In this episode of Sick & Good, we sit down with Dr. Samantha Siegel, an onco-primary care and survivorship physician at Kaiser Permanente, and a cancer survivor herself. As the Director of Cancer Survivorship at Kaiser San Francisco and cofounder of the PCP-ONC CARES program, Dr. Siegel is transforming how patients are supported from the moment of diagnosis through long-term survivorship.

Dr. Siegel shares her own cancer journey and how it has profoundly shaped her practice, blending her personal experience as a survivor with her role as a physician. We explore her passion for integrative oncology, the evolving field of onco-primary care, and the unique needs of adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors. She also reflects on the future of supportive cancer care and the treatments that give her hope.

Beyond her clinical work, Dr. Siegel is the host of Beyond the Clinic, AIM at Melanoma’s supportive cancer care podcast, where she continues her mission of redefining what it means to live well during and after cancer.

From Patient to Physician: Dr. Samantha Siegel on Cancer Survivorship

In this CEU bonus episode, Registered Dietitian and thyroid cancer survivor Julia Diaz, RD, brings both professional expertise and personal experience to the conversation. Julia shares her own diagnosis story and how it shaped her mission to support thyroid cancer patients and survivors through every stage of care.

We explore the risk factors and early signs of thyroid cancer, the diagnostic process, and the realities of treatment options such as thyroidectomy and radioactive iodine therapy. Julia breaks down the low iodine diet with practical advice, clears up common misconceptions about hormone replacement therapy, and discusses long-term survivorship strategies including nutrient balance, weight management, and lifestyle choices that reduce recurrence risk.

She also tackles emerging hot topics like GLP-1 medications and their potential role in thyroid cancer management, giving dietitians timely insights to bring into their practice.

This re-released episode has been approved for 0.75 CEUs for dietitians, offering both evidence-based knowledge and lived wisdom for professionals navigating the complexities of thyroid cancer care.

Dietitian CEU Bonus Episode: Thyroid Cancer Awareness & Management with Julia Diaz, RD

In this episode of the Sick & Good Podcast, we sit down with Mary Mathew, MA, LMFT licensed psychotherapist and founder of Beyond Cancer LA, a private practice dedicated to supporting cancer patients, survivors, and caregivers. Mary shares insights from her recent presentation at the Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation Conference, highlighting the emotional challenges that often accompany a cancer diagnosis. Together, we explore common themes such as grief, adjustment, depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress, as well as the role of internal versus external coping skills. Mary also explains what it means to look through a “cancer lens,” sharing narratives from her practice, and discusses the co-morbid mental health conditions she frequently encounters. This thoughtful conversation sheds light on the vital connection between mental health and the cancer journey, offering hope and strategies for resilience.

Mental Health Beyond Cancer with Mary Mathew, LMFT

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Jess shares her work as a social worker specializing in rural care at NaviCare. She he highlights rural health and the pivots to telehealth and how the pandemic has resulted in a resurgence of patients come back for cancer treatment. We explore ethical and moral dilemmas in treating patients in rural areas and the contribution to fragmented care. Jess relates her experience in oncology social work to line dancing and protecting her cubs. You know, like a line dancing Mama Bear. 

Please follow the link to the  Sick & Good merch page:

https://sickandgood.com/home/shop/

Rural Cancer Care with Jess Piper, LICSW

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Our special guest Dr. Caroline Dorfman, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences in the Duke University School of Medicine. Caroline has conducted extensive AYA cancer research and offers her findings on topics of pain, fatigue, distress and sexual reproductive health. We examine barriers for onco-fertility and reproductive preservation as financial and value-based decisions and the conversation closes on health behavior issues and difficulties in overall well-being for the AYA cancer population. 

Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) Cancer Research with Caroline Dorfman, PhD

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Dustin Mesick, RDN and Colin Goodwin, PsyD are cancer survivors inspired by their personal experiences and incorporated this into their individual career paths in nutritional services and clinical psychology, respectively. The original concept to offer a support group that focused on body and mind was shifted with the emergence of the pandemic and evolved into the virtual platform of a podcast. In choosing the name of the podcast, Sick & Good Podcast was chosen as a double entendre, incorporating the last names of the co-hosts and promoting the possibility of a dialectical nature in physical illness (sick) and overall wellness (good). The mission statement for the Sick & Good Podcast states the purpose is to have conversations with medical and other healthcare professionals related to the cancer field on broad topics ranging from diagnosis to treatment and the recovery process with the hope to provide education and levity to cancer patients, survivors and other interested listeners.

Dr Colin Goodwin

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