In this heartfelt episode of The Patient From Hell, host Samira Daswani talks to Jill Massey, a pharmacist and pharma industry veteran whose path through cancer has been both personal and professional. Jill shares her experiences as a caregiver for her sister, mother, and husband—all cancer patients—before becoming a patient herself. They discuss the emotional and practical challenges of navigating caregiving, the complexities of the healthcare system, and how Jill's unique perspective as both a medical professional and a patient shaped her approach to advocacy, treatment decisions, and resilience.
Key Highlights:
- A Personal and Professional Journey: Jill reflects on how her family's battles with cancer shaped her career in the pharmaceutical industry, blending personal empathy with professional expertise.
- Balancing Roles and Emotions: From sibling to spouse to patient, Jill shares the unique emotional dynamics of each role and the coping mechanisms she developed.
- Empowerment Through Knowledge: Jill emphasizes the importance of patient education, advocating for personalized care, and the evolving role of pharmaceutical companies in supporting patient-centric care.
About our guest:
Jill Massey, PharmD, MBA, BCMAS is Vice President, Global Medical Strategy and Operations (GMSO) for Gilead Medical Affairs. In this role, Jill oversees the Patient-focused Implementation Science team, Medical Strategy and Planning, Insights, Data & Analytics and Digital Innovation, Medical Excellence, Medical Affairs Technology, and Scientific Communications including global publications, medical information, medical external affairs and education, and library and information services.
Jill joined Gilead Sciences from Immunomedics where she led the Medical Affairs, Safety and Pharmacovigilance organizations. Prior to that, she led Medical Affairs at Janssen, The Medicines Company and Melinta Therapeutics as well as the Melinta Global Antimicrobial Resistance Program. She began her career in the pharmaceutical industry at Bristol-Myers Squibb Company. Previous to her industry roles, Jill was clinical faculty at the Saint Louis College of Pharmacy, Jewish Hospital and the Program on Aging at Washington University School of Medicine.
Jill is a member of the Board of Directors for the Morris County Chamber of Commerce and serves on the Life Sciences Council Steering Committee. She is a member of the National Advisory Committee for the Robert A. Winn Diversity in Clinical Trials Award Program, a member of the Accreditation Council of Medical Affairs Executive Leadership Board and a member of the Seton Hall University Transformative Leadership Advisory Board.
Jill earned her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Nebraska Medical Center and her MBA from Drexel University LeBow College of Business. She completed a residency at Mercer University School of Pharmacy and Emory University. She is Board Certified by ACMA.
Jill loves running, baking and spending time with her two kids, Maddie and Alex, and her loved ones, sometimes including her two dogs and cat.
Key Moments:
At 2 minutes: "I’m a healthcare provider. I’m a pharmacist by training. So oncology was always something I knew about, learned about, but it became personal...when, like probably a lot of other people, cancer hits your family."
At 6 minutes: "When my husband was diagnosed, I had been in this position before of having a family member go through this journey. So to me, I just looked at it like, here we go again. This is another journey we’re on. We’ll get through it, past it, whatever you think. But when I was diagnosed...it hit me that these babies could lose both their parents."
At 50 minutes: "Educate yourself. I would say, even though I remember my physician telling me ...‘Don’t Google it.’ That’s the first thing she said. That’s the first thing I did. And I wish I had asked the question differently when I Googled it...‘Where should I look for information on this?’"
Disclaimer: All content and information provided in connection with Manta Cares is solely intended for informational and educational purposes only. This content and information is not intended to be a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
YouTube Tags: Cancer caregiving challenges, Pharmacist cancer survivor story, Navigating cancer diagnosis, Oncology patient advocacy, Personalized cancer treatment, Role of caregivers in cancer, Pharmaceutical industry, Breast cancer patient advice, Empowering cancer patients