Front Row Seat: We'll Never Cure Cancer Without AI, Say Steve Brown & Lisa Booth
When Steve Brown's doctors missed his rare blood cancer for months, he turned to AI for answers. The system he built spotted the warning signs immediately—the same lab results his physicians had dismissed.
Now, as CEO of CureWise, Steve and patient advocate Lisa Booth are pioneering a new approach to cancer care: using AI agents trained as specialist doctors to help patients navigate treatment options, find clinical trials, and advocate effectively with their oncologists.
"There's a gap between what's possible and what most people are getting," Steve explains. "Cancer isn't just one disease. Everybody has their own unique version of it."
Lisa, an 11-year metastatic breast cancer survivor, adds: "My oncologist sees 600 patients. CureWise empowers me to show up to that seven-minute appointment with the right questions already researched and the clinical trials already identified."
This conversation explores how AI is transforming patient empowerment—and why knowledge might just save your life.
Live Chat: The Courage to Choose Life on Your Terms with Dar Finkelstein
"One of my MBC friends said to me, 'You're feeling guilty about making people cry, but you've instilled in them so much joy and what they're doing, what you're seeing is them sharing the joy back to you.' And she said, 'It looks like tears, but that's their love coming back to you.'"
—Dar Finkelstein on accepting loved ones' grief
Podcasters Roundtable: Change Your One Thing with Gary Thompson
We don't have to change everything. We just have to change our one thing. And if we each indeed change our one thing, then we will have changed everything. My ideal audience is someone looking for their one thing and realizing that whatever it is, whenever they find it, to just follow their heart, follow their passion, and go for it. We as an individual person have the capacity to create great change. Love is neither big nor small. It's always enough
Symptoms Spotlight: Insomnia with Abigail Johnston and Melanie Sisk
One of the things a doctor said early on to me was to think about sleep as one of my medications. Part of my treatment plan was how much sleep I was getting. That's been something that I've tried to think about—that it's not just the thing that you do last, or it's not just the thing that you are irritated about and just get through, maybe drink some extra coffee and push through, which is kind of how I dealt with any times I had disruptions in sleep prior to cancer. But thinking about it as part of my treatment plan has helped me place the right importance on it
Live Chat: From Devastating Diagnosis to Distinction with Lesley Stephen MBE
Imagine this: You're a mother of four. You think you have a chest infection, but it turns out to be stage four metastatic breast cancer—in your lungs, liver, and bones. The nurse sitting across from you has tears in her eyes. You're given one, maybe two years to live. Treatment after treatment fails. Finally, your doctor says the words no one wants to hear: "You need to get your affairs in order."
So you take your kids to New York for one last family vacation.
But when you come home, there's one spot left on a clinical trial in Glasgow. You take it. And against all odds, it saves your life—for seven years.
That's the beginning of Lesley Stephen's story. Twelve years later, she's not only alive and cancer-free—she's just been honored by the British Royal Family with an MBE. Princess Anne herself presented Leslie with her medal at Windsor Castle for her extraordinary work transforming how metastatic breast cancer patients access clinical trials and cutting-edge care.
Symptoms Spotlight: Constipation with Abigail Johnston and Melanie Sisk
Hosts Melanie Sisk and Abigail Johnston have an honest conversation about constipation—a common but often unspoken side effect of cancer treatment. They discuss how to recognize constipation beyond the obvious symptoms, share practical remedies like MiraLax, Colace, and the "prune juice slider," and emphasize the importance of movement for digestive health. The duo also addresses the challenge of swinging between constipation and diarrhea, offering advice on when to troubleshoot on your own and when to seek help from your medical team or a GI specialist.
Our Happy Place: Heated Rivalry Rx
Victoria and Jill discuss their obsession with HBO Max's "Heated Rivalry," exploring why this hockey romance has become the perfect escape from MBC realities. Victoria shares personal insights as a Russian speaker, and the hosts draw parallels between sports teams and their community. Spoilers included!
Symptoms Spotlight: Diarrhea with Abigail Johnston and Melanie Sisk
Melanie Sisk and Abigail Johnston discuss managing diarrhea from cancer medications—a common but often embarrassing side effect. Learn practical strategies for treatment, when to seek specialist help, and how to advocate for better quality of life during cancer treatment.
Podcasters Roundtable: Melissa Berry on Fashion Meets Cancer Advocacy
Melissa Berry, founder of Cancer Fashionista and host of "Dear Cancer, I'm Beautiful," joins us to discuss building beauty and wellness resources for cancer patients. From her background as a fashion publicist to creating an evergreen podcast library, Melissa shares why looking like yourself matters, how she selects topics, and what keeps her connected to advocacy. We explore inclusive language for metastatic patients, financial toxicity, intimacy after cancer, and the power of podcasting as a tool for community building.
Symptoms Spotlight: Fatigue with Abigail Johnston and Melanie Sisk
Join hosts Melanie Sisk and Abigail Johnston as they shine a light on the real experiences of managing cancer symptoms. In each episode of the Symptoms Spotlight series of short episodes, we explore different symptoms caused by cancer or its treatment, sharing practical insights and hard-won wisdom directly from patients who've been there.
Melanie and Abigail share their experiences managing cancer-related fatigue over 5+ years of treatment. They discuss practical solutions including exercise programs like LiveStrong and Two Unstoppable, Medicare fitness benefits, medication options like Ritalin, and the importance of nutrition, hydration, and monitoring vitamin levels.
Front Row: SABCS 2025 Insights with Dr. Francisco Esteva
Join host Victoria Goldberg and Dr. Francisco Esteva as they break down the groundbreaking research from the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium 2025. Discover the latest advances in metastatic breast cancer treatment, including new first-line therapies for HER2-positive disease with 40-month progression-free survival, oral SERDs revolutionizing hormone receptor-positive treatment, and antibody drug conjugates transforming triple-negative breast cancer care. Dr. Esteva shares expert insights on brain metastasis prevention, liquid biopsy-guided therapy switching, and how artificial intelligence is reshaping oncology. Whether you're a patient, caregiver, or healthcare professional, this episode offers hope and practical information about the cutting-edge treatments available in 2026.
Future at Risk: Why We Can’t Turn Back Now with Josh Newby
In this episode, co-hosts Victoria Goldberg and Martha Carlso are joined by Josh Newby, Founder and Executive Director of Theresa’s Research Foundation (TRF), for an in-depth conversation about the evolving landscape of metastatic breast cancer research and advocacy. Josh shares the origins and mission of his foundation, the challenges faced in funding and organizing medical conferences, and the shift toward curative approaches for metastatic breast cancer. The discussion covers the impact of recent funding cuts, the importance of collaboration among institutions and industry partners, and the critical role of patient advocates. The group also explores the realities of grant funding, the effects of political and economic changes on research, and the need for credible information and community support for patients. Throughout, the conversation highlights the resilience and determination required to push forward in the face of uncertainty, emphasizing the message: we can’t turn back now.
Live Chat: Shining a Light on MBC with Tami Bowling
When a life-changing diagnosis led Tami Bowling to advocacy, she fueled the movement to Light up MBC. In this episode, Tami shares her personal experience, the origins of LightUp MBC and LightUp MBC Live, and how lighting up landmarks is bringing hope, awareness, and vital research funding to the metastatic breast cancer community.
Future at Risk: A Researcher’s Story
Host Victoria Goldberg interviews scientist Na Zhao about the personal and professional fallout from NIH budget cuts, highlighting how these funding challenges threaten cancer research and the careers of young scientists. Na shares her own story of lost opportunities and the broader impact on the scientific community, while both guests stress the importance of advocacy and hope for a future where cancer becomes a manageable disease
Fighting for Patients: Dr. Rebecca Shatsky on Insurance, Burnout, and Hope in MBC
Dr. Rebecca Shatsky, Director of Breast Medical Oncology at UC San Diego, shares her experiences fighting for patients with breast cancer. In this episode, Dr. Shatsky discusses the growing challenges clinicians face—from insurance denials and funding cuts to the emotional toll of burnout and the spread of cancer misinformation.
Hear real stories about advocating for life-saving treatments, navigating the complexities of clinical trials, and the importance of patient empowerment. Dr. Shatsky also offers hope, highlighting the latest breakthroughs in metastatic breast cancer research and the progress being made in treatment options.
Whether you’re a patient, caregiver, or healthcare professional, this episode delivers candid insights, practical advice, and a message of resilience and hope in the face of adversity.
Podcasters Roundtable: Samira Daswani, Host of The Patient from Hell
In this episode, hosts Victoria Goldberg and Abigail Johnston sit down with Samira Daswani, host of "The Patient From Hell" podcast, for a candid and insightful conversation about patient advocacy, storytelling, and the evolving landscape of cancer care. Samira shares her path from reluctant podcast guest to passionate host, highlighting the importance of amplifying patient voices and democratizing information for those navigating cancer diagnoses—especially in communities where open discussion is rare.
The discussion delves into the challenges of reaching diverse audiences, the power of authentic, minimally edited conversations, and the need for both scientific and personal perspectives in patient-centered content. The trio reflects on the shifting attitudes in cancer communities, the critical role of support networks, and the ongoing mission to educate and empower patients worldwide. The episode wraps up with ideas for future collaborations and a shared commitment to making a meaningful impact through storytelling and advocacy.
Live Chat: SERD Surge with Dr. Sherry Shen
Host Victoria, with Dr. Sherry Shen and co-host Ellen, delivers a concise, patient-focused overview of oral SERDs in HR+ metastatic breast cancer—covering ESR1 mutations, key trials (evERA, SERENA‑6), FDA‑approved agents, side-effect management, and treatment implications. This is the first episode in our Live Chats series. Bonus clip: Rebecca Shatsky, MD, previews the evERA trial and her excitement about combining capivasertib with oral SERDs.
MBC Insiders: MBC Awareness Day and More
This is a special episode released Oct 13 for National Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day. It is the first in our recurring series, we call “MBC Insiders.” We’ll explore the issues that matter most to people with MBC, including how the language clinicians and media use can harm or help, and candid conversations about progression and the idea of “cure.” Stay tuned for an important, honest discussion.
Future at Risk: What Happens when Funding Stops
In the world where breakthrough cancer treatments hang in the balance, federal funding cuts are threatening to derail critical research that could save countless lives.
Our guest is Dr. Gloria Echeverria, a molecular biologist and passionate advocate for scientific discovery, who leads her own lab at Baylor College of Medicine. Her team investigates the molecular and genetic mechanisms that make TNBC resistant to standard treatments like chemotherapy and radiation.She shares what it’s like to run a research lab in today’s climate, the challenges of securing funding, and the ripple effects these cuts have on training the next generation of scientists, advancing new therapies, and supporting patient advocates.