Parent Interview with Lin Gale
Why did you want to involve a research and family liaison as your family decided whether to be involved in a research study?
When my son was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer, we were immediately faced with so many decisions and pretty much went into "crisis mode." We thought Halle, one of the liaisons, could be very helpful as a third party in the room while we were being given information about possible research studies our son could join as part of his treatment.
How did Halle help your family navigate through the research process?
We have a lot of faith in doctors and researchers, but we wanted to be sure we made the most informed decisions possible – our son's life was at stake. There was a lot of information about the studies to digest and Halle was the one person we could always turn to who could help make sure our questions were answered. She acted as a neutral party and "go-between" with the research team and made sure that we understood everything about the study.
Would you recommend that other parents contact a research and family liaison?
I would strongly encourage other parents to involve one of the liaisons if they are considering whether their child will participate in a research study. With Halle's support, our son felt confident that we were all making the most informed decisions possible about his treatment. Halle came through for us every time as we were making some extremely tough decisions.