The Cancer Project

The Cancer Project The Cancer Project Podcast tells the stories of the people and events shaping the world of cancer.

We feature guests including patients, doctors, researchers, business leaders, politicians, and more who are impacting cancer diagnosis and treatment.

09/09/2026

Ever since Valentina Prince was a little girl, she had big dreams of turning her love and passion for animals into being a veterinarian. After receiving her undergraduate at the University of Maryland, Valentina took a gap year before being accepted into veterinarian school in Canada.

Ten, a few months before her first semester she felt an itch in her breast. The itch quickly turned into finding a lump and the process of imaging, a mammogram, and a biopsy at twenty-three years old.

In this short, Valentina discusses the difficulty she had trying to find a center that could do her biopsy without a two to three week wait. Valentina shares how her parents move to Houston was an even bigger blessing than they ever could have imagined when her dad’s new boss was best friends with an oncologist at MD Anderson that was able to see Valentina the very next week.

Upon hearing the confirmation of the diagnosis, Valentina speaks about her initial wave of shock and denial, insisting that she was still going to veterinarian school in the Fall. After chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiation, and surgery, we are delighted to share Valentina just began her second year of veterinarian school at MSU College of Veterinary Medicine and Veterinary Medical Center . We are so proud and happy for you Valentina, we know you are going to be an amazing veterinarian soon!

Twenty-three year old Valentina Prince was preparing to start veterinarian school in the fall when she experienced a sud...
09/08/2026

Twenty-three year old Valentina Prince was preparing to start veterinarian school in the fall when she experienced a sudden itch in her breast. Valentina thought nothing of it until she felt a new lump in her breast. She quickly made an appointment to have it looked at and suddenly found herself receiving a mammogram and being told this mass looks very abnormal and you need to schedule a biopsy as soon as possible. After difficulty finding a facility that could see her soon, her dad’s new job in Houston connected her to an oncologist that diagnosed her with stage three breast cancer.

Valentina quickly began treatment at MD Anderson as the cancer had already spread to her lymph nodes. She received sixteen rounds of intensive chemotherapy, and jokingly referred to it as her “strawberry margarita” while trying to take a positive approach to treatment, determined to one day achieve her dream of becoming a veterinarian. In addition to chemotherapy, Valentina received immunotherapy, radiation, and had surgery as a part of her treatment plan. She shares honest details about the many complications she had throughout treatment including allergic reactions, burns from radiation, and lymphedema.

After completing her intensive and exhausting treatment, Valentina rang the bell and spoke about the tidal wave of emotions she felt. She provides insight into what she wished she knew before undergoing treatment and her advice and mindset to those who are just beginning their cancer battle. Today, Valentina is cancer free and in her second year of veterinarian school at Michigan State University, continuing her dream of becoming what she affectionately refers to as a ‘dogtor’.

09/05/2026

AI is changing the way we work in medicine, but according to Dr. Ali Fatemi, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s going to replace doctors, medical physicists, or other healthcare professionals.

Instead, AI can help take on repetitive tasks, process information faster, and give medical professionals more time to focus on what makes them truly valuable: asking the right questions, connecting the dots, solving complex problems, and thinking creatively.

For cancer care, that could mean helping researchers and clinicians move faster while still keeping people at the center of the process. The goal isn’t to replace human expertise, it’s to give that expertise better tools.

Dr. Fatemi shares his perspective on how AI could redefine what it means to be an expert and where he believes technology can take medicine next.

09/04/2026

Please join us in wishing our wonderful host David Raubach a very happy birthday!

While it sometimes may require more than one take (or several) to get the video just right, the passion you bring to helping educate and provide community for cancer patients and their loved ones everywhere is unmatched.

Thank you for dedicating your time and energy to give a platform for those affected by cancer and sharing their stories every day. Happy birthday David, we couldn’t do this without you!

-The Cancer Project Family

What exactly does a medical physicist do, and how does their work impact a cancer patient's treatment? On this episode o...
09/03/2026

What exactly does a medical physicist do, and how does their work impact a cancer patient's treatment? On this episode of The Cancer Project Podcast, we sit down with Dr. Ali Fatemi, a board-certified medical physicist specializing in radiation therapy and MRI physics, to explore the technology and people working behind the scenes of modern cancer care.

Dr. Fatemi breaks down how medical physicists help ensure radiation treatments are delivered safely and accurately, and explains why MRI could play an increasingly important role in radiation therapy, particularly proton therapy. We also discuss the potential of combining MRI and proton therapy to better identify tumors and deliver highly precise treatment.

The conversation also looks toward the future of cancer care and artificial intelligence. Dr. Fatemi shares why he believes AI won't simply replace doctors and medical physicists, but instead could change how they work, accelerate research, and give medical professionals more time to focus on solving complex problems. He also discusses the importance of validating and carefully testing new technology before it reaches patients.

Finally, Dr. Fatemi shares his journey from Iran to Canada and the United States, his transition from researcher to clinical medical physicist and entrepreneur, and his passion for taking innovative ideas out of the laboratory and bringing them into the clinic where they can ultimately make a difference for patients.

To hear the full conversation please visit the link in our bio.

09/02/2026

As Elissa received chemotherapy treatment for her metastatic breast cancer, she received countless thoughtful gifts from loved ones such as candles and blankets. Although she felt very loved and greatly appreciated the items, she couldn’t help but wonder if there was an easier way to let her loved ones know what items would fit her exact needs while receiving treatment.

Then Elissa asked herself: we use registries to help loved ones during celebratory times such as weddings and baby showers, why not during times of need such as a health battle? This question inspired the creation of the first ever registry designed for cancer patients, wegotthis.org.

This site allows cancer patients to create a registry of needed or wanted items that would fill specific needs as they navigate various treatments on their health journey. It also takes away the fatigue for the cancer patient of answering loved ones individually when they ask how they can help. Supporters can purchase items from the registry, donate directly to the patient, and even educate themselves in the resource tab.

To learn more or donate, please visit their site at wegotthis.org!

Elissa Kalver is not one for sugarcoating. She speaks openly and honestly about her metastatic breast cancer and that on...
09/02/2026

Elissa Kalver is not one for sugarcoating. She speaks openly and honestly about her metastatic breast cancer and that one day, it might take her life. Elissa also speaks candidly about what it means to fight for yourself and questions is surviving really living? She has embraced the title of “thriver” rather than the traditional “survivor” because she’s experienced both and is passionate about the difference.

Join us for the newest episode of The Cancer Project with Elissa Kalver as she speaks about her cancer diagnosis, formation of wegotthis.org, and her mindset as a cancer thriver! Please visit our bio to watch the full episode, "Redefining What It Means To ‘Beat Cancer’ with Elissa Kalver”.

09/01/2026

In this short, metastatic breast cancer thriver Elissa Kalver shares her diagnosis journey and how her knowledge of cancer has changed, and the perspective it has given her.

“Cancer is not one thing. Breast cancer is not one thing. Even metastatic breast cancer isn’t one thing. It’s literally a fingerprint. I realize how amazing it is to have this knowledge of understanding how different we are, and I feel like that’s enhanced my life.”

In her episode, Elissa speaks passionately about how each cancer journey is unique like a fingerprint and how the cancer community has changed her life and even helped inspire her free cancer patient registry site wegotthis.org. To hear the full conversation about thriving with metastatic cancer, Elissa’s everyday mindset, and wegotthis.org, please visit our bio!

As we welcome September, let's recap our August episodes and the five amazing guests who joined The Cancer Project! We a...
08/31/2026

As we welcome September, let's recap our August episodes and the five amazing guests who joined The Cancer Project! We are so grateful for their time and willingness to share their journey with us!

A Loved One’s Glioblastoma Diagnosis: The Journey Of A Caregiver with Peyton Washington

Brachytherapy, Prostate Cancer, & Interventional Oncology with Dr. Ajay Bhatnagar

The Mission Of Courage Tees: Shirts Designed For Comfort During Cancer Treatment with Katie VanArnam and Casey Glazer

From Cancer Care Leader To MDS Blood Cancer Patient with James Williams

Redefining What It Means To ‘Beat Cancer’ with Elissa Kalver

Thank you again to our wonderful guests for so altruistically sharing their time and testimonies with us, it is our honor to help create a community in the cancer space!

To learn more about each episode, swipe for a brief summary and visit our bio for links to watch the full episodes!

On this inspiring episode of perseverance and strength, we are joined by metastatic breast cancer thriver Elissa Kalver....
08/31/2026

On this inspiring episode of perseverance and strength, we are joined by metastatic breast cancer thriver Elissa Kalver. Despite no family history of breast cancer, a sudden lump in her breast prompted Elissa to go to the doctor. Elissa shares with The Cancer Project how quickly she had to move from step to step of mammogram, ultrasound, and biopsy. She provides an honest and sincere glimpse into the day she received her metastatic prognosis and the treatment plan that would follow. During her diagnosis, she was shocked to see more spots in her liver than in her breast as her husband hyperventilated into a paper bag next to her.

As Elissa tackled her eight rounds of chemotherapy, she received many gifts of candles, blankets, and meals. She shares that while those gifts were extremely thoughtful from her loved ones, the items weren’t things she actually needed and began to brainstorm a way to benefit both the patient and supporters who desperately want to help their loved one through this journey. Elissa quickly landed on a registry where cancer patients could curate a list of things they need during treatment. Registries are used to celebrate things such as weddings and baby showers, why not to help with the bad times and not just the good times?

From this idea, wegotthis.org was born. The first ever registry designed for cancer patients that provides one space for them to outline all their needs for loved ones asking how they can help. This site takes away the guessing game from the supporters while also not fatiguing the cancer patient from constantly having to think of what they need each time a loved one asks. Supporters can purchase items from their listed registry, collect donations, and streamline the process of how to help.

In addition to creating wegothis.org, Elissa is an active advocate for cancer patients. She speaks honestly about her journey with metastatic cancer and why she prefers the term thriver instead of survivor. Elissa is both an informative and humorous voice on social media, continuing to help build communities and share resources for all those affected with cancer. Make sure to join us for her candid and educational episode linked in our bio!

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