The Cancer Project

Oklahoma Proton Center
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Life Sciences
  • Updated Biweekly

Stay informed and empowered as we explore the intersection of technology and medicine. Tune in for thought-provoking discussions, expert interviews, and practical advice to help you or your loved ones on the journey through cancer treatment and recovery.

  1. 1d ago

    Two Time Cancer Survivor: Morgan Aquino's Journey of Perseverance and Faith

    This week, The Cancer Project Podcast is joined by two-time cancer survivor Morgan Aquino.In the fall of 2024, Morgan’s husband insisted she go to the hospital after she began experiencing severe abdominal pain.Doctors quickly discovered a ruptured ovarian cyst and, during the evaluation, found a mass on her kidney. As a wife and mother of two, Morgan shares her mindset as she navigated an unexpected cancer diagnosis. Because the mass was caught early, she underwent surgery two months later to remove it and was declared cancer-free.Just ten months later, after returning home from a girls’ trip, Morgan discovered an unusual lump in her breast. With the encouragement and support of her husband and friends, she immediately sought medical attention. Within 36 hours, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and preparing for a second battle with cancer only 13 months after her kidney cancer diagnosis.In this powerful episode about perseverance, faith, and community, Morgan reflects on the village that carried her through both diagnoses. Joined in the studio by one of her closest friends, she shares how family, friendship, and faith became a source of strength during some of the most difficult moments of her journey.
Episode Resources:Oklahoma Proton Centerhttps://www.okcproton.com/https://www.instagram.com/okprotoncenter/https://www.facebook.com/OKProtonCenter

The Cancer Project Podcasthttps://www.instagram.com/the_cancerprojecthttps://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61581844363126https://www.tiktok.com/@protonguy

    54 min

  2. 5d ago

    Photon vs. Proton Therapy For Breast Cancer: The RADCOMP Trial with Dr. Shannon MacDonald

    In the second episode of our special two-part series, Dr. Shannon MacDonald rejoins host David Raubach to discuss the RADCOMP trial — the first randomized study comparing proton therapy and traditional photon radiation for breast cancer.With more than 1,200 patients enrolled, the phase III Radiotherapy Comparative Effectiveness (RADCOMP) trial is also the largest study to date directly comparing proton and photon therapy for any type of cancer.One of the defining advantages of proton therapy is the Bragg Peak, which allows radiation to stop directly within the tumor, helping reduce exposure to surrounding healthy tissue and organs. As proton therapy centers continue to expand across the United States, so does the need for research comparing these two forms of radiation treatment.Dr. MacDonald serves as Senior Medical Director of the Southwest Florida Proton Center. In September, she presented the phase III RADCOMP results at the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) annual meeting.In this episode, Dr. MacDonald explains the purpose of the RADCOMP trial and why its focus on long-term quality-of-life outcomes makes the research especially significant. Since proton therapy was first used to treat breast cancer in 2010, physicians have been eager for more data comparing patient outcomes, side effects, and overall quality of life between proton and photon therapy.For more in-depth information about the RADCOMP trial, please visit the resources linked below.Episode Resources:Radiotherapy Comparative Effectiveness Trial:https://www.astro.org/news-and-publications/news-and-media-center/news-releases/2025/first-randomized-study-comparing-proton-and-photon-radiation-therapy-for-breast-cancer-finds-both-prOklahoma Proton Centerhttps://www.okcproton.com/https://www.instagram.com/okprotoncenter/https://www.facebook.com/OKProtonCenterThe Cancer Project Podcasthttps://www.instagram.com/the_cancerprojecthttps://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61581844363126https://www.tiktok.com/@protonguy

    19 min

  3. May 25

    Challenging Telehealth Restrictions: A Free Speech Lawsuit with Dr. Shannon MacDonald

    After COVID-19 changed protocols for all day-to-day life, medicine was no exception. In every effort to stop and slow the spread of COVID-19, many medical appointments previously in person turned into virtual visits. This was seen in medicine, school, and life in general. During this period, doctors such as Shannon found one silver lining: patients did not have to travel while undergoing great physical stress due to a disease such as cancer.As protocols slowly began to shift back to life before the pandemic, many patients suddenly found themselves having to commute to another state just to have a brief phone consultation with their doctor. Dr. Shannon MacDonald joins The Cancer Project this week for a special two episode installment. In this episode, Dr. MacDonald dives into the ongoing legal case of Shannon MacDonald, M.D., et al. v. Otto Sabando. This case challenges the restrictions of telehealth medicine in New Jersey for rare disease patients who need specialized care that may not be available locally. The lawsuit seeks to eliminate the need for patients to have to commute to another state for what could easily be a video call while they battle rare and potentially fatal diseases.Host David Raubach and Dr. MacDonald explain the different angles of the legal case and the adjacent lawsuit in California, also seeking mitigation of certain telehealth restrictions. For more information about this ongoing legal case please visit https://pacificlegal.org/case/new-jersey-telehealth-pediatric-cancer/.Episode Resources:Oklahoma Proton Centerhttps://www.okcproton.com/https://www.instagram.com/okprotoncenter/https://www.facebook.com/OKProtonCenterThe Cancer Project Podcasthttps://www.instagram.com/the_cancerprojecthttps://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61581844363126https://www.tiktok.com/@protonguy

    40 min

  4. May 19

    "Life Is Still Happening": A Country Music Artist's Leukemia Battle with Johnny Woods

    Country music singer songwriter Johnny Woods has a beautiful talent for expressing himself through music. Beginning his career in 2020, Johnny released his first single to radio titled, “Hurricane” and landed at #43 on the Texas country music charts. He quickly began paving his own path in the country music scene, releasing his first EP and began touring. Just as things continued to fall into place, the fall of 2024 would change everything. Following a routine check up with blood work, Johnny was asked to check into an emergency room immediately. His white blood cell count was exponentially increasing at an alarming rate. More tests revealed , chronic myeloid leukemia slow-growing cancer of the blood-forming cells in bone marrow. In this episode, Johnny Woods sits down with host David Raubach to discuss his music career, CML diagnosis, the difficulties of navigating treatment plans, and how the cancer diagnosis has changed every aspect of his life. Through perseverance and faith, Johnny continues his journey as a musician while receiving treatment. He honored The Cancer Project Podcast with his performances of “The Gift” and “Swamp Water Gospel”. Please visit the resources below to check out Johnny’s music and new double EP out soon! Episode Resources: Johnny Woods Music: https://www.johnnywoodsofficial.com/ https://www.instagram.com/johnnywoodsmusic/ https://www.facebook.com/johnnywoodsofficial https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QwFXPDfdd5w5GDaKgtj2h?si=z-wfg3KJReuPsZ-2K2J46Q Oklahoma Proton Center https://www.okcproton.com/ https://www.instagram.com/okprotoncenter/ https://www.facebook.com/OKProtonCenter The Cancer Project Podcast https://www.instagram.com/the_cancerproject https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61581844363126 https://www.tiktok.com/@protonguy

    1h 8m

  5. May 11

    From Mammogram to Treatment: What to Know About Breast Cancer with Breast Surgeon Dr. Stephanie Taylor

    The Cancer Project Podcast is joined this week by Breast Surgeon Dr. Stephanie Taylor. In this informative episode, Dr. Taylor answers many frequently asked questions surrounding breast cancer such as: What are the types of breast cancer? How is staging determined? What are standard treatments for breast cancer? What is the difference between a lumpectomy and a mastectomy? My family has a history of breast cancer, what are my screening guidelines? Dr. Taylor is the Breast Surgeon at the Premier Breast Health Institute in Oklahoma City. In addition to the educational conversation, Dr. Taylor compassionately shares what her day-to-day consists of at Premier and as medicine continues to advance, so does the level of care that can be provided to patients. Episode Resources: Premier Breast Health Institute: https://www.pbhiok.com/ https://www.instagram.com/pbhi_ok/ https://www.facebook.com/PBHIok Oklahoma Proton Center https://www.okcproton.com/ https://www.instagram.com/okprotoncenter/ https://www.facebook.com/OKProtonCenter The Cancer Project Podcast https://www.instagram.com/the_cancerproject https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61581844363126 https://www.tiktok.com/@protonguy

    44 min

  6. May 7

    Mental and Physical Toughness Black Belt and Breast Cancer with Melinda Wilson

    Sixth degree black belt Melinda Wilson is no stranger to dedication and perseverance. Her extensive training in martial arts goes back decades, and her love of the sport continues today as an instructor and studio owner. In February of 2022, Melinda was diagnosed with breast cancer. In this episode, she shares her journey of being diagnosed, receiving treatment, and the strong community of women she met along her journey in Project31. Melinda also speaks about her strong relationship with her faith and the important role it played while battling cancer. While undergoing treatment, Melinda starred in “Never Give Up - Melinda’s Cancer Journey”, a feature that showcases her daily life while battling cancer and continuing to run the martial arts studio.  To watch the full feature please visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EA1IPA9tEdE. Episode Resources: Project31: https://project31.com/ https://www.instagram.com/project31com/ https://www.facebook.com/project31com Oklahoma Proton Center https://www.okcproton.com/ https://www.instagram.com/okprotoncenter/ https://www.facebook.com/OKProtonCenter The Cancer Project Podcast https://www.instagram.com/the_cancerproject https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61581844363126 https://www.tiktok.com/@protonguy

    46 min

  7. May 4

    Breaking Bad Case Study: Walter White's Diagnosis and Morality with Britney Haynes

    The phrase “Breaking Bad” has southern roots and is used to indicate a person has suddenly become reckless, acting out and shifting to immoral character. Today, it is commonly known as the hit tv show about an overqualified high school chemistry teacher who is diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer. Walter White turns to a life of crime, cooking meth as a last-will effort to provide for his family after he is gone.  In this episode of The Cancer Project Podcast, cancer advocate and TV personality Britney Haynes rejoins the podcast to take a deep look at Walter White’s cancer diagnosis and his decisions and behavior that quickly followed. This complex conversation highlights both the physical and mental toll of cancer, while addressing the financial toxicity it often causes. Walter, determined to provide for his pregnant wife and disabled son, can not bear the financial cost of cancer treatment. Rather than accept financial assistance from his friends, Walter decides to cook crystal grade meth. Walt promptly finds himself in situations and making immoral decisions, each one worse than the last.  While Walter’s portrayal is extreme, it poses genuine questions about morality when you are staring death in the face. In this episode, Britney and David explore Walter’s lung cancer diagnosis, his spiral of decisions that followed, and how cancer changed everything for Walt. Episode Resources: Oklahoma Proton Center https://www.okcproton.com/ https://www.instagram.com/okprotoncenter/ https://www.facebook.com/OKProtonCenter The Cancer Project Podcast https://www.instagram.com/the_cancerproject https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61581844363126 https://www.tiktok.com/@protonguy

    1h 9m

  8. Apr 30

    A Whirlwind Journey: Finding Community and Courage Through Breast Cancer with Lauren Whitaker

    When Lauren Whitaker went to her follow-up appointment for what was believed to be a cyst, she had minimal reason for concern. Before leaving the appointment she would be calling her mom to help pick up her two kids from school because she needed a biopsy after the initial ultrasound indicated breast cancer.In this episode of The Cancer Project Podcast, Lauren courageously shares her breast cancer journey. She outlines the appointment for the initial ultrasound that would confirm her diagnosis and the whirlwind that quickly followed. She bravely shares how her life completely changed in the span of one doctor visit and talks about the community and purpose she found while battling breast cancer.Lauren also had the opportunity to appear in a documentary about the history of Proton Therapy as she was going through treatment. She talks about that experience and how she knew telling her story would help others coming after her.Information about that film along with a link to watch it can be found here. https://theacceleratorfilm.comEpisode Resources:Project31:https://project31.com/https://www.instagram.com/project31com/https://www.facebook.com/project31comOklahoma Proton Centerhttps://www.okcproton.com/https://www.instagram.com/okprotoncenter/https://www.facebook.com/OKProtonCenterThe Cancer Project Podcasthttps://www.instagram.com/the_cancerprojecthttps://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61581844363126https://www.tiktok.com/@protonguy

    59 min
See All (44)

About

Stay informed and empowered as we explore the intersection of technology and medicine. Tune in for thought-provoking discussions, expert interviews, and practical advice to help you or your loved ones on the journey through cancer treatment and recovery.

Information

  • Creator
    Oklahoma Proton Center
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    44
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Oklahoma Proton Center
  • Show Website
    The Cancer Project

You Might Also Like