Cancer is an identity-shaping experience. Survivors are forever changed and carry both physical and mental scars. In this episode, Dr. John Mulder and Dr. Jason Beckrow talk with special guest Dr. Joseph McCollum. Dr. McCollum is both a medical oncologist and palliative oncologist who is also a part of a survivorship care clinic. He shares how he and his team are working to integrate palliative care concepts into survivorship care, helping those who have overcome this harrowing experience start putting the pieces back together.

This rereleased episode is dedicated to longtime Palliative Matters host, Dr. John Mulder. The idea of hope is often idealistic and romanticized. For those facing a life-limiting illness, the “hope” of being cured or of life returning to the way it was before a diagnosis can be discouraging. In this episode, Dr. Mulder and Dr. Beckrow explain how they can help people redefine hope by setting clear expectations and realistic goals for patients and their families.

As palliative care physicians, Dr. John Mulder and Dr. Jason Beckrow have witnessed their fair share of miracles. This, however, rarely means a cure. More often, the miracles that palliative doctors can help cultivate are ones of reconciliation, comfort, and restoration. In this episode, the doctors discuss how they help manage disappointment among their patients and offer them true healing.

Doctors are often trained to focus on the data. Data makes for a strong foundation, but it’s only the first floor. To truly care for a patient, we must look beyond the data—building off of their character, values, history, and goals. As palliative nurse practitioner Barbara Opperwall said, “The story of the patient is their data with a soul.” In this episode, Dr. John Mulder and Dr. Jason Beckrow discuss relational medicine, intensive caring, and empowering patients through understanding their stories.

As hospice and palliative care physicians, we care for patients in difficult situations. Yet, we see a lot of joy in those moments. So, what role can we play in helping to cultivate peace and healing for our patients? In this episode, Dr. John Mulder and Dr. Jason Beckrow discuss how patient-centered care, active listening, and being present can help patients see through their circumstances and find joy.

Doctors are trained to cure, treat, and fix. So, how do physicians end up in a field of medicine where the objectives are different? In this episode, Dr. Mulder and Dr. Beckrow discuss how they came to work in the area of advanced illnesses and the purpose that they have found being injected into challenging situations and precarious relationships.

Why should physicians never tell their patients, “There’s nothing more we can do?” As diseases and illnesses progress, the hope for a cure may diminish, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t continue to provide care. In this episode, Dr. John Mulder and Dr. Jason Beckrow discuss how you can encourage patients and offer opportunities for healing, proving that, usually, there is something you can do.

Uncertainty can cause a lot of suffering, but palliative medicine is meant to alleviate suffering. So, how can physicians work within it’s confines? In this episode, Dr. John Mulder and Dr. Jason Beckrow are joined by Dr. Ariel Dempsey as they dive deeper into the discussion on uncertainty in medicine and the challenges and opportunities it provides. They share how, as physicians, you can acknowledge uncertainty, approach it with humility, and choose to take action in spite of it. Listen now at the link below to tap into their insights.