David Fajgenbaum turns hope into action
Brian Mastroianni interviews Dr. David Fajgenbaum, the author of the best-selling memoir, "Chasing My Cure: A Doctor's Race to Turn Hope Into Action," a member of the faculty at the University of Pennsylvania, and the Co-Founder and President of the Castleman Disease Collaborative Network. David also co-leads Every Cure, a nonprofit drug development organization focused on advancing repurposed treatments.
He has been both patient and caregiver, taking his experiences over the past 13 years to inform his work as a rare disease advocate and innovator, working to find ways to unlock the potential of existing drugs and repurpose them as new treatment solutions. Back in 2010, when he was a third-year medical student, he became critically ill.
David was diagnosed with Castleman disease -- a rare immune disorder. He nearly died five times. At one point, he was even read his last rites in the hospital.
How did he turn his hope into action, and what can we learn from his story to work together to help build healthier societies for everyone?
Listen to the episode on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.