When cancer enters the room, clarity can vanish. We dive straight into that moment—what gets heard, what gets lost, and how mental health care can restore focus when everything tilts. With medical oncologist Dr. Nina Balanchivadze, palliative care psychiatrist Dr. Kyle Lavin, and patient Melissa, we map the real terrain: shock at diagnosis, sleepless nights, caregiver overload, survivor guilt, and the quiet dread behind “staying strong.”

Dr. B explains how she balances tumor biology with human reality, using both formal screening (PHQ-9, GAD-7) and subtle cues to catch distress early. She names the burdens some patients undergo: identity shifts from hair loss, financial strain, and the emotional cost of being “the fighter.”

Dr. Lavin opens the door to a different standard: a collaborative care model that brings a care manager and consulting psychiatrist onto the oncology team. The result is faster access, tailored brief therapies, careful medication choices that avoid cancer drug interactions, and measurable improvements in depression, anxiety, and quality of life.

Melissa’s story shows the stakes. A rare diagnosis, rapid referrals, and leading-edge immunotherapy didn’t spare her from fear or uncertainty. What changed everything was timely, plainspoken support from professionals outside her family who could navigate the system, push for results, and teach practical tools. Together, they make the case for a culture shift: treat mental health as the fourth pillar of oncology, offer it from day one, and remove the stigma so help arrives when it’s needed most.

If this conversation resonates, share it with someone facing cancer, subscribe for more human-centered oncology, and leave a review to help others find these tools and stories.

To learn more about Cerula Care visit: https://cerulacare.com/

Thank you for listening! If you're interested in hearing more from Virginia Oncology Associates, make sure to subscribe to Cancer Care Connections on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or anywhere podcasts are available, or listen online at cancercareconnections.buzzsprout.com.

Cancer Care Connections is the official podcast of Virginia Oncology Associates. For more information, visit us at VirginiaCancer.com. or find us on Facebook or Instagram at Virginia Oncology Associates.

A shattered helmet, a rebuilt face, and a diagnosis that changed everything...Kevin Johnson’s story grabs you by the hand and walks you from crisis to clarity. We sit down with the longtime educator turned advocate to unpack the hard-won lessons he learned after a near-fatal cycling crash that led to the discovery of chronic lymphocytic leukemia and, later, a rare eye involvement that many clinicians missed. What follows is a candid look at how gratitude, purpose, and community can transform the cancer experience for patients and caregivers alike.

Kevin explains how he initially kept quiet during his cancer journey and how a meetup with a friend gave way to a new mission: co-leading Man Up to Cancer in Virginia and supporting chapters across the South. We talk about the practical tools that support men during their cancer journey: chemo backpacks, local and virtual support groups, and an annual retreat that blends education with adventure. Along the way, Kevin names the uncomfortable truth: men often wait too long to seek support. Simple invitations from spouses, friends, clinicians, and even fire departments have become the lifeline that brings them into a network where honesty and humor coexist with treatment plans and scan days.

We also highlight how peer connection improves adherence, symptom reporting, and overall quality of life. This is a powerful reminder that outcomes improve when men speak up, and that no one has to walk this path alone.

If this conversation resonates, share it with someone who needs strength today!

Resources:

https://manuptocancer.org/

https://imermanangels.org/

https://www.reelrecovery.org/

Thank you for listening! If you're interested in hearing more from Virginia Oncology Associates, make sure to subscribe to Cancer Care Connections on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or anywhere podcasts are available, or listen online at cancercareconnections.buzzsprout.com.

Cancer Care Connections is the official podcast of Virginia Oncology Associates. For more information, visit us at VirginiaCancer.com. or find us on Facebook or Instagram at Virginia Oncology Associates.

The future of cancer care is happening right now through clinical research, and patients in Hampton Roads have front-row access to these groundbreaking treatments at Virginia Oncology Associates (VOA).

Wendi Gobhardt, Director of Research Operations, and Chris Morris, Clinical Research Manager, reveal how clinical trials work and why they matter. With backgrounds deeply rooted in cancer care, Wendi, an oncology nurse, and Chris motivated by personal loss to breast cancer, bring both professional expertise and heartfelt commitment to advancing cancer treatments.

The conversation breaks the clinical trial process, explaining how treatments progress through phases from initial safety testing to becoming standard of care. Contrary to the "guinea pig" misconception, patients in trials often receive more attentive monitoring and what VOA calls "concierge service" throughout their treatment journey. With 64 active trials covering breast cancer, blood cancers, prostate cancer, and more, VOA offers local access to treatments that previously required travel to distant medical centers.

Most exciting are the advancements these trials enable, personalized medicine targeting specific molecular characteristics of tumors, innovative radiopharmaceuticals delivering radiation through IV administration rather than external beams, and cellular therapies like CAR-T are transforming outcomes for patients who previously had limited options.

For those considering participation, the experts offer practical advice: thoroughly review consent documents, ask lots of questions, bring family to appointments as "extra ears," and understand all available options. Every patient who participates not only potentially benefits themselves but contributes valuable data that helps future generations.

Resources

https://clinicaltrials.gov/

https://www.nih.gov/health-information/nih-clinical-research-trials-you

https://www.virginiacancer.com/clinical-trials

https://www.scri.com/

Thank you for listening! If you're interested in hearing more from Virginia Oncology Associates, make sure to subscribe to Cancer Care Connections on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or anywhere podcasts are available, or listen online at cancercareconnections.buzzsprout.com.

Cancer Care Connections is the official podcast of Virginia Oncology Associates. For more information, visit us at VirginiaCancer.com. or find us on Facebook or Instagram at Virginia Oncology Associates.