Behind the Curtain of Physician Life with Dr. Tali Lando, author of Breathless Artwork

Persistence U with Lizbeth

An award-winning author turned Lifetime TV movie subject, host Lizbeth Meredith works to tame trauma and increase resilience leveraging the power of persistence.Created for and by survivors and strivers, Persistence U podcast with Lizbeth hosts guests willing to share from the heart to both inform and inspire. Whether they've published a first book after 70, or slowly re-entered life after a crushing setback, they'll tell who and what helped. Because big goals and obstacles are no match when you have a good community.

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Persistence U with Lizbeth

Behind the Curtain of Physician Life with Dr. Tali Lando, author of Breathless

October 14, 2025 • Lizbeth Meredith • Season 5 • Episode 195

In this episode of Persistence U with Lizbeth Meredith, I’m honored to introduce Dr. Tali Lando—pediatric ENT surgeon, survivor, and author of Breathless. I had the privilege of endorsing this book, and from the first conversation with Dr. Lando, I knew she was someone I could sit down with for hours over coffee.

Breathless is more than a memoir—it’s a rare look behind the curtain of physician life. Dr. Lando shares the pressure of balancing a high-stakes career, family, and her own cancer diagnosis, all while carrying the life-and-death stories of her patients. She writes with candor about the cases that shaped her career, the lessons they taught, and how those lessons seeped into her home life.

We talk about the challenges of transforming medical cases into universal life lessons, the risks and rewards of vulnerability on the page, and the power of feedback—from her teenage daughter to trusted colleagues—that helped her shape this deeply human book.

Listeners will also hear how Dr. Lando wrestled with questions many of us ask: Does my story matter? Will anyone care? Her persistence, coupled with mentorship and belief from others, carried this project from a private Word document to a published memoir that will touch lives far beyond the medical field.

Dr. Lando’s journey reminds us that resilience isn’t just about surviving illness or setbacks—it’s about allowing those experiences to transform how we live, work, and connect.

You will learn:

How personal health crises can transform the way we work and relate to others.
Why stories—whether medical cases or personal struggles—need structure, feedback, and courage to resonate with readers.
The universal life lessons doctors carry from their patients and how those lessons extend far beyond medicine.

Connect with Dr. Tali Lando:
🌐 drtlando.com

📍 Instagram: @drtaliando

📍 TikTok: @surgeontali

📍 LinkedIn: Dr. Tali Lando

Lizbeth’s links

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Unmapped: Solo Women Travelers – Bold Journeys of Healing, Resilience, and Self-Discovery. Half of author royalties support the YWCA’s work with survivors of domestic abuse and their families, and to combat racism.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FTSNM997 Paperback Amazon

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Draft2Digital ebook https://books2read.com/u/312rlw

Lizbeth's memoir Pieces of Me: Rescuing My Kidnapped Daughters can be ordered where books are sold, and is now a TV movie, #Stolen By Their Father on Lifetime.

Lizbeth's second book, Grounded in Grit: Turn Your Challenges Into Superpowers is available to order wherever books are sold!

Tilka Faces the Odds, One Man at a Time, new release novel https://books2read.com/u/4j760X