Listen to this powerful interview with Dr. David Fajgenbaum who has an incredible new memoir, "Chasing My Cure: A Doctor's Race to Turn Hope into Action". David’s story is truly unique; it’s a tale of learning to live, while dying: a universally relatable story about getting up and fighting back after life knocks you down.

A former Georgetown quarterback nicknamed "The Beast," David Fajgenbaum was also a force in medical school, where he was known for his unmatched mental stamina. But things changed dramatically when he began suffering from inexplicable fatigue. In a matter of weeks, his organs were failing and he was read his last rites. Doctors were baffled over a condition they had yet to even diagnose; floating in and out of consciousness, Fajgenbaum prayed for the equivalent of a game day overtime: a second chance.

Miraculously, Fajgenbaum survived, but only to endure repeated near-death relapses from what would eventually be identified as a form of Castleman disease—an extremely deadly and rare condition that acts like a cross between cancer and an autoimmune disorder. When he relapsed on the only drug in development and realized that the medical community was unlikely to make progress in time to save his life, Fajgenbaum turned his desperate hope for a cure into concrete action: between hospitalizations he studied his own charts and tested his own blood samples, looking for clues that could unlock a new treatment. With the help of family, friends and mentors, he also reached out to other Castleman disease patients and physicians, and eventually came up with an ambitious plan to crowdsource the most promising research questions and recruit world- class researchers to tackle them; instead of waiting for the scientific stars to align, he proposed to align them himself.

More than five years later and now married to his college sweetheart, his hard work has paid off: a treatment that he identified has induced a tentative remission and his novel approach to collaborative scientific inquiry has become a blueprint for advancing rare disease research. His incredible story demonstrates the potency of hope, and what can happen when forces of determination, love, family, faith and serendipity collide.

David Fajgenbaum, MD, MBA, MSc is one of the youngest individuals to be appointed to the faculty at Penn Medicine. Co- founder and executive director of the Castleman Disease Collaborative Network (CDCN) and an NIH-funded physician- scientist, he has dedicated his life to discovering new treatments and cures for deadly disorders like Castleman disease, which he was diagnosed with during medical school. He is in the top 1 percent youngest grant awardees of an R01, one of the most competitive and sought-after grants in all of biomedical research. Dr. Fajgenbaum has been recognized on the Forbes 30 Under 30 healthcare list, as a top healthcare leader by Becker's Hospital Review, and one of the youngest people ever elected as a Fellow of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia, the nation's oldest medical society. He was one of three recipients – including Vice President Joe Biden – of a 2016 Atlas Award from the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia.

Order "Chasing My Cure" at bookstores nationwide or at http://www.chasingmycure.com/

Business Leadership Series Intro and Outro music provided by Just Off Turner: https://music.apple.com/za/album/the-long-walk-back/268386576

Derek Champagne talks with Enes Kanter Freedom. Enes is a human rights activist, NBA star, Nobel Peace Prize nominee, and NY Times Best Selling author of the book: In The Name of Freedom.

summary

In this conversation, Ennis Cantor-Freedom shares his remarkable journey from a childhood in Turkey, where he faced societal pressures to hate, to becoming a prominent NBA player and a human rights activist. He discusses the challenges he faced in speaking out against injustices, particularly regarding the treatment of Uyghurs in China, and the personal sacrifices he made, including estrangement from his family and the threat to his safety. Through his story, he emphasizes the importance of empathy, the responsibility of influential figures, and the need to educate the next generation about human rights and social justice.

takeaways

• Ennis Cantor-Freedom's journey from Turkey to the NBA is marked by a commitment to human rights.
• He faced societal pressures to hate America but chose to embrace understanding instead.
• His family's support played a crucial role in shaping his values.
• The NBA provided a platform for him to speak out against injustices.
• He faced severe consequences for his activism, including threats to his family.
• Empathy is a key theme in his message to the world.
• He encourages others to use their platforms for social justice.
• The importance of educating the next generation about human rights is emphasized.
• He believes that silence in the face of injustice is complicity.
• His story illustrates the power of individual choices in the fight for freedom.

Chapters

00:00
Introduction to Ennis Cantor-Freedom

01:18
Childhood in Turkey: A Journey of Understanding

06:45
Transition to America: First Impressions and Cultural Adjustments

11:23
NBA Career: From Draft to Stardom

13:21
Activism Begins: Standing Up for Human Rights

16:51
Consequences of Activism: Family and Personal Sacrifices

18:52
Living Under Threat: The Interpol List and Travel Restrictions

20:58
The Threat of Violence and Personal Safety

22:22
Joining the Boston Celtics: A New Chapter

24:04
Awakening to Human Rights Issues

25:47
Using Basketball as a Platform for Activism

29:05
The Cost of Speaking Out

31:08
Empathy: The Missing Ingredient

32:23
The Consequences of Activism

37:26
The Business of Basketball and China

38:17
The Responsibility of Influential Athletes

40:46
Taking Action: What Can We Do?

Business Leadership Series Intro and Outro music provided by Just Off Turner: https://music.apple.com/za/album/the-long-walk-back/268386576

In this episode Derek Champagne interviews Devin Thorpe. As a new-media journalist and founder of the Your Mark on the World Center, Devin has established himself as a champion of social good. Devin was formerly the CFO of one of the top 3 Fortune 500 companies before shifting his attention to social entrepreneurship.

As a Forbes contributor, with more than 250 bylines and over one million unique visitors, he has become a recognized name in the social impact arena. His YouTube show, featuring celebrities, CEOs, billionaires and entrepreneurs who are out to change the world, has been viewed over 200,000 times, giving him a recognizable face as well.

Devin is also a noted author with 4 popular books and calls himself a champion of social good. As an author, speaker and Forbes contributor he focuses on helping those doing good in the world.

www.devinthorpe.com

Business Leadership Series Intro and Outro music provided by Just Off Turner: https://music.apple.com/za/album/the-long-walk-back/268386576