Episodes

For most healthcare geeks, Andy Slavitt may be best known as the Former Acting Administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). For millions more, he is the podcast hero we didn't know we needed and the one we so clearly deserved as the host of Lemonada Media's award-winning podcast, "In The Bubble with Andy Slavitt." Launched just before the world went to shit in early 2020, In The Bubble became a literal voice of reason while we were sanitizing our Amazon boxes and fighting for toilet paper at Costco as if they were Cabbage Patch Kids in the 1980s. A weekly vocal elixir of sorts, Andy and his storied dry wit blended healthcare policy, layman's breakdowns, and human vulnerability with a healthy splash of entertainment thanks to such early guests as Tina Fey, Al Franken, and Matthew McConaughey. Each episode brought — and still brings —a little structure and sanity to an otherwise chaotic world. Today, Andy is currently USofCare Co-Founder and Board Chair Em…

Dr. Sudhir Gadh is a board-certified psychiatrist and Commander in the US Navy Reserve. He is also Medical Director for the Center for Recovery and Wellness, with a core focus on low-dose Lithium, as a comprehensive approach for patients to improve brain function. Joining Matthew live in-studio, they talk about our nation is failing to address the mental health crisis, empathy in medicine, physician burnout, ongoing stigma, and, most interestingly, the history of 7-Up. You heard that right. In his words, “Psychiatry is about understanding and adjusting your life story towards progress.” See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Returning champion to Out of Patients, advocacy badass Carly Flumer flips the script on Matthew Zachary as she takes the reins for an AMA (Ask Matt Anything) reverse interview. Hilarity ensues as we take a trip down memory lane as to how the sausage was made, the very origins of Stupid Cancer and the young adult cancer movement, and how we've arrived at today's "better problems to have." See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today, I speak with Dr. Ashani Weeraratna. She's a leading cancer researcher at Johns Hopkins, and President Biden appointed Ashani to the National Cancer Advisory Board. She's also a researcher at the National Cancer Institute AND the author of a new book called Is Cancer Inevitable? Her book takes us inside her research lab and reveals how new insights are leading to breakthroughs, even for patients with Stage IV cancer. We talk about those breakthroughs, what it was like growing up in South Africa, and seeing Van Gogh in virtual reality, among other things.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On the show today, my brother from another mother — Steve Friedman, is the Senior Advisor of Operations for SEER at the National Cancer Institute. (We'll get into all the acronyms later in the show because I know you're looking forward to that.) Steve was diagnosed back in the 1990s with testicular cancer while in his 20s. So he brings with him a profound perspective of progress, not just for young adult cancer, but for cancer policy, research, and institutional growth at the Federal level. While all those free AOL CDs back then drove us crazy, Steve put them to good use and found a community of his peers using what we decided to call "dial-up support." His storied career as a public servant, nonprofit leader, and cancer advocate isn't just inspiring; it's a perfect example of how we can make the most of the time that has been given to us. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On the show today, I welcome 'First mover in Audio & Podcasts" Sarah Cotenoff, Former co-founder of Podsights — and, more importantly — my former intern at The Stupid Cancer Show. Losing your father to cancer as a teenager is never a good thing. But the forced maturity it gives you can ultimately come in handy if and when more crap you didn't expect happens upon you. In Sarah's case, it was — after a comedic series of misdiagnoses — Psoriatic arthritis, a condition she has had to manage and lear...

Dr. Mark Lewis is the Director of GI Oncology at Intermountain Healthcare in Salt Lake City. He is also a young adult survivor of pancreatic cancer, a thought leader on #MEDTwitter, and one of the funniest and down-to-earth physicians you're likely to meet. Motivated by losing his father to cancer, coupled with a genetic predisposition for empathy, his story of "when the doctor gets cancer" preaches the virtues of data and truth. Prepare to find out what happens when Sid the Science Kid meets Dexter's Lab meets Pickle Rick. Follow Mark on Twitter at @DrMarkLewis See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On the show today, I'm so thrilled to welcome live in-studio Alison Silberman, CEO at Stupid Cancer (my old job, as you may know), and Shannon Wyant, a fellow AYA cancer survivor and sitting committee member of the Stupid Cancer Board of Directors (also my old job as you may know.) The best conversations are those without an agenda that manifest from their own chemistry and organic magic. And what you're about to hear is no exception. So prepare your Wayback machine and your magic eight ball for a "wikipedic" throwback to how the sausage was — and continues to be made — for the largest young adult support community in the world. This one's for Annie Goodman, Jason Mlot, Chad Whitman, Ali Powers, Emily Morrison, Erica Paul, and Lauren Scott. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today on the show, we talk to powerhouse couple David and Robin Dubin, who founded Alive and Kickn to advocate for those with the Lynch gene. At age 29, Dave was diagnosed with colon cancer and Lynch Syndrome. Few have heard of it, but Dave and Robin are trying to change that. Because Lynch is a genetic pre-condition to cancer that affects 1 out of every 279 people, and most people don’t even know they have it. Dave and Robin talk about survivorship, pre-vivorship, and the importance of genetic testing. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On the show today, I'm thrilled to welcome – LIVE IN STUDIO — Liz Cormier-May, CEO of Mammogen, and Marty Keiser, CEO at IV Bioholdings. It's hard to blend funny, entertaining wit with healthcare jargon like diagnostics, market access, go-to-market strategy, etc. And yet, somehow, we did it. The process is gnarly and ridiculous, but now more than ever, it's actually possible to NOT GET CANCER because of much more accessible and affordable diagnostics. Some of them are free; some are even over the counter. But getting into the hands of doctors or retail consumers is a whole other story, let alone issues with the FDA and safety. Well, we cut through all that crap and get to the brass taxes of how the only real thing moving the needle is consumers who vote with their wallets. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On today's show, we welcome one of the most influential human beings of my career: Dan Pallotta, champion of charity and the entire nonprofit business sector. Dan's take on how we as a culture think about charity the wrong way planted a bedrock philosophy in my head for how I was going to grow and lead Stupid Cancer to scalable success without the pitfalls of donors complaining about "Overhead." "I'll give you money but don't spend it on electricity. Only programs." Dan's much-ballyhooed book "Uncharitable: How Restraints on Nonprofits Undermine Their Potential" has a new, more digestible School House Rock version called "The Everyday Philanthropist" that I encourage every single nonprofit Board member, staff member, and donor to read immediately. My favorite quote from Dan is this: "Human. Kind. Be Both." Dan's Latest Book: The Everyday Philanthropist. Dan's TED Talk: The Way We Talk About Charity is Dead Wrong See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy N…

Today's show is not a "very special episode" of Different Strokes, Facts of Life, Family Ties, Webster, or Blossom, BUT it is a "very special episode" nonetheless. Jane Sarasohn-Kahn has been a friend, a teacher, a mentor, a sherpa, a conscience, and a big sister to me for over 15 years. I mean it when I say she is as close to her biological family as you can get without the Jerry Springer sibling DNA test. My origin story of becoming a cancer advocate diverged in 2004 between the nonprofit and the nascent and emerging digital health startup sectors. And Jane was right there to welcome me — the freshman newcomer and token "pre-advocate" cancer patient — equipped with the inflatable swimmies I needed to incubate in that space. Did I mention she is one of the world's foremost health economists with Nostradamus-level power for trend forecasting? She's also an award-winning author, blogger, speaker, thought-leader, and creator of "Health Populi", one of — if not THE most — notable blogs c…

Throughout the history of cancer advocacy, there are the advocates who made us and the organizations who made us. And one such organization is the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, which is — for all intents and purposes — the “Good Housekeeping meets Consumer Reports” of all cancer standards of care, best practices, guidelines, and credibility consensus. Joining me on today’s show to speak to all that is my friend Marcie Reeder, Executive Director of the NCCN Foundation, which is their patient-friendly arm that collaborates with scores of nonprofits to make sure their information is trickled down to the patient and caregiver community as a vital support resource. Marcie lost her father to esophageal cancer when she was young. Her public service to advance the narrative and the imperative of access, awareness, and survivorship is a testimony to her passion, character, and the very definition of cancer advocacy. NCCN is an incredible organization that does outstanding work on beha…

On the show today, the legendary Julie Larson, speaker, educator, psychotherapist, and luminary, legacy young adult cancer advocate. As one of the few people who have been consistently working in the same career profession they went to school for, Julie may consider herself a midwestern gal transplant to the big city but, after more than 15 years in the space, she has more than earned her credibility as one of the early progenitors of the young adult cancer movement. Her first “not so shabby” big stint was to essentially create from scratch the first adolescent and young adult cancer program for CancerCare to give you some perspective. Now, if you don’t know what CancerCare is, we get into it during the show but just know this was a huge deal in the annals of patient advocacy and AYA survivorship programming. I was privileged enough to work with her as that effort was getting built out, and I have watched her rise to literal superstardom in our community. As someone who was “there” be…

Elizabeth Woolfe is a veteran nonprofit consultant and unmatched sherpa guide in the business, management, and organizational culture of charity. Full disclosure: Liz also one of my best friends in the world and saved my ass more than a few times serving as strategic counsel to Stupid Cancer during the latter half of my tenure. As of this recording, we pay tribute to the late Cloris Leachman by preparing you for today's "Roll, Roll, Roll in Ze Hay."  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On the show today —> The venerable Craig Lipset, a storied luminary in the annals of clinical trial innovation — and I mean innovation with a Capital I. (None of that lower case crap happening here on my watch) Craig is the Founder of Clinical Innovation Partners and the Co-Founder of Decentralized Trials & Research Alliance (DTRA), and a proud expatriated Long Islander who pronounces Rutgers the proper way and has a penchant for Wegmans. He ticks every box. He's also been at the literal forefro...

Today I talk to LGBT cancer advocate Liz Margolies. For over 30 years, Liz has worked as a psychotherapist with a specialty in cancer, trauma, and sexuality. She’s an OG LGBT rights activist, and when four of her lesbian friends died of ovarian cancer within months of each other, Liz launched the National LGBT Cancer Network. Because the LGBT community not only has a harder time getting treatment but sexual and gender minorities are also at a much higher risk of getting cancer than the general population. Liz explains why.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today on the show, I welcome an extraordinary young woman —> Grace Wethor is a living unicorn of talent and intelligence. Guitarist. Pianist, Trapeze Artist, Figure Skater, Model, Author, TED Speaker — and 6-year survivor of an inoperable brain stem glioma that she was diagnosed with at 13 years old in 2015. Grace is the author of "You're So Lucky" and a new docu-series called "You're So Lucky: The Next Chapter." She joins me to talk about what it's like to have your whole life interrupted at su...

Today on the show, I welcome Vikram Bhaskaran and Dr. Rohan Ramakrishna (Chief of Neurological Surgery at Weill Cornell Medicine) live in studio to talk about Roon, their intriguing new cancer navigation platform for patients and caregivers. Roon is personal to Vikram as his whole career shifted from Pinterest executive to caring for his Father when he was diagnosed with ALS. Roon claims to be "the most supportive place online for people navigating complex health conditions, starting with Glioblastoma." so we power-test how that holds up against unmet patient needs. Rohan is only the second neurosurgeon I've had on the show, so, as a brain cancer survivor, I naturally asked him all sorts of pointed questions like, "What's it like to touch someone's brain?" These guys are the real deal with core compassion for empathy in medicine and helping patients in need access what they never knew they needed. Enjoy the show. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy …

Today, I proudly welcome my cancer survivor comrade at arms, Jen Singer. Jen's got the trifecta of "shit happens," having survived cancer, heart failure, and "COVID Classic" back in February of 2020 when no one had any idea what the hell was going on. She is the creator of "How To Be Sick," patient-friendly ebooks called "The Just Diagnosed Guides" to provide the newly diagnosed with the information they really need to know now. Because who actually knows what they need to know when they never knew they needed to know it? She's an outspoken professional despiser of Dr. Google, which I think we could all agree is the worst place to go when bad things happen. And as fellow cancer survivors, we bonded over how the hell we're both still alive all these years later through humor, empathy, and virtual cocktails. Enjoy the show. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On today's quirky show, I welcome Jen "Jay" Palumbo, an epic human Energizer Bunny who takes a licking and keeps on ticking. Jen is a freelance writer, Forbes contributor, and women's health advocate, specifically for reproductive rights. In a spirited coincidence, it turns out we both went to the same college at the same time, were both Theater people, and have dozens of friends in common. We are ships in the night for sure. As fellow parents of IVF children, we bonded over the current state of the state. And as fellow Binghamton graduates, we bonded over Wegmans, being Theater nerds, and 1990s dorm life in the southern tier. Jen is a true Long Island: loud and proud. Let the hilarity, dark humor, and GenX Therapy begin. Enjoy the show. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jonah Comstock is the Editor in Chief of pharmaphorum and a veteran healthcare journalist and reporter. He's been covering this topic even before this topic was a thing to be covered. Throughout his career, he has helped to shape significant narratives about the sector, what matters today, and where he sees progress in the future. Learning from his grandmother, who worked in the printing industry, Jonah's trajectory from Copy Editing Intern to today is an inspiring human time capsule into how the sausage is made. Enjoy the show. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In today's special bonus episode, Matthew welcomes fellow podcaster and leading Women's Health physician Dr. Mitzi Krockover to the hot seat. Mitzi is the Founding Medical Director of the Iris Cantor UCLA Women's Health Center, a storied entrepreneur, and a thought leader in her sector. She has created a community—nee, a movement—called Beyond The Paper Gown, which includes her acclaimed eponymous podcast, available here on the OffScrip Health Podcast Network. In the wake of the repeal of Roe, we focus on a recent webinar she hosted entitled, "Aftershocks: Unexpected Consequences of the Roe v Wade Decision." See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

More than 53 million Americans act as family caregivers who often fall below the radar sacrificing everything in the name of compassion, empathy, and love. Caregiver Lifehacks amplifies the voices of those impacted by the diagnosis of a loved one. Hungry to connect and share information, these authentically candid interviews give us a peek into the vulnerable spaces of what it means to provide care for a loved one. Host Elura Nanos uses her no-BS conversational style to provide a home for the often unspoken thoughts and feelings of the caregiver experience. As a fiercely intelligent and radically compassionate lawyer and media professional, she knows the caregiver path all too well. In our final episode, we continue to expand upon what caregiving looks like through the eyes of two women who have very different, non-traditional experiences for their parents. We examine the emotional side, the mental load, and the educational advocacy needed to sort through the deluge of information…