In the more than two years that Eric P. Winer, MD has led the Yale Cancer Center (YCC) and Smilow Cancer Hospital (SCH), he has consistently stressed his commitment to accessibility to cancer care for all. And, in part, that explains his enthusiasm about being the new host and voice of the popular Connecticut Public Radio show Yale Cancer Answers.
“As the cancer center director, I believe that I can contribute to the public’s understanding of cancer risk factors, treatment, and the future of cancer therapy,” said Dr. Winer, whose first guest is the new associate cancer center director for cancer care equity, Tracy Battaglia, MD, MPH. She plans to share her work on how YCC and SCH can begin to resolve health disparities. It airs Sunday, July 21 at 7:30 pm on WNPR.
“We are determined that everyone with cancer who walks through our doors or lives in our community has equal access to cancer care and to the advances provided by research,” Dr. Winer said. “Yale Cancer Answers is an important part of our mission to close those gaps by providing understandable and reliable information about cancer treatment, prevention. survivorship, and much more.”
The weekly show schedule planned for the summer, and into the fall, includes interviews with YCC and Smilow experts from across cancer disciplines. Dr. Winer also plans to broaden the traditional format.
“We want to focus on a range of topics. In addition to speaking with cancer experts, I want to include interviews with people directed affected by cancer—I also plan to include interviews with people directly affected by cancer—patients, family members, and others,” said Dr. Winer, who also is President and Physician-in-Chief of Smilow Cancer Hospital. “Although I have not done radio in the past, I enjoy talking to people, and look forward to bringing their work—and in some cases their personal stories—to the listening public.”
Whether addressing thousands of colleagues at the American Society of Clinical Oncology as its president last year or the cancer center faculty at their monthly meetings, Dr. Winer’s conversational manner evokes the kind of engagement that listeners associate with their favorite podcasts. It’s perhaps not surprising that he also enjoys many podcasts, which are often part of his early morning workout.
“I like a lively format, and I like interviewers who ask probing questions. Sometimes you have to call out the elephant in the room,” Dr. Winer said, noting that he wants the show to be useful to listeners. “It is about conveying information, but there is always room for humor. It helps keep the show lively.”
“We will continue to feature many YCC and Smilow experts, but we will also include appearances from experts at outside institutions. We want to reach out to clinicians and scientists at the cutting edge of treatment and research,” Dr. Winer said.
Yale Cancer Answers, one of the longest running radio programs about cancer, launched in 2006. The half-hour show has logged 832 interviews and averages 4,000 live weekly listeners on WNPR. Many more access it as a post-radio podcast on Apple Podcasts, YouTube Podcasts, and the Yale Cancer Center web site.
Have a question for Dr. Winer? Email to canceranswers@yale.edu