Madison Reporter

Joshua Wright, an outreach coordinator with the UW Carbone Cancer Center’s Cancer Health Disparities Initiative, is working to connect with medically underserved communities in Wisconsin about cancer risks and prevention. Wright and his team focus on people who are often underrepresented in cancer research and who face barriers when seeking health care.

By building relationships and listening to community members, the initiative aims to provide health information that is relevant to each audience. “I start with listening,” Wright said. “Listening is about building trust, and so if a person feels heard and believed and validated in their experience, they’re in a place to say, ‘OK, I hear you because you heard me,’ and we can move forward in having a collaborative discussion.”

To extend this outreach, Wright hosts a podcast called Cancer Clear and Simple. Now in its second season, the podcast features interviews with cancer patients discussing their treatment experiences as well as conversations with health professionals and advocates on cancer trends, research developments, and efforts to improve health equity.

The initiative targets communities shown by data to have higher rates of cancer. In Wisconsin, these include rural populations as well as African American, Latinx, American Indian, Hmong, and LGBTQ+ groups. Research indicates that these populations experience lower screening rates for cancer due to factors such as economic stability, education access, healthcare availability, living environment, and social support systems. These challenges contribute to higher diagnosis rates and mortality from cancer.

The podcast draws on an educational curriculum developed at UW called Cancer Clear and Simple. Its three main points are explaining the basics of cancer in plain language; discussing how healthy lifestyle choices can reduce risk; and describing different types of cancer screenings.

Wright noted that while the podcast educates the community about cancer prevention and care options, it also gives healthcare providers insight into patient experiences. He interviews both patients and medical professionals to highlight personal stories behind research efforts.

“That’s part of my role at Carbone, to be a liaison, being able to translate what’s going on in research and be a bridge to the community,” Wright said.

Episodes of Cancer Clear and Simple are available on major streaming platforms including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music as well as Carbone’s YouTube channel.