Greg Price IMAGINE Project: How being selfless, respectful might have cost him his life

Breakdowns in communication, half-hearted efforts and bad timing killed young Calgary engineer, community athlete and pilot Greg Price, a public forum held in Calgary heard recently.
When Greg was diagnosed with advanced testicular cancer, he found it difficult, and at times impossible, to communicate with his healthcare providers, during what would prove to be critical, and life-ending stages of his treatment. No one was there to talk to him and guide him through the process as walk-in clinic physicians left their practice, urologists went on holidays, and tests and treatment were delayed. Despite all that, Greg had faith in the system - he didn’t argue, said his father Dave, addressing hundreds of Calgarians and hundreds more international, online participants.
These were just some of the circumstances that culminated in Greg dying following a surgery he, by all accounts, should have survived.
The story is hard for medical professionals to listen to, it’s even harder for Greg’s family to recount. But that’s the story Greg’s dad Dave and Dr. Ward Flemons, with the Cumming School of Medicine and the O’Brien Institute for Public Health, related for those who attended the IMAGINE Project launch at the University of Calgary’s Foothills Campus on Jan. 22, 2015.
After his surgery, Greg got worse, recalled Dave. Unable to reach his urologist, Greg decided to go to emergency, where he was told that what he needed was his cancer clinic, and that the clinic would be in touch with him soon. And, with that, he was discharged.
The following morning, as he tried to get out of bed, Greg collapsed. EMS took Greg back to the emergency room where, despite efforts, he could not be resuscitated.
“At autopsy, Greg was found to have a massive pulmonary embolism and massive clots…” said Flemons.
“That was Greg’s medical journey and experience with the medical system.”
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[@mariecailes9691]

There must be a way to 'net' the people who fall through the cracks. The new Connect Care will be a step into the modern informational world and enhance continuity of care.To change the culture of patient support , translated advocacy, it must start at the door, on the door of the institution. We have signs everywhere which denounce 'abuse' but not one to welcome the whole family into the healthcare machine.