Humanism, axis of the good doctor. He was born in San Jacinto. A whole life between Seville and Triana. Carmen Delgado Jiménez, specialist in General and Digestive Surgery, has dedicated 26 years to Valme Hospital, where he held the Medical Directorate. Cooperator and member of the NGO Andalusia for a New World. Accredited with the Excellent level by the Junta de Andalucía, he is currently a member of the Ethics and Deontology Commission of the College of Physicians of Seville and chairs the Association Girls Pinks. He is also a member of the Royal Academy of Medicine of Seville as a corresponding academic.
–Cirujana, researcher, teacher, aid worker, manager… 40 years in the practice of Medicine go a long way, what is left?
-It all adds up. In every facet of my professional life I have learned to be a better doctor.
-The woman has become strong in health. Were there many in your promotion of Medicine?
–In my 1973-1979 class, we weren’t many women, but we were committed enough to assert our presence in the leadership of the teams.
– Do we have to humanize medical care?
–Humanism in the practice of Medicine must be worked on day by day, it is not enough to offer the patient who consults us a high scientific level. It is our obligation, as doctors, to transcend the purely technical and show ourselves humble. Offer closeness and security.
–Now retired, she has 26 years as a surgeon at the Valme Hospital, and the last 15 as head of the Breast Pathology Unit. How has progress been made?
–Breast cancer is the most common malignant tumor in women. Since I started as a specialist in 1985 I have been, to a greater or lesser extent, related to breast diseases, especially breast cancer. During the last 15 years, when I have led the Breast Unit of the Hospital de Valme, we have experienced great advances in the diagnosis and treatment of this disease.
“Chicas Rosas is the certainty that breast cancer patients have the strength to enjoy nature”
-Pending issues?
–The pending issue to eradicate breast cancer is in the scientific field of the so-called biological risk factors that trigger its development. Complex and wide area of work for researchers.
– What do the studies say?
–That we must adopt healthy lifestyle habits: healthy food with unprocessed foods, a balanced diet with a leading role in fresh fish, cereals, vegetables and fruit; little red meat, extra virgin olive oil. Weight control. Physical exercise. No toxic habits. Go to appointments for breast radiological examination for early diagnosis. Periodic breast self-examination to be able to consult promptly in the event of any doubtful findings. In short, the best way to take care of yourself is to prevent. With this common thread, in 2016 we launched the Chicas Rosas Project.
– What is Pink Girls?
–An experience to promote physical exercise, specifically hiking, with an incentive for regular training.
–What led you to create Proyecto Chicas Rosas?
–The purpose of the Project is none other than to do the Camino de Santiago with women who have suffered or are suffering from breast cancer. Pink Girls, as they call themselves, as the center and raison d’être of the same, in the certainty that they have the physical and mental strength necessary to enjoy nature sharing with equal effort, serenity, solitude and adventure.
– How can warm treatment influence the way you cope with cancer?
–The word cancer awakens fear, concern, doubts about the harshness of the path that lies ahead of them. Women and men question their physical and psychological strength to overcome each stage of the healing process. Questions are asked. And your doctor assumes responsibility to inform and train to enhance your safety and autonomy.
–The pandemic is especially hard for the sick. How has it affected them?
–The diagnostic, surgical treatment and medical oncology units have worked with great responsibility and sensitivity, offering breast cancer patients the best service that circumstances allowed at all times. The protocols were adapted to ensure control of the disease without adding risks of contracting Covid-19. They have experienced postponement in the dates for conducting tests, in principle not priority, which later, in view of the results, implied a delay in the diagnosis.
– How does the delay in diagnosis affect?
–When we diagnose an early stage, non-palpable breast cancer in a woman without symptoms, it is difficult to specify how long the tumor has taken to develop until it becomes visible with current diagnostic methods, but we know that it requires a long period of time, That is not the 3-4 months delay that the current health situation has generated. Different is the experience of that news.
– Some patients are afraid to go to the hospital. What would you say to them?
–That they go, without hesitation and without delay, to the scheduled appointments; following and complying with the strict sanitary regulations.
