Swimming with Whales
Patient advocacy is something I take very seriously. I have been through the wringer enough to know a fair amount of this side of life. I feel a deep sense of responsibility to use these experiences to educate the powers that be, on how to consider the barriers faced by their clients.
On Thursday, I spoke at the Evans & Partners Small Cap Healthcare Conference. I was in a room full of CEOs, CFOs, Chairs (and 🪑s), directors and executives. These people had created biotech companies and revolutionary medical systems. The people listening were investors looking for opportunities.
(Me seated in a boardroom, in front of an audience. My presentation is behind me and reads “accessibility doesn’t stop with a seat”)
They were either medical geniuses or business moguls; some were both. Aka; whales.
It was incredibly daunting.
Looking out the floor-to-ceiling windows, the court-side view of Sydney Harbour wasn’t helping make me feel any more grounded. I sat there, trying to swallow the imposter syndrome as it bubbled away in my stomach. “Hannah, what are you doing in this room!?”
Instead, I pushed through and used my presentation to speak for the people who need these investments to be made. People who need this technology, to live as independently as they can.
I know this because I’m one of them.
I spoke about my experience and my insights into patient barriers, communication breakdowns, accessibility flaws. Many of these amazing ideas and initiatives don’t quite hit the mark when it comes to the people needing to access them. This isn’t by design or intent, but rather because the people in the room making these decisions lack the lived experience.
(a slide from my presentation. It speaks to the fact that an accessible seat isn't enough, people need to be able to access the train / room / clinic
I am glad I was invited along to speak for patients and consumers needing this research or tech. What a privilege.
I really enjoyed myself and the people I spoke to were real and human; not so scary after all. They hold such power in their hands, and I hope my message got across.
But yep. It felt like I was swimming with whales that day.
(a rain-spattered window, looking out from a very high building. The view is of Sydney CBD buildings and looks north to the harbour, with the Harbour Bridge to the left of centre.)
