Kara and Bruce talk with Dr. Paula Holmes-Rodman, who developed a self-advocacy guide for autistic cancer patients together with her sister, Lindsey Holmes, who was an autistic cancer patient. We talk about Lindsey’s memory, consent and autonomy in medical care, neurohumility, as well as Paula’s earlier work as an anthropologist. Build a bigger boat! Guest Bio: Dr. Paula Elizabeth Holmes-Rodman is a multidisciplinary scholar, writer, and facilitator whose work bridges interpretive anthropology, narrative-based medicine, and patient advocacy. With a PhD in Religious Studies from McMaster University and postdoctoral training in Anthropology at SUNY Buffalo, she has spent over two decades exploring postcolonial Indigenous identities, ethnotheology, and narrative repatriation, grounding her scholarship in practices of reclamation and narrative justice.Her recent Advanced Certificate in Narrative-Based Medicine from the University of Toronto reflects an applied turn toward clinical and community settings. Working closely with Autism Canada, she co-developed the Self-Advocacy Guide for Cancer Patients on the Autism Spectrum, a resource recognized with the King Charles III Coronation Medal. She continues to collaborate with organizations such as Ovarian Cancer Canada, Hospice Calgary, and Wellspring to support equitable, story-based care through workshops, guides, and webinar series.Her publications span academic and public-facing platforms—including Intima, Ars Medica, and Anthropologica—and address end-of-life narratives, autism and cancer, and Indigenous ethnohistory. She has presented nationally on psychosocial oncology, health humanities, and patient navigation, and contributed to the development of advocacy programs.Her work blends scholarly inquiry with collaborative engagement, offering frameworks for listening, legacy-making, and resilience across medical and cultural borders. In both institutional and grassroots spaces, her approach emphasizes relationality, co-authorship, and the transformative possibilities of story.Thing(s) of the Day: Self Advocacy Guide for Cancer Patients on the Autism Spectrum (being revised - this is the original) The Lindsey Interview Project Paula Holmes-Rodman Interview ____________________________ Autistic Tidbits & Tangents is a biweekly podcast, co-hosted by Kara Dymond, Bruce Petherick, & Maja Toudal, centered around topics relevant to autism and the lives of autistic people. We are autistic professionals with a passion for broadening and advancing accessibility for autistic people and understanding of autism and neurodiversity. We approach our work with the combination of our personal and professional experiences. Each person’s viewpoints on this podcast reflect their backgrounds and temporal perspectives at the time of recording, and do not necessarily reflect the views of everyone else. We believe that personal growth comes from listening and reacting to multiple perspectives, and that conversations can be catalysts for change, connection, and greater understanding. Thanks for being part of our community! Episodes can be found on Spotify, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. Social Media: Kara: www.karadymond.com Youtube - Dr. Kara Dymond Facebook - @drkaradymond Bluesky - @drkaradymond Instagram - @drkaradymond Bruce: YouTube - Bruce Petherick Facebook - @BrucePetherickMusic Bluesky - @brucepetherick Instagram - @bpetherick Maja: www.majatoudal.com Youtube - An Autistic Psychologist Facebook - @majatoudal Bluesky - @majatoudal Instagram - @majatoudal SPECIAL THANKS: -Theme composed by Bruce Petherick -Today’s guest! #Autistictidbits&tangents #autismpodcast #neurodiversity #actuallyautistic #adhd
