Rad Chat

Trigger Warning: this episode discusses cancer, cancer treatment, blood cancer, breast cancer, childhood cancer and late effects.

Episode 204: Part of the Living With and Beyond Cancer Series (Part 70)

Description: In this powerful episode, Naman Julka-Anderson and Jo McNamara sit down with Jess Synge. Jess is a Radiation Therapist turned industry professional, brining over 20 years of Oncology experience shaped by both her work and her own life story. Her path began at age 15, when a cancer diagnosis sparked her commitment to supporting others through theirs. After many years in clinical practice, she joined Elekta to help improve patient care on a wider scale. Based in Tauranga, New Zealand, Jess lives with her husband and two young boys. In late 2024, she faced a second cancer diagnosis, deepening her empathy and adding a profound layer of insight to her work. She continues to find joy in life’s simple comforts - family, staying active, baking, gardening and home DIY.

This episode is a deep dive into Jess’ childhood cancer, training to become a radiation therapist, role at Elekta and more recently breast cancer.

CPD Reflection Points:
Reflect on your own decisions to become a healthcare professional.
Consider how you could support a colleague or friend who has had a childhood cancer diagnosis.
Consider the long term effects of mantle radiotherapy and understand how you could support someone who experiences these effects.
Complete this form for your accredited digital badge: Digital Badge Form.

Links from the Episode:
Camp Quality Charity
Adolescents and Young Adults - Australian Cancer Plan
Hodgkins Lymphoma
Elekta
Research links from the Episode:
High incidence of late effects found in Hodgkin's lymphoma survivors, following recall for breast cancer screening
A Case Report on Breast Cancer Following Mantle Radiation for Hodgkin Lymphoma: Screening and Management
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Credits: Music and jingle credits: Dr. Ben Potts and Adam Cooke.

Trigger Warning: this episode discusses cancer, cancer treatment, surgical complications and side effects.

Episode 203: Part of the Living With and Beyond Cancer Series (Part 69).

Description: In this powerful episode, Naman Julka-Anderson and Jo McNamara sit down with Dr. Saahil Mehta. 

Saahil is a consultant Plastic Surgeon and founder of Plexaa, is revolutionising surgical outcomes. His research on preconditioning & prehabilitation led to Bloom43, a wearable device & prehabilitation app for breast cancer patients, to help patients empower their preparation for their surgery. Plexaa was recognised as a top innovator in the Medtech Innovator Accelerator program, demonstrating Saahil's commitment to improving patient care.

In this insightful episode, Naman Julka-Anderson and Jo McNamara hear about Saahil’s journey, innovation, Plexaa and Bloom43.

CPD Reflection Points:
How could digital tools (wearables, remote monitoring, AI risk prediction) enhance prehabilitation before breast cancer surgery? Consider how med-tech could track fitness, nutrition, and psychological readiness to improve surgical outcomes.
Patients vary in fitness, comorbidities, and treatment pathways. What data or technologies would you use to design personalised prehabilitation programmes before breast cancer surgery?
If you identified a gap in prehabilitation for breast cancer patients, what steps would you take to translate that clinical problem into a medical technology solution or startup?
Complete this form for your accredited digital badge: Digital Badge Form.

Links from the Episode:
Plexaa Bloom43
Breast Cancer Symptoms Breast Cancer Now
PRosPer module
Research links from the Episode:
Supraphysiological preconditioning
Local Heat Preconditioning in Skin Sparing Mastectomy: A Pilot Study, Mehta S, Rolph R, Cornelius V et al., 2013 
A Randomised Controlled Feasibility Trial to Evaluate Local Heat Preconditioning on Wound Healing After Reconstructive Breast Surgery: The preHEAT Trial. Mehta S, Cro SC, Coomber B et al., 2019
Thermal Preconditioning for Surgery: A Systematic Review
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Credits: Music and jingle credits: Dr. Ben Potts and Adam Cooke.

Trigger Warning: this episode discusses disabilities and life limiting conditions.

Episode 202: Part of the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Series (Part 20)

Description: In this powerful episode, Naman Julka-Anderson and Jo McNamara sit down with Sarah Phillips. Sarah lives with two incurable conditions that shape her daily life. The first is a rare genetic neuromuscular disease caused by the absence of a gene needed to produce the myelin sheath, leaving her with an exceptionally unusual presentation even within a rare disorder. She also has a metabolic condition that causes her body to burn calories at an extreme rate, making it impossible to maintain weight without enteral nutrition and placing her at high risk of refeeding syndrome and related complications. Despite these challenges, she's committed to transforming her experiences into meaningful projects and businesses that support others living with chronic illness and disability.

CPD Reflection Points:
Reflect and consider how your assumptions about “ability,” productivity, or independence shape the way you interact with people living with disabilities or incurable conditions.
Read this article and consider the impact of not being provided reasonable adjustments.
Look up the George ASDA adult adaptive clothing range and consider how you can share this. 
Complete this form for your accredited digital badge: Digital Badge Form.

Links from the Episode:
Hereditary neuropathy with liability to pressure palsies(HNPP)
The British Association for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition(BAPEN)
Demyelinating disease: What can you do about it?
Intermittent Self Catheterisation - Bowel and Bladder Community
Foot drop
Mencap
Money Saving Expert: Critical Illness Cover
Personal Independence Payment(PIP)
Transfer of Undertakings(Protection of Employment)(TUPE)
Natalie Woodward
Research links from the Episode:
Disabled people’s employment in the UK: A thematic review of the literature
The role of workplace accommodations in explaining the disability employment gap in the UK
Enabling inclusion: an analysis of positive and negative outcomes of discretionary work arrangements for employees with disabilities
Disclosing non-visible disabilities in educational workplaces: a scoping review
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Credits: Music and jingle credits: Dr. Ben Potts and Adam Cooke.

Trigger Warning: this episode discusses cancer, cancer screening, breast cancer, health inequalities and lack of access.

Episode 201: Part of the Education and Workforce Development Series (Part 67)

Description: In this powerful episode, Naman Julka-Anderson and Jo McNamara sit down with Hayley Gibson, Hayley Snowden and Sue Ormesher.

Hayley Gibson is the Principal Radiographer for Breast Imaging at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.
With over 21 years of experience as a radiographer, Hayley is the Lead Radiographer for Breast Imaging and has lead initiatives to improve patient care and accessibility. She has a strong passion for addressing health inequalities in breast screening and actively engage with communities to understand barriers preventing attendance. By listening to patients and stakeholders, she works to implement meaningful improvements in the service, ensuring equitable access and better outcomes for all.

Hayley Snowden is the Health Inequalities Programme Manager for the West Yorkshire and Harrogate Cancer Alliance.
Hayley began her career in operational service delivery roles managing healthy community programmes. Hayley joined the Cancer Alliance a little over 4 years ago and has a passion for improving cancer outcomes for those experiencing health inequalities.

Sue Ormesher is the communications and engagement officer for the West Yorkshire and Harrogate Cancer Alliance.
Sue began her career as a journalist on regional newspapers in the North West of England, crossing over into communications for a wide range of public, private and third sector organisations.

This episode is a deep dive into their careers, health inequalities in West Yorkshire & Harrogate and what the cancer alliance is doing to tackle the inequalities.

CPD Reflection Points:
Reflect on and discuss how health inequalities effect the uptake of breast screening of people from deprived backgrounds, people from the global majority, those with disabilities, and individuals with language or health-literacy barriers.
Design a programme of work on how to increase uptake for one or more of these groups.
Using your programme, consider how you could implement this in your area and consider the stakeholders you would need to engage with make it a success.
Complete this form for your accredited digital badge: Digital Badge Form.

Links from the Episode:
You Can Ask Me campaign
OUTPatients Remove the Doubt Campaign Greater Manchester Cancer Alliance
West Yorkshire & Harrogate Cancer Alliance
Deprivation in England checker
Research links from the Episode:
Disparities in Breast Cancer Screening and Diagnosis Among Black Women: A Path Toward Equity
Understanding barriers to breast screening: an online survey of non-attenders as part of a service evaluation in the breast screening programme in England
Healthcare affordability and breast cancer screening uptake: an ecological analysis
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Credits: Music and jingle credits: Dr. Ben Potts and Adam Cooke.

Trigger Warning: this episode discusses cancer, cancer treatment and side effects of cancer treatment.

Episode 200: Part of the Living With and Beyond Cancer Series (Part 68)

Description: In this powerful episode, Naman Julka-Anderson and Jo McNamara talk about radiotherapy side effects, why they happen and tumour site specific 

CPD Reflection Points:
Reflect on your own clinical practice around explaining side effects of treatment to your patients.
Read the prehabilitation for people living with cancer clinical and implementation guidelines and consider how you could introduce prehabiliation for your patients.
Complete this form for your accredited digital badge: Digital Badge Form.

Links from the Episode:
Royal College of Radiologists National Radiotherapy Consent Forms
SECLA Physical Activity Resources
Freedom of Interest Request NHS
PRosPer module
Social prescribing
Research links from the Episode:
Multimodal prehabilitation service for patients with colorectal cancer: the challenges of implementation
A randomized phase III trial of the impact of a structured exercise program on disease-free survival(DFS) in stage 3 or high-risk stage 2 colon cancer: Canadian Cancer Trials Group(CCTG) CO.21(CHALLENGE)
Rad Chat Links:
Rad Chat Website
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Credits: Music and jingle credits: Dr. Ben Potts and Adam Cooke.

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