Hear candid conversations between people conquering cancer — patients, their family and friends, and doctors and researchers working to help us all.
In this episode of the Your Stories podcast, Favia speaks about the experience of being a professional athlete who has survived cancer. She reflects on the kind of support systems that helped her through treatment, how patients and survivors can benefit from embracing the present moment, and why she dedicates her career to diagnosing cancer in others.
Favia Dubyk has many titles: athlete, professional climber, reality show participant, competitor, physician, and cancer survivor. But when she was diagnosed with cancer during medical school, Favia’s robust athletic life was put on pause. Going through surgical treatment and chemotherapy was taxing on Favia’s health, making even just daily tasks a challenge. It took her several years to feel like she was back to baseline again. A decade later, having appeared on extreme sports competition shows like NBC's American Ninja Warrior and USA's Race to Survive Alaska, Favia continues to feel the effects of cancer.
Favia speaks with Your Stories podcast host Dr. Mark Lewis – who also received a cancer diagnosis while training to be a physician – about the challenges of surviving cancer, especially as a professional rock climber. Favia also shares why she dedicates her pathology career to helping patients better understand their health information and medical results. Together, they discuss how every person with cancer has unique needs for support, and why it matters for patients and survivors to appreciate the present moment.
