How do you make the most of your visits with your healthcare team? In this episode, lung cancer survivor Bill Morris shares his experience with lung cancer and how he approaches his healthcare visits now. Oncology nurse practitioner Rasheda Persinger shares her insights after 20 years of working with patients. Hosts Ann and Dr. Shields discuss with Bill and Rasheda what they wish every patient knew, from writing down questions before an appointment to asking about biomarker testing to why recording your visit can make all the difference.
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Featured Guests
Bill Morris, Lung Cancer Survivor
Bill Morris was diagnosed in 2021 with stage IIIB KRAS G12D lung cancer after nine months of misdiagnosis. He completed 10 rounds of chemotherapy, 30 rounds of radiation, and 10 months on an immunotherapy clinical trial, and has been active cancer-free for over three years. During his treatment, his wife Lori was simultaneously navigating a massive brain tumor of her own. Both credit their faith as central to their healing, and Bill now channels that experience into supporting and encouraging others facing a cancer diagnosis.
It’s always on the ride home that I thought of the perfect question to ask.
-Bill Morris, Lung Cancer Survivor
Rasheda Persinger, NP
Rasheda Persinger, MSN, AGNP-C, AOCNP, is an Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner with over 20 years of oncology experience and the Founder and CEO of RPA Concierge. Her work focuses on bridging gaps in cancer care through patient-centered services that improve continuity of care and reduce unnecessary emergency visits. She has held leadership roles at Sibley Memorial Hospital Johns Hopkins and practiced at MedStar Washington Cancer Institute and Maryland Oncology Hematology. She is certified as an Advanced Oncology Nurse Practitioner and is an active member of the Oncology Nursing Society and the Advanced Practitioner Society for Hematology and Oncology.
I don't think you can hold people accountable unless you do your due diligence to ensure that they understand what you're saying.
-Rasheda Persinger, NP
Key Topics:
- Bill's journey: Bill shares his experience navigating appointments as a stage IIIB lung cancer patient, including what he wishes he had known from the start
- Preparing for appointments: Why writing down questions ahead of time and bringing someone with you makes a real difference
- Recording your visit: How asking to record an appointment can reduce anxiety and help patients retain information
- Asking about biomarker testing: Why newly diagnosed patients should ask about this early, and why it matters for treatment options
- Shared decision-making: How providers can create space for patients to ask anything, and why that relationship is central to good care
- Seeing the whole patient: Rasheda's perspective on meeting patients where they are — emotionally, logistically, and culturally
Resources & Support:
- LUNGevity Patient Gateways — Resources and latest news for your specific cancer type
- What to Ask Your Doctor — Questions to guide your treatment conversations at every step
- Biomarker Testing — What it is and why it matters for your treatment
- Virtual Meetups — Connect with other lung cancer patients and survivors, including LUNGevity's weekly Tuesday calls