Mernie Siegel, MDBernie Siegel, MD is one of the worlds foremost physicians, authors, motivational speakers and advocates for individuals facing the challenges of chronic illnesses. He is the founder of Exceptional Cancer Patients (ECaP) and the author of Love, Medicine and Miracles, Peace, Love and Healing, How to Live Between Office Visits, and many other books and articles.

We were very fortunate to have Dr. Siegel speak to patients from the My Cancer Place community and others who stopped in to listen. Dr. Siegels insights and teachings are not just inspirational but provide a fresh way to look at life with all its challenges. The entire teleconference was digitally recorded and is available for listening at My Cancer Place on the Resources tab.

Here are some excerpts and quotes from Dr. Siegels discussion:

An enormous part of the problem is so called medical education. Its not an education. Its information. You are not taught how to take care of people

If you write the word words word words with no space between them you realize it becomes sword, sword, sword. The point is that we can kill people with our words and we are not trained how to communicate.

We really need to change the process in medical schools.

Good doctors will accept criticisms from patients, family, and nurses. Good doctors learn from those around them.

Beating cancer to me is about your attitude towards life and cancer and your mortality.

Personality has a lot to do with long term survival. These are people who had meaning in their life, expressed anger appropriately, asked for help when they needed it, said no to things they don’t want to do. They used their feelings to improve their life, rather than get depressed.

Medicine needs to study success.

Our body chemistry affects are genes.You cant separate yourself from your life experience because it becomes your chemistry.

Information doesn’t change anyone. You need inspiration to go with the information.

Do what you love so that you serve the world in your way, not a way imposed by others.

Death isn’t a failure. We are all going to run out of time some day. The important thing is to live.

If anyone has to go to the hospital you should take what I call the Siegel Kit a magic marker, a noise maker, and a water gun. If you ever go to the operating room, you write not this one stupid and cut here. So they dont make mistakes and you can put a few other comments so that the surgeon smiles when he sees the notes you have written on your body. That way you become a human being. You want a noise maker so that when you really need help and you push the call button and nobody shows up you make noise. And you want a water gun so that if anyone enters your room when youve shut the door, because you want some quiet time to meditate, play or sit with your family, you take out the water gun and squirt them. That empowers you. They wont forget you and it will help you get special treatment.

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