The Cancering Show Dr. Jennifer Young Pierce

This episode of the Cancering Show focuses on the importance of caregivers in the cancer journey. Dr. Jennifer Young Pierce talks with Dr. Nick Dionne-Odom, associate professor in the School of Nursing at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and co-director of Caregiver and Bereavement Support Services in the UAB Center for Palliative and Supportive Care. They discuss what it means to be a caregiver, how caregiving for someone with a terminal diagnosis is different from caring for those with earlier stage cancers, the physical and mental toll that caregiving can take, and the resources available to help caregivers. 
Plus, Dr. Nick Dionne-Odom discusses his research on cancer caregiving. Dr. Dionne-Odom has developed several programs to help family caregivers of cancer patients manage stress and cope with the challenges of caregiving. He discusses his research findings, which show that these programs are beneficial for caregivers, and provides advice on how family and friends can help caregivers. He also talks about the importance of having access to one-on-one support for caregivers, no matter where they live. Lastly, he discusses the grieving process and the types of support available for those who have recently lost a loved one.

"We find that many caregivers that we work with have this feeling that they need to be available 24/7 to this person, be there at all times, and that all activities, all priorities need to be centered around the patient. If one does that and you do not take care of your own health, that is not a sprint; it is a marathon. And being able to take care of yourself is actually a very important way that you can take care of this person." 

– Dr. Nick Dionne-Odom  



Episode Takeaways: 
Caregivers are essential in the cancer journey. 
Caregiving for someone with a terminal diagnosis is different than caring for those with earlier stage cancers. 
Caregiving can have a physical and mental toll on the caregiver. 
It is normal to feel anxiety and depression when caring for someone with cancer. 
There are resources available to help caregivers. 
Dr. Dionne-Odom has developed programs to help family caregivers of cancer patients manage stress and cope with the challenges of caregiving.
Caregivers often experience isolation and may not want to burden their social networks. 
Offering specific types of assistance (e.g. cutting the grass, walking the dog, picking up the mail, doing the laundry, making meals etc.) is more likely to be accepted. 
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to grieving. Everyone processes loss differently, and it can take months and even years to go through the process. 
There is support available for those who have recently lost a loved one, such as the Medicare hospice benefit.



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Let us know by contacting Dr. JYP at cancering.com.

Thanks for listening to The Cancering Show, brought to you by USA Health Mitchell Cancer Institute.
Please subscribe, rate and review The Cancering Show wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.

USA Health Mitchell Cancer Institute
The Cancering Show is brought to you by USA Health Mitchell Cancer Institute. MCI is a cutting-edge cancer research and treatment center built to fight cancer smarter in Mobile and Baldwin counties in Alabama. Our researchers and clinicians focus daily on the struggle against cancer, serving a potential catchment population of more than 4.1 million people, with a singular focus of advancing cancer diagnosis, treatment, and prevention throughout the Gulf Coast and beyond with science, technology and hope.

Want to know more about the Mitchell Cancer Institute?
Visit us at usamci.com or search for us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Mitchell Cancer Institute is a member of USA Health.
To learn more about all of USA Health hospitals, clinics

On this episode of The Cancering Show, Dr. Jennifer Young Pierce is joined by GYN oncologist Dr. Nathaniel Jones from USA Health Mitchell Cancer Institute to discuss advances in precision medicine for cancer treatment. They will explore what precision medicine is, how it can help inform treatment, and what effect it has on patients. They will also discuss data showing the effects of precision medicine, as well as its future implications, giving us a better understanding of the significant impact that precision medicine has made on oncology. Enjoy the show.


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Never Miss an Episode
Please subscribe to The Cancering Show

Want us to deliver The Cancering Show to your email inbox?
Let us know by contacting Dr. JYP at cancering.com.

Thanks for listening to The Cancering Show, brought to you by USA Health Mitchell Cancer Institute.
Please subscribe, rate and review The Cancering Show wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.

USA Health Mitchell Cancer Institute
The Cancering Show is brought to you by USA Health Mitchell Cancer Institute. MCI is a cutting-edge cancer research and treatment center built to fight cancer smarter in Mobile and Baldwin counties in Alabama. Our researchers and clinicians focus daily on the struggle against cancer, serving a potential catchment population of more than 4.1 million people, with a singular focus of advancing cancer diagnosis, treatment, and prevention throughout the Gulf Coast and beyond with science, technology and hope.

Want to know more about the Mitchell Cancer Institute?
Visit us at usamci.com or search for us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Mitchell Cancer Institute is a member of USA Health.
To learn more about all of USA Health hospitals, clinics and services, visit usahealthsystem.com.

We are so excited for this special episode that addresses our listeners' questions. All of you have been writing to us, and we've got a long list of questions. We'll get through some today and save some for a second show toward the end of Season 3. You all know our season has been about community and the community of Cancering, and we couldn't think of a better way to respond to our community than by answering your questions directly so that you can understand, prevent, and fight cancer. Plus, our mission is to help all those who are Cancering in the best way possible, with the longest life and the highest quality of life. Enjoy this Part 1 of our Listener Questions episode.

Questions Dr. JYP Covers:
1. Does sunscreen really work?
2. Why not have full-body scans for early cancer detection?
3. How does cancer make you lose your hair?
4. Are there specific foods I should avoid during chemotherapy?
5. Given the HPV vaccine, are there other vaccines that protect against other cancers?
6. Other than smoking and eating healthy, what should I do to avoid "random" cancers?
7. Will a plant-based diet help prevent cancer?
8. What is cancer screening?
9. When should I be worried about a cyst?
10. Dr. JYP, how do you cope personally with being a cancer doctor?


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Never Miss an Episode
Please subscribe to The Cancering Show

Want us to deliver The Cancering Show to your email inbox?
Let us know by contacting Dr. JYP at cancering.com.

Thanks for listening to The Cancering Show, brought to you by USA Health Mitchell Cancer Institute.
Please subscribe, rate and review The Cancering Show wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.

USA Health Mitchell Cancer Institute
The Cancering Show is brought to you by USA Health Mitchell Cancer Institute. MCI is a cutting-edge cancer research and treatment center built to fight cancer smarter in Mobile and Baldwin counties in Alabama. Our researchers and clinicians focus daily on the struggle against cancer, serving a potential catchment population of more than 4.1 million people, with a singular focus of advancing cancer diagnosis, treatment, and prevention throughout the Gulf Coast and beyond with science, technology and hope.

Want to know more about the Mitchell Cancer Institute?
Visit us at usamci.com or search for us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Mitchell Cancer Institute is a member of USA Health.
To learn more about all of USA Health hospitals, clinics and services, visit usahealthsystem.com.
 

On this episode, we will introduce you to an amazing young woman and a true inspiration, Helen Bender. Helen, who is only in her mid-20s, learned a few months ago that she has Stage 4 melanoma. But that is not where this story ends. It's actually the beginning of Helen's story. You will hear about how her cancer is responding to immunotherapy, how her family and community have rallied around her, how she is truly living her best life, and how she's planning for her future.
 
Watch Helen on-stage at Hangout Fest >>> 

Hear Zedd's remix of "Alive" >>>


Follow Helen's Cancering Journey here >>>
Instagram >>>
Facebook >>> 



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Never Miss an Episode
Please subscribe to The Cancering Show

Want us to deliver The Cancering Show to your email inbox?
Let us know by contacting Dr. JYP at cancering.com.

Thanks for listening to The Cancering Show, brought to you by USA Health Mitchell Cancer Institute.
Please subscribe, rate and review The Cancering Show wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.

USA Health Mitchell Cancer Institute
The Cancering Show is brought to you by USA Health Mitchell Cancer Institute. MCI is a cutting-edge cancer research and treatment center built to fight cancer smarter in Mobile and Baldwin counties in Alabama. Our researchers and clinicians focus daily on the struggle against cancer, serving a potential catchment population of more than 4.1 million people, with a singular focus of advancing cancer diagnosis, treatment, and prevention throughout the Gulf Coast and beyond with science, technology and hope.

Want to know more about the Mitchell Cancer Institute?
Visit us at usamci.com or search for us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Mitchell Cancer Institute is a member of USA Health.
To learn more about all of USA Health hospitals, clinics and services, visit usahealthsystem.com.
 

Our guest today, Tamika Felder, is practically the definition of a Cancering community. When she was diagnosed with cervical cancer at age 25, she didn't feel like she had found a community of survivors who could help walk her through what was ahead of her. So, she CREATED her own community, Cervivor, a nonprofit organization that brings cervical cancer survivors together and helps to spread awareness, education, and support.
On this episode, Dr. JYP and Tamika will be talking about the origins and mission of Cervivor, and also the terrible stigma that women who have reproductive cancers face in our culture. Plus, Tamika will discuss her role in a very important documentary about cervical cancer, HPV, and GYN cancer prevention.


Learn More About Tamika Felder >>>

Learn More About Cervivor: Nonprofit Cervical Cancer Awareness & Support >>>


Thanks again for listening, and let's all eat better, be healthier, be happier, and remember, Cancering affects us all.


//////

Never Miss an Episode
Please subscribe to The Cancering Show

Want us to deliver The Cancering Show to your email inbox?
Let us know by contacting Dr. JYP at cancering.com.

Thanks for listening to The Cancering Show, brought to you by USA Health Mitchell Cancer Institute.
Please subscribe, rate and review The Cancering Show wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.

USA Health Mitchell Cancer Institute
The Cancering Show is brought to you by USA Health Mitchell Cancer Institute. MCI is a cutting-edge cancer research and treatment center built to fight cancer smarter in Mobile and Baldwin counties in Alabama. Our researchers and clinicians focus daily on the struggle against cancer, serving a potential catchment population of more than 4.1 million people, with a singular focus of advancing cancer diagnosis, treatment, and prevention throughout the Gulf Coast and beyond with science, technology and hope.

Want to know more about the Mitchell Cancer Institute?
Visit us at usamci.com or search for us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Mitchell Cancer Institute is a member of USA Health.
To learn more about all of USA Health hospitals, clinics and services, visit usahealthsystem.com.

On this episode, Dr. Jennifer Young Pierce talks with Dr. Ahmed Abdalla. Dr. Abdalla is an expert in phase 1 clinical trials, which is how we develop the newest therapies for cancer treatment, and he is an oncologist specializing in gastrointestinal cancers at the USA Health Mitchell Cancer Institute. Dr. JYP and Dr. Abdalla will discuss the best ways to avoid rectal and colon cancers, the importance of clinical trials, the promise of immunotherapy and new guidelines for colonoscopy screenings. Plus, they will explore how colonoscopies are useful both for diagnosing cancer and for preventing it.

Get To Know Dr. Ahmed Abdalla >>>


Thanks again for listening, and let's all eat better, be healthier, be happier, and remember, Cancering affects us all.


//////

Never Miss an Episode
Please subscribe to The Cancering Show

Want us to deliver The Cancering Show to your email inbox?
Let us know by contacting Dr. JYP at cancering.com.

Thanks for listening to The Cancering Show, brought to you by USA Health Mitchell Cancer Institute.
Please subscribe, rate and review The Cancering Show wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.

USA Health Mitchell Cancer Institute
The Cancering Show is brought to you by USA Health Mitchell Cancer Institute. MCI is a cutting-edge cancer research and treatment center built to fight cancer smarter in Mobile and Baldwin counties in Alabama. Our researchers and clinicians focus daily on the struggle against cancer, serving a potential catchment population of more than 4.1 million people, with a singular focus of advancing cancer diagnosis, treatment, and prevention throughout the Gulf Coast and beyond with science, technology and hope.

Want to know more about the Mitchell Cancer Institute?
Visit us at usamci.com or search for us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Mitchell Cancer Institute is a member of USA Health.
To learn more about all of USA Health hospitals, clinics and services, visit usahealthsystem.com.