In this episode we will focus cancer and communications. Long gone are the days when we whispered the word, "cancer." But even as people with cancer are more vocal in talking about the challenges they face, the stigmas are still there. "Cancerspeak" is a foreign language and patients and caregivers can be at a real disadvantage in understanding the complexity of cancer care and lexicon that healthcare providers may use. Patients and their caregivers may want to say, "it's Greek to me," throw up their hands. How do we empower them to ask the questions that are important to them, require oncologists to not default to "doc speak," and make sure the patient's voice and priorities are the focus.

For this episode I am joined by my friend and colleague, Jackie Nedell. Jackie is a communications executive who brings expertise to clients in her media training, messaging and strategy, from her roles in television newsrooms, public relations agencies and as a senior communications role in the Clinton Administration. Her roles in tv newsrooms, in front of the camera as a reporter and anchor , give her clients real world experience through her hands-on media and presentation training.

Jackie has traversed the bumpy cancer road more than once. She brings honesty, humor, intelligence, and a no-nonsense approach to talking about her cancer.d