Ep 79: Navigating Life's Curveballs - From Caregiver to Cancer Survivor-The Patient from Hell Podcast
In this deeply personal episode of The Patient From Hell, host Samira Daswani sits down with Jill Massey, a seasoned pharmacist and pharmaceutical industry leader whose experience with cancer spans both her professional and personal life. Jill opens up about her journey as a caregiver—supporting her sister, mother, and husband through their cancer diagnoses—before facing the disease herself. Their conversation touches on the emotional complexities of caregiving, the challenges of navigating the healthcare system, and how Jill’s unique perspective as both a medical professional and a patient has shaped her advocacy, decision-making, and resilience.
Key Highlights:
- Merging Personal and Professional Experience: Jill shares how her family’s experiences with cancer influenced her career in the pharmaceutical industry, allowing her to approach patient care with both expertise and deep empathy.
- Navigating Multiple Roles: From caregiver to patient, Jill discusses the emotional shifts that come with each role and the coping strategies that helped her through.
- Knowledge as Empowerment: She highlights the importance of patient education, advocating for individualized care, and the evolving role of the pharmaceutical industry in prioritizing patient-centric solutions.
About Our Guest:
Jill Massey, PharmD, MBA, BCMAS, is the Vice President of Global Medical Strategy and Operations (GMSO) at Gilead Medical Affairs. In this role, she leads key initiatives in patient-focused implementation science, medical strategy, digital innovation, scientific communications, and medical education.
Before joining Gilead, Jill held leadership positions at Immunomedics, Janssen, The Medicines Company, and Melinta Therapeutics, where she spearheaded medical affairs programs and played a pivotal role in global antimicrobial resistance initiatives. She began her pharmaceutical career at Bristol-Myers Squibb and previously served as clinical faculty at Saint Louis College of Pharmacy, Jewish Hospital, and Washington University School of Medicine’s Program on Aging.
Beyond her corporate and academic contributions, Jill serves on several advisory boards, including the Life Sciences Council Steering Committee and the National Advisory Committee for the Robert A. Winn Diversity in Clinical Trials Award Program. She also sits on the Board of Directors for the Morris County Chamber of Commerce.
Jill earned her Doctor of Pharmacy from the University of Nebraska Medical Center and an MBA from Drexel University’s LeBow College of Business. She completed her residency at Mercer University School of Pharmacy and Emory University and holds Board Certification from the Accreditation Council of Medical Affairs.
Outside of work, Jill enjoys running, baking, and spending quality time with her two children, Maddie and Alex, as well as her beloved pets—including two dogs and a 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.
This episode is sponsored by Gilead Oncology. Gilead had no involvement or input in the podcast content. Gilead Oncology is working to transform how cancer is treated. We are innovating with next-generation therapies, combinations, and technologies to deliver improved outcomes for people with cancer. From antibody drug conjugates and small molecules to cell therapy-based approaches, our portfolio and pipeline assets are creating new possibilities for people with cancer.
