“A Word can become a Seed”: A Lesson Learned about Cultural Humility

Abstract

Culturally competent cancer care approaches are necessary to effectively engage ethnic and racial minorities. This reflection shares personal insights on this subject gained throughout my journey from a young immigrant to a medical and public health student in the USA. The death of a friend prompted me to explore what I had deemed as my family’s taboo subjects: discussing illness, cancer, and death in the family. However, I eventually realized that it was I who perceived it as taboo subjects. When I inquired earnestly about their health beliefs and values and asked questions in a way that respected those beliefs and values, my family was quite willing to talk about these uncomfortable topics. Subsequent encounters with minority patients and the process of synthesizing this reflection helped me recognize that the way I successfully addressed what I had erroneously assumed to be taboo subjects embodied the idea of cultural humility and can also be applied to issues with other minority patients and families. This recognition will not only make me a better physician but also allow me to become a strong advocate of cultural humility, especially in cancer care and education.