Sunday, June 3, 2001, which is National Cancer Survivors Day, is being designated as “DO IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME” day! The significance is to try to get all Americans to promptly get a qualified independent second opinion upon the diagnosis of cancer before any treatment.
It has been estimated that in excess of 1,000 Americans die each week needlessly because they were improperly treated for cancer! This is not because the life-saving treatments are not available, but because the physician diagnosing the cancer is unaware of the latest and best treatment for that particular type of cancer. If we can make it a standard practice for every newly diagnosed cancer patient to have a second opinion, many of these lives and the suffering and anguish will be saved!
If a physician were diagnosed with cancer and knew he had gone to the best doctor already, do you think he would be treated without a second opinion? As Dr. Vincent T. DeVita, Jr., former director of the National Cancer Institute said, he had never met a doctor diagnosed with cancer who did not insist on a second opinion on the pathology, let alone the treatments! This is the patient’s life and they must be selfish.
The goal of “DO IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME” day is to see that it becomes standard practice for every cancer patient to get a second opinion. Many top physicians automatically refer their patients for a second opinion prior to treatment. It is the patient of the physician who says, “You don’t need it” who needs it the most. The doctor who is afraid to admit that someone else might know something he doesn’t know, someone else might see something that he doesn’t see, or that he is human and might make a mistake is the serious threat! That is why the second opinion must become a practice in every case,
not just certain isolated cases.
Right now some people are worried about hurting their doctor’s feelings. “Do it right the first time” day must do away with that obsolete sentiment. Any physician who does not have enough self confidence to want their patient to have a second opinion is placing their feelings above the patient’s life and should not be practicing medicine. The oath of Hypocrites, which commands a doctor to do no harm, mandates a second opinion in every case of cancer.
“DO IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME” day will attempt to be a massive, coordinated effort in public relations to influence everyone to seek a cancer second opinion. Not only will it be the primary theme at over 700 National Cancer Survivors Day rallies across the United States, there will be public service announcements on TV, radio, newspapers, magazines, etc. all coordinated toward the same goal.
If you are interested in doing something constructive, send an e-mail to hotline@blochcancer.org or write to us at Do It Right The First Time, Bloch Cancer Foundation, One H&R Block Way, Kansas City, MO 64105 stating you support “DO IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME” and request additional facts about Blast Cancer. Please include your name, city and state and we will forward it to the proper individuals to let them see the support behind this. Join the effort and save the lives that can be saved with the treatments we have available today