Exploring New Territory - A Conversation with Dr. Mary Birdsall
Dr. Mary Birdsall didn’t see herself getting anal cancer, and neither did her physician colleagues. As a GYN specializing in IVF she found herself, not the expert, but the “man on the street.” In this interview, she speaks frankly and passionately about her own struggle to have her symptoms taken seriously and her commitment to agitate for primary and secondary prevention. She shares of how deeply troubling the diagnosis was and how isolated she felt. “You’re not the person who’s supposed to get this,” was her GI doctor’s response. She explores the disservice this lack of awareness does to women and speaks hopefully of her dreams for the future. “I wish for anal cancer to be entirely prevented much like the trajectory for cervical cancer because we have the knowledge and the tools we just need to implement them.”
Dr. Birdsall created ACSSA, Anal Cancer Support Services Aotearoa https://www.analcancer.co.nz/who-we-are to serve anal cancer and pre-cancer patients in New Zealand and Australia.
Going Viral - No one should die from embarrassment
How do you find a disease that no one is looking for?
This podcast explores the conundrum of anal cancer and pre-cancer; an HPV-related disease that is misunderstood and often misdiagnosed. The anus is a topic that we don’t talk about…perhaps because this part of our body creates an odd sense of uncleanliness, taboo, and shame. Our podcast will be frank, practical discussions with international medical experts, patients and advocates. We will break through the shame, blame, and denial, and bring awareness to anal cancer and pre-cancer, ultimately saving lives! Please join us for 25 minutes of stimulating, interesting, factual, and life-changing discussion on anal canal and precancer sponsored by IANS (the International Anal Neoplasia Society)!
- No. of episodes: 9
- Latest episode: 2024-05-05
- Health & Fitness Medicine Sexuality
Where can you listen?
