A cancer diagnosis can be scary, and navigating the abundance of information available to people with cancer can be overwhelming. Leslie R. Boyd, MD, associate professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at NYU Grossman School of Medicine and director of gynecologic oncology at NYU Langone Health’s Perlmutter Cancer Center, discusses how people with cancer can become better advocates for their own health on this Tina’s Wish EmpowHER webisode.

Dr. Boyd recommends that people bring a friend or family member with them for support when they meet with their oncologist for the first time and to be cautious about information they find on the internet or from well-meaning friends.

“Patients need to be in control of their own healthcare, so self-advocacy means being confident to advocate for what they need to maximize their own health for themselves and often for their families,” Dr. Boyd says.

Watch more from Tina’s Wish EmpowHER (registration required).