HEALTHCARE
The Waiting Room Podcast
Season 4
About This Season
In season 4 of The Waiting Room we continue to speak with experts and advocates from the world of healthcare. The first episode focuses on prostate cancer and screening. Mental health and the role of the thyroid gland are among the other topics of this season.
All Episodes
Episode 8 - Skin Cancer Awareness Month 2024 with Naniki Seboni
For this episode of Karger’s The Waiting Room Podcast, we spoke with cancer survivor and patient advocate Naniki Seboni about her experiences of being diagnosed with stage 3 malignant melanoma at the age of 25. We also discussed what should be done regarding prevention, screening and awareness of skin cancer – not only in her native country of South Africa, via the Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA), but also in the rest of the world.
Please note that Skin Cancer Awareness Month is held in May each year.
Supplementary Material
Episode 7 - Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month 2024 with Jessica Settle
For this episode of Karger’s The Waiting Room Podcast, we spoke with Jessica Settle about her experience of being diagnosed with colorectal cancer at the age of 28.
Please note that Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month is held in March each year.
Published in February 2024, Karger’s latest patients’ resource on colorectal cancer is freely available here.
Supplementary Material
Episode 6 - Rare Diseases and AI/Digital Technologies with Emily Lewis (Digital Transformation Project Lead)
For this episode of Karger’s The Waiting Room Podcast, we spoke with Emily Lewis, an opinion leader in the digital transformation of healthcare, about rare diseases as such, Rare Disease Day on February 29, and how AI and digital technologies could help patients living with a rare disease.
Supplementary Material
Episode 5 - Wellbeing after Gynecological Cancer with Bernie Price (Patient Advocate)
For this episode of Karger’s The Waiting Room Podcast, we spoke with patient advocate Bernie Price about her patient journey as an endometrial cancer survivor, her experiences after a gynecological cancer and hysterectomy, as well as the healthcare system as such.
The booklet “Fast Facts for Patients: Sexual and Reproductive Health After Gynaecological Cancer” mentioned in the podcast episode can be downloaded online free of charge.
Supplementary Material
Episode 4 - Revision of the EU’s Pharmaceutical Legislation with Claudia Louati (European Patients’ Forum)
For this episode of Karger’s The Waiting Room Podcast, we spoke with Claudia Louati, Head of Policy at the European Patients’ Forum (EPF), about the revision of the EU’s pharmaceutical legislation.
Supplementary Material
Episode 3 - Movember and Men’s Mental Health with Charlie Bethel (UK Men’s Sheds Association)
For this episode of Karger’s The Waiting Room Podcast, we spoke with Charlie Bethel, Chief Officer of the UK Men’s Sheds Association (UKMSA), about men’s mental health in the context of Movember. The awareness month focuses, among prostate cancer and testicular cancer, on mental health and suicide prevention.
This podcast mentions suicide and suicidal ideation, and some people might find it disturbing. If you feel you need support, please contact your local crisis center.
Supplementary Material
Episode 2 - Detectives in White Lab Coats with Dr José Cândido Caldeira Xavier-Júnior
For this episode of Karger’s The Waiting Room Podcast, we spoke with Dr José Cândido Caldeira Xavier-Júnior, who is a pathologist. Pathology is a kind of invisible field in medicine. It happens behind closed doors – in the laboratory and in the morgue. Mostly, pathologists are depicted as the ones who determine cause of death. However, this is only one side of the coin! A not so well-known fact is that pathologists are indispensable in helping clinicians to diagnose a condition and to decide on the best cure, especially in cancer. On the role of a pathologist, Dr José Cândido Caldeira Xavier-Júnior also wrote three blog posts for The Waiting Room blog.
Supplementary Material
Blog posts: Detectives in White Lab Coats: An Interview with Dr José Cândido Caldeira Xavier-Júnior
The Role of a Pathologist in Diagnosis and Treatment: What Does a Pathologist Do in General?
The Role of a Pathologist in Diagnosis and Treatment: What Does a Pathology Report Contain?
The Role of a Pathologist in Diagnosis and Treatment: Pathology Is a Varied Medical Field
Episode 1 - Prostate Cancer Awareness Month with Dr Erik Briers, MS PhD (Europa Uomo)
For this episode of Karger’s The Waiting Room Podcast, we spoke with Dr Erik Briers, MS PhD about current screening and testing modalities, as well as mental health and quality of life in connection with prostate cancer. Erik is both an Expert Patient Advocate and the Vice-Chair of the European Prostate Cancer Coalition, i.e. Uomo – The Voice of Men with Prostate Cancer in Europe.
Supplementary Material
About the Speakers
Dr Erik Briers, MS PhD
Dr Erik Briers, MS PhD is an Expert Patient Advocate, member of the European Association of Urology (EAU) prostate cancer guidelines committee and the Vice-Chair of the European Prostate Cancer Coalition, i.e. Uomo – The Voice of Men with Prostate Cancer in Europe. Erik has a PhD in Chemistry from the University of Leuven, Belgium, and was CEO of a biotech company. His strong social involvement within patient organisations began after his own prostate cancer diagnosis in 2001.
Dr José Cândido Caldeira Xavier-Júnior
Dr José Cândido Caldeira Xavier-Júnior is a pathologist focused on surgical pathology, teaching and research. Dermatopathology and cytology are his areas of interest; skin melanocytic lesions, thyroid fine needle aspiration and cervical cytology are his areas of expertise. He studied at the Federal University of Juiz de Fora (medical school) and São Paulo State University in Botucatu (Pathology residency and PhD program) Brazil. Now he works at the Instituto de Patologia de Araçatuba and at Medical School of the Centro Universitário Católico UniSALESIANO Auxilium, Araçatuba, Brazil. He is also a Karger ambassador for health sciences.
Charlie Bethel
Charlie Bethel is the Chief Officer of the Men’s Sheds Association (UKMSA) whose mission is “Healthy and Happy Men”. He has studied Industrial Design at university and worked in the third sector for over 20 years before joining UKMSA in the summer of 2018. Focused on acquiring and developing resources for the organization, his tasks combine three of his passions: organizational growth, increasing wellbeing and his love of craft and design.
Claudia Louati
Claudia Louati joined the European Patients’ Forum (EPF) as Head of Policy in May 2023. She leads EPF’s policy and advocacy work and steers EPF’s engagement with EU and international stakeholders on key policy issues. Before joining EPF, she worked at the Europe Office of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in Brussels, where she promoted EU–U.S. regulatory collaboration on medical products. Claudia holds two master’s degrees in European Affairs from SciencesPo Paris and the London School of Economics.
Bernie Price
Bernie Price is an endometrial cancer survivor. She is a Transformational Mindset and Life coach, Tai Chi instructor and athlete. Furthermore, she serves as an advocate for women going through menopause.
Emily Lewis
Emily (Kunka) Lewis, MS, CCRP, CHES is an opinion leader in the digital transformation of healthcare. She is driven by a desire for the democratization of modern medicine. Emily received a Master of Science in Clinical Research from Northwestern University. She is currently working as a Digital Transformation Project Lead at UCB.
Jessica Settle
Jessica Settle epitomizes resilience and love in the face of adversity. A dedicated mother to a 12-year-old and two Frenchies, she navigates life’s challenges with unwavering strength. Despite battling colon cancer, Jessica’s spirit remains unbroken, fueled by the love of her family and her determination to overcome. Her story inspires all who know her, serving as a reminder of the power of love and courage in the darkest of times. Today, Jessica continues her journey with grace and optimism, advocating for colon cancer awareness and spreading hope wherever she goes. Her unwavering spirit and commitment to living fully serve as a beacon of inspiration, reminding us to cherish every moment and embrace life’s challenges with courage and love.
Naniki Seboni
Naniki Seboni is a skin cancer survivor, and was initially diagnosed with stage 3 malignant melanoma at the age of 25 in 2015. She serves as a patient advocate and ambassador for CANSA, the Cancer Association of South Africa, in order to raise awareness of skin cancer, e.g. among school children, in South Africa.
Other Seasons
Season 1
In season 1 of The Waiting Room we speak with a wide range of experts and advocates from the world of healthcare. We cover several World health days including Rare Disease Day, World Cancer Day and World Obesity Day as well as learn more about specific conditions including progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis and natural processes such as menopause.Season 2
In season 2 of The Waiting Room we continue to speak with experts from the world of healthcare. Two episodes focus on the work of the UK enterprise Diversity and Ability (D&A), and a two-part special feature covers the rare disease Waldenström macroglobulinemia. Suicide prevention, health literacy and lung cancer are among the other topics of this season.