Imagine facing a life-threatening disease with no known cure. Now imagine that you are a physician- and the person facing the disease is you. That’s the story David Fajgenbaum tells in his memoir, Chasing My Cure: A Doctor’s Race To Turn Hope Into Action. David battles Castleman disease, a rare disease involving the immune system attacking and shutting down vital organs. Faced with lengthy hospitalizations and multiple near-death relapses, David realized that the best person to find a cure might be himself. In our conversation, David shares what it means to turn hope into action and why sometimes you have to create your own silver linings.
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Show Notes
- How his mom’s battle with brain cancer inspired him to study to become a physician (1:48)
- The realization that something wasn’t right (2:49)
- David’s first near-death experience and searching for a diagnosis (4:30)
- What is Castleman Disease? (5:20)
- The unexpected gift of humor in tough times (6:55)
- How his perspective shifted going from physician to patient (9:40)
- His guiding principle: “Think it. Do it.” (11:46)
- We are all living life in overtime (14:42)
- What’s given him strength to get through five relapses (17:54)
- The search to find his own cure (21:11)
- How his understanding of love changed through his relationship with his now-wife Caitlin (25:46)
- The power in creating your own silver linings (29:07)
- Fear can paralyze; it can also focus. (32:30)
- How we should think differently about innovation (35:30)
- What David has learned about living from nearly dying (38:19)
Resources / People Mentioned
- Chasing My Cure: A Doctor’s Race to Turn Hope into Action by David Fajgenbaum
- Castleman Disease
- The Castleman Disease Collaborative Network
- Georgetown University Football
- Perleman School of Medicine, the University of Pennsylvania
- Actively Moving Forward (AMF)
- Grit by Angela Duckworth
Recommended For You
Did you enjoy this episode? Then listen to:
- Angela Duckworth on Why Gritty People Are More Successful
- Adam Grant on Finding Motivation and Meaning at Work
- Shawn Askinosie on How to Find Your Calling
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