“I felt it was time to talk about my history of mental health.”
-Liz O’Riordan
Bump In The Road:
Liz O’Riordan Reflects on Breast Cancer, Medicine and Mental Health
Breast Cancer, Medicine and Mental Health
Liz O’Riordan
Many of you know Liz O’Riordan. At the age of just 40 she was forced to give up her breast cancer surgical practice due to the complications of two rounds of cancer treatments that left her unable to continue with the rigors of her job. The irony is that it was a breast cancer diagnosis that led to her medical retirement.
Liz’s impact on the cancer world has been significant. Her position as a surgeon gave her instant credibility. And her experiences as a patient transcended the usual medical dialogue. Liz’s journey led her to a Ted talk, speaking engagements and now a book, Under The Knife.
Her book is a personal memoir about becoming a surgeon: the long days, the years of training and the impact it had on her mental health.
“I felt it was time to talk about my history of mental health.”
The emotional ramifications of medicine are seldom discussed. “It’s just part of the job, and you have to build up this wall. I think the hardest part is learning how to deal with that wall of emotions, when you get home, when you get back from a shift.”
Liz is blunt about her experiences. She wants others to know that they are not alone, in depression or in cancer. In her book, Liz shares so much of her life: her experience in becoming a doctor, her own cancer journey, her mother’s death, and her own struggles with mental health.
“I think it is terrifying that we do not look after the mental health of people in the health profession.”
Through this book, she touches a wide swath of humanity by sharing her own. Liz’s bump in the road has strangely allowed her to touch more lives than she ever could have as a surgeon.
“It was surreal that I could help far more people through public speaking than I ever did with a scalpel.”
This is a story about the power in all our stories, to help, to heal and to change lives. And Liz is continuing to do that by making people aware of the reality of breast cancer treatment and its aftermath. Sadly, since this interview, Liz’s cancer has returned for a third time.
On Medicine, Mental Health and Cancer
“I think as a cancer surgeon breast cancer just becomes normal.”
“It’s just part of the job, and you have to build up this wall. I think the hardest part is learning how to deal with that wall of emotions.”
“We don’t get coaching, we don’t get training or counseling to cope with what we see on a day to day basis.“
“I almost didn’t start dealing with cancer until my treatment had finished. That’s when the denial lifted.”
“Oh, I’ve lost my breast, and I can’t have children. My hair looks different. Will I be alive in two years? And who can I talk to you because my friends and family don’t get it.“
“I realized I defined myself as a breast surgeon.”
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