Living La Vida Loca: Navigating Cancer with Heart

After our national spotlight on Health Uncensored with Dr. Drew Pinsky, we’re excited to share the full extended podcast version featuring bonus conversation with Dr. Drew you didn’t see on TV. Darcie Wells, President & CEO of CanCare, joins Health Uncensored with Dr. Drew Pinsky, along with Susan Sabo Wagner, VP of Clinical Innovation at American Oncology Network (and a leukemia survivor), to show why emotional support isn’t extra—it's essential to cancer care. Listeners hear how CanCare’s survivor-to-patient matching, now powered by smart tech, brings calm, courage, and practical hope to patients and caregivers nationwide. SEO: emotional support for cancer, peer support, survivorship, American Oncology Network, young adult cancer. Susan shares her turning point—diagnosed with AML as a teen and treated with an autologous bone marrow transplant—underscoring why hope and connection matter at every stage. Darcie highlights rising diagnoses among younger adults and how whole-family support can steady spouses, kids, and grandparents when cancer collides with daily life. You’ll learn how peer support integrates with clinical care, why navigation and social needs (transportation, food security) affect outcomes, and how stories of long-term survivorship sustain belief on hard days. You’ll also hear how precision medicine changes treatment paths while human connection helps people endure them. The message is simple: you’re not alone, and a survivor can stand beside you—today. Highlights: 00:00 – The power of human connection in cancer care Darcie Wells opens with why no one should face cancer alone and how survivor support brings calm during chaos. 02:48 – How CanCare pairs patients with survivors who’ve been there Learn how CanCare’s matching system works and why sharing lived experience makes emotional healing possible. 04:40 – Technology meets compassion: smarter survivor matching Darcie explains how new tools and algorithms help CanCare connect patients with the right survivor faster. 05:40 – Building emotional support into oncology care Susan Sabo Wagner shares how the American Oncology Network partners with CanCare to meet patients’ emotional needs alongside medical treatment. 06:36 – A leukemia survivor’s journey to leadership Susan recounts being diagnosed with AML as a teen and how that experience shaped her mission to help others through innovation and empathy. 08:05 – Whole-family support: when cancer affects everyone Darcie and Susan explore how caregivers, spouses, and children need guidance too—and why supporting them improves outcomes. 10:15 – “Having someone who understands is priceless” Darcie reflects on the life-changing reassurance patients feel when talking to someone who’s walked the same road. 11:34 – Hope as powerful medicine Darcie shares research showing patients with strong emotional support often experience better survival and recovery. 12:13 – Younger patients, more treatable cancers, new hope Dr. Drew discusses how rising diagnoses in younger adults are met with advances in precision medicine and targeted treatments. 13:05 – Why connection matters more than ever The conversation closes with a message that technology and science may guide treatment—but compassion carries people through it. Mentioned Resources: CanCare- www.cancare.org Book – www.cancare.org/hopebook

How do you turn unbearable loss into lasting impact? Andrea Wilson Woods, patient advocate, speaker, and founder of Blue Fairy: The Adrienne Wilson Liver Cancer Association, shares the powerful legacy of her sister Adrienne’s book, I’d Rather Be Dead Than Deaf: A Young Woman’s Journey with Liver Cancer. What began as one young woman’s journal became a voice for thousands facing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)—one of the world’s deadliest yet most preventable cancers. As Adrienne’s guardian and caregiver, Andrea faced a system unprepared to support young adults with cancer. Out of that heartbreak came Blue Fairy, now a national nonprofit providing education, advocacy, and emotional support for HCC patients and their families. Andrea explains how today’s targeted and immunotherapies are changing outcomes, why patient stories matter, and how caregivers can stay organized and hopeful through chaos. This episode is a tribute to Adrienne’s courage and to every family walking the same path. It’s a reminder that even in the hardest moments, advocacy, love, and education can create real change—and that hope always has another chapter. Highlights: 00:42 – The story behind I’d Rather Be Dead Than Deaf
Hear how Adrienne Wilson’s journals became a powerful book that gives a voice to young adults facing liver cancer. 02:15 – Why Andrea founded Blue Fairy
Learn how one sister’s loss inspired a national nonprofit that now educates, advocates, and supports HCC patients and families. 04:12 – Understanding hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)
Discover what makes HCC one of the deadliest cancers—and why prevention and early screening are key. 06:45 – Today’s breakthroughs in liver cancer treatment
Andrea explains how targeted therapies and immunotherapies are improving both survival and quality of life. 09:03 – A caregiver’s turning point
Find out how Andrea went from feeling powerless to becoming her sister’s strongest advocate and a voice for others. 11:20 – The Blue Fairy approach to advocacy
See how education, storytelling, and community support drive real change in awareness and policy. 13:47 – Caregiver tools that make a difference
Learn Andrea’s practical “binder system” for keeping records, test results, and notes organized through treatment. 16:02 – Palliative care vs. hospice—knowing the difference
Hear Andrea’s clear explanation of these two terms and how each can improve quality of life at different stages. 18:25 – Why stories save lives
Understand how personal stories like Adrienne’s can move doctors, influence research, and inspire others to seek help sooner. 21:05 – Finding hope after loss
Andrea shares what healing looks like after grief—and how Blue Fairy continues Adrienne’s legacy through education and compassion. Mentioned Resources: CanCare- www.cancare.org Book – www.cancare.org/hopebook Blue Farey - https://www.bluefaery.org/