- With Mayo Clinic oncologist
Edward T. Creagan, M.D.
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Edward T. Creagan, M.D.
Edward T. Creagan, M.D.
"The magic of the electronic village is transforming health information. The mouse and keyboard have extended the stethoscope to the 500 million people now online." - Dr. Edward Creagan
The power of the medium inspires Dr. Edward Creagan as he searches for ways to share Mayo Clinic's vast resources with the general public.
Dr. Creagan, a Newark, N.J., native, is board certified in internal medicine, medical oncology, and hospice medicine and palliative care. He has been with Mayo Clinic since 1973 and in 1999 was president of the staff of Mayo Clinic. Dr. Creagan, a professor of medical oncology at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, was honored in 1995 with the John and Roma Rouse Professor of Humanism in Medicine Award and in 1992 with the Distinguished Mayo Clinician Award, Mayo's highest recognition. He has been recognized with the American Cancer Society Professorship of Clinical Oncology.
He describes his areas of special interest as "wellness as a bio-psycho-social-spiritual-financial model" and fitness, mind-body connection, aging and burnout.
Dr. Creagan has been an associate medical editor with Mayo Clinic's Web sites and has edited publications and CD-ROMs and reviewed articles.
"We the team of (the Web site) provide reliable, easy-to-understand health and wellness information so that each of us can have productive, meaningful lives," he says.
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Stress blog
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Feb. 22, 2008
Thriving under adversity
By Edward T. Creagan, M.D.
I have had the privilege of caring for thousands of cancer patients over many years. I continue to be humbled and inspired by their tenacity and resilience in the face of adversity. I have often wondered what is unique about the small number of patients who continue to do astonishingly well despite complicated conditions.
A few years ago, there were studies suggesting that a "fighting spirit" or having a certain attitude was a factor in survival. However, rigorous studies have not supported these early claims. Nevertheless, there is something different about these patients. Likewise, there is something unique about the members of our digital community. Each of you participates, sharing your survival skills and enriching all of our lives.
Recent studies have examined individuals who have survived trauma, natural disasters, and being prisoners of war. I am reading that there are several factors from which we can each profit. The individuals who seem to thrive in adversity have many characteristics but especially five.
- A faith and a power or energy over and above themselves to offer peace and comfort.
- A sense of connectedness. The recognition that family and community are crucial to survival.
- A sense of altruism, somehow sharing of themselves whether a sip of water or a piece of bread to make the life of others a little bit better.
- Some fundamental level of health and physical fitness. We all cannot run marathons, but we are responsible to keep ourselves as healthy as possible.
- Most of these survivors had an optimistic attitude and sense of humor. The ability to see the absurdity of life and to recognize that yes there are some funny things that happen even when we are faced with dire circumstances.
I would be grateful for any other characteristics that our community could add to this list.
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