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Making a Difference in the World
From Tragedy to Transformation: Helen Haskell's Patient Advocacy Journey
After the heartbreaking loss of her son to a preventable medical error, Helen Haskell transformed her grief into a powerful force for change in healthcare systems nationwide. Her unwavering advocacy has resulted in landmark legislation, innovative safety protocols, and a reimagined approach to patient-provider communication.
Helen's pioneering work spans multiple fronts—from establishing life-saving rapid response teams to championing transparent medical error disclosure and reforming health education. Her efforts have fundamentally reshaped how healthcare institutions approach patient safety and informed consent.
This platform showcases Helen's inspiring journey through compelling videos and evidence-based resources. As a recognized leader in patient advocacy, Helen continues to unite diverse voices in the movement for safer, more transparent healthcare.
Join us in celebrating a visionary whose perseverance has created lasting change and whose story reminds us that even in our darkest moments, we can become catalysts for transformation that saves countless lives.
For two decades, Helen Haskell has fought to help prevent medical mistakes. For her, the crusade is personal. Helen became a patient safety advocate, as a way of giving meaning to an unspeakable trauma in life.
There is a need for supportive work environments to ensure high-quality patient care. We need strategies for creating supportive environments through collaboration, recognition, professional development, and patient involvement.
Each of us is involved in some way as a patient at some point in our lives. Even if it is for a simple annual checkup or injury. How engaged are you with your health care professional (HCP) during your visit and do you ask questions during your visit?
Video Showcase
In Memory of Lewis Blackman: A Mother’s Powerful Journey
Featured Video Series with Helen Haskell
Helen Haskell shares the heartbreaking yet transformative story of her son Lewis Blackman, a bright 15-year-old whose life was cut short following complications from routine surgery. These powerful videos, recorded at the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Nursing in 2009, offer profound insights into patient safety and the critical importance of family advocacy in healthcare settings.
Five-Part Video Series
Videos 1-2: A Mother’s Perspective
Experience Lewis’s story through his mother’s eyes as Helen Haskell recounts the events leading to this preventable tragedy and shares vital lessons that healthcare professionals and families alike can learn from their experience.
Videos 3-5: Professional Dialogue and Reflection
Join distinguished nursing leader Linda Cronenwett as she interviews Ms. Haskell, followed by an illuminating question-and-answer session with the audience that explores the deeper implications for healthcare practice, policy, and education.
This compelling series serves as both a memorial to Lewis and a catalyst for meaningful change in patient safety practices worldwide.
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