For Your Health News Podcast

Send us Fan Mail

Motherhood comes with love, joy, and important health decisions. 💜

Actress and mother Keke Palmer joins NMQF's Adjoa Kyerematen on a special episode of For Your Health News to discuss her journey as a mom, her experience learning about RSV, and why access to trusted health information matters for every family.

From navigating medical misinformation to understanding infant RSV prevention options, this heartfelt conversation reminds parents that knowledge and community support can help them make informed decisions.

🎧 Listen to the full conversation on the For Your Health News Podcast.

#KekePalmer #RSVAwareness #ProtectFromDayOne #Motherhood #InfantHealth #ForYourHealthNews #NMQF

Send us Fan Mail

Why are too many patients still diagnosed with cancer after the disease has already progressed—and how could earlier detection change that?

In this episode of the For Your Health News Podcast, Dr. Rockefeller Oteng discusses the future of cancer detection and why identifying cancer earlier could lead to better outcomes for patients and communities.

The conversation explores the promise of emerging early-detection technologies, including new blood-based approaches, and examines why diversity in clinical research is essential to developing treatments and innovations that work for everyone.

Dr. Otang also discusses Flint LEADS and the importance of community-led research in ensuring that communities directly affected by disease are included in the development and evaluation of new medical technologies.

The episode also highlights the National Minority Quality Forum’s Cancer Stage Shifting Initiative, which works to help communities carrying a high burden of disease gain timely access to the latest medical innovations.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:
• Why some patients are still diagnosed with cancer too late
• How earlier cancer detection could improve outcomes
• What Flint LEADS is and why community-led research matters
• How emerging blood-based detection technologies could change cancer care
• Why diversity in clinical research can lead to better treatments for everyone
• How NMQF’s Cancer Stage Shifting Initiative is working to expand health access

Learn more about the National Minority Quality Forum: nmqf.org

Read more health news: fyh.news

Send us Fan Mail

Living with lupus can bring uncertainty, difficult health decisions, and a constant need to advocate for yourself. For Kimberly Boddie, her diagnosis became the beginning of a journey not only to better understand her own health, but also to help others living with lupus feel informed and supported.

In this episode of the For Your Health News Podcast, lupus warrior and patient advocate Kimberly Boddie shares her personal journey with lupus, the importance of speaking up during medical care, and how she turned her experience into advocacy for others.

Kimberly also addresses common concerns surrounding clinical trials and explains why patients should feel empowered to ask questions, understand their rights, set boundaries, and make informed decisions about whether research participation is right for them.

The conversation highlights the importance of trusted information, patient voices, community support, and greater representation in lupus research.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:
• How Kimberly Boddie navigated her lupus diagnosis
• Why self-advocacy is important when managing a complex condition
• How lived experience can become a tool for helping other patients
• What patients should understand before considering a clinical trial
• Why asking questions and knowing your rights matters in clinical research
• Why greater representation can help strengthen the future of lupus research

Learn more about the National Minority Quality Forum: nmqf.org

Explore lupus education and resources: beyond-lupus.org

Read more health news: fyh.news

Send us Fan Mail

How do we ensure that every community is seen and served by our healthcare system? It starts with the data.

In this episode of the For Your Health News Podcast, Aishat Magbade, who works in Legislative & Regulatory Policy and Community Health Policy at the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, discusses the Data Equity Coalition’s State Advocacy to Align with SPD 15 Toolkit.

Following updates to the Office of Management and Budget’s Statistical Policy Directive No. 15 (SPD 15), the conversation explores the opportunity to modernize how race and ethnicity data are collected across the United States—and why state-level alignment is an important part of implementation.

Aishat explains what the updated standards mean, how the advocacy toolkit can support state-level advocates, and why better data can help improve health outcomes and health access across communities.

The discussion also examines the role of the Data Equity Coalition and how collective advocacy can help states align their data practices with the new federal standards.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:
• What SPD 15 is and what the updated federal standards mean
• Why state-level alignment is important
• How the State Advocacy to Align with SPD 15 Toolkit can support advocates
• Why stronger race and ethnicity data can improve health decision-making
• How better data can support Black, Hispanic, Asian, MENA, LGBTQIA+ and other communities
• How the Data Equity Coalition is supporting policy alignment and advocacy

Resources Mentioned:
Data Equity Coalition: dataequitycoalition.com

Learn more about the National Minority Quality Forum: nmqf.org

Read more health news: fyh.news

Send us Fan Mail

In this powerful episode of For Your Health News, Dr. Travell Ellis of Exact Sciences joins the podcast to discuss how presymptomatic cancer detection is transforming the future of cancer care—especially for communities that have long faced environmental burdens, barriers to care, and delayed diagnoses.

A physician, biomedical engineer, and national leader in health equity, Dr. Ellis explains what it means to detect cancer before symptoms appear and why that shift can dramatically improve survival, reduce treatment burden, and give patients more options and peace of mind.

The conversation also explores the importance of stage shifting, the urgent need to build trust in communities like Flint, and how advocacy, policy, and innovation must work together to ensure equitable access to life-saving screening tools.

Dr. Ellis also shares insights on Exact Sciences’ multicancer early detection blood test, Cancer Guard, and why emerging technologies like this could help identify cancers that currently have no routine screening options.

This episode is a timely and hopeful look at the future of cancer prevention—one rooted in science, community, and the belief that early detection should be accessible to everyone.

For more health news where equity meets science and community, visit fyh.news.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:
• What presymptomatic cancer detection means and why it matters
• How early screening can improve outcomes and reduce treatment burden
• Why stage shifting is so important in cancer care
• How trust and community partnership drive better health outcomes
• What Cancer Guard is and how multicancer early detection could change the future

Here are 3 alternate title options in the same style:

1. Catching Cancer Earlier: Dr. Travell Ellis on Innovation, Trust & Health Equity
2. Before Symptoms Start: Dr. Travell Ellis on Cancer Detection and Community Impact
3. The Power of Early Detection: Dr. Travell Ellis on Cancer Screening, Flint & Equity

I can also turn this into a shorter web blurb and a fuller episode page version.

Send us Fan Mail

Recorded live at ESSENCE Festival, NMQF’s Taylor Lopez sits down with Tamika (“Tama”) Smith—author, entrepreneur, and lupus warrior—and her mother, Rita “Badgal Riri” Smith, for a deeply personal and practical conversation about diagnosis, advocacy, caregiving, and healing.

Tamika shares the early warning signs she overlooked—debilitating headaches that felt like her “brain was on fire,” brain fog, crushing fatigue, and even facial droop—and how repeated “normal” labs delayed answers. She opens up about navigating medical gaslighting, pushing for clarity after a positive ANA, and what finally led to her lupus diagnosis.

Rita offers a powerful caregiver’s perspective—what it feels like when your child can’t walk, the grief no one talks about, and the strength required to preserve dignity while sharing the load.

Together, they discuss the financial and emotional toll of chronic illness, what patients wish clinicians understood, and why Tamika says, “the giant is sleeping”—a reminder that protecting your peace is key to preventing flares.

This is a conversation about boundaries, documentation, community, and reclaiming your power.

What You’ll Learn:

• The red flags: severe headaches, brain fog, crushing fatigue, facial or eyelid droop
 • Why a positive ANA plus “normal” follow-ups can delay diagnosis—and how to keep advocating
 • Coping tools: setting boundaries, saying no, prioritizing sleep, and managing stress to prevent flares
 • Patient power strategies: requesting full medical records, tracking dates and symptoms, documenting everything
 • The caregiver perspective: preserving dignity, sharing responsibility, and finding support
 • The importance of community support groups and peer networks

Resources:

Lupus education & community: beyondlupus.org
More equity-focused health coverage: fyh.news

Send us Fan Mail

Recorded live at ESSENCE Festival, FYH.News sits down with Congressman Troy Carter (LA) for a clear-eyed, straight-talk conversation on the future of health equity—and what families need to do now to stay protected.

Rep. Carter breaks down the impact of recent federal policy changes, including Medicaid cuts slated to begin in 2027, and explains how individuals and families can prepare. From redetermination requirements to work or volunteer hour rules, he outlines the steps people can take to protect their coverage.

The conversation also tackles environmental justice in Louisiana’s “Cancer Alley,” strategies for combating health misinformation, protections against emerging COVID variants, and a practical explanation of reconciliation vs. appropriations—what sets the budget versus what actually funds programs.

At its core, this episode is about civic engagement, prevention, and why community advocacy still moves the needle.

What You’ll Learn:

• How to protect your Medicaid coverage, including reapplying every six months
 • How 80 hours per month of work or volunteering can help meet requirements
 • The “3 Cs” strategy: Congress, Courts, and Community—and how you can engage
 • Why environmental justice and preventive screenings matter in high-risk areas
 • The difference between reconciliation and appropriations in federal budgeting
 • Practical public-health habits during respiratory virus surges
 • Why becoming a “health voter” is key to long-term equity

This is a must-listen for advocates, families, and community leaders determined to stay informed—and stay loud.

Resources:

More equity-focused coverage and updates: fyh.news
Programs and tools from the National Minority Quality Forum: nmqf.org

Send us Fan Mail

At the 2025 Global Black Economic Forum Future of Health Neighborhood, FYH.News’ Taylor Lopez sits down with Dr. Lauren Powell, Head of Health Equity in Drug Development at Biogen, for a powerful conversation about lupus and why Black women face a 2–3x higher risk.

They unpack why lupus symptoms are often dismissed as “just stress” or “just tired,” how systemic inequities delay diagnosis and limit treatment options, and what it truly means to advocate for yourself in today’s healthcare system.

From the stigma and under-prescribing of advanced therapies to the lack of inclusive clinical trials, this episode dives deep into the structural barriers impacting Black patients—and the real solutions that can drive change.

Dr. Powell also shares why meeting people in trusted community spaces, like Essence Festival and other cultural touchpoints, is critical to making lupus visible, discussable, and actionable.

Whether you’re living with lupus, supporting someone who is, or working to close health equity gaps, this conversation delivers clarity, strategy, and hope.

What You’ll Learn:

• How to recognize lupus symptoms beyond “just fatigue,” including rashes and hair loss—and why documenting them (photos, notes, timelines) matters
 • The labs and referrals to request (including inflammation markers) and when it’s time to seek a second opinion
 • Why many Black patients aren’t offered clinical trials—and what pharmaceutical companies must change (plain language, broader eligibility, mobile research units, trusted community partnerships)
 • How showing up in culturally relevant spaces helps break stigma and expand access to care

Resources:

Learn more and find lupus education at beyond-lupus.org
More equity-focused health coverage: fyh.news

Send us Fan Mail

Recorded live at ESSENCE Fest 2025 (The Exchange @ Global Black Economic Forum), this energizing FYH.News conversation centers one powerful idea: the future of healthcare is consumer-led—and you drive it.

Adjoa Kyerematen of the National Minority Quality Forum (NMQF) sits down with Dr. Tomlinson to discuss how healthcare must meet people on their terms—from free community screenings to AI-powered tools that allow clinicians to focus on patients, not paperwork.

Dr. Tomlinson shares how his teams serve millions across hundreds of communities through a “health in place” approach: delivering the right care, at the right time, in ways that fit real lives. He explains why adopting a “be disagreeable” mindset—asking questions, double-checking recommendations, and advocating for yourself—can truly save lives.

From technology that generates visit notes and improves care transitions to weekly and monthly free clinics offering blood pressure, blood sugar, and BMI screenings, this episode makes one thing clear: empowered patients transform outcomes.

What We Cover:

• AI tools that streamline documentation and improve care continuity
 • Free community clinics providing accessible preventive screenings
 • The “health in place” model—care designed around patients’ lives
 • How wearables and tracking tools can support smarter health decisions
 • Why bringing an advocate and building your own care team matters
 • Rethinking “balance” as integration—so health fits into real life

The bottom line? The future of health is participatory, personalized, and powered by informed patients.

For more empowering health resources, visit fyh.news

#NMQF #ESSENCEFest2025 #HealthEquity #PatientPower #FYHNews

Send us Fan Mail

Recorded live at ESSENCE Fest 2025, this powerful FYH.News conversation features Adjoa Kyerematen of the National Minority Quality Forum (NMQF) in discussion with Dr. Mimi, a board-certified psychiatrist specializing in women’s and reproductive mental health.

Together, they unpack a critical truth: depression doesn’t always look like sadness—especially for Black women. It can show up as exhaustion, emotional numbness, irritability, insomnia, difficulty concentrating, or feeling disconnected. Too often, quick screenings miss these signs. Layer in stigma, cultural expectations, and the “strong Black woman” trope, and many women suffer in silence.

They also explore how mental health intersects with serious illness like cancer, and why advocating for yourself in medical spaces can be lifesaving.

This episode offers practical, actionable tools for protecting your mental health and navigating care with confidence.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why depression in Black women often goes unrecognized—and how to spot the signs beyond sadness
 • Dr. Mimi’s “Core Four” framework: sleep, nourishment, movement, and social connection
• How journaling can make therapy more effective
• How to “date” therapists to find the right fit
• Why bringing an advocate to appointments can change outcomes
• How pain, anxiety, and depression share biological pathways—and why whole-person care matters

If you or someone you love needs a reminder that rest and vulnerability are strength, this conversation is for you.

For more health news that empowers communities of color, visit fyh.news