Genetics for Healthcare

Rome Madison
  • 5.0 (1)
  • HEALTH & FITNESS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

This is GENETICS FOR HEALTHCARE—a podcast dedicated to helping patients and caregivers advocate for precision medicine in treatment, survivorship, disease screening, and prevention. #geneticsforhealthcare

  1. Country Miles to a Clinical Trial – Bridging the Gap to Precision Medicine in Rural America

    5D AGO

    Country Miles to a Clinical Trial – Bridging the Gap to Precision Medicine in Rural America

    JJ Singleton was a 27-year-old athlete from the small Appalachian town in North Carolina, when he was diagnosed with aggressive colorectal cancer. His story highlights the alarming rise of early-onset colorectal cancer, a disease now the leading cause of cancer death for men under 50. Growing up in a rural community where going to the doctor was often avoided and early death was dismissed as "God's will," JJ wasn’t diagnosed with colon cancer until a visible tumor throbbed in his abdomen. His journey from brutal chemotherapy failures to a life-stabilizing immunotherapy clinical trial at Duke is a powerful testament to the promise of precision medicine—turning terminal cancer into a manageable chronic condition. Yet, his story also exposes a critical cancer care disparity: the immense difficulty rural patients face in accessing the very trials that could save them. This episode explores how geography, limited resources, and a lack of knowledge about accessing healthcare as a preventative strategy creates an intimidating barrier between rural Americans and cutting-edge care. Key Takeaways: Early-Onset Crisis: Colorectal cancer is rising dramatically in adults under 50 and is now a leading cause of cancer death in this age group.Rural Disparity: Where you live is a major social determinant of health, creating significant barriers to screening, specialist care, and life-saving clinical trials.Chronic Disease Potential: Immunotherapy and precision medicine trials are beginning to successfully turn some advanced, active cancers into controllable chronic conditions.We amplify Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month with JJ's personal advocacy to a national conversation on prevention, breaking stigma, and the systemic changes needed to bridge the gap to precision medicine for every patient, regardless of their zip code. Follow JJ Singleton X Facebook Instagram META DESCRIPTION This podcast episode shares the incredible journey of JJ Singleton from rural Appalachia diagnosed with aggressive colon cancer at age 27. After struggling through harsh chemotherapy, he found new hope through an immunotherapy clinical trial using Keytruda (pembrolizumab), which has successfully stabilized his cancer and allowed him to live a full, active life for years—showing how modern treatments can turn cancer into a manageable chronic condition. We also tackle the alarming rise of early-onset colorectal cancer in younger adults, and the vital importance of cancer screening and breaking stigma around symptoms. Learn the language of precision medicine and build the confidence to talk to your doctor and family, and become an effective self-advocate for a precision medicine approach to your healthcare.

    30 min
  2. You Bet Your Ass! Don’t Gamble on Colorectal Cancer. Win With Screening and Biomarkers

    MAR 1

    You Bet Your Ass! Don’t Gamble on Colorectal Cancer. Win With Screening and Biomarkers

    Marianne Pearson, VP of Patient Care and Lindsey Glaspell, Clinal Nurse Navigator at the Colorectal Cancer Alliance, join Rome for a blunt, funny — but deadly serious — briefing on colorectal cancer prevention. Marianne breaks down how knowing your family history and normalizing talking about your poop habits are just as important as timely screening with colonoscopy and stool tests to prevent colon and rectal cancer. She also shares how her dedicated advocacy for others, helped detect her own cancer at an early stage that likely saved her life. Lindsey adds a sharp, practical perspective on everyday prevention: how to prepare for a colonoscopy, when to start screening, and which biomarkers matter for treatment planning and prevention strategies. Tumor biomarker analysis, and genetic screening for hereditary syndromes like Lynch Syndrome that drive earlier detection and better outcomes. Key Takeaways: Colonoscopy saves lives: starting at age 45 guideline-based colon and rectal cancer screening remains the top prevention tool. Biomarkers can change care: tumor and germline biomarkers guide treatment and identify at-risk relatives for targeted surveillance. Genetic testing for Lynch and other hereditary CRC syndromes enables testing of relatives that can prevent cancer in the family tree. Subscribe to Genetics for Healthcare and get our newsletter —bite-sized updates on past episodes delivered monthly. Click Subscribe now and never miss life-saving practical tips to prevent cancer. META DESCRPTION Did you know talking about your poop habits can save your life? This podcast talks about colon and rectal cancer screening, what you don’t wanna do ….. and what you do wanna do. Learn why biomarkers are so important in colorectal cancer, how knowing your family history and genetic testing can prevent colon cancer for your future generations. Don’t ignore your poop! Learn what to ask your doctor, how to get tested, and where to find help. Don’t wait: screening saves lives! We help you learn the language and build the confidence to talk about precision medicine with your doctors and family. This is GENETICS FOR HEALTHCARE—a podcast helping turn sick care into true healthcare! We are dedicated to helping patients and caregivers learn the language and build the confidence to advocate for precision medicine in treatment, survivorship, disease screening, and prevention. 2025 State of Screening Study Why are Biomarkers Important for Colorectal Cancer? Types of Biomarkers for Colorectal Cancer How to talk to your doctor about colorectal cancer screening? Genetics For Healthcare: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5tvMOrd9RyHLdOEGFNWavq?si=18815af6d1fe4da0 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GeneticsForHealthcare Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/geneticsforhealthcare/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@genetics.for.healthcare LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/genetics-for-healthcare-podcast/

    35 min
  3. A Spark of Courage: How Genetic Testing Can Empower You to Prevent Cancer

    FEB 19

    A Spark of Courage: How Genetic Testing Can Empower You to Prevent Cancer

    She thought she was just another woman with lumps and dismissive doctors until a simple saliva test rewrote her future. Veronica Tucker’s story rips through complacency: from being told “(the cancer) is on your father’s side, don’t worry”; the gut-punch of a BRCA2 positive result, to the wrenching choices of double mastectomy and hysterectomy before cancer could take hold. This episode traces the raw, unfiltered emotional moments of fear and hurt when care failed her, and the courageous clarity that followed when she chose prevention over waiting for diagnosis. Hear how one sorority conversation unlocked access to a compassionate genetic counselor who transformed Veronica trauma into options and action. She exposes how defensive doctors and ignorance about hereditary cancer still cost lives, and why refusing to be passive about risk is the bravest kind of self-advocacy. Key takeaways: Ask for genetic testing: one saliva sample can shift your life from reaction to prevention.Build your Spark team: community, counselors, and advocates are essential for making and surviving preventive choices.Don’t accept dismissal: push for answers, document interactions, and demand care that treats prevention as urgent.This is not a gentle patient story. It’s a provocation: know your genes, organize your family, and insist on prevention. Veronica’s journey proves cancer prevention is not theoretical, it’s a series of tough, courageous choices that can save generations. Meta DESCRIPTION Listen to this powerful story about how a simple saliva genetic test prevented a cancer diagnosis in a family with a long history of cancer. Veronica Tucker discovered she carried a BRCA2 variant that increased her chances of breast and ovarian cancer. She shares the problems she faced when doctors dismissed her concerns, and why she now speaks up for patients who are afraid to ask questions. Listen to learn why knowing your genetic risks can change everything, how to start family conversations about testing, and how to find people who will support you through prevention choices.

    46 min
  4. Live Boldly! How Amy Cohen’s NYC Marathon Finish Redefined the Limits of Sickle Cell Disease

    FEB 12

    Live Boldly! How Amy Cohen’s NYC Marathon Finish Redefined the Limits of Sickle Cell Disease

    We are honored to speak with Amy Cohen, who made history as the first person with sickle cell disease to run and finish the New York City Marathon. She opens up about her diagnosis, and the pivotal moment in high school when the reality of the disease set in, emphasizing the necessity of pushing through fear and living boldly against external limitations. Amy frames her marathon finish not as a solitary victory, but as a win for the entire sickle cell community, offering a new narrative of possibility. It also connects to her professional mission as a patient advocate and founder of The Patient Room consultancy, which focuses on bridging the critical trust and information gap between pharmaceutical developers and the patients they serve. Key Takeaways: Learn the three mindset shifts essential for thriving with a chronic illness, moving from limitation to possibility.Understand the critical importance of a supportive care team and community in achieving ambitious health goals.Discover why policy changes, like cuts to ACA subsidies, directly threaten care access and worsen outcomes for patients even as new therapies emerge.This is a compelling call to action for protecting the systems that enable precision medicine, and allow all patients to pursue their own finish lines. META DESCRIPTION Hear how Amy Cohen, a woman with sickle cell disease, made history by running the New York City Marathon. She shares her story of using a strong mindset and a great doctor's plan to break her own limits. Amy talks about how she trained for years and why her win is a win for all sickle cell warriors. Amy passionately explains why losing ACA health insurance help would hurt people with sickle cell in ways most cannot imagine.

    35 min
  5. Precision Medicine in Heart Failure: How Genetic Testing Can Prevent Sudden Death

    FEB 5

    Precision Medicine in Heart Failure: How Genetic Testing Can Prevent Sudden Death

    In this episode research geneticist and author Susan Liebman joins us to tell the personal and scientific story behind her memoir The Dressmaker’s Mirror: Sudden Death, Genetics, and a Jewish Family’s Secret. Susan unpacks generations of silence around heart disease and how sudden deaths and a decades-long family history of dilated cardiomyopathy led her to the discovery of an FLNC gene mutation (a "founder variant" most prevalent in Ashkenazi Jewish families) which revealed both risk and opportunity for preventing sudden cardiac death. Top 3 takeaways listeners will learn: Why dilated cardiomyopathy can be hereditary and how to get free genetic testing to find a treatable genetic variant.How precision medicine (including targeted screening, medications, implantable defibrillators, and soon gene editing) can change outcomes in cardiomyopathy — yet fewer than 1% of people with this condition currently receive germline genetic testing.Practical advice for starting conversations with family and clinicians, and how applying genetic knowledge can turn family grief into prevention for future generations.If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with heart failure or idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy, this episode is a must-listen! It blends gripping storytelling with clear, actionable information about genetic testing, genes associated with heart failure and how knowing can help you gain access to precision medicine that could save lives for generations to come. META DESCRIPTION Susan Liebman talks about cardiomyopathy, sudden death and family secrets. Her book is a love letter to family and shows how precision medicine found an FLNC gene mutation that can cause sudden death. Genetic testing can lead to treatments, preventative screenings, and lifesaving choices—yet fewer than 1% of cardiomyopathy patients get tested. We help you build the language and confidence to advocate for a precision medicine approach to your healthcare.

    39 min
  6. UNBREAKABLE: Precision Medicine and the Strength of the Sickle Cell Community

    JAN 29

    UNBREAKABLE: Precision Medicine and the Strength of the Sickle Cell Community

    In this powerful episode of Through The Pain, we dive deep into the lived realities behind diagnosis, treatment, and the emotional weight patients often carry in silence. Too often, patients receive life-altering information without the context, clarity, or support needed to truly understand what’s happening to their bodies. In this conversation, Christelle Salomon and Wunmi Bakare unpack what that gap feels like—from confusion and isolation to the struggle of navigating complex medical systems that weren’t built with patient understanding at the center. This episode goes beyond science and clinical terminology. It highlights the human experience behind the data: the loneliness of feeling unseen, the frustration of unanswered questions, and the importance of community, communication, and trust between patients and healthcare providers. We explore why translating complex medical information matters, how advocacy changes outcomes, and what it means to truly listen to patients—not just treat them. This conversation is for patients, caregivers, advocates, clinicians, and anyone who believes healthcare should be rooted in empathy as much as expertise. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed after a diagnosis, unsure of what questions to ask, or disconnected from the care process, this episode will resonate deeply. And if you work in healthcare, this is an essential reminder of why understanding lived experience is just as critical as understanding disease. Watch, listen, and reflect—because real progress begins when patients are heard.

    56 min
  7. AI: From The World Economic Forum to Your Ears

    JAN 23 · BONUS

    AI: From The World Economic Forum to Your Ears

    Hot off the stage speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, I spoke with Mark Amouzgar, founder of March Health about: how AI-powered “digital twins” can accelerate precision medicinethe hard truth about protecting patient privacy as this tech scalesWorld Economic Forum is about fostering global cooperation on complex issues that drive economic growth and resilience. If you follow AI, genomics, or the future of healthcare, this episode gives clear, timely insights from a leader working at the intersection of genetics and machine intelligence. The Genetics for Healthcare Podcast bringing the World Economic Forum to Your Ears!

    9 min
  8. Next-Gen Cancer Care: An Expert Look at Physician Adoption and Patient Access to Life-Saving Biomarker Testing

    JAN 23

    Next-Gen Cancer Care: An Expert Look at Physician Adoption and Patient Access to Life-Saving Biomarker Testing

    Rome sits down with Stephane Budel, Founding Partner at Decibio, a premier strategy consulting firm dedicated to advancing precision medicine. This conversation aims to demystify the complex world of NGS testing, providing patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals with a clearer understanding of how these powerful tools are revolutionizing cancer prevention, treatment, and long-term management. Stephane offers a comprehensive overview of the NGS testing landscape, detailing its various applications from identifying hereditary cancer risks and early detection, to guiding personalized treatment with comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) and monitoring disease recurrence (MRD testing). They candidly discuss the persistent challenges in NGS adoption, which include lack of insurance coverage, and integrating these technologies into routine clinical workflows, particularly in community settings. Key Takeaways: NGS Transforms Cancer Care: Next-Generation Sequencing is crucial for shifting from a reactive "sick care" model to proactive, precision medicine to prevent cancer. By enabling earlier detection and highly personalized treatments, NGS significantly improves patient outcomes, particularly when cancer is caught in its earliest stages.A Spectrum of NGS Tests: Patients have access to various NGS applications throughout their cancer journey, including germline testing for hereditary risk, early detection tests (e.g., multi-cancer early detection blood tests), comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) for treatment selection, and monitoring (MRD) tests for tracking disease and recurrence.The Future of Cancer Care: The integration of AI and multiomics (analyzing DNA, RNA, and proteins) will enhance diagnostic accuracy, personalize therapeutic strategies, streamline clinical workflows, and unlock deeper biological insights, further optimizing patient care in the coming years.META DESCRIPTION Discover how NGS testing is changing cancer care! DeciBio co-founder Stephane Budel explains precision medicine and how genetic tests help treat and prevent cancer. Learn about different types of NGS tests, like liquid biopsies, and what they mean for you. This episode makes complex topics simple, giving patients and caregivers clear information on how to advocate for your health and understand the future of cancer care with precision medicine. Tune in to empower yourself with knowledge about NGS testing and personalized treatment options. We help you learn the language and build confidence to be a more effective advocate for a precision medicine approach to your healthcare.

    39 min
See All (47)

Ratings & Reviews

About

This is GENETICS FOR HEALTHCARE—a podcast dedicated to helping patients and caregivers advocate for precision medicine in treatment, survivorship, disease screening, and prevention. #geneticsforhealthcare

Information