Vital Voices

Episode 5: The Personal Cost of Cancer Disparity

Longtime Corning employee Leon Washington was the picture of health - until the avid cyclist was diagnosed with colorectal cancer.  When diagnosed early, colorectal cancer is treatable. Unfortunately, by the time people start to experience symptoms they are typically in the later stages of the disease. Sadly, colorectal cancer has for decades disproportionately affected the Black community – particularly Black men – in both incidence and mortality. Millicent and Sissy [https://www.sieromedia.com/]hear from those who have been personally affected by the disease, including a researcher whose aim is to spread awareness of the importance of early testing.

Episode 4: The Science Behind Health Equity

Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center is more than just a renowned leader in cancer treatment and research, it has also made a commitment to advance health equity. Three doctors from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center share with Millicent and Sissy [https://www.sieromedia.com/] insight into how MSKCC is working to eliminate health disparities among people of color.

Episode 3: Serving the Community, One Smile at a Time

Heart disease, the leading cause of death in the U.S., can have a surprising cause – gum disease. In this episode, Dr. Millicent Ruffin and Sissy Siero [https://www.sieromedia.com/] continue the discussion around the importance of dental care and hear how Corning is partnering with the county and health organization to address the crucial need for dental care in Western New York.

Episode 2: The Case for Addressing Health Equity

Health equity, or the lack thereof, affects more than the patients who aren’t able to receive quality health care; there’s also a hefty economic impact. ORESU's [https://www.corning.com/oresu/worldwide/en.html] Millicent Ruffin and Siero Media [https://www.sieromedia.com/]'s Sissy Siero hear from epidemiologist, Dr. Lisa Gary, digs into the impact of the U.S.’s health equity issues, including the disparities surrounding dental care; leading to a personal story of just how critical dental care and representation can be.

Episode 1: Race and Health Disparities - A Matter of Life and Death

When Dr. Angela Anderson went to the hospital in pain, she expected to leave knowing what was wrong – and how to fix it. What she encountered instead was racial bias so serious, and potentially dangerous, that it made the DEI executive an advocate for healthcare equity. Click here [https://www.forbes.com/sites/janicegassam/2021/07/02/how-one-womans-story-of-medical-neglect-highlights-the-pervasive-issue-of-racism-in-healthcare/?sh=1c70ed8a270b] for Dr. Anderson’s article in Forbes that helped kick off her work in patient advocacy. Click here to view the transcript. [https://www.corning.com/oresu/worldwide/en/vital-voices-podcast/season-2-episode-1--race-and-health-disparities-a-matter-of-life-and-death.html]