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Listen to our latest episode: 66. Jonathan Evison on caregiving through oral cancer
In this episode, Dr. Denise Millstine is joined by bestselling author Jonathan Evison and radiation oncologist Dr. Samir Patel to explore the emotional and medical journey of oral cancer through Evison’s novel The Heart of Winter. Inspired by his mother’s diagnosis and his own caregiving experience, Evison crafts a poignant love story between Ruth and Abe Winter, a couple navigating the unexpected upheaval of oral cancer in their later years. The conversation delves into the realities of diagnosis, treatment and recovery from head and neck cancer with clinical insights from Dr. Patel, and highlights the often-overlooked role of caregivers.
Question for discussion:
- Ruth’s struggle with the physical changes from surgery and radiation was deeply personal. How do you think illness affects identity, especially when it alters appearance?
Share your thoughts, questions and opinions below!
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I addressed this topic in an episode of my YouTube channel, "From Recovery to Discovery".
Episode 16: Self-Image
I received some interesting feedback -- mostly, that people hadn't really thought about it.
Still, it's a powerful topic, I think. One of my old sayings is that "You shape your image, then your image shapes you" -- which means that we should be careful, or at the very least aware, of the image we have of ourselves.