WELCOME TO THE WEBSITE OF WENDY S. HARPHAM, a doctor of internal medicine, 36-year cancer survivor, best-selling author, nationally recognized speaker and patient advocate. Dr. Harpham uses her perspective as physician-patient to help clinicians find the best words to inform, comfort, and motivate patients…and to help patients hear what is said in healing, hopeful ways.

Whatever the medical challenge,
the path to optimal care is paved with
effective and compassionate communication

Dr. Harpham cared for patients in her solo practice until 1990, when she was diagnosed with cancer. Forced to retire in 1993 due to ongoing illness, she turned to writing and speaking to raise awareness about the challenges of illness. Her work has explored ways that patients and their caregivers—healthcare professionals, aides, family, and friends—can promote patients’ healing.

Her early writing and speaking focused on under-discussed topics in cancer survivorship, such as coping with post-treatment fatigue, raising children when a parent has cancer, participating in clinical trials, and finding hope that helps patients become Healthy Survivors. In 2005, she broadened her scope to address patients dealing with any health challenge. Her writings took a turn with highly personal real-time reflections after her diagnosis of aplastic anemia in 2022.

A defining area of Dr. Harpham’s work has been on “healing hope,” the centerpiece of her knowledge-hope-action approach to illness. Whether addressing matters of science and technology or psychosocial challenges, she promotes the power of patients’ hope to help them make life the best it can be.

Over the years, Dr. Harpham’s writing increasingly focused attention on improving clinical communication. When addressing healthcare professionals with her Oncology Times columns and presentations, she discusses words used to inform, guide, comfort, and motivate patients. In her articles and talks for patients and caregivers, she guides and encourages their efforts

Thanks to cutting edge, compassionate medical care, she now enjoys renewed health and a passion greater than ever for helping other patients and supporting practicing clinicians.

Dr. Wendy Harpham on Healthy Survivorship
A place to read or participate in an ongoing discussion among
patients, clinicians, caregivers, and others interested in improving medical care.

Dr. Harpham's bio
Finding Hope That Heals — free e-Book!
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