Caregiver and Patient; Brainstrust, England

Helen has experienced cancer as a cancer patient and caregiver and director of policy and services, brainstrust – the brain cancer people, UK. This 360° view means that she is well placed to understand the perspectives of anyone who is living with cancer. Her goal is for anyone who is living with a cancer to live their best possible day, no matter where they are on the pathway. Her roles in Brainstrust, a national brain cancer charity which she founded, are as a disseminator of information and provision of a network and community, so that she can enable effective consumer involvement and create a voice. Helen’s key drivers are the patients, their caregivers and healthcare professionals, with whom she interacts daily. Her ethos of ‘none of us is as smart as all of us’ is a core value for her. Elemental to Helen’s work is high performance coaching and shared decision making. The coaching relationship enables us to develop resilience and utilise resources, becoming true co-pilots in our care.