are the same. So you really need to spend the time with them to understand what it is they need, have a discussion, and even set the expectation early.

Julie McCrossin
Why is the expectation important?

Lisa Gia
It gives a patient a bit more control. And allows him to really understand what is to come and know that there are options. Being in that room on your own, it’s very terrifying, so we understand that you need some guidance. And we are here to do anything we can to make it as easy as possible.

Julie McCrossin
And do you think there’s a place for models and pictures as a way of showing the patient what’s going to happen?

Lisa Gia
In our day and age, I think the more pictures the more videos and models, the more information the patient gets prior to coming in, the easier it will be once they here.

Julie McCrossin
Why?

Lisa Gia
It’s information. It gives them the ability to ask questions. It gives them a source to look back to and even show their relatives, so that their relatives understand what they’re going through and share that with the family and friends.

Julie McCrossin
For patients who might be watching this, who haven’t had their radiation treatment yet, any tips you would offer them on ways that will help them cope with this experience? They might have to have 30 sessions or even more. So what are your tips from watching lots of people go through this treatment?

Lisa Gia
My number one tip is just talk to us. A lot of radiation therapists unfortunately find out one week or two weeks into treatment, what they actually need.

So come talk to us. Ask a lot of questions. And we will do the same to help you back.

Julie McCrossin
Look that is such good advice I waited four days before I explained that I was finding it desperately difficult. And once you knew, I was given mild sedation because I was very anxious. But also I listened to the same four songs. I went and saw a psychologist who gave me things to think about. The nurse came in and held my hand while the mask was put down. And I look back now and I so wish I’d spoken up sooner.

Lisa Gia
That’s it, and there’s always an option. There’s always an answer and there’s always going to be a solution we’ve just got to do it together.

Julie McCrossin
And just before we finish, I know that you’re supporting the patient. It’s fantastic to hear how focused you are on that. But you’re also delivering the treatment, aren’t you out here?

Lisa Gia
Correct. So we’re making sure outside the room that things are very accurate and stable. So we’re never looking away from you at all. There’s always two have us outside the room.

So one of us is often the one looking at the technical detail and the other radiation therapist is the one looking at the cameras making sure you’re okay.

Julie McCrossin
Well Lisa, I’m just so grateful to talk to and why were you attracted to this work and you enjoy it. You seem very focused on the patient, what do you get out of it?

Lisa Gia
I think it’s satisfaction that I can help my patients. But also it really hits hard for me because I do have personal, I guess relationships to my parents who have had cancer before. So I think if you speak to a lot of radiation therapists and nurses and anyone in this field, there’s always a personal attachment as well. But really, our number one is to be there for our patients.

Julie McCrossin
Because I do feel there is a special caring element in cancer care that is very, very comforting when you’re the patient. Look, thank you so much.

Lisa Gia
Thank you

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