Sean Wachter's life is a remarkable narrative of resilience, determination, and transformation. After overcoming a life-changing accident, Sean faced a grueling health battle that led to the discovery of a golf ball-sized lesion in his cerebellum. Despite a challenging journey through misdiagnosis and the eventual confrontation with Stage 4 melanoma, including brain metastases and leptomeningeal disease, Sean's spirit remained unbroken.

An accomplished former two-sport collegiate athlete and professional football player, Sean has channeled his relentless energy into professional wrestling, turning it into a platform for raising awareness and funds for cancer research. His return to the ring is not just a personal triumph but also a powerful gesture of defiance against his medical challenges.

Beyond the ring, Sean's endeavors extend to significant charitable work. He collaborates with notable organizations like The V Foundation, the Melanoma Research Alliance, and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, contributing to brand awareness and fundraising efforts. His journey is a poignant reminder of the power of resilience and the profound impact one can have in the face of adversity.

Sean's story, highlighted by his remarkable return to professional wrestling, is a testament to the strength of the human spirit. He embodies the essence of not just surviving but thriving, inspiring countless others with his journey.

Sean Wachter, patient advocate

Joy Rios, MBA, stands as a distinguished Health IT strategist and a recognized expert in value-based care payment models. Celebrated for her pioneering spirit, Joy was awarded the 2023 HIMSS Changemaker of the Year award for her significant contributions to women in health IT, underscoring her commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in the healthcare sector. 

As founder and host of the "HIT Like a Girl" podcast, and the Like a Girl Media agency, Joy is dedicated to elevating diverse voices and advancing DEI initiatives within healthcare. Her expertise not only bridges gaps between health and technology but also champions the creation of equitable healthcare environments.

Joy Rios, patient advocate and podcast host

Megan-Claire Chase, aka Warrior Megsie, is a patient advocate and breast cancer survivor from Atlanta, Georgia. Her blog, Life on the Cancer Train, is famous for being authentic, raw, and informative, with a twist of humor, where she shares her experiences of being a young adult cancer survivor while advocating for better treatments and resources. The blog is syndicated on Cancer Health Magazine's website. Megan-Claire is a highly sought-after blogger and influencer in the cancer community nationally and internationally.

In 2023, Megan-Claire was featured in Stories from the Stage episode "Beyond Cancer," which aired on PBS and World Channel. Currently serves on Bayer Oncology's Digital Patient Council, and the Oncology Data Advisory Editorial Board, and is a Board Member for the LYTE Foundation. She hosts two podcasts, The Other Side of Cancer and Our BC Life, and ongoing collaborations with Teen Cancer America to create inclusive content for social media and patient-facing collateral.

Megan-Claire co-authored abstracts and presented posters, including Genetic Testing in Metastatic Breast Cancer in the USA: A Podcast | Oncology and Therapy (springer.com), and The Impact of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer in Black Women at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium in 2023, and "You don't really have a say in anything...like you don't have any options": AYA Cancer Survivors' Perspectives on Fertility Preservation Conversations with Healthcare Providers presented at the 16th Annual American Psychosocial Oncology Society (APOS) in 2019 and accepted for a Poster Symposia II: Sexual and Reproductive Health oral presentation at the annual meeting of the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine and published in the medical journal Psycho-Oncology.

Megan-Claire's work is featured in several publications, including Cancer Health, Cancer Today, CURE Magazine, Count Me In, Everyday Health, Elephants and Tea, Dating Roo (UK), Voyage ATL, Humor Beats Cancer, IHadCancer.com, RETHINK Cancer, Pharmaphorum (UK), and WebMD.
Blog: Life on the Cancer Train at www.warriormegsie.com
Social Media Links:
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/warriormegsie/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/warriormegsie
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/megan-claire-chase/
Other Links to Projects/Articles:

Stories from the Stage on PBS and World Channel episode: Beyond Cancer Watch here.

Cancer Health magazine: You Can’t Escape Race in Cancer Read here.
Oncology Data Advisor: AYA Cancer Awareness Week: Creating Welcoming Spaces for Support and Advocacy With Dr. Lauren Ghazal, Megan-Claire Chase, and Allison Rosen Listen here.

The Patient Story: Megan-Claire's Breast Cancer Story: My Symptoms Were VERY Different Watch here 

Pfizer: Genetic Testing in Metastatic Breast Cancer in the USA: A Podcast | Oncology and Therapy (springer.com)


Megan-Claire Chase, Patient Advocate.

Melanie Brooks is the author of the memoir A Hard Silence: One daughter remaps family, grief, and faith when HIV/AIDS changes it all (Vine Leaves Press, 2023) and Writing Hard Stories: Celebrated Memoirists Who Shaped Art from Trauma (Beacon Press, 2017) She teaches creative nonfiction in the M.F.A. program at Bay Path University and in the M.F.A. program at Western Connecticut State University and professional writing at Northeastern University. She holds an M.F.A. in Creative Nonfiction from the University of Southern Maine’s Stonecoast writing program and a Certificate in Narrative Medicine from Columbia University. She has had numerous interviews and essays on topics ranging from loss and grief to parenting and aging published in the The Boston Globe, HuffPost, Yankee Magazine, Psychology Today, The Washington Post, Ms. Magazine, Creative Nonfiction, and other notable publications. She lives in New Hampshire with her husband, two children (when they are home from university), and chocolate Lab.

Website: https://www.melaniebrooks.com/

‘A Hard Silence’ book from: https://shorturl.at/uHFLS

Melanie Brooks, Author & Patient Advocate

David E. Montgomery is a board-certified cardiologist focusing on preventing heart disease at PREventClinic in Atlanta, where he is the founder and managing partner. Dr. Dave is also a sought-after TV personality, frequently appearing as a medical contributor on CNN/HLN and NewsNation.
 
Dr. Dave was selected by his peers in Atlanta Magazine’s Top Doctors in 2022.
 
Dr. Dave is the host of the web series, The Good Doctor TV, and the podcast, The Health Mastery Café with Dr. Dave.
 
He believes that mass media and social media can play a key role in enhancing people's health everywhere. 
 
Weblinks:
YouTube: youtube.com/TheHealthMasteryCafe
Practice website:  https://www.preventatl.com

David Montgomery, cardiologist, and founder of PREventClinic, Atlanta.

Tina M. Baxter, an advanced practice registered nurse and board certified gerontological nurse practitioner based in Anderson, Indiana, has over 20 years of experience as a registered nurse and 16 years as a nurse practitioner. She owns Baxter Professional Services, LLC, specializing in legal nurse consulting, wellness coaching, and healthcare educational resources. Tina hosts a weekly Facebook live program, teaches stress management, and offers virtual classes. She founded The Nurse Shark Academy to mentor nurses in business, and is a certified small business advisor with LegalShield. She's a frequent speaker and contributor to various media outlets. Currently, Tina works at Adult and Child Health focusing on mental health for adults and geriatric patients. She has a Master of Nursing and post-master's certification from the University of Indianapolis, and serves on multiple boards and associations.

Social Media Links
https://linktr.ee/baxterprofserv

Tina M. Baxter, Founder of The Nurse Shark Academy

Dr Sondra Butterworth is a visionary leader and advocate for equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI). Sondra’s work is particularly focused on inequalities within health and social care sectors for rare disease patients and communities in the global majority (ethnic minority). 
 
As a British born black black woman, with Afro-Caribbean roots tracing back to St. Kitts, Sondra's parents moved to the UK as part of the Windrush generation.  They instilled in Sondra a strong work ethic, and a sense of resilience, community empowerment, and a passion for humanitarian work.
 
As one of the very few black Community Psychologists in the UK, Sondra brings her expertise in mixed-methods research, education, and EDI to lead groundbreaking initiatives like EDIRA (Equality, Diversity, and Inclusive Research Association) EDIRA Academy: which is an online platform for learning and networking, RCNet (RareQoL Community Network) and MELD (Minority Ethnic Leadership Development). Sondra's work has impacted countless individuals by advancing initiatives to improve health equity and address barriers to inclusion. 
 
Sondra was recently recognized with the prestigious Best DEI Social Enterprise Founder 2024 (UK) title by the Global CEO Excellence Awards, solidifying her role as a trailblazer in DEI and social enterprise leadership. This award celebrates her tireless dedication to building more inclusive frameworks within research, healthcare, and social services. RareQoL Consulting offers consultancy services to not-for-profit organizations, healthcare providers, and the pharmaceutical industry. 
 
 
Celebrating the ‘Doers’ Event
 
Join Us at ‘Celebrating the Doers’ Event – November 7, 2025
Dr. Butterworth and EDIRA Partners will host the ‘Celebrating the Doers’ event on November 7, 2025, at the University of Birmingham, UK. This event, a hallmark of EDIRA's mission, shines a spotlight on individuals and organizations that are actively driving positive change in research and social care. Attendees will have the opportunity to engage with EDI professionals, policymakers, and community leaders to discuss best practices, celebrate achievements, and network with others passionate about inclusion.
 
For more information about Dr Sondra Butterworth and her groundbreaking work with RareQoL and EDIRA, or to attend the ‘Celebrating the Doers’ event, visit EDIRA. https://rareqol.com/edira-2/
 
Consultancy Services
 
Sondra’s ability to understand the complex dynamics of diversity and inclusion has made her a sought-after consultant, known for her clear, actionable strategies.
Whether your organization is looking to improve its EDI framework, engage in inclusive research, or develop leadership programs, Dr. Butterworth is ready to provide support that drives real, lasting change. Get in touch today to discover how her consultancy services can help your organization achieve its goals.
For more details on how Dr. Sondra Butterworth can support your organization, visit https://rareqol.com/rareqol-consulting/



Sondra Butterworth, CEO & Founder of RareQoL and EDIRA

Rucha Shah attained her Master of Science degree in Clinical Research Organization and Management from the Drexel University School of Medicine in Philadelphia, PA. She further completed certificate coursework in Advancing Health Equity from ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group and Research Advocacy Network as well as certificate coursework in Artificial Intelligence in Pharma and Biotech from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Currently, Ms. Shah works as a clinical research project manager within the oncology space, an area in which she has a decade of experience. She has proven experience in managing study teams and study sites as well as working collaboratively with various functional teams to meet study deliverables.

Additionally, Ms. Shah’s passion lies in advocating for accessible healthcare and improving health outcomes for the broader patient community, especially the next generation of patients.  Currently, Ms. Shah leads an advocacy group for patients and caregivers at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and the Hospital of University of Pennsylvania. She also collaborates with like-minded organizations and pharmaceutical companies on bringing forth initiatives which make meaningful connections within the disease community, improve the quality of life for patients and to increase awareness within the larger community. She strives to apply the "lessons learned" from her patient advocacy experiences to her professional work by building the trials to be more patient centric and accessible.

Recent Works: Woolford T, Andemariam B, Blaylark R, Colasanti R, Shah N, Jonassaint C, Trimnell C, Sheth S, Davis J, Gallagher E, Zaidi AU, John H, Shah R. Setting Industry Standards for Patient Engagement, Partnership and Care: The Patient Vision Project. Poster and Oral presentation at NORD. October 16, 2023. Washington DC, USA.


Rucha Shah, Clinical Research Manager & Advocate

Jill Wener, MD is a board-certified Internist, certified EFT/tapping practitioner and trainer, anti-racism educator, DEI consultant, trauma specialist, allyship coach, expert in physician wellness, and Co-Founder and Partner at Conscious Anti-Racism, LLC. She is also a proudly anti-Zionist Jew, and is dedicated to fighting for freedom for people of all identities. 

Jill is passionate about helping people take responsibility for their problems and teaching them practical, easy, rewarding, and trauma-informed tools to take self-improvement to the next level. Jill is the co-creator of the CME-accredited Conscious Anti-Racism training programs, the host of the Conscious Anti-Racism podcast, and the co-author of the best-selling Conscious Anti-Racism book. She has created CME-accredited EFT/tapping and meditation courses. 

Jill has worked with clients such as Georgia Aquarium, Yale University, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, Seattle Children’s Hospital, Centene, Santa Clara Medical Society, Rush University Medical Center, ChenMed, the Pittsburgh Business Group on Health, Emory University, Atkins Global, and the National Alliance for Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions. 

You can connect with her on Instagram and LinkedIN @jillwenerMD, as well as on her website www.jillwener.com.


Jill Wener, Board-certified Internist, Partner at Conscious Anti-Racism.

Susannah Fox is a health and technology strategist. Her book, Rebel Health: A Field Guide to the Patient-Led Revolution in Medical Care, was recently published by MIT Press. She is a former Chief Technology Officer for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, where she led an open data and innovation lab. She has served as the entrepreneur-in-residence at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and she directed the health portfolio at the Pew Research Center’s Internet Project.

Susannah Fox, author, health and technology strategist

The Health Design Podcast brought to you by the Journal of Health Design(www.journalofhealthdesign.com). Features interviews with the world's leading health design experts including clinicians, designers, patients, authors and researchers. Better health by design.

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