Real Cancer Talk

When it comes to breast cancer, the journey isn't just about removing the "C-word"—it's about healing the whole person. In this episode of Real Cancer Talk , Dr. Robert Winn and Community Clovia host a conversation about the strides being made in breast cancer care at VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center. We’re stripping away the medical jargon to explore how surgical oncology and plastic surger...

In this special episode of Real Cancer Talk, recorded live from the 2026 American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting in San Diego, Dr. Rob Winn sits down with Dr. Monica Baskin to discuss the intersection of cutting-edge science and community impact. Dr. Baskin shares the impact of conferences like the AACR Annual Meeting and others have impacted her career. Against the backdrop...

In this episode, Dr. Robert Winn sits down with Dr. Reshma Jagsi , a world-renowned leader in radiation oncology and a fierce advocate for equity in medicine. The conversation delves into the "North Star" of cancer care, maintaining humanity in an era of digital misinformation. Dr. Jagsi shares her insights on why the fight against cancer must be a global, unified effort and explores the critical...

Science, Soul, and Survival: Navigating Myeloma and Brain Health In this episode of Facts and Faith Fridays series, Dr. Rob Winn, Dr. Jessica Young Brown and community faith leaders are joined by Dr. Joseph Mikhael and Sharon Napper to discuss the latest insights into myeloma and brain health. Dr. Joseph Mikhael is a Professor in the Clinical Genomics and Therapeutics Division at the Translational...

"It’s easy to say 'I'll do it later'...until later becomes too late. Here is why the time for your colorectal screening is right now." Join Dr. Robert Winn (Director of VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center) and Community Clovia as they sit down with survivor and advocate Julianne Duvall, executive director of CancerLINC , a Richmond non-profit that links cancer patients and their families to leg...

In this episode of Real Cancer Talk , Dr. Rob Winn sits down with VCU men’s basketball head coach Phil Martelli Jr. to discuss leadership, teamwork and the shared fight against cancer. Coach Odom reflects on building a culture of excellence at VCU and shares his personal connection and experience with cancer through the Coaches vs. Cancer initiative. From lessons learned on the court to inspiratio...

In this impactful episode of Real Cancer Talk , host Dr. Rob Winn and the Facts and Faith Fridays team welcome Dr. B. Cameron Webb for a deep dive into the intersection of public health, policy, and community trust. The discussion centers on the vital role of faith-based leadership in addressing healthcare disparities and ensuring that medical advancements reach the most vulnerable populations. Dr...

In this special Black History Month episode, Dr. Todd Adams joins Dr. Rob Winn and Community Clovia to bridge the gap between historical medical distrust in clinical trials and the life-saving "good news" of modern radiation oncology. Dr. Adams breaks down how radiation therapy has evolved from a blunt tool into a precise, targeted treatment, and why understanding your options is the first step to...

In this powerful closing episode of our special collaborative series between The Cancer Letter and Real Cancer Talk celebrating Black History Month, we sit down with Dr. Joni Nelson, the Assistant Director for the Office of Workforce Development at the MUSC Hollings Cancer Center. Reflecting on a month of honoring history and looking toward the future, Dr. Nelson shares her expertise on the critic...

What does it take to become a "superhero" in the field of cancer research? In a collaboration with The Cancer Letter , Dr. Robert Winn interviews a true pioneer, Dr. Malcolm Brock. In this episode, Dr. Brock opens up about the "forks in the road" that defined his career. He discusses the influence of early mentors, his time as a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford, and his fascinating detour into Japanese bi...

"I didn't come here to just be another doctor. I came here to ask the questions that nobody else was asking, because if we don't look at the genetics of everyone, we aren't practicing medicine; we’re just practicing a subset of it." In this powerful episode of The Cancer Letter , Dr. Rob Winn sits down with a true giant in the field of oncology: Dr. Olufunmilayo Olopade . As the Director of the Ce...

“The idea that I would not go to college was just not acceptable.” In this episode of The Cancer Letter , Dr. Robert Winn sits down with the legendary Dr. Otis Brawley , a Bloomberg Distinguished Professor at Johns Hopkins and former Chief Medical Officer of the American Cancer Society. Dr. Brawley shares a deeply personal look into his upbringing in Detroit, discussing how his parents, who did no...

"We’ve made progress, but we’ve got to remember that there’s just more to do." In this latest installment of our Community Conversations series, Delegate Delores McQuinn joins Dr. Robert Winn and Clovia Lawrence to discuss the intersection of policy and the fight against cancer. Delegate McQuinn reflects on her years of service in the Virginia General Assembly , what the Virginia Cancer Caucus is...

In this bonus episode of Real Cancer Talk, Dr. Robert Winn is joined by Dr. Katherine Tossas , VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center Director of Catchment Area Data Analytics (CADA) , and Dr. Chelsea Salyer , a gynecologic oncologist and lead for the gynecologic oncology clinical trial program at VCU Health, for a discussion focused on Cervical Cancer Awareness Month and the latest updates in cer...

In this episode of Real Cancer Talk Massey leads an important conversation on protecting our health together by addressing HPV and cervical cancer prevention. OB-GYN specialist Dr. Tashima Lambert Giles shares powerful patient stories and explains how cervical cancer develops, who is most at risk, and why routine screening such as Pap tests and HPV testing remains one of the most effective tools f...

In this episode of Real Cancer Talk from VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center , Dr. Rob Winn sits down with Chris Williams , owner and CEO of the SMART Modified Tour (Southern Modified Auto Racing Teams Tour) , to explore an unexpected but powerful idea: motorsports can help bring cancer education and care awareness to rural communities . From the deep roots of modified racing to the tight-knit...

In this episode adapted from the Community Conversations podcast with Community Clovia, we welcome Dr. Kim Rhoads , the associate director of community outreach and engagement at VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center . Dr. Rhoads provides insight on pancreatic cancer following the tragic passing of Richmond legend D'Angelo, why pancreatic cancer is more common in certain populations and what peop...

In this Community Conversations: The Black Health Wins episode, Miss Community Clovia Lawrence welcomes Dr. Robert Winn (VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center) and clinical social worker Freda Wilkins to talk about the holiday season’s emotional highs and lows when cancer is in the picture—whether someone is newly diagnosed, in treatment, surviving, or caregiving. They unpack why the holidays can...

In this episode of Real Cancer Talk , Dr. Robert Winn sits down with Dr. Julian Adams —President and CEO of Stand Up To Cancer and one of the world’s leading oncology researchers—for a wide-ranging conversation about the past, present, and future of cancer science. Dr. Adams reflects on his journey from a childhood fascination with invention to decades of drug development in HIV and cancer, and ho...

Lisa Manganello has been a librarian at South Brunswick High School for the past seventeen years, where she was recognized as Educator of the Year in 2015. An active member of the New Jersey Association of School Librarians, Lisa presents regularly on information literacy. Recent presentations include Now What?: Information Literacy Lessons for the High School Library, Diverse Readers, Diverse Boo...

In this powerful episode of Community Conversations / Black Health Wins , host Miss Community Clovia sits down with Dr. Robert Winn, Director of VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center; Dr. Katherine Tossas, Associate Co-Director of Global Oncology; and Suzanne Brown of the Chickahominy Tribe—the catalyst behind the TRUTH Project (Trust, Research, Understand, Tell, Heal). The conversation traces ho...

In this episode of Real Cancer Talk recorded at the annual convening of the Robert A. Winn Excellence in Clinical Trials program, Dr. Robert Winn spoke with Winn CDA Cohort 3 scholars Maliha Nusrat, M.D., M.S. , from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Blessie E. Nelson, M.M.B.B.S., D.M.R.T. , from MD Anderson Cancer Center, about what they see as the most pressing issue in the realm of cli...

In this episode of Real Cancer Talk, Dr. Robert Winn spoke with Dr. Oluwadamilola "Lola" T. Oladeru , Assistant Professor of Radiation Oncology at Mayo Clinic and 2024 Robert A. Winn Excellence in Clinical Trials: Clinical Investigator Leadership Award winner, about the impact she is making in breast cancer and health equity as part of the first class on Winn Career Development Award scholars. Dr....

Dr. Shanita Brown is a speaker, board certified licensed clinical mental health counselor and educator that believes in fostering transformative and empowering dialogue about intimate partner violence, Black women and mental health wellness. With over 15 years of experience in the clinical mental health field, Dr. Brown is carving out an important dimension within counselor education, the Black co...

In this episode of Community Conversations , Miss Community Clovia sits down with Kayla Nixon , public health communicator, cancer survivor, and founder of the Uterine Care Collaborative and Bloom RVA , who shares her deeply personal journey with uterine cancer and the calling it sparked to create change. Kayla opens up about what it means to navigate a reproductive health crisis as a young Black...