Podcasts about america ctca

Tune in on Monday, 10/9/23, for a new episode of The Doctor Whisperer Show featuring Author of "HOSPITABLE HEALTHCARE," Peter Yesawich, Ph.D. ▪︎ ▪︎ ▪︎ A︎BOUT OUR GUEST: Peter C. Yesawich is Chairman of Hospitable Healthcare Partners, LLC, and Vice Chairman Emeritus of MMGY Global. Hospitable Healthcare Partners, LLC, is a marketing consultancy serving hospitality and healthcare industry clients. MMGY Global, America's leading marketing communications agency serving travel, leisure and entertainment industry clients, is renowned for its strategic thinking, breakthrough creativity, and innovation in marketing practice. The agency's Travel Intelligence Group is widely regarded as one of the most respected sources of insights into the travel habits, preferences, and intentions of Americans. Yesawich has contributed to the development of marketing programs for some of the industry's most admired brands and popular destinations including Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, Hilton International, The Leading Hotels of the World, Atlantis, Baha Mar, The Breakers, The Broadmoor, CanyonRanch, Sandals Resorts, Sensei, Wynn Las Vegas, Interval International, Marriott Vacation Club International, Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Bermuda Tourist Board, Dominican Republic Ministry of Tourism, Mexico Tourism Board, Disney Parks & Resorts, Universal Studios, the U.S. Olympic Committee and travel. From 2010 to 2020, Yesawich served as Chief Growth Officer (CGO) of Cancer Treatment Centers of America® (CTCA), a national network of specialty hospitals and outpatient clinics treating adults diagnosed with complex or advanced-stage cancer. CTCA became the most recognized national cancer care provider in the U.S. and third most positively perceived hospital system in the country during his tenure as CGO. Yesawich has been a frequent commentator on marketing trends in The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Wall Street Journal, USA TODAY, Time, Newsweek, on the CNN, CNBC, MSNBC, and BBC World television networks, and on National Public Radio (npr). Yesawich received the World Travel Award from the American Association of Travel Editors, the Albert E. Koehl Award from the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI), the Silver Medal from the American Advertising Federation, and the Spirit of Hospitality Award from the Destination Marketing Association International (DMAI). He is a former Visiting Associate Professor at Cornell University and member of the board of directors of the Travel Industry Association of America. A frequent contributor to trade and professional journals, he is co-author of Marketing Leadership in Hospitality and Tourism, and Hospitable Healthcare: Just What the Patient Ordered! Yesawich received B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees from Cornell; postgraduate studies at Yale and Stanford. https://hospitablehealthcare.com/ ▪︎ ▪︎ ▪︎ Thank you to our sponsor, SRA 831b Admin, for supporting the show! Click here to learn more: ⁠http://831b.com⁠ #businessofmedicine #medicalindustry #HealthcarePodcast #healthcareindustry #healthcare #business --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thedoctorwhisperer/message

On episode 441 of The Nurse Keith Show nursing and healthcare career podcast, Keith interviews author and consultant Peter Yesawich, PhD regarding his new book, Hospitable Healthcare: Just What the Patient Ordered! In the book, Yesawich and his co-author Dr. Stowe Shoemaker, PhD make the argument that healthcare providers and facilities have the power to implement successful strategies championed by the hospitality industry in order to exponentially improve the patient experience. In the authors' view, healthcare's lack of attention to the basics of hospitality and customer service do significant damage to the public's view of the healthcare system and the facilities and providers that it employs. The concepts of hospitality have the potential to vastly improve healthcare delivery. Peter C. Yesawich is Chairman of Hospitable Healthcare Partners, LLC, and Vice Chairman, Emeritus of MMGY Global. Hospitable Healthcare Partners is a consultancy serving hospitality and healthcare industry clients. MMGY Global is America's leading marketing communications agency serving travel, leisure, and entertainment industry clients. Yesawich has led the development of marketing programs for some of the travel industry's most popular destinations and admired brands. From 2010 to 2020, Yesawich served as Chief Growth Officer (CGO) for Cancer Treatment Centers of America® (CTCA), a national network of specialty hospitals and outpatient clinics treating adults diagnosed with complex or advanced-stage cancer. CTCA became the most recognized national cancer care provider in the U.S. and the third most positively perceived hospital system in the country during his tenure as CGO. Yesawich has been a frequent commentator on marketing trends in such publications as The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Wall Street Journal, USA TODAY, Time, Newsweek, on the CNN, CNBC, MSNBC, and BBC World television networks, and on National Public Radio. Connect with Peter Yesawich: HospitableHealthcare.com ----------- Did you know that you can now earn CEUs from listening to podcasts? That's right — over at RNegade.pro, they're building a library of nursing podcasts offering continuing education credits, including episodes of The Nurse Keith Show! So just head over to RNegade.pro, log into the portal, select Nurse Keith (or any other Content Creator) from the Content Creator dropdown, and get CEs for any content on the platform! Nurse Keith is a holistic career coach for nurses, professional podcaster, published author, award-winning blogger, inspiring keynote speaker, and successful nurse entrepreneur. Connect with Nurse Keith at NurseKeith.com, and on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram. Nurse Keith lives in beautiful Santa Fe, New Mexico with his lovely fiancée, Shada McKenzie, a highly gifted traditional astrologer and reader of the tarot. You can find Shada at The Circle and the Dot. The Nurse Keith Show is a proud member of The Health Podcast Network, one of the largest and fastest-growing collections of authoritative, high-quality podcasts taking on the tough topics in health and care with empathy, expertise, and a commitment to excellence. The podcast is adroitly produced by Rob Johnston of 520R Podcasting, and Mark Capispisan is our stalwart social media ringmaster and newsletter wrangler.

Today on Exploring the Marketplace, Shawn Bolz and Bob Hasson interview, Rev. Percy McCray.  Rev. Percy McCray Jr has spent more than 20 years ministering to cancer patients and their caretaker at Cancer Treatment Centers of America® (CTCA). He serves as the Director of Faith-Based Programs at CTCA® and provides leadership and pastoral care staff at all five CTCA hospitals and oversees Our Journey of Hope®. He also Hosts a popular podcast, 'Health, Hope & Inspiration.  Tune in as Shawn, Bob and Rev. Percy shares his story of seeing his father nearly die which shocked him into a straight path and how he now runs an organization that teaches churches how to do end of life chaplaincy. Being a cancer survivor himself, Rev. Percy shares about the importance of cancer care ministry and how it requires understanding of the impact of cancer, how people react to it, and how God has called HIs people to respond.  Tune in! https://www.ourjourneyofhope.com/  

Do you have questions about the Bible? Dr. Michael Rydelnik will join Dawn and Steve in the Morning to take questions from listeners! Dr. Michael Rydelnik is a professor of Jewish Studies at Moody Bible Institute and the Bible teacher on Moody Radio's Open Line. The Reverand Percy Wilson McCray Jr. is a guest on Dawn and Steve in the Morning to provide some tips for helping loved ones navigate the challenging world of cancer and hospital visits. Rev. McCray is co-host of the award-winning podcast, Health, Hope & Inspiration. Rev. McCray has spent more than 20 years ministering to cancer patients and their caregivers at Cancer Treatment Centers of America® (CTCA). He recognizes cancer care ministry as a special calling from God and considers faith a key, but often overlooked, component of cancer treatment. He now serves as the Director of Faith-Based Programs at CTCA® and provides leadership to the pastoral care staff at all five CTCA hospitals. In addition, Rev. McCray oversees Our Journey of Hope®, a nationwide cancer care ministry training, and support program. An ordained minister, Rev. McCray is a member of the U.S. Chaplain Association. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cancer touches everyone and yet churches are often under-equipped. How can cancer be a blessing? How do we best minister to cancer patients and caregivers? A cancer survivor himself, Rev. Percy McCray Jr. has spent more than 20 years ministering to cancer patients and their caregivers at Cancer Treatment Centers of America® (CTCA). He now serves as the Director of Faith-Based Programs at CTCA® and provides leadership to the pastoral care staff at all five CTCA hospitals. In addition, Rev. McCray oversees Our Journey of Hope®, a nationwide cancer care ministry training and support program. Ourjourneyofhope.com    Season 5 is sponsored by AGTS and Evangel University. If God is calling you to take your ministry to the next level, visit agts.edu/mlm to learn how the experienced scholars at AGTS can equip and empower you for your Christ-centered service. Connect with Angela at www.angeladonadio.com.  

Mistletoe anyone? On this week's episode of The Red Light Report, I had the chance to sit down with the Dr. Lucas Tims, a naturopathic oncologist that has some unique, yet sensible approaches to treating, mitigating and preventing cancer.  On top of that, he has a healthy respect for mitochondrial health and the role they play on not just overall health, but their relationship with cancer. Dr. Tims sees cancer as a teacher, not a problem. You will learn why and so much more in this information-packed episode!Dr. Lucas Tims, ND, FABNO, is Medical Director of the Riordan Clinic's location in Overland Park, Kan. He is a naturopathic doctor who specializes in IV vitamin C, ozone therapy, the immune system and more. Originally from Northwest Arkansas, Dr. Lucas (as he is known to his patients) is a graduate of the University of Arkansas, where he majored in microbiology. He went on to complete his medical training at Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine in Tempe, Arizona, before moving to Tulsa, Oklahoma, for an oncology-focused residency program at Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA). In 2013, he passed his specialty boards designating him as a Fellow of the American Board of Naturopathic Oncology (FABNO). He has also earned a Metabolic Approach to Cancer (MATC) certificate from the Metabolic Terrain Institute of Health.Throughout Dr. Lucas' 12 years of practice, he has provided Integrative Medicine support for thousands of cancer patients at multiple CTCA hospitals and clinics. As a board-certified, Naturopathic Oncologist, Dr. Lucas is an expert in how to utilize natural therapies to support patients during any phase of treatment or care setting. In early 2018, Dr. Lucas was appointed to a leadership role serving as Medical Director of Integrative Oncology at CTCA's Western Regional Medical Center. Dr. Lucas is also a 2020 recipient of the Excellence in Healthcare for Cancer Care recognition by the Wichita Business Journal.Dr. Lucas was born into a family where nutrition and organic eating were the norm, and in his formative years he became deeply interested in science and medicine. His upbringing combined with influential mentors during his undergraduate studies helped pave his path toward naturopathic medicine.In his second year of naturopathic medical school, Dr. Lucas met his future wife. Shortly after they began dating, she was diagnosed with cancer. Helping her through her cancer journey was a turning point for him that fueled his passion for specializing in cancer care.Throughout his tenure at Riordan Clinic, he has been instrumental in the development and expansion of comprehensive cancer programs that include therapies such as IV vitamin C, mistletoe, ozone therapy, Helleborus, and acupuncture. He works very closely with his patients on diet and lifestyle interventions that promote a healthy immune system and create the right internal climate for the body to heal.In addition to patient care, Dr. Lucas enjoys doing research, teaching, and writing for medical journals. He is a member, and board member, of the Oncology Association of Naturopathic Physicians and the Society for Integrative Oncology.  Dr. Tims is an absolute wealth of knowledge and expert in the world of cancer. Anyone and everyone will benefit from listening and learning from him in this episode. As always, light up your health! - Dr. Mike Belkowski and Dr. Lucas Tims discuss the following: 2:02 - His background story getting into oncology 4:12 - The forgotten side of the cancer experience  6:10 - The emotional, psychological, and spiritual portion of cancer treatment 7:07 - Acupuncture and stress 10:53 - Post-pandemic changes in oncology 14:46 - Cancer in younger patients 15:56 - Dr. Lucas Tims' integrative approach to cancer treatment 16:59 - Tripping Over the Truth - book recommendation about cancer fundamentals 17:32 - Cancer as a teacher, not as a problem 19:57 - Tactics to deter cancer 24:38 - Mitochondrial dysfunction and how it's measured 27:35 - Mitochondria-cancer relationship 30:25 - Red light therapy for cancer treatment and prevention 32:22 - Sunlight and heliotherapy benefits 33:46 - Tim Ferriss on health, wealth, and relationships, and how it relates to alternative cancer treatment 35:28 - Empowering patients in an informed way 37:41 - Cancer prevention 40:03 - Blood testing from a preventative standpoint 42:27 - Insight to your nutritional needs 43:09 - Nutrition Genome - Personal insight DNA testing 45:21 - Becoming Supernatural by Dr. Joe Dispenza - book recommendation 46:09 - Learn more about/ connect with Dr. Tims - Watch this episode on YouTube - Instagram: @doctorlucas   Website: Riordan Clinic   Facebook: Riordan Clinic   LinkedIn: Riordan Clinic   Real Health Podcast Dr. Lucas is accepting new patients in the Overland Park office   Call 800-447-7276 to schedule an appointment - Check out the newest innovative device from BioLight... the Matrix! - Check out the Kindle version of Red Light Therapy Treatment Protocols eBook, 4th Edition - To learn more about red light therapy and shop for the highest-quality red light therapy products, visit https://www.biolight.shop - Stay up-to-date on social media: Instagram

Listen to Kevin Tulipana on the Culture Eats Everything Podcast. He has shared some life-changing thoughts on humility in conversation with Thomas Willis. Read more about Kevin Tulipana: Dr. Kevin Tulipana, President and CEO, Arizona Market and Hospital Medicine physician at Cancer Treatment Centers of America® (CTCA), Phoenix, is dedicated to providing compassionate, patient-centered care. An ordained deacon with the Catholic Church, Dr. Tulipana is finely tuned to both the physical and spiritual needs of his patients. Dr. Tulipana earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Biology at Truman State University in Kirksville, Missouri. He completed his Doctor of Osteopathy degree at Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine & Surgery. From 2000 to 2003, he was a resident in Family Medicine at Mercy/Mayo Family Medical Center, serving as chief resident from 2002 to 2003. From 2003 to 2010, Dr. Tulipana provided traditional family medical care at a large regional medical center in Missouri. He then served as Hospitalist at a large health-care facility in Oklahoma. During his career, Dr. Tulipana has also held several administrative positions focused on quality improvement, operations, payer relations, innovation, and other aspects of patient care. He joined CTCA®in January 2015. Dr. Tulipana is Board Certified in Family Medicine by the American Board of Family Medicine. He is a fellow of the Society of Hospital Medicine and on the adjunct faculty at the Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine. In 2018, he earned a Master of Science degree in Bioethics from the University of Mary in Bismark, North Dakota. Outside of CTCA, Dr. Tulipana enjoys spending time with his wife and eight children, assisting his wife with homeschooling, vocal music, woodworking, hunting, and photography. Kevin Tulipana LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevintulipana/ Cancer Treatment Centers of America: https://www.cancercenter.com/ Phoenix Performance Partners Website: https://www.phoenixperform.com/ Culture Eats Everything Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/culture-eats-everything/id1526731051 Culture Eats Everything Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1utf9dZh2PRQKxe6qg5I5M Tom Willis: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomasawillis/ Checkout our book: https://www.phoenixperform.com/book #CultureEatsEverything

Rev. Percy McCray of Health, Hope and Inspiration joins the conversation to guide us on the journey called cancer. This award-winning podcast, sponsored by Cancer Treatment Centers of America, is designed to help people find answers to questions about cancer, cancer prevention, and overall healthy living. Rev. McCray has spent more than 20 years ministering to cancer patients and their caregivers at Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA). He recognizes cancer care ministry as a special calling from God and considers faith a key, but often overlooked component of cancer treatment. His engaging personality and deep passion for pastoral care ministry have made Rev. McCray a favorite among patients, pastors, and his podcast audience. He now serves as the Director of Faith-Based programs at CTCA and provides leadership to the pastoral care staff at all five CTCA hospitals. In addition, Rev. McCray oversees Our Journey of Hope, a nationwide cancer care ministry training and support program. An ordained minister, Rev. McCray is a member of the U.S. Chaplain Association. He has been recognized as one of the "most influential African Americans in Lake County (IL)" by the People's Voice newspaper for his religious and leadership roles within the community. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rev. Percy McCray Jr. has spent more than 20 years ministering to cancer patients and their caregivers at Cancer Treatment Centers of America® (CTCA). He recognizes cancer care ministry as a special calling from God and considers faith a key but often overlooked component of cancer treatment. He now serves as the Director of Faith-Based Programs at CTCA® and provides leadership to the pastoral care staff at all five CTCA hospitals. In addition, Rev. McCray oversees Our Journey of Hope®, a nationwide cancer care ministry training, and support program. An ordained minister, Rev. McCray is a member of the U.S. Chaplain Association.  ____________________________ As a caregiver, do you feel protected for your legal needs? How would you like the assurance of an entire law firm - for less than $30 per month - in five easy steps? 1. Click on the link' www.caregiverlegal.com 2. Select LEGAL SHIELD ( in purple) on the left-hand side.   3. Select GET A PLAN (in orange)  4. Add supplements (optional - leave unchecked if no supplements are needed) 5. Check out and call the law firm for all your legal needs. (Wills, POA, DNR, Medical Power of Attorney, traffic tickets, and any other legal needs you have.)        

Rev. Percy McCray Jr. has spent more than 20 years ministering to cancer patients and their caregivers at Cancer Treatment Centers of America® (CTCA). He recognizes cancer care ministry as a special calling from God and considers faith a key, but often overlooked, a component of cancer treatment. We talk about the local church, ministering through the ahrd things, and so much more!  Full Transcripts Links: https://www.healthhopeandinspiration.com/ https://leaders.ourjourneyofhope.com/ https://www.facebook.com/HHIpodcast/ https://www.spiritandtruth.life/  

Dawn and Steve talk with Reverend Percy McCray about some great tools to combat anxiety and stress in the cancer journey.  You can hear Reverend McCray's award-winning podcast, Health, Hope & Inspiration each week to find answers to questions about cancer, cancer prevention, and overall healthy living. Rev. Percy McCray Jr. has spent more than 20 years ministering to cancer patients and their caregivers at Cancer Treatment Centers of America® (CTCA). He recognizes cancer care ministry as a special calling from God and considers faith a key, but often overlooked, component of cancer treatment. He now serves as the Director of Faith-Based Programs at CTCA® and provides leadership to the pastoral care staff at all five CTCA hospitals. In addition, Rev. McCray oversees Our Journey of Hope®, a nationwide cancer care ministry training, and support program. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hello Friends! As we continue our year-long series – all about helping you to live healthily. I urge you to reflect on the positive and negative things in your life. Recently, I celebrated another birthday, which was a reflection time for myself. I examined what I wanted to bring into my life and what I needed to let go off? Sometimes, to be truly healthy, we need to let go of things that aren't working for us and try some new things. In today's episode, I'm talking with Rev Percy McCray, a pastor, podcaster, and cancer survivor. This episode discusses his work with the Cancer Treatment of America, how he got started working with cancer patients, and how caregivers can prevent fatigue. Rev. Percy McCray Jr. has spent more than 26 years ministering to cancer patients and their caregivers at Cancer Treatment Centers of America® (CTCA). He recognizes cancer care ministry as a special calling from God and considers faith a key—but often overlooked— component of cancer treatment. He now serves as the Director of Faith-Based Programs at CTCA® and provides leadership to the pastoral care staff at all five CTCA hospitals. In addition, Rev. McCray oversees Our Journey of Hope®, a nationwide cancer care ministry training, and support program. His engaging personality and deep passion for pastoral care ministry have made Rev. McCray a favorite among patients, pastors, and his podcast audience. Listen in to learn more about : Misconceptions regarding cancer patients Cancer is not a punishment from God It the importance to schedule annual exams and stay current on regular checkups with your medical team. Resources Connect with Rev. Percy Website: http://www.ourjourneyofhope.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OJOHministry Podcast: https://www.healthhopeandinspiration.com/ Connect with Melissa Instagram: @MelissaClarkCounseling Website - www.melisaaclarkcounseling.com

Our guest today is Rev. Percy McCray, who has spent more than two decades ministering to thousands of cancer patients and their caregivers at Cancer Treatment Centers of America ® (CTCA). An ordained minister and a member of the U.S. Chaplain Association, Rev. McCray serves as the Director of Faith-Based Programs at CTCA and provides leadership to the pastoral care staff at all CTCA hospitals. He also oversees the nationwide cancer care ministry training and support program for church leaders, Our Journey of Hope®, and hosts an award-winning weekly cancer support podcast,Health, Hope, & Inspiration. COFRP airs: http://podsearch.com/listing/challenges-of-faith-radio-program.html

The Reverand Percy Wilson McCray Jr. is a guest on Dawn and Steve in the Morning to provide some tips for helping loved ones navigate the challenging world of cancer. He is co-host of the award-winning podcast, Health, Hope & Inspiration. Rev. Percy McCray Jr. has spent more than 20 years ministering to cancer patients and their caregivers at Cancer Treatment Centers of America® (CTCA). He recognizes cancer care ministry as a special calling from God and considers faith a key, but often overlooked, component of cancer treatment. He now serves as the Director of Faith-Based Programs at CTCA® and provides leadership to the pastoral care staff at all five CTCA hospitals. In addition, Rev. McCray oversees Our Journey of Hope®, a nationwide cancer care ministry training, and support program. An ordained minister, Rev. McCray is a member of the U.S. Chaplain Association.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Patrick Quillin, PhD, RD, CNS, is a well-known expert in the area of nutrition and cancer. He has 40 years experience as a clinical nutritionist, of which 10 years were spent as the Vice President of Nutrition for Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA), where he worked with thousands of cancer patients in multiple hospital settings. According to Quillin, cancer has escalated from a once obscure disease to a leading cause of death worldwide. Chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery may reduce tumor burden but do not change the underlying causes of the disease.

Rev Percy McCray with Cancer Treatment Centers of America is a guest on Dawn and Steve Mornings to tell us how we can support those with cancer.  Rev McCray hosts an award-winning podcast, Health, Hope & Inspiration, developed to help people find answers to questions about cancer, cancer prevention, and overall healthy living. Rev McCray has spent more than 20 years ministering to cancer patients and their caregivers at Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA). He considers faith a key but often overlooked, component of cancer treatment. He now serves as the Director of Faith-Based Programs at CTCA and provides leadership to the pastoral care staff at all five CTCA hospitals. In addition, Rev McCray oversees Our Journey of Hope, a nationwide cancer care ministry training and support program. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Suffering is not something we long for. In fact, we often run, avoid, hide, and pretend all day long. But when someone hears the big C diagnosis - CANCER - suffering is no longer a word or a concept they can ignore. It becomes a new reality. That is why our guest, Dr. Reverend Percy McCray started the award-winning Health, Hope & Inspiration podcast and pursued a life of ministry - dedicated to serving cancer patients and their families.   Cancer is the number 2 killer next to heart disease. Research shows that 1/3 of all people will be diagnosed with cancer. Cancer is not something we need to fear or ignore, but rather to be a part of serving and learning from those who are suffering.   Reverend Percy McCray Jr., has spent more than 20 years ministering to thousands of cancer patients and their caregivers at Cancer Treatment Centers of America® (CTCA). He recognizes cancer care ministry as a special calling from God and considers faith a key—but often overlooked— component of cancer treatment. He now serves as the Director of Faith-Based Programs at CTCA® and provides leadership to the pastoral care staff at all five CTCA hospitals. Rev. McCray also oversees Our Journey of Hope®, a nationwide cancer care ministry training and support program. In addition, he hosts Health, Hope & Inspiration, an award-winning podcast developed to help people find answers to questions about cancer, cancer prevention and overall healthy living.   In this episode, Rev McCray shares about how believers are to suffer well and move through grief and loss. He addresses when cancer survivors live and when they go home to Jesus. He says some are not giving up, they are just being called up. For anyone who has personally battled cancer, is walking with a loved-one who is fighting cancer, has lost someone to cancer, wants to help those with cancer or just plain fears getting cancer. This episode is for you!   To connect with Rev. Percy McCray and with Our Journey of Hope, visit: ONLINE - www.healthhopeandinspiration.com www.ourjourneyofhope.com SOCIAL - Facebook - @HHIpodcast (https://www.facebook.com/HHIpodcast/) @OJOHministry (https://www.facebook.com/OJOHministry)   PODCAST - Health Hope & Inspiration with Rev. Percy McCray    Subscribe to the #living_wholeheartedpodcast anywhere you find your podcasts (link in bio)   Instagram @TerraMattson @Living_Wholehearted @MyCourageousGirls #living_wholeheartedpodcast #shrinkingtheintegritygap Facebook @MyCourageousGirls @WeAreLivingWholehearted Websites LivingWholehearted.com TerraMattson.com MyCourageousGirls.com MyCourageousBook.com   Resources Shrinking the Integrity Gap (book) Shrinking the Integrity Gap e-Course Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace (book) Dear Mattsons (youtube series)

SmallCapVoice.com Inc. (“SCV”) announces the availability of a new interview with Dr. Bill Williams, CEO and Giuseppe Del Priore, MD, MPH, the Company's Chief Medical Officer (CMO)of BriaCell Therapeutics Corp. (Nasdaq: BCTX, BCTXW) (TSX-V: BCT), to discuss the Company goals moving forward relating to its current and upcoming clinical trials including the ongoing Phase I/IIa combination study of BriaCell's lead candidate, Bria-IMT™, with Incyte's checkpoint inhibitors, retifanlimab and epacadostat in advanced breast cancer. In February 2022, the Company announced the appointment of Giuseppe Del Priore, MD, MPH, as the Company's Chief Medical Officer (CMO). Dr. Del Priore is a seasoned healthcare executive with over 25 years of experience in research, drug development, and clinical trials management. Dr. Del Priore's prior work experience includes serving as a biotech Chief Medical Officer, a National Director at the Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA), plus faculty at Indiana University School of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, and New York University School of Medicine. BriaCell is an immuno-oncology focused biotechnology company developing targeted and effective approaches for the management of cancer. More information is available at https://briacell.com/.

This episode features Dr. Lucas Tims as he talks to Dr. V about Cancer and Vitamin C.  Dr. Lucas Tims was born into a family where nutrition and organic eating were the norms, and in his formative years, he became deeply interested in science and medicine. His upbringing combined with influential mentors during his undergraduate studies helped pave his path toward naturopathic medicine. In his second year of Naturopathic medical school, Dr. Lucas met his future wife. Shortly after they began dating, she was diagnosed with cancer. Helping her through her cancer journey was a turning point for him that fueled his passion for specializing in cancer care. Over the years, Dr. Lucas has provided Integrative Medicine support for thousands of cancer patients at multiple Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) hospitals and clinics and now at Riordan Clinic.  Throughout his tenure at Riordan Clinic, he has been instrumental in the development and expansion of comprehensive cancer programs that include therapies such as IV Vitamin C, mistletoe, ozone therapy, Helleborus, and acupuncture. Listen in to this episode to find out why high dose Vitamin C IVs are so beneficial for cancer.  In addition, how there is no "one-size-fits-all" when it comes to dosing Vitamin C. As well as, the do and don'ts for using Vitamin C and mistletoe while undergoing conventional treatment.  

Dawn and Steve welcome guest, Rev Percy McCray, to the morning show! Rev McCray hosts an award-winning podcast, Health, Hope & Inspiration, developed to help people find answers to questions about cancer, cancer prevention, and overall healthy living. Rev McCray has spent more than 20 years ministering to cancer patients and their caregivers at Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA). He considers faith a key, but often overlooked, component of cancer treatment. He now serves as the Director of Faith-Based Programs at CTCA and provides leadership to the pastoral care staff at all five CTCA hospitals. In addition, Rev McCray oversees Our Journey of Hope, a nationwide cancer care ministry training and support program. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Reverend Percy McCray Jr. joins the morning show this hour to share hope and encouragement for people with a cancer diagnosis. Rev McCray has spent more than 20 years ministering to cancer patients and their caregivers at Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA). He recognizes cancer care ministry as a special calling from God and considers faith a key, but often overlooked component of cancer treatment. He now serves as the Director of Faith-Based Programs at CTCA and provides leadership to the pastoral care staff at all five CTCA hospitals. In addition, Rev McCray oversees Our Journey of Hope, a nationwide cancer care ministry training and support program.  Rev McCray has an award-winning podcast, Health, Hope & Inspiration, developed to help people find answers to questions about cancer, cancer prevention, and overall healthy living.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this interview, our editor-in-chief, Tina Kaczor, ND, FABNO, speaks with Aminah Keats, ND, FABNO, about breast cancer disparities in African American women. Keats is a practicing naturopathic physician at Capital Integrative Health in Bethesda, Maryland, and is also vice president on the board of directors for the Oncology Association of Naturopathic Physicians (OncANP). About the Expert Aminah Keats, ND, FABNO, received her undergraduate degree in psychology from Spelman College and completed premedical coursework at Rutgers University. After completing her naturopathic medical training at the University of Bridgeport College of Naturopathic Medicine, Keats completed a 2-year, hospital-based residency in naturopathic oncology at Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA). She then continued her work at CTCA as a naturopathic oncology consultant and director of naturopathic medicine. She currently practices naturopathic medicine and specializes in naturopathic oncology at Capital Integrative Health in Bethesda, Maryland. Keats also serves as a faculty member at Maryland University of Integrative Health. She is a member of the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians, the Oncology Association of Naturopathic Physicians, and member of the OncANP Board of Directors. You can find Keats on Facebook and on Instagram @draminahkeats or at her website: drkeats.com.

Dawn and Steve welcome guest, Rev Percy McCray, to the morning show. Rev McCray will tell us about his award-winning podcast, Health, Hope & Inspiration, developed to help people find answers to questions about cancer, cancer prevention and overall healthy living. Rev McCray has spent more than 20 years ministering to cancer patients and their caregivers at Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA). He considers faith a key, but often overlooked, component of cancer treatment. He now serves as the Director of Faith-Based Programs at CTCA and provides leadership to the pastoral care staff at all five CTCA hospitals. In addition, Rev McCray oversees Our Journey of Hope, a nationwide cancer care ministry training and support program. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) uses direct-to-patient outreach to guide diagnosed cancer patients and caregivers through the treatment journey. Gaia and Andrew welcome guests Ivan Stamenov, VP of marketing operations and technology, CTCA and Trevor Hadick, senior manager, media analytics at Merkle for a deep dive into the organization's embrace of OTT and its benefits. Topics of discussion: • The measurability offered with OTT and analytics • Audience segmentation & addressability • Cookieless attribution • Optimization with tracking data • Exact reach and frequency • Limitations and recommendations

"Can I have a corporate role and still integrate my ikigai?" I hear this question a lot in my Ikigai workshops and write about it in https://jennifershinkai.com/2020/07/07/ikigai-myth-busting/ (Ikigai Myth Busting) Zane and I chat about walking beans and the power of knowing what your ikigai is NOT, taking risks, influencing others, and how to keep your focus as you become more senior in an organisation. We take a trip down memory lane talking about the volunteer work we did back in 2018 for https://savvytokyo.com/deepen-the-dialogue-initiative-targets-japans-gender-inequality/ (Deepen the Dialogue) to advance women's participation in the workforce in Japan. Let us know what you think and please like, subscribe and share Zane A. Zumbahlen Chief Human Resources / Talent Officer A human resources leader with global expertise in large-scale innovation to drive strategic transformation and growth, Zane Zumbahlen is the Chief Human Resources / Talent Officer for Cancer Treatment Centers of America® (CTCA). In this role, he is focused on driving business value, optimizing performance, reinvigorating continuous learning, driving the ongoing evolution of talent attraction and fostering engagement, diversity and inclusion. Zumbahlen joined CTCA® in July 2020 following a 25-year career at IBM where he held various leadership roles in the United States, Sweden and Japan. Most recently, he served as Vice President of Human Resources supporting the synergy efforts for IBM's acquisition of Red Hat in Armonk, New York, which helped strengthen the company's position in the hybrid multi-cloud sector. With a passion for servant leadership and service to the community, Zumbahlen has held board and other volunteer positions throughout his career for IBM as well as various nonprofit organizations. Most notably, he served organizations supporting women in business and has volunteered for charitable organizations such as InnVision in San Jose, California, which provides interim housing and support services for the homeless population. Zumbahlen earned a Master's degree in Human Resources and Labor Relations from Michigan State University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from the University of Illinois.

https://www.cancercenter.com/covid19 The constant flow of news about COVID-19 has helped millions of Americans take critical steps to help prevent the spread of the disease. But new information and a rapidly evolving landscape are raising more questions and creating some confusion. In this podcast, Alan Yahanda, MD, FACS, and Jeffrey Metts, MD, MPH, from Cancer Treatment Centers of America® (CTCA) in Atlanta, address your concerns and answer your questions about COVID-19, with a special focus on what cancer patients and their families need to know. Dr. Yahanda is a Surgical Oncologist and Chief of Staff at CTCA® Atlanta. Dr. Metts, the Chief of Medicine at CTCA Atlanta, is serving as clinical leader for the COVID-19 task force at CTCA. Visit https://www.cancercenter.com/covid19 for more information about what cancer patients need to know about the COVID-19 pandemic.

This article is part of the 2019 Oncology Special Issue of Natural Medicine Journal. Read the full issue here.    Tina Kaczor, ND, FABNO, interviews Shauna Birdsall, ND, FABNO, on what clinicians need to know about skin cancers. From preventing squamous cell carcinomas to recognizing melanoma, Birdsall details the essentials of cancer-related dermatology. This interview includes a broad review of what you can do to help patients prevent skin cancer. Do you remember the ABCDE’s of recognizing melanoma? Where do squamous and basal cell carcinomas usually occur? What is the ideal range for serum vitamin D? What other supplements have evidence for reducing the risk of squamous cell cancers? We cover all this and more in this in-depth discussion between integrative oncology experts. About the Expert Shauna M. Birdsall, ND, FABNO, is a naturopathic physician and fellow of the American Board of Naturopathic Oncology. Birdsall graduated from National University of Natural Medicine in 2000. After completing a residency at Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) at Midwestern Regional Medical Center in 2002, she provided patient care and supervised naturopathic medical students there until 2008. She took on a leadership role at Western Regional Medical Center at CTCA in Goodyear, AZ, in 2008 and was later elected vice chief of the medical staff there. She also chaired the Medical Executive Committee, Credentials Committee, Peer Review Committee, and served as the Medical Director of Integrative Oncology until 2018. Birdsall recently joined Avante Medical Center in Anchorage, AK. One of Phoenix Magazine’s Top Doctors 2014-2018, Birdsall is strongly committed to providing individualized, compassionate, evidence-based care to empower and provide hope to cancer patients. Transcript Tina Kaczor, ND, FABNO: Hello. I'm Tina Kaczor, editor-in-chief here at the Natural Medicine Journal. I'm talking today with Dr. Shauna Birdsall about skin cancers, and Dr. Shauna Birdsall has graduated from the National College of Natural Medicine in the year 2000. After that, she went to Cancer Treatment Centers of America, and she has been a specialist in integrative oncology since graduation. She's most recently taken a position at Avante Medical Center in Anchorage, Alaska, where she'll be providing patient care in a hospital-based setting. Shauna, thanks so much for joining me. Shauna Birdsall, ND, FABNO: Oh, thank you for having me. Kaczor: Dr. Birdsall, you've recently worked closely with a lot of dermatologists in a dermatologist setting, and you and I got talking about that. I was intrigued by a lot of the things that you learned, and I would like you to elaborate a little bit on how working closely alongside these dermatologists maybe changed your perspective of oncology and skin cancer specifically. Birdsall: I have to say I was blown away, and this is a bit embarrassing. Working with patients undergoing chemotherapy and radiation for cancers like breast cancer and pancreatic cancer, I had always seen dermatology as more on the periphery. Working with dermatologists showed me how often dermatologists are diagnosing things like melanoma and really saving people's lives. It completely changed my perception around the integral nature of the specialty. Kaczor: Yeah. I think that's what struck me, because you and I have parallel universes in the idea of our professions. We both graduated in the same year, and we've both been doing integrative oncology. I have to say I haven't worked closely with dermatologists. I share your inclination to say, "Ah, yeah, skin, we can catch that. No problem. We always catch skin cancer," and, I mean, that's despite the fact that of course we've both worked with people with metastatic melanoma. We'll get to that and the importance of prevention, especially to prevent such tragedies as metastatic disease. I'd like you to give us a primer, and just give us a really basic overview for the clinicians out there on the types of skin cancers that there are, and who they most likely effect as well. Birdsall: Sure. First of all, skin cancer is the most common type of cancer, and in the United States this year, more than 5 million people will be diagnosed with skin cancers. First and foremost, we like to talk about actinic keratoses. These are also known as AKs, and they are really precancerous lesions. You'll hear, the resounding themes of those that have sun exposure as being at risk for these cancers as I go on, but essentially actinic keratoses are often flaky or scaly patches of skin, and it's important that those are identified and treated, as sometimes they can lead to squamous cell carcinoma. The most common type of skin cancer is basal cell carcinoma or BCC. This accounts for about 80% of skin cancers, and BCCs usually look like a flesh-colored pearl or bump, or a pinkish patch of skin. All of these skin cancers are going to be more prevalent in patients with fair skin, although patients with skin of all colors can develop these skin cancers. Then, as I mentioned we're going to repeatedly talk about risk with sun exposure, and that means that the areas of the body that are most frequently exposed to sun such as the face, head, chest, arms and legs are going to be the most prevalent areas that you can see these cancers. Squamous cell carcinoma is the most second type of skin cancer, and you're going to also see squamous cell cancers on areas like the rim of the ear. You really need to be able to make sure that those are identified, as those cancers can spread more deeply into tissues and cause additional damage, as well as metastasize elsewhere. Melanoma, as we talked about earlier, is the deadliest form of skin cancer. It's actually been on the rise for the last 50 years. Melanoma in situ annual incidents in the United States is 9.5%, and in the United States melanoma has become the fifth-most common cancer in men and women. Melanoma increases with age, and you do see again the sun exposure and fair skin as common risk factors. I think later on, we'll talk about more risk factors for melanoma. Kaczor: Yeah. That's an incredible statistic. Nearly 10% incidence for in situ melanoma. Wow. Birdsall: Yes. Which is why I really started waking up to the issues with skin cancer detection and prevention, working with dermatologists, because I just was blown away, as I mentioned, with how often they were diagnosing either melanoma in situ or melanomas. Kaczor: That's just checking. I mean, that's just skin checks, not coming in with that complaint. Birdsall: Yes. Kaczor: Most of our listeners are practitioners that are primary practitioners. Very few are going to be specialists in skincare, of course. I'd like us to maybe, if you could, go through how to recognize melanoma, and maybe making sure that when we are seeing our patients ... and this could be in a specific skin exam, or it could also just be an incidental finding on their arm or their face or whatever. What are we looking for with melanoma? Birdsall: Melanomas frequently develop in a mole or suddenly appears as a new dark spot on the skin. If you'll recall, we have the ABCDE warning signs, and I'm just going to go through those just for all of our review. A stands for asymmetry. B stands for border, either irregular, scalloped or poorly defined. C stands for color, varied really from one area to another in the same mole, and you can see shades of tan and brown, black, white, pink, red or blue. I think one of the most shocking melanomas that I saw was a melanoma inside the web of the toes in a patient that just looked like a little pink spot. D stands for diameter. While melanomas are usually greater than 6 millimeters in size, which is the size of a pencil eraser, when initially diagnosed they can be smaller. E stands for evolving, a mole or a skin lesion that looks different from the rest or is changing in size, shape or color. What is important to know as well is that melanomas don't necessarily read the textbooks. As I mentioned, they can look like something that, for those of us who are not dermatologists, may not look like something of concern, which is why I became aware of the need for annual skin exams. Kaczor: Yeah. Yeah. It is remarkable that some of them don't look like much, and I think that erring on the side of caution, especially as our patients get older and older, because aging is a risk factor for all cancers, and I'm assuming skin cancer is included in there. Okay. Is there anything else? Last notes besides ABCD and E, and anything else that people should be looking for clinically before we close that discussion? Birdsall: An area that's itching, bleeding. An area that opens up and appears to heal over, and then opens up again. Anything like that also needs to be evaluated. Kaczor: Okay. Yeah. Referral to a dermatologist is simple enough that I think it's ... again, erring on the side of caution seems like a smart thing to do. We talked about melanoma, and experience shows us that of course it's the most likely to go somewhere. It's most likely to spread and become fatal for some patients, but I'm curious. Basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma, what is the risk of any local or metastatic disease with those? Birdsall: In the majority of patients with cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma or basal cell carcinoma, the disease remains limited to the skin and with appropriate treatment is considered, "cured," which you and I both know we don't get to use that word very often in oncology. It's exciting that something can be cured with appropriate treatment. However, in 3 to 7% of patients with cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, and rarely in individuals with basal cell carcinoma, local, regional or distant metastases can occur, which increases the risk for mortality or death. Kaczor: Do you happen to know, is this analogous to melanoma in that the depth of the lesion has anything to do with it? Do you know? Birdsall: Yes. For both basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas, both the depth and the size can contribute to risk, which is why even though a patient might only have a small spot, why it's important that it be caught early and treated, because left to its own devices, the larger it gets, the more at risk a patient is. Kaczor: Okay. Well, that makes logical sense. As far as melanomas go, you mentioned in situ is nearly 10%. Are most of them still caught in the early stages, before they go anywhere? Birdsall: Yes. Yeah. About 85% of melanomas are caught when there's only localized disease, so Stage I or Stage II at presentation, which as you and I both know, that's when you see the best survival rates. At diagnosis, about 15% have regional nodal disease, and only about 2% have distant metastases at the time of diagnosis. We're getting better at diagnosing skin cancers and melanoma, and it's theorized that dermatologists are more likely to biopsy these days because of seeing a higher prevalence. Kaczor: I see. Okay. Can I ask one question? That is, in some states, including where I am in Oregon, naturopathic physicians can do minor surgery. The question I have ... I know my opinion on this, but I want to hear your opinion on this. It's not uncommon for shave biopsies to happen in-office. This is true of primary care physicians across the board, not just naturopaths. If someone suspects a melanoma, yea or nay on something like a biopsy of that, whether it's a punch biopsy or a shave biopsy? Birdsall: Nay, and the reason is that there is research that the sooner after initial diagnosis ... so the sooner after initial biopsy ... that patient is able to get definitive treatment for their melanoma, the better. One of the risks, if someone other than a dermatologist or another health professional biopsies melanoma, is that there's then a delay potentially in getting the patient in to the provider that's going to be able to provide definitive treatment for that melanoma. That's one of the risks. Really, you want to see the highest level of specialty if you suspect a melanoma. Kaczor: Okay. I think that needs to be reiterated time and again, because every once in a while you come across those patients, and your hair stands up when they tell you what first happened to their lesion, and you just hope that it didn't go anywhere. Okay. Let's talk about, again, we're talking to our audience is generally practitioners that are frontline folks, and which patient populations, which types of people, should there be particular vigilance for skin cancers, like higher levels of suspicion, and who exactly? Birdsall: Okay. I warned you that we'd keep going back to a couple of things. Fair-skinned individuals, particularly those with blonde hair, red hair, lighter-colored eyes, blue eyes, although again, the warning that skin cancers can occur in patients of any skin color, and then that hallmark UV, exposure to UV radiation. More sun exposure, more risk. Also, however, living in sunny climates or higher altitudes, again because you're getting more direct exposure to UV radiation, as well as lower latitudes. Moles, patients that have more than 50 moles are at higher risk, and patients that have had a history of dysplastic nevi nearby or abnormal moles. Patients with actinic keratoses are at higher risk. Patients with either a family history of skin cancer or a personal history of skin cancer, and immune suppression. I want to just take a moment to talk about immune suppression, because that can include a variety of different patient populations. That can include patients living with HIV or AIDS, or oncology patients that maybe are receiving chemotherapy or maybe their immune system hasn't recovered from prior chemotherapy, and it does include patients on immunosuppressive drugs such as for organ transplants. Patients who've had an organ transplant are at high risk for skin cancers because they're likely to have a lifetime of immune suppression because of those immunosuppressive drugs. Lastly, exposure to radiation. You and I think of patients that have been exposed to radiation like breast cancer patients, lung cancer patients, et cetera. However, sometimes patients are exposed to radiation for skin conditions like basal cell carcinoma or eczema or acne, just different types of radiation. Then, exposure to chemical substances like arsenic can also increase risk, and then age increases risk. We're just at higher risk, the longer that we're living a lifetime out, being exposed to the sun. Kaczor: Is it true that childhood exposures can have an effect decades later? Like someone who grew up down in San Diego, for example, but they live in Minnesota? Birdsall: Yes, especially to melanoma. I am a-fair skinned person and I had an unfortunate history of a couple of different blistering sunburns, and that history of childhood sunburns and history of blistering sunburns can increase risk, especially for melanoma. Kaczor: Okay. Yeah. That's good to have validated, because I've always heard that. Maybe in our patient intakes, it's something we should put on our intake forms. Not only where did you grow up, but did you get burned, sunburned? Birdsall: Yes. Kaczor: Back in the day, of course, there was a time when people intentionally went out there and called a burn halfway to a tan. Birdsall: That actually reminds me. I don't think of indoor tanning frequently these days, but exposure to indoor tanning and tanning beds. Maybe your patient is very responsible now as an adult, but maybe in their teenage years had a long history of exposure to tanning beds. Kaczor: Yeah, yeah. It's something that's easily overlooked in an intake. Maybe we should make sure that that's top of mind. Let's talk a little bit about screening and prevention, and how can we make sure that we do catch things early, especially melanoma. What are the current recommendations, even, for skin cancer prevention? Birdsall: It's interesting. As far as screening, it remains somewhat of a controversy, which surprised me. US Preventive Task Force is considered one of the authorities on screenings, and to date, the US Preventive Task Force hasn't found sufficient evidence either for or against skin screenings. What's interesting is there is a lot of debate amongst other experts in the field. The American Cancer Society actually recommends a cancer-related checkup every three years for patients between age 28 to 40, and then also encompassed in that cancer-related checkup is other kinds of screenings in addition to skin cancer screenings, and then every year for anyone over 40. Interestingly, the American Medical Association really sees it as individualized, and recommends that a patient should talk to their physician about frequency for skin cancer screenings, and those at moderate risk even should see their PCP or dermatologist annually. The American Academy of Dermatology issued a statement regarding their disappointment over the recommendation by the US Preventive Task Force, and felt that the public should know that that recommendation that was neither for nor against annual skin cancer screening did not apply to individuals with suspicious skin lesions or those with increased skin cancer risk, and does not apply to the practice of skin self-exams. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends that patients really function as their own health advocate by regularly conducting skin self-exams and that if the patients see anything unusual, that they should see a dermatologist. Unfortunately, we all know that there's not always consistency with patients regarding advising for self-exam, and a patient can't necessarily see the back of their neck or their back, that may have had a lot of sun exposure. A number of dermatology providers still recommend annual skin exams, which after working with dermatologists, I'm definitely an advocate for as well. Kaczor: Yeah. Yeah, that makes sense. All it takes is a few cases. We're all a product of our experience, right? You see a few cases where it could have been prevented, and it seems and it is tragic. What can we do? I guess once we identify patients who are at higher risk, due to either childhood or exposure or fair skin or immune suppression, like what can we do to prevent skin cancers? Birdsall: Again, not to sound like a broken record, but decreasing sun exposure is the first thing. Interestingly enough, while I was just reviewing the research when I was preparing for our interview, I was looking at the Environmental Working Group and sunscreens, because there are definitely sunscreen ingredients these days that people have concerns about. For a patient that might be more holistically inclined, they might feel somewhat reluctant to put some of the ingredients that are in sunscreens on their skin, and so there's still a number of things that we can recommend. One is the physical sunscreens that are more of a barrier, and zinc oxide and titanium dioxide were considered generally safe and effective by the Environmental Working Group, and those are sunscreens with definitely friendlier ingredients that people may feel a lot more comfortable using and recommending. Secondly, wearing clothing shields our skin from sun exposure. There's some really interesting sun-protective clothing that is coming out as well if people are in the sun more frequently. Just trying to stay out of the sun during the peak periods or during high heat indexes is also something that patients can do as well. Then, doing annual skin exams. Because as you and I talked about, we may not feel concerned about a lesion that a dermatologist may instantly pick up on as something that may need to be further evaluated. Kaczor: Yeah. On that note, I don't remember when I read this, but years ago I remember reading they did surveys of lesions, and they had primary care physicians and dermatologists assess them and see who was most accurate. Nobody bats a thousand, but it was remarkable how much better the dermatologists were at visually assessing lesions correctly. Birdsall: Well, what was interesting working with dermatologists is I'd ask them why they were attracted to their field, why they went into dermatology, and they said because it's actually a field of medicine that you visually diagnose. You can visually see what's going on. Internal medicine, you might look at the results of a patient's lab work or a chest X-ray, but dermatology, you can actually see pathology and treat it. Kaczor: Yeah. How interesting. Yeah, so I guess you're good at that. Some people are better than others, I think. We are naturopaths, and so let's talk a little bit about diet and supplements and other things that we can do. What can we do from a supplement standpoint? Is there anything we can add or anything we should avoid, for that matter, that could lower the risk of developing cancer, skin cancer specifically? Birdsall: There was a really interesting Phase 3 randomized trial of nicotinamide for skin cancer prevention published in the New England Journal of Medicine in October of 2015, and in the study, 386 participants who had a history of at least 2 non-melanoma skin cancers ... again, that's basal cell carcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma ... in the past 5 years were randomized to receive 500 milligrams of nicotinamide twice daily or placebo for 12 months. They were seen by dermatologists every 3 months. At the end of the study, the rate of new non-melanoma skin cancers was lowered by 23% in the nicotinamide group, and noteworthy was the fact that there was no benefit after the nicotinamide was discontinued. I would say about 70% of the dermatologists that I was working with recommended nicotinamide to their patients. That's actually compelling data from my perspective in regards to a supplement. There's another supplement that has less research but is something interesting to watch called polypodium leucotomos, which is a fern from Central and South America. It was actually shown in studies to prevent both UVA- and UVB-induced toxicity and DNA damage. There was a study showing that 240 milligrams of a supplement containing that ingredient twice daily suppressed sunburn, and was found to extend the time outdoors before skin started to tan, so that's another possibility. I think we know as naturopathic doctors that vitamin C, E, zinc, beta carotene, omega-3 fatty acids, lycopene and polyphenols, especially in things like green tea, do also help to prevent free radical damage, which is what the exposure to UV radiation causes as well. Kaczor: Okay. Yeah. Is there a specific role ... I don't I honestly don't remember where I have this idea from, so you can validate or invalidate my presumption ... about using vitamin A specifically for actinic keratosis? Birdsall: Sure. There was a study on high-dose vitamin A reducing the incidence of actinic keratosis converting to squamous cell carcinoma, and the study looked at doses ranging from 25,000 IU a day, 50,000 IU a day and 75,000 IU a day. They did indeed find that that did prevent those AKs from turning into SCCs pretty significantly. However, from my perspective, there'd need to be a risk/benefit weighing of that for any particular patient. Kaczor: Yeah. Because 25,000 to 75,000 IU daily for an extended period is ... Birdsall: Correct. I had some concern after looking at that. Kaczor: Yeah. Yeah. Recently, I mean, I generally wasn't too concerned with vitamin A levels as we gave them until ... because we would often use this dose for antiviral effects. Recently I came across a study that did suggest that high doses for prolonged periods actually can lead to or at least are correlated with fatty liver. I was a little surprised by that. I came upon it, of course, by way of patient care and doing a little due diligence. Anyways, that's just a little caveat Birdsall: Right. I just am looking at that study and thinking about the fact that you would need to be on that long-term. I just had some concerns about using that particular amount of time. Kaczor: Yeah, yeah. Not just the known, but the unknowns. Okay. Let's turn to vitamin D, because that whole "Do I'd get enough sun for vitamin D, am I getting so much sun that I'm increasing my risk of skin cancer," it seems to be a bit of a conundrum. On the same note and maybe in the context of this, is there a difference between sunburns and suntans and their link to skin cancer? Birdsall: Okay. I think that there's definitely good evidence to suggest that vitamin D production from sun exposure poses too much of a risk for skin cancer. That's probably not the way that we want to be getting enough vitamin D, and there is more risk with a sunburn. However, suntans, our concept of tanning as being something that adds to our attractiveness, which I think in this day and age has faded with all the concern and the risk. Tanning does pose a risk too. That is still damage to your skin. Actually, as I was reviewing the research and thinking about this interview ... I'm just going to throw this in now, even though it's a little tangential and random ... if you have patients that are worried about the anti-aging, about the appearance of their skin, really the very best thing that they could do is to avoid sun exposure, to apply sunscreen, et cetera, because even that tanning still actually represents damage. Kaczor: Okay. The vitamin D, what I hear you saying is it's best taken supplementally. Birdsall: Yes. Kaczor: Because we have access of doing labs for our patients and such, is there an ideal dose to give, or do we base it on laboratory values? What is your opinion on that? Birdsall: My opinion is that we need to base it on laboratory values, because there's so much individual variation on intake of vitamin D and the impact of that intake. One patient may consume a lot of dietary sources of vitamin D and actually be at perhaps not an optimal, optimal level, but not be deficient in vitamin D. Another patient may take some vitamin D supplements and actually get to pretty high levels of vitamin D pretty quickly. I think the only thing that we can do for our patients right now is to do lab testing. Having said that, there is a lot of controversy over what the right values are, what the right range is. Again, when I was doing research just to make sure that I was totally up to date before we talked, it looks like people are in agreement over the fact that a 25-hydroxy vitamin D level below 20 nanograms per milliliter is considered deficient and does need repletion. We have more concurrence over that value. What's still controversial is what is that optimal range? Is it between 30 and 40? Is it 50? What we do know is that vitamin D can reach toxic levels, and that that's not good either, and that there is more and more data on too high of a level of vitamin D posing risk. I think that that again argues for making sure that we're adequately testing our patients, because say they're deficient, we decide that they need repletion. It's still hard to monitor, without doing that testing, where they're at from a vitamin D level as you're doing repletion. Kaczor: Sure. Sure. Yeah, I totally agree. I think that laboratory values should be just part of a routine lab for most people, given the many ways that vitamin D adequacy protects us from so many diseases. My last question is having to do with those who know they have a family history of skin cancers, maybe even particularly melanoma, but skin cancers in general. Is it appropriate, I suppose, for certain patients with a strong family history to look at genetic predispositions and hereditary syndromes that include skin cancer? Birdsall: That's interesting, again still a little bit of a controversy. We can test for a couple of genetic mutations related to melanoma. People who have a mutation on a gene known as CDKN2A have a higher risk of developing melanoma, pancreatic cancer, or a tumor of the central nervous system. A mutation on the gene called BAP1 means a higher risk of getting melanoma, melanoma of the eye or mesothelioma, and kidney cancer. However, the challenge is that if a patient carries a mutation on one of those genes, their lifetime risk of getting melanoma ranges from 60% to 90%. However, only about 10% of the people who develop melanoma have one of these genes. What we do know is that we're still evolving our scientific knowledge of genetic mutations, and it's highly likely that there are additional genetic mutations that we just haven't found yet for melanoma. This is a really important conversation for a patient to have with their healthcare provider, or even ideally with a genetic counselor, who can counsel them on the risks and benefits of genetic testing overall. Kaczor: Yeah. Yeah. Genetic counselors are a great referral for us to have, because we don't need to figure everything out and they have it all either at their fingertips or in their minds, so they're they're great professionals to ally with. All right. Well, I think that that's a really good survey and a nice review of reminders of things we may know, and maybe some things that are definitely new to our listeners. I can't thank you enough for taking some time and sharing your expertise with us today. Thanks, Shauna. Birdsall: Thanks. Thanks for having me. Kaczor: Take care.

At just 34 years old, Karla felt a lump that turned out to be breast cancer, first diagnosed as stage 2 and then as stage 3. Like many young women with breast cancer, Karla’s genetic testing results were negative, leaving her without an explanation for why she was diagnosed with an aggressive breast cancer at such a young age. Karla is an ambassador for the Cancer Treatment Centers of America and for the Stanford Cancer Institute Community Partnership Program, which aims to reduce breast cancer disparities among African American women. Story Reference Points: Writing her book and dealing with recurrence @ 2:35 Karla’s first referral to genetic counseling @ 8:40 Breast cancer in African American women @ 15:35 Karla’s long, slow path to initial diagnosis @ 22:00 Karla’s family history of cancer @ 28:15 Karla’s second referral to genetic counseling and the leaps in genetic testing @ 30:32 Karla’s perspective on breast cancer awareness and survivorship lingo @ 37:18 Breast cancer as more than one disease - with a wide range of prognoses @ 44:42 Karla’s care at CTCA and work as an ambassador for CTCA and the SCI Community Partnership Program @ 51:32 How the Affordable Care Act affected Karla personally and how insurance concerns continue to impact her life now @ 56:46 More on Karla’s book - which you can buy online! @ 1:02:30 Links and Resources Karla’s website Karla’s blog on Living! Buy a signed copy of Karla’s book! Karla on Twitter: @karlaliving Karla on Facebook Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) on Twitter: @CancerCenter Stanford Cancer Institute Community Partnership Program Check out other Patient Stories podcast episodes. Read other Patient Stories on the Grey Genetics Patient Stories Page Do you want to support Patient Stories? You can now make a donation online! Want to support Patient Stories in a non-monetary way? Leave us a review on iTunes, or share your favorite episodes on Social Media. Patient Stories on Twitter: @GreyGeneticsPod Patient Stories on Instagram: @patientstoriespodcast Are you looking for genetic counseling? Patient Stories is sponsored by Grey Genetics, an independent telehealth genetic counseling and consulting company. Book an appointment with a genetic counselor specialized in your area of concern. Choose from our growing Network of Genetic Counselors. All genetic counseling appointments take place over secure, HIPAA-compliant video-conferencing or by phone.

Tonight we’re talking about forgiveness – more specifically, self-forgiveness. We’re joined by Reverend Dr. Michael Barry, the former Director of Pastoral Care at the Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) in Philadelphia, and the author of four books including The Forgiveness Project. Michael joins us to talk about what he learned at CTCA, and in other work and research he’s done; the relationship between self-forgiveness and narcissism; and the book he’s currently co-authoring entitled Forgiveness of Self.

Brion Randolph's journey to becoming a doctor begins with a box full of kittens. Dr. Brion Randolph is currently the Chief of Medical Oncology at Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) in Newnan, Georgia. He joined CTCA as a medical oncologist and hematologist when the hospital opened in August 2012 and is now Chief of Medical Oncology. He also serves as Medical Director of Hematologic Oncology at the Newnan hospital. Dr. Randolph earned his medical degree from the University of South Carolina in Columbia, and he is board certified in medical oncology, hematology and internal medicine. Dr. Randolph also earned a Master of Science in Nuclear Engineering from the University of Tennessee (UT) in Knoxville. He completed residency training in internal medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, where he also completed his fellowship training in hematology and oncology. While Dr. Randolph started his education in nuclear engineering, he switched to medicine when introduced to the field of hematology/oncology as a graduate student studying the physics of medical imaging and radiation therapy. Dr. Randolph lives in Newnan with his wife and two children. He has a passion for music and the performing arts, and as a drum major he had the opportunity to lead the UT Band in the 1993 inaugural parade for President Bill Clinton. His hobbies also include tennis and running. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An ovarian cancer diagnosis is life-changing. At Cancer Treatment Centers of America® (CTCA), we’re here to help you and your loved ones make a more informed treatment decision.Ovarian cancer begins in the ovaries, which are two almond-shaped glands located on either side of the uterus. The ovaries produce the female hormones, estrogen and progesterone, and release eggs during a woman’s reproductive years (the time from her first menstrual period through menopause).Many signs of ovarian cancer, such as abdominal bloating, may suggest a gastrointestinal issue. Talk with your doctor about ovarian cancer being part of the problem.A nationally-renowned oncologist, Dr. Markman is here to help you better understand ovarian cancer and the latest advances in the treatment of Ovarian Cancer.

At Cancer Treatment Centers of America® (CTCA), we provide state-of-the-art cancer care in a welcoming environment, so the patient and their family can focus on healing.CTCA® uses leading technology to aggressively treat cancer. At the same time, we support patients with nutrition and other therapies, because we know that managing the side effects of cancer treatment is half the battle.Patients and their family may also benefit from the emotional support of the mind-body medicine team, along with a spiritual support care team to help patients manage stress and cope with the difficult emotions associated with cancer diagnosis and treatment.Carolyn Lammersfeld, MS, RD is here today to talk about how CTCA® can help you and your family through cancer treatment.

Every cancer, like every patient, is different.Genomic tumor assessments help identify the DNA alterations that are driving the growth of a particular tumor. As we understand more about these gene mutations, we are better able to provide cancer treatment therapies that specifically target changes in the tumor's genomic profile. Information about genomic changes that are unique to your individual cancer may help us determine treatments that may be appropriate for you. It's the promise of precision cancer treatment—a focus on the individual tumor in the individual patient.Since genomic testing may not be right for every patient, your oncologist will help determine if you are a good candidate for the assessments.Shayma Kazmi, MD, a Hematologist-Oncologist and Medical Oncologist at Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA), discusses the latest advancements in genomic testing.

Lymphedema is a condition in which fluid (lymph) is retained in the tissue and causes swelling (edema), often in the arms or legs.Lymphedema is a condition in which fluid (lymph) is retained in the tissue and causes swelling (edema), often in the arms or legs. The swelling occurs when a blockage in the lymphatic system prevents the fluid from draining adequately.Lymphedema is often classified as primary or secondary. Primary lymphedema can develop when lymphatic vessels are missing or impaired, and is a hereditary condition. Secondary lymphedema can occur when lymph nodes or vessels are removed or damaged, which may develop as an unwanted side-effect of surgery (e.g., node dissection) or radiation treatment.Daniel Liu, MD, a plastic and reconstructive surgeon at Cancer Treatment Centers of America® (CTCA) in northern Illinois, discusses Lymphedema management for breast cancer and surgical treatment options available at Midwestern.

Advances in breast cancer treatment have paved the way for treating many types of cancer—today, treatments are individualized to each patient's unique tumor and cancer type.Advances in breast cancer treatment have paved the way for treating many types of cancer—today, treatments are individualized to each patient's unique tumor and cancer type.At Cancer Treatment Centers of America® (CTCA), we want to empower women with knowledge, so that they can make a more informed treatment decision. A breast cancer diagnosis is life-changing, and since every breast cancer is different, it requires a personalized approach. Dr. Citrin, a medical oncologist who focuses on helping women with breast cancer explains how the treatment of breast cancer has changed over the years, and what women need to know about in order to help prevent and fight breast . At CTCA, your breast cancer team helps you develop a treatment tailored to your needs, using  diagnostic tools and treatment technology to target even advanced cancers.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the US. Understanding lung cancer risk factors and symptoms can help you make a more informed treatment decision.Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the US. Understanding lung cancer risk factors and symptoms can help you make a more informed treatment decision.At Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA), each patient is provided with a multi-disciplinary team of experts that help tailor lung cancer treatment to his or her unique tumor and concerns. As patients navigate a diagnosis of cancer, Dr. Gershenhorn discusses how he works with patients to answer their questions, develop an individualized plan, and his advice on when to seek a second opinion. For patients with lung cancer, seeking an integrated team can be particularly important—experts in nutritional counselling and interventional pulmonology are used in combination with other cancer treatments to relieve symptoms that may limit breathing or cause pain.