PatientsWhy Listening to Patients Voices: Lessons Learned as New Employees of a Pharmaceutical Company

In April 2025, we invited Toru Kishida, Representative Director of the NPO Cancer Notes, to conduct training for our newly hired employees. Kyowa Kirin regularly hosts internal seminars where we listen to patients' stories; therefore, we created a similar opportunity for our new employees.

The goal of this training session was to help participants make Kyowa Kirin's vision their own. Tomoko Nakayama of the Corporate Communications Department’s Patient Advocacy Group, who organized the program, expressed, “I want you to use this opportunity to think about how to embody a patient-centric approach to addressing healthcare needs.” Let's explore the insights our new employees gained from their discussions with Kishida-san.

Kishida-san’s lecture began with a quiz, asking our new employees, “How many people are diagnosed with cancer in Japan each year?” He also posed the questions: “What percentage of cancer patients are of working age (20s to 60s)?” and “What percentage of patients resign or are dismissed from their jobs after a cancer diagnosis?”

He continued by inquiring, “Do you know about the AYA generation?” AYA stands for Adolescent and Young Adult, referring to patients aged 15 to 39. Having been diagnosed with cancer at the age of 25, Kishida-san himself belongs to this very generation—and is the same age as many of the new employees.

Kishida-san was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer during his second year as a working adult. Alongside the anxieties of hospitalization, surgery, and side effects from medication, he also faced deep concerns about money and returning to work after discharge. He recalled, “Before expensive medical tests, I sometimes ate only one meal a day,” illustrating just how great an impact illness can have on daily life.

Even as he spoke openly about his symptoms and emotions at the time, Kishida-san’s talk was filled with laughter. He emphasized the importance of humor, inspired by the words of a fellow patient he once met: “We don't smile because we're happy; we’re happy because we smile.” That patient’s commitment to maintain a smile even in harsh circumstances left a deep impression. Sharing this experience, Kishida-san encouraged the new employees: “There will be times when work life is tough. But in those moments, I hope you can smile, even just a little, and push through.”

Following Kishida-san’s talk about his experiences with cancer treatment, the program shifted to group work. During this session, participants shared their impressions of the lecture and engaged in dialogue with Kishida-san, who answered questions one after the other from new employees.

Kishida (hereafter honorifics omitted) This is just my personal opinion, but as a patient, I want to know what kinds of symptoms others with the same illness experienced, and how it might progress. Since Kyowa Kirin has a nationwide network, I imagine you have access to a great deal of information. Even if it’s difficult to communicate directly with patients, passing along such information indirectly through healthcare professionals would be greatly appreciated.

Kishida The pharmacist carefully explained the treatment plan using a printed schedule. I kept that paper close at hand, and it was convenient to look back on. Digital tools can also be practical, but since some patients can’t use them, I think hospitals often rely on paper-based explanations.

Kishida When I interview people with cancer, most say they want those around them to treat them just as they always have. Personally, I really appreciated hearing, “If you ever need anything, just say so—I’ll be there for you.” Knowing they have someone to rely on brings real peace of mind when they’re undergoing treatment.

Kishida Absolutely. The medical professionals treated me very well throughout my treatment. It reminded me that healthcare is, at its core, about human-to-human relationships. I think the most important thing is to listen carefully to how the patient is feeling and thinking. Acting on your own assumptions, even intended as kindness, can sometimes backfire. For instance, young patients might be assigned younger healthcare providers under the assumption that it’ll put them at ease. But in some cases, being cared for by someone of the same generation makes the patient compare themselves to the providers and feel worse. That is why I believe it’s crucial to put the patient’s wishes at the center.

To go beyond merely understanding Kishida-san's talk and engage in a more personal reflection, a group exercise was organized with the theme: "What can we do to bring smiles to those facing illness?" Participants completed a worksheet that contained six sections labeled "Society," "Company," "Work," "Family," "Friends," and "Individual," and then shared their ideas with the group.

Kishida-san's real-life experiences left a profound impression on the new employees, who are close in age to him. They thoughtfully considered what they could do and eagerly exchanged ideas.

Having gone through his own battle with cancer, Kishida-san began to wonder what he could do as he was discharged from the hospital. Feeling that patients lacked access to real, practical information about daily life, he launched an initiative called Cancer Notes, in which he interviews cancer patients about their experiences and shares their stories through YouTube and a website. However, he gradually started to feel uncertain, wondering whether his efforts were merely serving as “self-satisfaction.”

To gain a new perspective, Kishida-san joined a social entrepreneurship program co-hosted by corporations and NPOs. There, he learned a vital lesson: the importance of asking those directly affected about the challenges they face.

He began by conducting a survey with cancer patients, which revealed that younger generations often sought information online but were dissatisfied with what they found. In addition, they also expressed a desire for information about life beyond treatment.

Convinced of the genuine need for Cancer Notes, Kishida-san resolved to continue. The project now provides a wide range of patient-driven information to cancer patients and their families, covering topics from family matters and work to relationships and marriage. To date, he has interviewed more than 400 people, and Cancer Notes’ YouTube channel has become a valuable source of information.

Reflecting on this experience, Kishida-san emphasizes, “Everything I want to share with you can be summed up as: Listen to the voices of those directly affected. While it is important to interact with medical professionals, it is equally important to hear from the patients themselves.”

He also offered words of encouragement to the new employees, stating, “For a company like Kyowa Kirin to provide opportunities in new-employee training to hear directly from patients is rare in the pharmaceutical industry. I hope you feel proud to be part of a company that strives to listen to patients’ voices.”

The final workshop exercise was: “In your own words, express what you can do to bring smiles to patients, and write it down as a ‘pledge (declaration)’ to Kishida-san.” Each new employee recorded a personal commitment.

After hearing the new employees' resolutions, Kishida-san remarked, “What I wanted to emphasize throughout today was the importance of information. From now on, I hope you will actively seek out information and share it with others. And when you go out into the field, never forget to listen to the voices of patients. If you face obstacles in your work, I hope you will remember today.”

Finally, Nakayama from the Patient Advocacy Group added, “Pharmaceutical companies sometimes fall into the trap of thinking they ‘understand.’ But no two patients are the same. Listening to one person and feeling self-satisfied isn’t enough; what matters is your commitment to continuing to listen. That is the final message I want to leave you with.”

The following week, the new employees were assigned to their respective departments, carrying with them the lessons from the training as they embarked on their new roles.

When asked for his impressions, Kishida-san shared, “They really looked me in the eyes as they listened, and that gaze left an impression on me. During the workshops, many of them raised their hands, with a wide range speaking up, which gave me a sense of how positive the atmosphere was. They truly are a wonderful group.”

One of the objectives of the new employee training program is to help participants internalize the company’s Philosophy, Vision, Core-Values, and KABEGOE Principles. Kishida-san’s talk, grounded in his personal experience, provided a valuable opportunity for them to think concretely about how their future work will connect to patients.

We in the HR Training Office were also deeply inspired by the sight of the new employees actively learning from Kishida-san and discovering a sense of meaning and pride in their own work.

To ensure that the insights gained in this program are not forgotten, we plan to create an opportunity one year from now for them to reflect once again on their thoughts toward patients, their approach to work, and their own growth—and to deliver those reflections as a message to Kishida-san.

Together with our new employees, united as one team, we will continue to uphold one of our Principles - “Patient Centric”- and strive to bring smiles to the faces of patients.