ALL2024EPISODES
BEYONDTHECLINIC:
LIVINGWELLWITHMELANOMA AN AIM AT MELANOMA PODCAST
hosted by Raymond Liu, M.D.
Thisspecialpublicationlooksbackoverthe2024 BeyondtheClinic:LivingWellwithMelanoma podcastseries,offeringacomprehensiveoverviewofthetopicsandguestsfeaturedthroughout the year. Whether you missed an episode or want to revisit a particular discussion, this publicationprovideseasyaccesstothevaluableinsightssharedineachepisode
Afterthreeincredibleyearsasourhost,RaymondLiu,MDwillbesteppingdownfromhisroledue tonewresponsibilitiesinhispositionatKaiserPermanente.Dr.Liu,amedicaloncologistatKaiser Permanente San Francisco, has been an exceptional guide for our listeners, shaping every episode with his expertise in cancer survivorship and his compassionate approach to patient care Hisleadershiphasbeeninvaluable,andwearedeeplygratefulforhisdedicationtomaking thepodcastatrustedresourceinthemelanomacommunity.
TakingthereinsfromDr.LiuisSamanthaSiegel,MD,atalentedphysicianandcancersurvivorwho is now the Director of Cancer Survivorship at Kaiser Permanente San Francisco. Dr. Sam—her preferred moniker with patients brings a unique, personal perspective to the podcast, having experienced cancer firsthand and walked alongside her own family members through the challengesofillness.
Her journey through Hodgkin's lymphoma and the lessons learned along the way give her a profound understanding of the physical, mental, emotional, and social aspects of survivorship. She is passionate about supporting patients and caregivers through all stages of their cancer journey–fromdiagnosistolong-termsurvivorship.
Beyond the Clinic has consistently provided an open platform for important conversations surrounding the psychosocial aspects of living with melanoma Our focus has been on the emotional, mental, and social challenges that come with a melanoma diagnosis, and how to navigate the complexities of survivorship The podcast aims to offer resources, support, and a sense of community for patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals dealing with these issues
We are confident that Dr Sam will continue to guide these essential conversations with her expertiseandpersonalexperience,bringingvaluableinsightstothemelanomacommunity.
Thank you for turning to Beyond the Clinic as a trusted resource for information, support, and connection Welookforwardtocontinuingtoprovidetheinsightsandresourcesyouneedonyour journeywithmelanoma.
SamGuild
Sam Guild President
2 0 2 4 P O D C A S T E P I S O D E S
episode twelve
Beyond the Clinic's New Host: Dr. Sam Siegel
episode eleven
Meaning-Centered Psychotherapy for Cancer Patients
episode ten
Surviving the Spotlight: From Melanoma to Filmmaking
episode nine
Restful Recovery: Navigating Sleep and Cancer
episode eight
Summit of Survival: Tobi’s Journey Beyond Melanoma
episode seven
Managing Stress and Anxiety Through Your Cancer Journey
episode six
Having Difficult Conversations
episode five
Fear of Cancer Recurrence
episode four
Conversations with Melanoma Caregivers
episode three
Exploring the Healing Power of Animals
episode two
Memoir as Medicine: The Healing Power of Writing Your Messy, Imperfect, Unruly (but Gorgeously Yours) Life Story
episode one
Vitality Should be on the Table for All Cancer Survivors
INTRODUCING DR. SAM SIEGEL A CHAPTER
FOR BEYOND THE CLINIC
A NEW VOICE FOR SURVIVORSHIP IN 2025
ByMaraKlecker
AIM at Melanoma’s “Beyond the Clinic: Living with Melanoma” podcast has a new host – one who has an intimate understanding of survivorship from multiple perspectives.
Starting next year, Dr. Samantha Siegel (“Dr. Sam,” as she likes to be called) will be taking the reins from her mentor, Dr. Raymond Liu, who has hosted “Beyond the Clinic” since its inception (first as a webinar series) three years ago.
In 2024, Beyond the Clinic included topics such as managing stress and anxiety through the cancer journey, fear of cancer recurrence, and the healing power of writing your ‘messy, imperfect, unruly (but gorgeously yours)’ life story.
“I think this podcast is for everyone in the cancer community,” Dr. Sam said, adding that she’s honored to use the platform to help more patients, caregivers, and physicians connect with resources and messages about survivorship. That means focusing on the health and wellbeing of a person with cancer from the time of diagnosis and throughout their life. It includes considering the physical, mental, emotional, social, and financial effects of cancer for both patients and caregivers.
GAINING INSIGHT THROUGH PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
“I’ve never had a conversation in survivorship that wasn’t helpful or informative in some way,” said Dr. Sam, now the Director of Cancer Survivorship for Kaiser Permanente San Francisco. Still, until her own cancer diagnosis, Dr. Sam said she didn’t fully understand what survivorship was or why it was such an important concept for physicians to embrace. She’d gotten a glimpse of it as a caregiver when her husband – also a physician – was diagnosed with testicular cancer during med school. During their residencies, Dr. Sam’s husband experienced dangerous complications from an autoimmune liver condition.
Even before I was diagnosed with cancer myself, I had a lot of experiences shepherding a family through serious, life-altering illness,” she said.
Though she didn’t know the word “survivorship” then, she spent a lot of time thinking about the financial burden of such a diagnosis, as well as what it means for a patient’s body image and identity.
“I thought I had a pretty good understanding of what it meant to be on the patient end of things,” she said. “But boy, was I mistaken.”
In 2021, Dr. Sam was struggling with fatigue and felt a rock-hard lump on her collarbone. She was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma at age 37.
“I was rocked with the experience of getting diagnosed and the whirlwind of events that happened right after,” she said. “I had this difficult experience where I was like, ‘Oh, this is what it feels like to hear something like this as a patient.’”
FROM PATIENT TO ADVOCATE: SHAPING A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO CANCER SURVIVORSHIP
For six months, Dr. Sam underwent an intense treatment regimen that quickly turned her from a relatively healthy, marathon-running mom and doctor to a “shadow” of her former self, she said. She lost her hair and eyelashes, gained 40 pounds from steroids, and developed neuropathy.
But she also developed a resolve to better understand cancer advocacy and learn about how a patient’s life outside the exam room can impact their health and wellbeing.
Within a couple of months of finishing the treatment, she was diagnosed with a relapse, which itself was a frustrating process involving two inconclusive biopsies and a thoracic surgery.
She then underwent targeted chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant, which required her to be away from her family for an entire month.
In the year after her transplant, Dr. Sam said she was focused on connecting with “anybody who would talk to me or take a meeting with me about survivorship.”
The idea felt misunderstood, and the resources felt sparse, she thought. Too often, she felt, the idea was considered synonymous with surveilling a patient for relapse. Instead, she began to understand the need for a far more holistic look at the needs of a patient and a family both in and out of the clinic.
Looking back, that time spent learning and interviewing others was a sort of “market research,” Dr. Sam said. That’s when she got the idea for a new kind of medicine, one she now knows is called “oncogeneralist practice,” which involves delivering survivorship care alongside primary care from the time of diagnosis. Wonderfully, Dr. Sam said, the increasing need for the work indicates that because of treatment advances, more cancer patients can live longer. She’s dedicated to ensuring that patients can feel good and enjoy their lives during and after cancer while also having a care team that understands the lingering effects of cancer.
“I still carry the invisible scars that many survivors carry,” she said, adding that she still experiences neuropathy and her energy levels never fully bounced back. But she's grateful, she said, that she's been able to find passion and purpose from her own experience.
Dr. Liu, who is now handing the podcast off to Dr. Sam, also recently passed off his title –Director of Cancer Survivorship – to Dr. Sam.
“She is someone really, really special,” he said, adding that she is a great communicator who is curious and a great listener. “I think one of the most powerful ways to engage with folks is to have a personal experience with cancer and also as a caregiver. She has both of those experiences.”
Liu said he’s learned a lot from his mentorship relationship with Dr. Sam and has gained insight and empathy from the topics and personal stories explored in podcast episodes over the years.
“I'm just thankful that I had this opportunity to do this,” Liu said. “Now it’s time to have fresh eyes on it. I know it’ll be different with Dr. Sam. It’ll be better. She’s exactly the right person for it.”
EPISODE TWELVE
BEYOND THE CLINIC'S NEW HOST: INTRODUCING DR.
SAM SIEGEL
LISTEN
With Sam Siegel, MD
Beyond the Clinic: Living with Melanoma is entering an exciting new chapter as Dr. Sam Siegel takes the reins as host in 2025. As a cancer survivor and passionate advocate for comprehensive care, Dr. Sam Siegel brings a unique perspective to this important podcast, carrying forward the meaningful conversations started by Dr. Raymond Liu.
With her firsthand experience as both a patient and caregiver, Dr. Sam aims to expand the podcast’s focus on survivorship, diving deeper into the physical, emotional, and social aspects of life after cancer treatment.
EPISODE
MEANING-CENTERED PSYCHOTHERAPY FOR CANCER PATIENTS
LISTEN
WithWilliamBreitbart,M.D.
Dr. William Breitbart, Chairman of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, joins us to explore the often-overlooked impact of meaning and purpose in cancer care. A pioneer in psycho-oncology, Dr. Breitbart discusses how cancer patients can experience a profound loss of meaning, leading to anxiety and depression, even without a formal diagnosis. He shares insights from his groundbreaking work in psychiatric and neuropsychiatric aspects of cancer care, including his development of Meaning-Centered Psychotherapy, offering strategies to help patients rediscover meaning and improve their quality of life during treatment.
EPISODE TEN
SURVIVING THE SPOTLIGHT: FROM MELANOMA TO FILMMAKING LISTEN
with Jessica Gilstrap, Stage IV Melanoma Survivor & Independent Filmmaker
In this inspiring episode, melanoma survivor and independent filmmaker Jessica Gilstrap shares her powerful journey from a Stage IV diagnosis at 19 to creative success. After urgent surgeries and a life-changing battle with cancer, Jessica embraced a new outlook on life, advocating for sun safety while pursuing her passion for travel and filmmaking. Today, she uses her experiences to inspire others and bring meaningful stories to the screen.
EPISODE
RESTFUL RECOVERY: NAVIGATING SLEEP AND CANCER
LISTEN
With Dr. Daniel Barone, MD
Dr. Daniel Barone, MD, a leading expert in sleep medicine, reveals the powerful connection between sleep and cancer recovery. As the Associate Medical Director at the Weill Cornell Center for Sleep Medicine, he shares key strategies for improving sleep during cancer treatment and explains how better sleep can boost overall health. Drawing from his expertise in sleep disorders and his books, Let’s Talk About Sleep and The Story of Sleep: From A to Zzz, Dr. Barone provides practical tips to enhance sleep health and support the recovery process.
SUMMIT OF SURVIVAL: A SURVIVOR’S JOURNEY
BEYOND MELANOMA LISTEN
With Tobi Sample, Stage I V Melanoma Survivor
Meet Tobi Sample, a melanoma survivor whose extraordinary journey will inspire you. After being diagnosed with Stage IIB melanoma in 2008 and battling a recurrence in 2013, Tobi faced a daunting fight. But she didn’t let cancer define her. To celebrate 10 years of remission, she achieved something many only dream of—climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. Tobi’s story is one of resilience, strength, and a relentless drive to raise awareness and support research for melanoma. Her inspiring journey reminds us of the power of hope and the importance of never giving up.
EPISODE
MANAGING STRESS AND ANXIETY THROUGH YOUR CANCER JOURNEY
LISTEN
With Judson Brewer, MD, PhD
Melanoma patients and survivors often face hidden emotional hurdles, particularly stress and anxiety. In this insightful episode, Dr. Judson Brewer, MD, PhD, a leading expert in mindfulness and stress reduction, shares groundbreaking strategies for coping with these challenges. Dr. Brewer, Director of Research and Innovation at the Mindfulness Center at Brown University, discusses how mindfulness can help manage the emotional toll of living with or surviving melanoma. His expertise in behavior change and mindfulness-based therapies offers powerful tools to navigate stress and anxiety during the cancer journey.
EPISODE
HAVING DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS
LISTEN
With Bridget Sumser, LCSW, Clinical Social Worker
Navigating difficult conversations is one of the toughest parts of the cancer journey. Whether you’re a caregiver, patient, or survivor, knowing how to engage in these crucial talks can make all the difference. Clinical Social Worker Bridget Sumser, LCSW, shares her expert insights on how to approach, discuss, and grow from the conversations that matter most. With a focus on empathy, compassion, and understanding, this episode explores how language can deepen connections and support healing, helping you find comfort and strength in even the toughest dialogues.
EPISODE
FEAR OF CANCER RECURRENCE
LISTEN
With Rena Szabo, PsyD
Surviving cancer or finishing treatment often leaves survivors feeling elated, as if they’ve conquered the world. However, there’s also a profound, more vulnerable emotion that many experience: the fear of recurrence, or the dread of cancer returning.
To learn more about fear of recurrence and how to manage it, we tapped an expert at Banner Health, Dr. Rena Szabo, PsyD as our guest for this episode.
EPISODE
NAVIGATING THE JOURNEY TOGETHER
LISTEN
With Caregivers Sue Capozzi & Nancy Earle
In this episode, we delve into a deeply moving topic: caring for a loved one with melanoma. We explore the roles, challenges, and triumphs of caregivers—the often unrecognized heroes who provide unwavering support and strength in the face of this battle. Their resilience and dedication offer hope and courage, helping their loved ones face each day with renewed determination.
EPISODE
EXPLORING THE HEALING POWER OF ANIMALS
LISTEN
With Dr. Aubrey H. Fine
Ever wondered how animals can make a huge difference in people’s lives? In this episode, we delve into the fascinating world of animal-assisted therapy and explore its incredible benefits for both physical and mental well-being. From calming anxiety to promoting social interaction, animals undeniably impact human happiness and healing. Join us as we unveil heartwarming stories and scientific insights about the transformative power of furry companions.
EPISODE
MEMOIR AS MEDICINE:
LISTEN
Writing has been medicine for Nancy Slonim Aronie. At nine months old, her son Dan was diagnosed with diabetes. Then, at twenty-two, he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. During the years she and her husband took care of Dan, and when he died at age thirtyeight, Aronie could not find the book she needed. So she wrote her memoir.
In teaching memoir writing, Aronie has found that everyone has a story to tell and that telling it is important. In this podcast she shares how to write through where YOU have been and experience deep understanding, profound healing, and even unexpected joy.
VITALITY SHOULD BE ON THE TABLE FOR ALL CANCER SURVIVORS
LISTEN
With Samantha Siegel, MD, Physician, Cancer/ BMT Crusher
Join us as we dive deep into the emotional path of survivorship. Dr. Liu sat down with Samantha Siegel, MD, a relapsed/refractory Hodgkin lymphoma patient, to discuss her walk as a physician, caregiver, cancer patient, mom, and wife. This powerful podcast episode explores the highs, lows, and everything in between. Dr. Sam shares her inspiring story of resilience, hope, and healing. This episode is a must-listen for anyone seeking strength and support on their own survivorship path.
2025 EPISODES
The "Beyond the Clinic: Living Well with Melanoma" podcast is a vital resource for anyone impacted by melanoma. Through its compelling format and expert insights, it offers essential support that extends far beyond medical care.
Topics in 2025 Include:
Communicating Your Needs
Coping with Recurrence: Moving Forward After a Setback Managing Body Dysmorphia After Melanoma Surgery
The Sun – Moving from Fear to Mindfulness Intimacy and Sexuality
Understanding and Coping with Survivor’s Guilt
Dealing with Fatigue and Its Impact on Mental Health
It’s OK to only be OK – What to Do When Everything is Not Fine