Episode 1: What is the GOSH Podcast?

In this episode, we get to learn more about the GOSH Podcast, the Gynecologic Cancer Initiative and our inspiration. Join Nicole Keay and Stephanie Lam as we discuss our goals of starting this podcast.

For more information on the Gynecologic Cancer Initiative, please visit https://gynecancerinitiative.ca/ or email us at info@gynecancerinitiative.ca

Where to learn more about us:
Twitter - https://bit.ly/3jsViHM
Instagram - https://bit.ly/3dRQsCF
Facebook - https://bit.ly/3knUgOw

Transcript

Introduction

Thanks for listening to the GOSH podcast. Gosh stands for the gynecologic oncology sharing hub, an open space for real and evidence based discussions on gynecologic cancers. We'll share the stories of gyne cancer patients and survivors and hear from researchers and clinicians who are working behind the scenes to improve treatment outcomes. 

Our podcast is produced and recorded on the tradition, unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səl̓ilwətaɁɬ / sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh) nations. It is produced by the Gynecologic Cancer Initiative, a province wide initiative in British Columbia with the mission to accelerate transformative research and translational practice on the prevention, detection, treatment and survivorship of gynecologic cancers.

Nicole

Hi, I am Nicole Keay.

Stephanie

And I'm Stephanie Lam, 

Nicole

and you're listening to the GOSH podcast. This first episode is intended to be a short introduction to the podcast, to Stephanie and I as hosts, and to what we hope to achieve in our upcoming episodes.

Stephanie

Yeah, so before we get started, we would just like to take some time to acknowledge that this podcast episode is being recorded on the traditional unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səl̓ilwətaɁɬ / sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh) nations. So we'll be covering a bunch of different topics here at the GOSH podcast, and hope to provide some space to learn and explore some of the work being done with Indigenous communities in Canada to tackle gynecological cancers. So Nicole, why don't you start us off with a brief intro to your story and what inspired you to create this podcast?

Nicole

Yes, sounds good. Stephanie. So about four years ago, I was diagnosed with cervical cancer, and throughout my journey of having surgery, and then moving on to radiation, and chemo, and I'm about three and a half years now, cancer free, which is fantastic. But throughout that time, I did a lot of research trying to learn more about cervical cancer and subsequently gynecologic cancers as a whole. Looking for, you know, obviously, the Why? Why did this happen to me and going down that rabbit hole of “Could I have done anything to prevent it?” But just trying to educate my myself, as well as look for connection to others who were currently on their own cancer journey or who had survived and see how they were doing on the other side of it. During my time off, I did start to listen to a lot of podcasts. It was a really great way to build community and share stories. In my professional life, I do work in communications and I love that one aspect of my job. This opportunity to create something in a space that I've personally been affected and was looking for connection felt like a really great way to bring that to light through a podcast.

Stephanie

Yeah, I totally agree. I think podcasting is such a unique way to share stories. And you could be listening to this in the car or while you're on a walk. And it's just nice to feel connected to someone even if you don't really know them, so I completely agree. And I think this is a really great platform that you've inspired us at the Gynecologic Cancer Initiative to create.

Nicole

Thank you. Once I got introduced to the GCI and seeing all the great work that your teams are doing and the research and there's been such great developments. I think there's a lot that is coming down the pipe, which someone like me, on the patient side, wouldn't necessarily get any access to. I think this is a really great way to not only share other patients stories, but really connect the audience and those patients, with the clinicians and the researchers and what's going on. And I think that's really important for us all to hear both sides of the of coin and be really invested in each other. 

Stephanie

Yeah, definitely. I mean, we always talk about here in the research community - it takes many years to get research findings into clinical practice and disseminating this research information out to the public. And I think using podcasts and other more innovative ways to get our work across is something that researchers should be working towards to get their message across. They do spend so much time, effort and energy to do their work so it's good to get it out to the public.

Nicole

Yeah, absolutely. So Stephanie, why don't you tell us a little bit more about the Gynecologic cancer initiative?

Stephanie

Yeah, for sure. The Gynecologic Cancer Initiative was founded in 2017, by Dr. Gavin Stuart and a few other leading researchers, clinicians and practitioners in the field. Our vision is to basically reduce the incidence, death and suffering from gynecologic cancers by 50% by 2034. So it's a pretty bold mission. To give some context about what gynecologic cancers are, these include ovarian cancer, uterine cancer, cervical cancer, vulvar cancer and vaginal cancer so it’s across the whole spectrum that we're hoping to work towards. Globally, over 1.3 million people will face a diagnosis of a gynecologic cancer and almost 70% of them will die from their disease. The GCI was really founded to help improve prevention, treatment and care, so that these rates of both diagnosis and survival outcomes will hopefully improve in the coming years. The GCI is a province wide initiative in British Columbia. And at our next episode, we'll be able to hear more about the inspiration behind the GCI from our strategic lead Dr. Gavin Stuart, and where he came up with idea, why it's important to him, and what some of the next projects and goals he has set out for us are. 

Nicole

I think we will next talk a little bit about what we plan to do with this podcast. Our vision is that Stephanie and I will host together and we want to bring a new guest who has either experienced cancer firsthand, or maybe was a loved one of someone who did suffer from cancer and, and then also a health care professional who is working within the gynecologic cancer field so they could be a clinician or researcher, or practitioner. These people will be treating patients or someone who has had first hand experience from a research side with gynecologic cancers. I think we have a really good lineup of professionals and patients that we hope to reach out to, and have them come share their experiences and their work.

Stephanie

Yeah, definitely. I think one of the great things about the Gynecologic Cancer Initiative is that it's made up of such a diverse group of researchers, clinicians and people who are honestly just working towards the same goal and the same mission, which is to fight gynecologic cancers. We have researchers who are working on artificial intelligence to help develop new diagnostic strategies, people who are researching new molecular classifications which would help personalize medical treatments, as well as folks who are developing these new treatments that would hopefully help improve outcomes and quality of life. There's also a lot of work being done on the public health side; We have researchers who are working to improve access and uptake of prevention, diagnostics and treatment strategies, both here locally in British Columbia, nationally across Canada and internationally. The amazing thing about the Gynecologic Cancer Initiative is that everyone is working together and supporting one another. And hopefully they'll be able to come on the GOSH podcast and provide some really interesting perspectives.

Nicole

Yeah, I think it's really important to me, you touched on a little bit about how many people are affected by gynecologic cancers - 1.3 million is still a huge number. I think this is an area we don't talk about enough. I think you hear about and maybe it's just the focus or how much fundraising goes into things like breast cancer. Whereas for gynecologic cancers and maybe it is just because of the location where these types of cancers take place, but we don't freely or as commonly talk about them. I'm really excited that we get to bring the different types of gynecologic cancers to light and talk about them in more depth with people who really have a broad scope and reach and in terms of the work that they're doing.

Stephanie

Yeah, definitely. I mean, that's exactly why we need more podcasts like this so that we can start raising some of these issues that often get missed in society these days. 

Nicole

Well, I'm excited for our first episode with Dr. Gavin Stuart.  

Outro

Thanks for joining us on the GOSH podcast. To learn more about the Gynecologic Cancer Initiative, make sure to visit us at our website at www.gynecancerinitiative.ca