21. Am I Allowed to Be Sad?

21. Am I Allowed to Be Sad?

Cancer doesn’t just affect your body. It changes how you think, how you feel, and how you move through the world. In this episode, David sits down with Dr. Megan Pailler, a clinical psychologist at Roswell Park, to talk about the emotional realities of a cancer diagnosis. They explore why fear, grief, and uncertainty aren't problems to solve, but experiences to make room for, and how embracing the full range of human emotion can make it easier to find meaning, connection, and even moments of joy along the way. Keep up with all things Smarter Than Cancer and let us know what you think of the show at https://www.roswellpark.org/smarterthancancerhttps://www.roswellpark.org/smarterthancancer [https://www.roswellpark.org/smarterthancancer]

20. What Happens After Cancer?

For patients, becoming cancer-free is the moment they've been hoping for since the day they were diagnosed. The scans are clear, the cancer is gone, and everyone expects life to return to normal. But for many survivors, that's just not how the story goes. In this episode, Hajar explores what it means to live beyond cancer. She looks at the physical and emotional challenges that can linger long after treatment, from anxiety about recurrence and lasting side effects to the complicated process of rebuilding a life after diagnosis. Along the way, she asks a question many survivors wrestle with: when cancer is gone, can life ever truly go back to the way it was before? Keep up with all things Smarter Than Cancer and let us know what you think of the show at https://www.roswellpark.org/smarterthancancerhttps://www.roswellpark.org/smarterthancancer [https://www.roswellpark.org/smarterthancancer]

19. What Happens When Heroes Get Sick?

First responders spend their careers running toward danger to protect their communities. The risks they face in the moment are obvious: raging fires, smoke inhalation, collapsing buildings. But another danger has only come into sharper focus in recent years: cancer. Researchers now know that repeated exposure to smoke, toxic chemicals, and contaminated gear can increase cancer risk. In fact, cancer is now the leading cause of death among retired firefighters. In this episode, Hajar and David learn about the growing evidence behind firefighter cancer risk, what's being done to better understand it, and how fire departments are working to make the profession safer for future generations. Keep up with all things Smarter Than Cancer and let us know what you think of the show at https://www.roswellpark.org/smarterthancancerhttps://www.roswellpark.org/smarterthancancer [https://www.roswellpark.org/smarterthancancer]

18. How Can We Take Care of Nurses?

Nurses are burning out, and not because they can’t handle the job. In this episode, David explores the mounting pressures facing nurses today, from chronic understaffing to a workplace culture that often treats emotional exhaustion as part of the job. With insights from Roswell Park’s Pamela Pichon (MS, BSN, RN) and Amy Gallagher (PsyD, MSHCT, Resiliency Program Leader), we look at what burnout actually feels like on the ground and what hospitals can do differently to better support the people holding the healthcare system together. Keep up with all things Smarter Than Cancer and let us know what you think of the show at https://www.roswellpark.org/smarterthancancerhttps://www.roswellpark.org/smarterthancancer [https://www.roswellpark.org/smarterthancancer]

17. How Does Faith Fit Into Cancer?

For many patients, a cancer diagnosis doesn’t just raise medical questions. It raises existential ones, too. Questions about meaning, belief, and what comes next. In this episode, Hajar and David explore the role of faith and spirituality in the cancer journey, and what it looks like to search for comfort, certainty, or understanding when so much feels out of your control. Keep up with all things Smarter Than Cancer and let us know what you think of the show at https://www.roswellpark.org/smarterthancancerhttps://www.roswellpark.org/smarterthancancer [https://www.roswellpark.org/smarterthancancer]