The Elixir Factor

Caregiving can be one of the most stressful, emotional and physically exhausting jobs there is. Nearly half of all caregivers who provide help to other adults do so for someone living with Alzheimer’s or dementia. The role of the caregiver also goes way beyond just basic “day to day care”. They are also the “voice of the patient” and play a very important role in future solutions. On this episode, Joe talks to a full time Lilly employee and full time caregiver, Beth Stafford. Hear what factors motivated her to seek the help of Denise Saxman, Care Consultant at the Alzheimer’s Association, during her caregiving journey. Joe also talks to Denise about ways to help caregivers and the importance of recognizing caregivers as part of the equation in healthcare and drug discovery and development.

Alzheimer’s disease is one of the biggest unmet medical needs of our time. Lilly has been committed to Alzheimer’s research for more than 30 years, and continues to remain determined to find solutions for this horrible disease. In 2015, Lilly provided a grant to Academy Award–nominated filmmaker and health

care advocate James Keach to make the documentary Turning Point, which granted him access into “the cave” as the Lilly team learned the fate of the Alzheimer’s Expedition 3 study. On this episode, Joe talks with James and Ron DeMattos, Lilly’s chief scientific officer for neurobiologics. Hear what factors

inspired the making of Turning Point and the story of the Lilly scientists on the front lines of Alzheimer’s research, capturing both the disappointment and resilience of those working to disrupt the disease.

Why is research important and why do people participate? Finding new and improved medicines is only possible with the help of brave people who participate in clinical trials. On this episode, Joe talks with Lilly Stairs, head of growth and partnership at Savvy Cooperative. Hear what factors caused her

transformation from ordinary citizen to a passionate patient advocate. Joe and Lilly also debunk the myths associated with clinical trials with Lilly’s own Leigh Anne Naas, a patient experience and design innovation community leader.

Most of us know a person impacted by cancer. Yet while cancer research has been going on for centuries, we still don’t have a cure. Two major advances, targeted therapy and immunotherapy, have led oncologists to the practice of precision medicine. On this episode, Joe talks to T.J. Sharpe, a cancer survivor and patient advocate. Hear what factors led him to research an alternative treatment plan for stage IV melanoma versus a standard treatment plan, which offered him only months to live. Joe also talks with two passionate Lilly scientists, Dr. Kim Blackwell and Dr. Levi Garraway, who lead the way in oncology research and development, specifically in the area of precision medicine.