Miss-Delectable
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http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/features/story.jsp?story=678780
Clark Denmark is a prominent and much loved figure in the British deaf community and, when he appeared on See Hear some time ago to speak emotionally and frankly about his battle with prostate cancer, the programme caused quite a stir.
With his masterly signing ability, Clark went into explicit detail about the symptoms of the disease, the pain and embarrassment it had brought him, the sessions with the doctor and the resultant diagnosis and treatment.
It was moving and heartwarming to watch on screen the love displayed by his family and friends as his treatment slowly prevailed over the illness and, when I met Clark at a BDA conference shortly afterwards, he looked wonderfully well and the prognosis was good.
Prostate cancer is a major cause of death among men as we grow older, and TV and newspapers are advising men to see their doctor if they display any of the symptoms, such as the need to pass water several times at night.
Several of my deaf friends died from the disease in their early 60s and things might have gone differently if they had been made more aware of the help available.
I do not have any pain or discomfort, but I decided to see my doctor last week just to set my mind at rest. With the help of an interpreter the doctor asked me a lot of questions and then inspected me briefly while I lay on the examination couch. He said my prostate was slightly swollen, but otherwise everything was fine and there was nothing to worry about.
As well as an internal examination, the doctor wrote an order for a blood test and on the basis of this he said one of three things would happen: one, nothing would need to be done; two, tablets would be prescribed; or three, a small operation might be needed. A final decision would be made when the blood test was returned to the health centre after one week.
Ignorance and embarrassment are stumbling blocks to many men, and with deaf men who use sign language there is the additional discomfiture of needing to book an interpreter and share personal details with an outsider. But doctors cannot make an accurate diagnosis unless they have clear and unambiguous information and professional interpreters follow a code of ethics in which confidentiality is both paramount and mandatory.
Both the RNID and the BDA organise information meetings with health professionals at which the problems experienced by both men and women are openly discussed and acted upon.
Some would like to see more deaf awareness among doctors and a step in this direction was made when second year medical students from Queen's University, Belfast, attended classes in basic sign language at Wilton House.
I was asked to speak at one of the classes and told the budding young doctors that it was up to them to make the first move when a patient came into their consulting rooms. It gives a deaf patient great pleasure when the doctor looks them in the eye and demonstrates a few basic signs such as 'welcome' and 'good morning' or 'good afternoon'. I cannot overrate the confidence these tentative attempts at communication give to deaf patients. The interpreter is there for the important matters that follow ? but those few signs from the doctor add an element of familiarity - "Here's someone who recognises my language!" - and relaxation to the discussion.
Clark Denmark is a prominent and much loved figure in the British deaf community and, when he appeared on See Hear some time ago to speak emotionally and frankly about his battle with prostate cancer, the programme caused quite a stir.
With his masterly signing ability, Clark went into explicit detail about the symptoms of the disease, the pain and embarrassment it had brought him, the sessions with the doctor and the resultant diagnosis and treatment.
It was moving and heartwarming to watch on screen the love displayed by his family and friends as his treatment slowly prevailed over the illness and, when I met Clark at a BDA conference shortly afterwards, he looked wonderfully well and the prognosis was good.
Prostate cancer is a major cause of death among men as we grow older, and TV and newspapers are advising men to see their doctor if they display any of the symptoms, such as the need to pass water several times at night.
Several of my deaf friends died from the disease in their early 60s and things might have gone differently if they had been made more aware of the help available.
I do not have any pain or discomfort, but I decided to see my doctor last week just to set my mind at rest. With the help of an interpreter the doctor asked me a lot of questions and then inspected me briefly while I lay on the examination couch. He said my prostate was slightly swollen, but otherwise everything was fine and there was nothing to worry about.
As well as an internal examination, the doctor wrote an order for a blood test and on the basis of this he said one of three things would happen: one, nothing would need to be done; two, tablets would be prescribed; or three, a small operation might be needed. A final decision would be made when the blood test was returned to the health centre after one week.
Ignorance and embarrassment are stumbling blocks to many men, and with deaf men who use sign language there is the additional discomfiture of needing to book an interpreter and share personal details with an outsider. But doctors cannot make an accurate diagnosis unless they have clear and unambiguous information and professional interpreters follow a code of ethics in which confidentiality is both paramount and mandatory.
Both the RNID and the BDA organise information meetings with health professionals at which the problems experienced by both men and women are openly discussed and acted upon.
Some would like to see more deaf awareness among doctors and a step in this direction was made when second year medical students from Queen's University, Belfast, attended classes in basic sign language at Wilton House.
I was asked to speak at one of the classes and told the budding young doctors that it was up to them to make the first move when a patient came into their consulting rooms. It gives a deaf patient great pleasure when the doctor looks them in the eye and demonstrates a few basic signs such as 'welcome' and 'good morning' or 'good afternoon'. I cannot overrate the confidence these tentative attempts at communication give to deaf patients. The interpreter is there for the important matters that follow ? but those few signs from the doctor add an element of familiarity - "Here's someone who recognises my language!" - and relaxation to the discussion.
