The Work Between the Goals

This summer, the FIFA World Cup once again reminded us why soccer is often called the beautiful game. For several weeks, people across the globe set aside their differences to watch the same field, hold their breath during the same moments, and celebrate a language that requires no translation. Jerseys, flags, and national anthems reflected distinct histories and cultures, yet the emotions were universal: anticipation, pride, joy, disappointment, and hope.

Every team arrived carrying extraordinary potential. For some, that potential became an unforgettable run. For others, the tournament ended sooner than expected, sometimes because of one missed opportunity, one defensive lapse, or one moment of brilliance from an opponent. The margin between advancing and going home could be impossibly small.

That combination of possibility and heartbreak feels familiar to those of us who work in oncology. Our patients also begin their journeys carrying hopes for a cure, a durable response, more time, fewer symptoms, or the opportunity to reach an important milestone. We celebrate the victories: a complete response, a successful transplant, access to a promising clinical trial, or the approval of a therapy that did not exist only a few years ago. At the same time, we experience the heartbreak of disease progression, treatment-limiting toxicities, access barriers, and the loss of patients for whom we have cared.

Potential, whether on the field or in medicine, is never a promise—but it gives us something worth preparing for.

A soccer match may be decided by the player who scores the goal, but that moment is made possible by countless contributions that occurred before the ball reached the net. It began with scouting, training, strategy, communication, conditioning, and trust. During the match, players continually read the field, adjust to changing circumstances, cover for one another, and create opportunities their teammates can act on.

Oncology care requires the same collective effort. Some oncology pharmacists work directly with patients, providing education, recommending and monitoring treatment, managing toxicities, and helping patients and caregivers navigate an increasingly complex journey. Others contribute from less-visible positions, ensuring that the correct medication is selected, prepared accurately, compounded safely, and delivered at precisely the right time. Whether at the bedside, in the clinic, in the infusion center, or behind the scenes in the pharmacy, every role matters. A treatment cannot reach its intended goal unless each person fulfills their responsibility with precision, communication, and trust.

Pharmacists may not always take the final shot, but we frequently serve as the midfielders of the health care team. We connect the clinical, operational, financial, and human elements of care. We anticipate what may happen several steps ahead. We help select and sequence therapies, prevent and manage toxicities, navigate access challenges, educate patients and caregivers, and ensure that increasingly complex treatments can be delivered safely.

Much of this work happens away from the spotlight. It is found in the dose adjustment made before harm occurs, the interaction identified before a prescription is dispensed, the supportive care plan that allows treatment to continue, or the conversation that helps a patient understand what comes next. It is also found in the sterile preparation completed with exacting care, the final verification performed before a medication leaves the pharmacy, and the coordination required to ensure that a time-sensitive therapy arrives when the patient is ready to receive it.

Like the best teams, we also recognize that expertise alone is not enough. Success depends on communication, role clarity, adaptability, and the willingness to trust those around us. No single professional can see the entire field. Physicians, pharmacists, nurses, advanced practice providers, pharmacy technicians, social workers, financial advocates, researchers, patients, and caregivers each bring a perspective and contribution the team needs.

The World Cup also reminds us that not every meaningful story ends with a trophy. Teams that leave the tournament without winning may still have inspired a generation, united a country, exceeded every expectation, or changed how the world sees them. Their departure does not erase the courage, preparation, sacrifice, and moments of joy that brought them there.

Similarly, when a cancer progresses or a patient reaches the end of life, it does not mean that the patient or the care team failed. Success in oncology cannot be defined only by cure or survival. It may also mean relieving suffering, providing clarity during uncertainty, helping someone remain at home, creating time with family, or ensuring that care reflects what matters most to the patient.

There is dignity in that work, even when the outcome is not the one we hoped for.

As the crowds disperse and the final whistle fades, the enduring lesson of the World Cup is not simply that one team wins. It is that people from different backgrounds can come together around a shared purpose, contribute their individual strengths, and create something larger than themselves.

Oncology pharmacists do that every day. We may not always control the final score, but we can influence how prepared the team is, how safely the game is played, and how supported each patient feels throughout the journey. Whether our work is visible to the patient or performed quietly behind the scenes, we can continue to read the field, create opportunities, and stand beside our patients through both incredible potential and profound heartbreak.

That, too, is a beautiful game.