Advocates in Action

Every day, our experiences are shaped by our race, gender and even our age. But how does our identity shape the health care we receive and provide? Listen as Hanane Abdalla, Arthur Pope, MD, PhD and Sandra Sufian, PhD, MPH share their stories about how their identities impact their lives, their work and their ability to deliver and receive equitable health care.    This season is brought to you in collaboration with ZERO- The End of Prostate Cancer (ZERO). This builds upon the Promoting Health Equity in Cancer Care: A Virtual Workshop hosted by The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) which was co-chaired by Gwen Darien of NPAF and Reggie Tucker-Seeley of ZERO.  ...

The health concerns of Black women are frequently dismissed which contributes to the growing disparities and worse health outcomes. Listen as Adrienne Moore, a two-time cancer survivor, respiratory therapist and patient advocate shares her harrowing story about how identity delayed her cancer diagnosis and inspired her to become an activist seeking health equity for young, Black women whose voices often go unheard.  This season is brought to you in collaboration with ZERO- The End of Prostate Cancer (ZERO). This builds upon the Promoting Health Equity in Cancer Care: A Virtual Workshop hosted by The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) which was co-chaired by Gwen Darien of NPAF and Reggie Tucker-Seeley of ZERO.  ...

When we redefine health literacy as clear health communication it allows for accountability to be shared with all parties involved instead of placing the onus and understanding solely on the patient. Derek McCracken challenges us to view the ability to express ourselves easily and articulately as more than just a state of literacy, but instead as a process. Listen as he shares how narrative medicine is built on the pillars of attention, representation, and affiliation to equip health care providers with the tools to give and receive stories, listen actively and write reflectively which creates a safe space for patients. Derek explains how the tools he received through his narrative medicine training help him connect with patients and empower them to have the agency and creativity to communicate their experiences along their health care journey. ...

When we say health literacy what do we really mean? Our choice of language and the titles we attribute to people is multilayered.  Lisa Stewart dissects ways we can approach communication with a spirit of respect and compassion which allows us to understand each other better and mitigate bias. This helps us realize that literacy is a responsibility of all parties involved. We can discover more specific terms that adequately explain what we mean such as structural or social determinants of health literacy. Listen as Lisa illustrates the type of health care environment that she envisions that would encourage patients to feel supported when asking questions, provide hands on opportunities to learn about how the body works and allows providers the resources and time to connect with patients. ...

Your primary care physician can sometimes be the provider that you interact with the most, so it would be ideal for that relationship to be a trusted, consistent, safe space for you. Dr. Carl Earl Lambert Jr. pursued family medicine so he could build lasting relationships with his patients, earn their trust and help them take ownership of their health care journey. Listen as he shares with us the "check in and check in often" method, the art of inquiry and other approaches he takes to ensure that effective communication is a two-way street between him, his patients and the full health care team. Through using shared decision making, he gets to co-create a plan with his patients that focuses on their goals and concerns. Dr. Lambert exemplifies how to center primary care with  humility, respect and compassion to build strong relationships that leads to great outcomes. ...

Human connection is essential to building relationships and communicating effectively. Sometimes we overlook the power of these elements when thinking about the relationship between providers and their patients. Beverly Rogers is an 80 year old breast cancer survivor, advocate, caregiver and entrepreneur who uses her experiences and expertise to help empower other patients. She shares tangible examples of successful communication methods she and her provider use. Listen as Beverly highlights some of the common misconceptions about senior citizens and tips on how to make sure respect and trust is interwoven into your relationship with your provider. ...