elizabeth's story

When Elizabeth learned that her insurance company would not cover the cost of a vaccine to prevent HPV, she was unsure of what her other options might be. Elizabeth had not been planning on participating in a clinical research study, but when she received a call letting her know that she might qualify for a study where she would receive the vaccine, she was interested in learning more. After meeting with a member of the clinical research team at Virginia Women's Center and going through additional screening questions, she decided to participate. 

Elizabeth remarked that the staff were "very up front with her" and because of that, she had no surprises during the study. There are many reasons that an individual will choose to participate in a clinical research study, but Elizabeth remarked that no matter the reason, "you need to listen and ask lots of questions. It's important that you understand what you're getting into."

Looking back on her experience in clinical research, it was not the vaccine or the appointments that stood out to her. Instead, it was the relationships that she built with the clinical research team that made her time memorable. Elizabeth was struck by the caring, concerned and helpful nature of those she came in contact with at Virginia Women's Center. From her initial meeting and through all of her appointments, she appreciated the knowledge of the staff and the feeling that she could call with any question and they would promptly follow up with her. Once Elizabeth became pregnant, she found she had even more questions about her health and her baby's health and she truly valued the guidance and support that she gained from the clinical research staff. As she said, "the caring aspect is the best" and it is for that reason that she would not hesitate to participate in a future study at Virginia Women's Center.

Prior to joining this clinical research study, Elizabeth would have never anticipated how her participation would affect her day-to-day life. While Elizabeth was participating in the study, several of her friends were diagnosed with significant health conditions. The study taught Elizabeth the importance of regular examinations in detecting and treating health concerns before they became larger issues. She plans to take preventative steps to stay active and engaged in her health care and through this, hopes to avoid any major health problems in the future.