Previously, the Patient Schools had not only predetermined topics but also carefully prepared lectures by experienced hematologists within those themes.
In the new format, however, we decided to hand over the initiative to our listeners: the content of the last two Schools was determined by the patients themselves. Directly during the School on the ZOOM platform, participants asked questions that mattered to them most. The specialists of the Center—experienced hematologists Anton Klodzinsky and Aliya Iskakova, as well as Professor Lyudmila Turgunova of the Department of Internal Diseases at Karaganda Medical University, a long-standing partner and friend of the Center—provided immediate answers and consultations.
The first School in the new format was held on May 19 and was dedicated to multiple myeloma. The second, focusing on chronic lymphocytic leukemia, took place on June 9. We are grateful to our listeners for their active participation, for raising questions that were important to many, and for the warm feedback that showed us how successful the new format has been. Participants noted that the most valuable aspect of the School was the opportunity to receive precise explanations from top-class physicians.
We do not plan to completely abandon the previous format. At times, sessions will still be conducted in the traditional way—with lectures by doctors on the causes, manifestations, diagnostics, treatment, risk factors, and lifestyle of patients. But in the fall, listeners can once again look forward to Schools in the new format, which will be devoted to acute leukemias, chronic myeloid leukemias, and myelodysplastic syndromes. There are also plans to organize an in-person Patient School, about which we will share more details later.
For now, we are glad to once again thank all participants for the open and lively dialogue that made the new format possible. Thank you to our audience for your reactions, feedback, and questions, which help us better meet your needs, grow, and become even more effective for our patients!
Special appreciation goes to all the doctors who took part in preparing and conducting the Patient Schools, as well as to Marina Cheyshvili, Advisor to the General Director for Patient Support Services, and AkmaraI Zhusupova, Education Manager.