The News Navigators

A podcast special: The Final Episode

This is the 85th and, most likely, last episode of The News Navigators. Here Jeremy Deacon, Jonthan Starling and Michael Fahy, the original co-founder, look back on the highlights - and lowlights. It was hard pressing the stop record button.

Bringing Boston to Bermuda: Cancer Care Closer to Home

In this episode, Dr David Patrick Ryan, President of Mass General Brigham Cancer Institute, Dr Chris Fosker, clinicaloncologist and CEO and medical director of Bermuda Cancer and Health Centre, and Darren Glasford, a prostate cancer survivor, discuss how the partnership between Mass General Brigham and BCHC is strengthening cancer care for Bermuda. The conversation centres on a question many Bermudian families understand: what happens when a patient needs world-class specialist treatment but also wants to remain close to home, family and the doctors who know them. Mr Glasford’s story brings that issue to life. After first learning about PSA testing more than a decade ago, he beganregular screening despite having no symptoms. His PSA levels were monitored for years before further tests eventually led to treatment involving both Bermuda Cancer and Health Centre and Mass General Brigham. He is now clear and uses his experience to urge men not to wait until something feels wrong before getting checked. Dr Fosker explains that the BCHC-Mass General Brigham partnership gives Bermudian patients reassurance, continuityand access to highly specialised expertise. Radiation cases are discussed with Mass General Brigham specialists several times a week, with records, treatment plans and clinical decisions reviewed jointly. The goal, he says, is to provide as much care as possible in Bermuda while ensuring patients can access Boston-basedspecialist treatment when needed. Dr Ryan describes Mass General Brigham Cancer Institute as a global centre for advanced cancer care, research andtraining, but stresses that the aim is not to pull patients away from home unnecessarily. Instead, the partnership helps “bring Boston to Bermuda”, supporting local doctors with expert input, new techniquesand evolving standards of care. Together, the interview highlights the importance of early detection, trust between patient and doctor, and ahealthcare partnership designed to give Bermudians the best possible chance of effective treatment close to home. Mass General Brigham sponsored this podcast.

Heart health: what athletes, families and weekend warriors need to know

Dr Sawalla Guseh, a sports cardiologist at Mass General Brigham and director of fellowship training within theCardiovascular Performance Program at Massachusetts General Hospital Heart Centre, joins The News Navigators for a timely conversation about heart health, exercise, and the risks facing athletes and active people of all ages. Dr. Guseh explains that his work focuses on caring for athletes with heart disease, or those at risk of developing it, fromelite competitors to recreational runners, triathletes, and “tactical athletes” such as police, fire and military personnel. The interview explores why younger athletes can sometimes suffer sudden cardiac arrest, often linked to genetic orstructural heart conditions, while older “masters” athletes are more likely to face coronary artery disease, what he memorably describes as problems with the heart’s “plumbing”. For Bermuda, where sport and outdoor activity are central to community life, his advice is practical and relevant: know your family history, take symptoms seriously, and understand your numbers, including blood pressure, LDL cholesterol and blood sugar. He also discusses pre-participation screening, the role of EKGs, the dangers of exercising too soon after viral illness, and why athletes should not fear specialist assessment, since sports cardiology is increasingly focused on distinguishing disease from healthy athletic adaptation. The conversation also widens into everyday prevention: the importance of movement, sleep, stress management, balanced training, and caution around stimulants and supplements. Through Dr. Guseh’s expertise, the episode showcases the depth of Mass General Brigham’s cardiovascular care and itsability to combine world-class clinical knowledge with highly personalised guidance for athletes, families, and anyone trying to live a longer, healthier life. Mass General Brigham sponsored this podcast.

Stop smartphone use until the age of 14?

In this second podcast about social media use, we speak to Una Walsh-Taylor and Mike Walsh  who founded  SmartphoneFree Childhood Bermuda [https://www.sfcbermuda.com/] which wants to delay smartphone use until at least age 14 and social media use until age 16. It’s a fascinating conversation and one that parents – and Government – should listen to and take on board. Would you stop children having a smartphone or not? Tell us why.

Jason Hayward: why I would be a good Premier

In this episode of The Full Point, Jason Hayward, the Minister of Economy and Labour, sets out why he believes he is the right person to succeed David Burt as leader of the Progressive Labour Party and, in turn, Premier of Bermuda. He speaks candidly about controversial statements from his past, discusses how the PLP can broaden its appeal to bothBlack and White voters, and addresses conversations with Housing Minister Zane DeSilva about the leadership contest. In an exclusive on this podcast last year, Mr DeSilva declared that he was going to run for the leadership, but subsequently changed his mind. It is unclear if he is going to run for the Deputy Leadership role. Mr Hayward also shares his views on Iran and the potential impact of the war on Bermuda, and explains why he does notsupport holding a referendum on joining Caricom.