Cancer patients and their caregivers experience many breakdowns in our health system: they are overwhelmed as they confront their mortality and struggle to access and navigate complex, constantly changing treatment options across an uncoordinated healthcare system. CancerHacker Learning Lab accelerates patient-led solutions to these cancer care problems by organizing conversations with carefully selected advisors on their most urgent issues.
Tune in Wednesday, November 25th at 4 p.m. for C-Sessions with your host Randall Broad as he interviews Erika Hanson Brown and Brad Power about their co-founded CancerHacker Learning Lab.
Brad Power, a process innovation consultant and lymphoma survivor, and Erika Hanson Brown, a community organizer and colorectal cancer survivor, will share how they created and co-founded CancerHacker Learning Lab with Hive Networks, a provider of health learning network services.
Brad Power is a process innovation consultant, focused on reengineering cancer treatment, particularly by empowering cancer patients, caregivers, and startups. He is co-founder and head hacker at CancerHacker Learning Lab, an accelerator for patient-led solutions to cancer care problems; founder of Reengineering Cancer Treatment; and founding member and chairman of MyCancerDB.
Erika Hanson Brown is the “Founding Mayor” of COLONTOWN, an online community dedicated to improving the lives of people with colorectal cancer. Brown is also CEO and co-founder of PALTOWN, the non-profit organization that oversees COLONTOWN.
As an 18-year survivor of stage III colon cancer, Brown is known for her high energy, fearlessness, networking skills, humor, and loving heart. She believes patients should be well informed and an active voice in decisions about their care, as partners with their doctors.
Motivated by this core belief, Brown founded COLONTOWN in 2011. The goal, empowering patients and caregivers to share information and seek the best treatments available. Several doctors told her the endeavor was ridiculous. Yet Brown persisted! These days, oncologists refer to COLONTOWN as, “The Patient Powerhouse.” Structured in private groups on Facebook, the group has more than 5,000 active “residents” from countries around the world. Through advocacy and relationships with medical professionals, COLONTOWN members are advancing the fields of colorectal cancer research and clinical practice.
Tune in weekly for C-Sessions. . .with Randall Broad every Wednesday at 4 p.m. as he interviews patients, physicians, pharmaceutical, policy experts and others fighting for your rights to the answers you need.
In 2008, Randall was diagnosed with Stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Following his ‘deemed inoperable’ surgery, the surgeon’s prognosis was a bleak one. He was told, “You best get your things in order.” With this directive, Randall set about “re-ordering” his life by reprioritizing his values. First on the list was his family; to have them know each other in a meaningful way. Next on the relationship ‘to do’ list was his extended cancer family with focus on support, communication, and inspiration. Twelve years following his lifestyle reboot, he continues amongst the living and sharing healing stories.
The cancer journey led Broad to chronicle key learnings for posterity sake. What materialized was the Amazon best seller, It’s an Extraordinary Life – Don’t Miss It. The book has since opened the door to the world of professional speaking and full-time healthcare advocacy. The take away from this experience was to realize how much people engage by listening to stories…real life stories that touch on the fabric of life.
Last year, Broad subsequently created the program, C-Sessions. The goal, supporting cancer patients in their journey by creating a healthcare-focused program designed to improve communication and collaboration between Patients and their Healthcare Provider.
The bottom-line. . .to improve outcomes.