The MEN1 Mosaic

#59 - MEN1, Medicine & Mistrust: Why Patients & Doctors Misunderstand Each Other (Top Consultant)

Ever left an MEN1 appointment feeling more anxious than when you went in? – Season 2, Episode 9 Professor Maralyn Druce, leading London Consultant Endocrinologist, joins me for an honest conversation about where tension, mistrust, and misunderstanding can quietly grow between patients and clinicians — particularly in rare disease care. We explore: • Why MEN1 so often exists in a grey zone of uncertainty rather than clear answers  • How “watch and wait” can feel profoundly different for patients versus doctors  • The anxiety many patients carry between appointments, tests, and scans  • Why feeling unheard doesn’t always mean someone isn’t listening  • How better outcomes depend on partnership, trust, and shared responsibility About our guest: Professor Maralyn Druce is a Consultant Endocrinologist specialising in both general and complex endocrine conditions, including thyroid, adrenal and pituitary disorders, neuroendocrine tumours, and inherited syndromes such as MEN1. She is known for her holistic, patient-centred approach and her commitment to ensuring patients fully understand their management options. Professor Druce is also a senior medical educator, serving as Deputy Dean for Education and Head of Governance for undergraduate MBBS and dental programmes at Barts and the London, Associate Dean for Undergraduates at St Bartholomew’s Hospital, and Founder and Director of the Postgraduate Diploma and MSc programmes in Endocrinology at Queen Mary University of London. She trained at the University of Cambridge and University College London, completed specialist training at Hammersmith and Barts Hospitals, held a Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Fellowship, and was awarded a PhD in physiology at Imperial College London focusing on gut hormones and energy regulation. Find out more about Professor Druce here [https://www.qmul.ac.uk/whri/people/academic-staff/items/drucemaralyn.html]. Are you sure MEN1 can’t be influenced? Join my community [https://www.skool.com/men1-healing-dis-ease-7375/about?ref=4be53e8f56a146d0a34134f29695263e] to learn how better quality conversation and radical self-responsibility has kept me away from symptoms, surgery & meditation. Click here [https://www.skool.com/men1-healing-dis-ease-7375/about?ref=4be53e8f56a146d0a34134f29695263e] Disclaimer I share my personal experience as a MEN1 patient. Nothing in this episode, including the opinions of my guests, is intended as medical or holistic advice. Please consult a qualified professional before making changes to your care.

#58 - Your Mind Is Running Your Disease – Here's How To Rewire It (Master Neuroplastician & Author)

If I subconsciously created my dis-ease, does that mean I could consciously un-create it? – Season 2, Episode 8 Matt Rowe, Master Neuroplastician & Author, went from paralysis and doctors warning a wheelchair for life to walking, thriving and completing an Ironman. Today he shares how rewiring your brain and reclaiming your power can change not just your mindset, but your biology. In this episode: • The “no-cebo effect” hiding in every diagnosis • Why your subconscious is running the show (and how to reprogram it) • How to feed possibility into your cells, not limitation • A practical 1% path to rewiring your nervous system & your dis-ease • The reason some patients follow their prognosis but others manage to defy it About Out Guest: Matt Rowe is a Master Neuro-Plastician, author of Belief to Heal, and dedicated guide in the field of mind-body transformation. After overcoming paralysis to complete an Ironman, Matt now teaches others how to harness the brain’s power to heal and thrive. Blending science and spirituality, he empowers individuals to rewire limiting beliefs and step into their highest potential. As a meditation and Reiki practitioner, Matt helps people reconnect with inner peace and natural healing energy. His mission is to inspire hope, resilience, and the belief that healing is not only possible—it’s a daily practice and choice.  Receive a free 30-minute healing session with Matt here [https://www.mattrowecoaching.com/contact] Are you sure MEN1 can’t be influenced? Join my community [https://www.skool.com/men1-healing-dis-ease-7375/about?ref=4be53e8f56a146d0a34134f29695263e] to learn how better quality conversation and radical self-responsibility has kept me away from symptoms, surgery & meditation. Click here [https://www.skool.com/men1-healing-dis-ease-7375/about?ref=4be53e8f56a146d0a34134f29695263e] Disclaimer I share my personal experience as a MEN1 patient. Nothing in this episode, including the opinions of my guests, is intended as medical or holistic advice. Please consult a qualified professional before making changes to your care.

#57 - Before You Go For Genetic Testing, Listen To This (UK Consultant Clinical Geneticist)

What if your genetic test revealed something you weren't prepared for? – Season 2, Episode 7 Dr Fiona Lalloo is one of the UK’s leading Consultant Clinical Geneticists—and the first genetics expert to join me on the podcast. In this episode, Fiona explains why testing isn’t always as straightforward as we think, where private patients fall into nasty traps, and how the NHS approach to MEN1 can offer crucial long-term support. Tune in to find out: • The potential dangers of rushing into private genetic testing • Why genetic counselling is NOT therapy (but many get confused) • How gene inheritance works—and what it means for your family • Why MEN1 is an unpredictable disease unlike many others • How to take advantage of the NHS support you may not know exists ABOUT OUR GUEST: Dr Fiona Lalloo is a consultant in Cancer Genetics. She qualified from Newcastle University in 1990 and trained in adult medicine before moving into Genetics in 1994. Her MD was undertaken on the genetics of breast and ovarian cancer. She was appointed consultant in 2001. She has been involved at a national level with the recruitment of trainees into clinical genetics and is currently Chair of the Cancer Genetics Group. Dr Lalloo is involved with teaching of both undergraduates and postgraduate medicine devising, instigating and running the first national course on cancer genetics. She has maintained her research interest in breast and ovarian cancer and is the author of “Genetics for Oncologists”. Her clinical interests include breast, ovarian and bowel cancer and endocrine malignancies. She is currently Clinical Lead for Genetic Medicine. Are you sure MEN1 can’t be influenced? Join my community [https://www.skool.com/men1-healing-dis-ease-7375/about?ref=4be53e8f56a146d0a34134f29695263e] to learn how better quality conversation and radical self-responsibility has kept me away from symptoms, surgery & meditation. Click here [https://www.skool.com/men1-healing-dis-ease-7375/about?ref=4be53e8f56a146d0a34134f29695263e] Disclaimer I share my personal experience as a MEN1 patient. Nothing in this episode, including the opinions of my guests, is intended as medical or holistic advice. Please consult a qualified professional before making changes to your care.

#56 - No Boundaries, No Health – How Relationships Dictate Disease (Psychotherapist & Trauma Expert)

What if MEN1 weren't just a physical disease? - Season 2 Episode 6 In this conversation, I sit down with psychotherapist and trauma expert, Benjamin Fry, to explore how unresolved emotional patterns, co-dependent relationships, and a lack of boundaries might be the missing piece in your healing journey. In this episode: • Why boundaries are about you and never the other person • Who's responsible for my health – the doctor or me? • Why your inner child shows up in adult situations • How trauma and triggers keep your nervous system stuck • Why the history of medical practice should worry us Healing starts when you stop waiting to be rescued and start to rescue yourself. ABOUT OUR GUEST Benjamin Fry is a psychotherapist, author, and founder of Khiron Clinics. He specialises in trauma recovery and relationships, combining personal experience, clinical training, and thought leadership. He is the author of The Invisible Lion and the founder of Televagal, a mental health tech platform for therapists. To be notified about the release of Benjamin's new book, Re-pair, click here [Re-pair: https://benjaminfry.co.uk/] and register for email updates. Are you sure MEN1 can’t be influenced? Join my community [https://www.skool.com/men1-healing-dis-ease-7375/about?ref=4be53e8f56a146d0a34134f29695263e] to learn how better quality conversation and radical self-responsibility has kept me away from symptoms, surgery & meditation. Click here [https://www.skool.com/men1-healing-dis-ease-7375/about?ref=4be53e8f56a146d0a34134f29695263e] Disclaimer I share my personal experience as a MEN1 patient. Nothing in this episode, including the opinions of my guests, is intended as medical or holistic advice. Please consult a qualified professional before making changes to your care.

#55 - Inherited Disease or Inherited Trauma? Genes Won't Explain THIS (Trauma Expert & Medical Doctor)

Could your disease be trauma, passed down through generations? - Season 2, Episode 5 Today, Dr Aimie Apigian completely reshapes how I understand MEN1 and genetic disease in general. We explore the science of inherited trauma, the role of the nervous system in healing, and why traditional approaches to physical illness often fall short. Listen to find out: • Why your genetic diagnosis might be missing the real root cause • The single system controlling all your symptoms (and how to regulate it) • How stored trauma can literally trigger disease in the body • What healing looks like (when the body leads, not the mind) • Why praise for 'resilience' could be dangerous for your health If you've ever wondered why your body lets you down, even when your mind is doing everything right,  this one is for you. About Our Guest: A Preventive and Addiction Medicine physician with Master’s degrees in both biochemistry and public health, Dr. Aimie Apigian is the national bestselling author of The Biology of Trauma. She hosts her podcast, leads online nervous system healing courses and a practitioner certificate training program. Bridging the worlds of functional medicine, attachment and trauma, she is a leading expert on how the body holds fear and overwhelm from the past to make one sick today. Find Dr Aimie's #1 Besterseller on Amazon: Click here [https://book.biologyoftrauma.com/book] Connect with Dr Aimie here: Instagram: Click here [https://www.instagram.com/draimie/] LinkedIn: Click here [https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-aimie-apigian] YouTube: Click here [https://www.youtube.com/c/DrAimieApigian] Website: Click here [https://biologyoftrauma.com/] Podcast: Click here [https://biologyoftrauma.com/biology-of-trauma-podcast/] Are you sure MEN1 can’t be influenced? Join my community [https://www.skool.com/men1-healing-dis-ease-7375/about?ref=4be53e8f56a146d0a34134f29695263e] to learn how better quality conversation and radical self-responsibility has kept me away from symptoms, surgery & meditation. Click here [https://www.skool.com/men1-healing-dis-ease-7375/about?ref=4be53e8f56a146d0a34134f29695263e] Disclaimer I share my personal experience as a MEN1 patient. Nothing in this episode, including the opinions of my guests, is intended as medical or holistic advice. Please consult a qualified professional before making changes to your care.