In this blog, Kirstie Woods shares her experience of attending the World Conference on Lung Cancer to present 'A novel Advanced Nurse Practitioner Virtual clinic for patients with low probability of lung cancer' (Woods, K A, McAlpine, L G, and Baird, S H). Kirstie received a bursary from LCNUK to support their attendance at the conference.
I was privileged and delighted to be given the opportunity to present data from my Nurse-Led lung cancer clinic at the IASLC World Conference on Lung Cancer [WCLC] in Singapore, September 2023.
My spoken presentation was well received by fellow lung cancer nurses, the IASLC committee members, and other attendees. It generated discussion on the impact nursing research can have on clinical pathways for patients referred with suspicion of lung cancer. Clinicians in different institutions have variable approaches to handling such referrals and clinical services evolve in different ways. It was instructive to share and learn from others managing the same patient group.
My attendance at this conference was a catalyst to engage with other lung cancer nurses worldwide. Connections were forged and many fruitful discussions ensued. I have made several new working alliances and useful professional contacts. This would not have been possible with “online” attendance and this opportunity to engage with colleagues at an international conference was uplifting and useful beyond my expectations.
This was my first attendance at a WCLC and it was a truly amazing experience. It was both humbling and exciting to be present and hear real-time research data revealed for the first time, studies at the cutting edge that have not yet reached print publication, and will eventually offer our patients new treatment modalities. It was highly motivational to witness such enthusiastic dedication from colleagues around the world who are influencing and improving our patients’ treatment outcomes.
There were sessions involving patients with lung cancer themselves. I found these sessions very powerful, and the take-home messages will stay with me for a lifetime. They have already influenced my nursing practice since my return. These patients are so strong and brave to stand up and share their stories in front of a room of clinicians and other patients. Their words were heartfelt and I would like to thank them all for their remarkable courage and highlighting the difficulties patients face during their disease trajectory. It is important for us to understand their perspective and ensure our work is congruous with their own goals.
The LCNUK bursary supported my hotel costs for attending the conference. I was truly privileged to be part of it. I would like to end by thanking the committee for their support and hope that I might be fortunate enough to attend another IASLC conference.
A limited number of travel bursaries are available to support LCNUK members who have had an abstract accepted for presentation at WCLC 2024 in San Diego.