"Kind, friendly approach"

I had lost a lot of weight for no good reason that I knew of. I mentioned this at a blood check with the nurse - who said I should speak to the doc, in fact she waylaid the doc who followed up with an appointment for me. She gave a thorough examination but said she felt a follow up appointment with a “new” service would be worthwhile in case we were missing something.

Within a week I got a phone call from Fife ECDC. She explained gently and kindly that it was a pilot project “Early Cancer Diagnostic Service.” She was concerned that people might be worried about the word “cancer in the title!? I wasn’t worried - if you’ve got it then you want to follow it all up quickly - say I! She made an appointment for me to have blood tests at my handy local hub (which is only local on paper) followed by a scan at my handy local hospital - which isn’t local. A lovely Irish nurse phoned me with the results which were not scary although did pick up slight aortic stenosis and a nodule on one lung. She explained that I’d be referred to the Cardiac team but unlikely any fast action would be required. I was to have follow up bloods and scan in 3 months.

Sure enough the same lovely people got in touch to arrange the appointments; phoned me reassuringly to give the all clear and I’ve just had the “no action required at present” letter.

I’m aware that not all referrals will end as happily but I’d like to think that the sort of kind, friendly approach of these professionals would be very reassuring.