In this episode we speak with Roger Royse, a Silicon Valley lawyer and pancreatic cancer patient. Roger shares his experience navigating the healthcare system, discussing his approach to treatment, the emotional challenges he faced, and the insights he gained along the way. He emphasizes the importance of being proactive, questioning assumptions, and seeking multiple medical opinions. Roger also delves into the anger he felt during his experience and how he learned to channel it productively. Throughout the conversation, he offers valuable advice for both patients and their loved ones, highlighting the need for personal responsibility and careful communication.
About our guest
Roger Royse is a startup lawyer in Silicon Valley and a pancreatic cancer patient. Roger was diagnosed with stage 2B pancreatic adenocarcinoma in July 2022 after taking a multi cancer early detection blood test. After 6 months of chemotherapy and surgery and an experimental cancer vaccine, Roger currently has no evidence of disease as of July 2024.
Roger has been active for many years with the Leukemia Lymphoma Society having been its Bay area Man of the Year in 2012 and since his diagnosis has joined the board of the Cancer Patient Lab.org, a non profit dedicated to evidence based therapies and has created a community for cancer therapy technology startups to demo their solutions in person and online at www.cancerstartup.com. Roger has since testified to an FDA Advisory committee on multi cancer early detection and has been featured in many publications including the Wall Street Journal on MCED.
Roger believes in the patient being proactive and taking personal responsibility for their health and being very involved in their treatment decisions based on evidence based treatments.
Key Moments
Roger's Approach to Healthcare
Roger shared his unique approach to dealing with his cancer diagnosis, emphasizing the importance of questioning every assumption and seeking multiple opinions. He described his meticulous preparation for doctor visits, often likening it to cramming for finals, complete with charts and Gantt charts. This rigorous approach, he believes, has been crucial in managing his condition.
Emotional and Psychological Insights
Roger delved into the emotional complexities of living with cancer, discussing the duality of defiance and fear. He emphasized the importance of maintaining a balance between optimism and realism, a mindset he found common among cancer survivors. He also touched on the darker aspects, such as the isolation and the loss of friends within the cancer community.
Advice for Patients and Loved Ones
Roger offered valuable advice for newly diagnosed patients, stressing the need to be proactive and take personal responsibility for lifestyle changes. For loved ones, he advised being supportive without offering unsolicited medical advice and being mindful of their words.
Visit the Manta Cares website
podcast, patient, cancer, doctor, questioning,lawyer, Silicon Valley, technology startups, venture capital, cancer,Stanford, psychology, medicine, pancreatic cancer, Silicon Valley,books, optimistic, cancer diagnosis, survivors, attitude,optimism, realism, acceptance, fight, defiance,scans, gender, support, community, chemo,cancer patients, anger, friends, treatment, doctors,routine, suspicious, judgment, anger, advocate,anger, chemo, therapy, diagnosis, community,medical system, cancer, anger, vigilance, emotions,Machiavellian, anger, support, tools, reframing,pancreatic cancer, mutation, KRAS, BRCA, ELK fusion,liquid biopsy, pancreas cancer, mutations, second opinion, proactive,chemo, targeted therapies, surgery, lifestyle changes, supportive,diagnosed, vaccines, metabolic health, non-standard of care treatments, emotional side
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.
About our guest
Roger Royse is a startup lawyer in Silicon Valley and a pancreatic cancer patient. Roger was diagnosed with stage 2B pancreatic adenocarcinoma in July 2022 after taking a multi cancer early detection blood test. After 6 months of chemotherapy and surgery and an experimental cancer vaccine, Roger currently has no evidence of disease as of July 2024.
Roger has been active for many years with the Leukemia Lymphoma Society having been its Bay area Man of the Year in 2012 and since his diagnosis has joined the board of the Cancer Patient Lab.org, a non profit dedicated to evidence based therapies and has created a community for cancer therapy technology startups to demo their solutions in person and online at www.cancerstartup.com. Roger has since testified to an FDA Advisory committee on multi cancer early detection and has been featured in many publications including the Wall Street Journal on MCED.
Roger believes in the patient being proactive and taking personal responsibility for their health and being very involved in their treatment decisions based on evidence based treatments.
Key Moments
Roger's Approach to Healthcare
Roger shared his unique approach to dealing with his cancer diagnosis, emphasizing the importance of questioning every assumption and seeking multiple opinions. He described his meticulous preparation for doctor visits, often likening it to cramming for finals, complete with charts and Gantt charts. This rigorous approach, he believes, has been crucial in managing his condition.
Emotional and Psychological Insights
Roger delved into the emotional complexities of living with cancer, discussing the duality of defiance and fear. He emphasized the importance of maintaining a balance between optimism and realism, a mindset he found common among cancer survivors. He also touched on the darker aspects, such as the isolation and the loss of friends within the cancer community.
Advice for Patients and Loved Ones
Roger offered valuable advice for newly diagnosed patients, stressing the need to be proactive and take personal responsibility for lifestyle changes. For loved ones, he advised being supportive without offering unsolicited medical advice and being mindful of their words.
Visit the Manta Cares website
podcast, patient, cancer, doctor, questioning,lawyer, Silicon Valley, technology startups, venture capital, cancer,Stanford, psychology, medicine, pancreatic cancer, Silicon Valley,books, optimistic, cancer diagnosis, survivors, attitude,optimism, realism, acceptance, fight, defiance,scans, gender, support, community, chemo,cancer patients, anger, friends, treatment, doctors,routine, suspicious, judgment, anger, advocate,anger, chemo, therapy, diagnosis, community,medical system, cancer, anger, vigilance, emotions,Machiavellian, anger, support, tools, reframing,pancreatic cancer, mutation, KRAS, BRCA, ELK fusion,liquid biopsy, pancreas cancer, mutations, second opinion, proactive,chemo, targeted therapies, surgery, lifestyle changes, supportive,diagnosed, vaccines, metabolic health, non-standard of care treatments, emotional side
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.