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. 

This episode was made possible by generous support from Ken Stevens. 

We talked with:

• Jonathan Evison is the New York Times best-selling author of many novels, including All About Lulu, West of Here, The Revised Fundamentals of Caregiving, This is Your Life Harriet Chance, Legends of the North Cascades, Small World, Again and Again, and Lawn Boy  – a sharp-eyed, side-splittingly funny examination of class divides and white privilege on Bainbridge Island. His third novel was adapted into a feature film, The Fundamentals Of Caring, starring Selena Gomez, Paul Rudd and Craig Roberts. His latest novel is The Heart of Winter.
• Samir Patel, M.D., is Clinical Practice Chair and Professor of Radiation Oncology at the Mayo Clinic in Arizona. He specializes in the use of radiation therapy for complex cancers of the head and neck and skin. He understands how to apply the latest in radiation therapy technology including proton beam therapy to treat these cancers. An important theme of his clinical and research work is the importance of improving clinical outcomes for head and neck cancers particularly focusing on minimizing side effects.

Purchase “The Heart of Winter.”

• From Barnes & Noble.
• From Amazon.
• From Bookshop.org. 

Got feedback?

• If you've got ideas or book suggestions, email us at [email protected]. 
• We invite you to complete the following survey as part of a research study at Mayo Clinic. Your responses are anonymous. Your participation in this survey as well as its completion are voluntary.
• Connect with others talking about the podcast in the Read. Talk. Grow. group on Mayo Clinic Connect, an online community moderated by Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic Connect is free, trusted, moderated, welcoming, safe and easy-to-use.

The podcast is for informational purposes only and is not designed to replace the physician’s medical assessment and judgment. Information presented is not intended as medical advice. Please contact a healthcare professional medical assistance with specific questions pertaining to your own health if needed.