The PQI Podcast

This week, on The PQI Podcast season 5 finale, we sit down with  Ellen J. Langer, Ph.D., to discuss her most recent book, THE MINDFUL BODY: Thinking Our Way to Chronic Health, and her mindfulness work in oncology.

Dr. Langer was the first woman to be tenured in psychology at Harvard, where she is still professor of psychology. The recipient of three Distinguished Scientists awards, the Arthur W. Staats Award for Unifying Psychology, a Guggenheim Fellowship, and the Liberty Science Genius Award, Dr. Langer is the author of twelve other books, including the international bestseller Mindfulness, as well as The Power of Mindful Learning, Counterclockwise and On Becoming an Artist. Her trailblazing experiments in social psychology have earned her inclusion in The New York Times Magazine’s “Year in Ideas” issue. She is known worldwide as the “mother of mindfulness” and the “mother of positive psychology.”

This week, we sit down with Erica Kirschner and Jenn Perry to discuss Li-Fraumeni Syndrome and the Li-Fraumeni Syndrome Association.

Erica is a former educator who has been undergoing treatment for metastatic breast cancer for the past eleven years. After being diagnosed at 27, she was referred for genetic testing and found to have Li-Fraumeni Syndrome. LFS is a hereditary TP53 variant that predisposes children and adults to a wide array of cancers. She currently works with the nonprofit Li-Fraumeni Syndrome Association as a patient advocate.

Jenn is a breast cancer survivor who was diagnosed with Li-Fraumeni syndrome. She is the President of the Li-Fraumeni Syndrome Association. Through the association, Jenn knew she had finally found an avenue to make a difference and effect change in an area that has affected not only many members of her family but many families around the world. She envisions a world someday where her children, grandchildren, and future family won’t have to live in fear of the disease we know as cancer.
You can find more information on the Li-Fraumeni Syndrome Association here:
https://www.lfsassociation.org/

This week, we sit down with Natalie Kaufman, PharmD, to discuss NCODA’s Medically Integrated Oncology Pharmacy Residency Program and the recent Capecitabine: A New Approach to Dosing and Side Effect Management Positive Quality Intervention. 

Natalie is originally from Syracuse, New York. She graduated with her PharmD from Regis University in Denver, Colorado, this past April. She is continuing her education as a Medically Integrated Oncology Pharmacy resident at Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute. Oncology has always been Natalie’s passion. 

You can find the PQI here:

https://www.ncoda.org/wp-content/uploads/pqis/Capecitabine-Xeloda-A-New-Approach-to-Dosing-and-Side-Effect-Management_PQI_NCODA.pdf

You can find information on NCODA’s MIOP Residency Program here:

https://www.ncoda.org/miop-residency-program/

For more information on the residency program, please contact [email protected]. 

This week, we sit down with Nate Ramsbacher, PharmD, to discuss Exploring Intravenous Iron Products for Anemia Associated with Chemotherapy and Cancer. Nate is a pharmacist and faculty member at Washington State University in Spokane, Washington. He completed his Doctor of Pharmacy education at the University of Montana Skaggs School of Pharmacy and completed residency training at Providence St Patrick Hospital in Missoula, Montana. He has been involved with NCODA since he was a PSO student.

Today’s podcast is available to pharmacists for CE credit and is worth 0.5 credits. You can find the CE registration link in the show notes. Be sure to listen for the CE Code given in the podcast to access the post-test and evaluation. The objectives for today’s discussion are: 

• To Differentiate the various intravenous (IV) iron products, including appropriate use.
• To Summarize clinical pearls associated with IV iron therapy.
• To Explain the current status and mitigation strategies for drug shortages with regards to IV iron.

To obtain CE credit please visit: https://www.lecturepanda.com/r/IVIronPodCE

On this week’s episode of The PQI Podcast, we sit down with Erica Marchese PharmD, MHA, BCPS, BCOP, BCSCP, Alexandria Callahan, LCPC, BC-DMT, GLCMA, and Jen Mikes from the City of Hope Chicago to discuss Cancer Survivorship, exploring their respective roles, the pharmacist's vital contribution to survivorship, and the remarkable patient programs they offer.

Erica has been with the City of Hope Chicago (formerly Cancer Treatment Centers of America) for 14 years in various roles within the organization. She is currently the Director of Pharmacy. Erica is an avid runner outside of work and has run four marathons, including the Chicago and New York Marathons.

Alexandria is the supervisor of the Behavioral Health department at the City of Hope, Chicago, where she actively assists with therapeutic programming, survivorship support programs, and sexual wellness. Callahan is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor and earned a Master of Arts degree in dance/movement therapy and counseling from Columbia College in Chicago, followed by a Graduate Laban Certificate in Movement Analysis (GLCMA) from the school. 

Jen Mikes is the Manager of the Cancer Fighters Program at City of Hope. She is a 5-year cancer survivor. You can find the Cancer Fighters here:

https://www.cancerfighters.com/s/

This episode is brought to you by Eagle Pharmaceuticals. To learn more about Eagle’s oncology portfolio, please visit eagleus.com.

This week, we sit down with Collin Dempsey, PharmD, BCPS to discuss his path into oncology pharmacy, his clinic and pharmacy processes, and the NCODA Venclexta resources. 

Collin has been a pharmacist in New York State for ten years and is currently a hematology/oncology pharmacist working in the SUNY Upstate Outpatient Specialty Pharmacy. His program is medically integrated with a large teaching hospital in Syracuse, NY attached to the region’s largest and most comprehensive cancer center, as well as 3 satellite clinics throughout central and northern New York State. 

The NCODA venetoclax resources can be found here:

https://www.ncoda.org/wp-content/uploads/pqis/Venetoclax-Venclexta%C2%AE-for-the-Treatment-of-Acute-Myeloid-Leukemia-PQI-NCODA.pdf

https://www.ncoda.org/wp-content/uploads/pqis/Venetoclax-Venclexta%C2%AE-Use-in-Chronic-Lymphocytic-Leukemia_PQI_NCODA.pdf

https://www.ncoda.org/resources/

https://my.ncoda.org/communities/community-home/librarydocuments?attachments=&folder=d3c4bdbb-93cb-4cc8-aad3-018afc3f57bb&libraryfolderkey=d3c4bdbb-93cb-4cc8-aad3-018afc3f57bb&librarykey=ac905676-5f1d-459d-9551-02c860d99398&pageindex=0&pagesize=12&search=&sort=most_recent&viewtype=row

On this week’s episode of The PQI Podcast, we sit down with Kafilat Salawu, DNP, FNP-C, AOCNP, BCPA, and delve into the vital role of healthcare advocates, explore how Kafilat's personal experiences were influenced by the complexities of navigating healthcare systems with cultural variances and language barriers. Additionally, we uncover how Kafilat's dedication to healthcare advocacy was ignited by witnessing a sibling battle with a serious illness and another diagnosed with cancer.

Kafilat is a compassionate healthcare pioneer with a profound commitment to transforming lives and advocating for health equity. Born in Nigeria and later migrating to the USA, her journey was marked by the challenges of navigating healthcare systems with cultural and linguistic variances. However, it was a life-altering moment, witnessing her close family member's severe illness and another's cancer diagnosis, that kindled her enduring passion for becoming a healthcare professional and advocate.

Drawing from her multifaceted background as a caregiver, patient, and healthcare professional, Kafilat possesses a unique perspective that fuels her dedication to addressing disparities in healthcare. She keenly recognized the pressing need for culturally sensitive care and equitable, quality treatment, inspiring her to establish Fides Health Advocates, LLC. Fides stands as a beacon of hope in the healthcare landscape, bridging the gap between patients and the healthcare system. Their unwavering mission is crystal clear: to provide steadfast support, guidance, and advocacy deeply rooted in trust, understanding, and compassionate care. For more information about Fides Health Advocates, please visit their website: https://fideshealthadvocates.com.

This week, in honor of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, we sit down with Jessie Huisken to discuss her daughter Phinley’s story and her book, Surviving to Thriving, Living Your Best Life with a Hospitalized Child. Jessie has a BSW and worked extensively in child welfare and hospital settings before earning her credentials as an Infant Toddler Developmental Specialist. She worked as an independent developmental therapist until her daughter Phinley's cancer diagnosis in 2021. For the following year, Jessie lived with Phinley in multiple pediatric hospitals across the US until Phinley's passing in 2022, just hours before her 5th birthday.

You can find Jessie’s book here. 
You can find more information on Phinley’s Phund here.
You can connect with Jessie via Facebook through Jessie Huisken or Living Life Phinley-Kate Style.

This week we sit down with Fitz Koehler to discuss her personal story and her book Your Healthy Cancer Comeback: Sick to Strong. Fitz Koehler of Fitzness.com is the author of multiple books, including My Noisy Cancer Comeback, Your Healthy Cancer Comeback: Sick to Strong, and the Healthy Cancer Comeback Journal. She’s one of America's most exciting keynote speakers, a premier race announcer, a fitness innovator, and a bonafide cancer crusher. Her company, Fitzness International, has a global reach, as Fitz is a regular on television, radio, and stages worldwide.

You can visit her website here and purchase her book on Amazon here.

This week, we sit down with Joanna Fawzy Doran, Esq. and Amy Terhune, RPhT, CPhT, PACS, to discuss patient navigation and Triage Cancer. 

Joanna Fawzy Morales, Esq. is a cancer rights attorney and CEO of Triage Cancer, a national, nonprofit organization providing free education on practical and legal issues that impact individuals diagnosed with cancer and their caregivers through events, materials, and resources. Joanna has spent nearly 30 years working in the cancer community as an Adjunct Professor of Law and for the John Wayne Cancer Institute’s Psychosocial Care Program. She has presented nearly one thousand seminars on employment, insurance, finances, and advocacy and co-authored a Cancer Rights Law book for the American Bar Association. In 2010, she was recognized by the Los Angeles Daily Journal as one of the Top 20 Attorneys in California Under the Age of 40.

Amy Terhune, CPhT, RPhT, is a Prior Authorization Supervisor at Florida Cancer Specialists and Research Institute. She has been in pharmacy for 15 years, specializing in Oncology for the last four. Amy is an expert in obtaining prior authorizations for complex Oral oncolytic medications using up-to-date precision medicine to obtain payor approval rapidly, ensuring patients start therapy to avoid unnecessary delays in patient care.

Resources discussed in this episode can be found here:

https://TriageCancer.org

https://TriageCancer.org/Events

https://CancerFinances.org  

Practical Guide to Cancer Rights