Public Health Advocacy in the Fight Against Breast Cancer – Professor Janet Gray and Nancy Buermeyer

Apr 23, 2021 | health and medicine

About this episode

Health advocacy is an often-overlooked part of the work of public health specialists, but in many ways, it can be argued to have the greatest long-term impact on the population’s health. Here we look at the impressive work of Professor Janet Gray (Vassar College) and Public Policy Strategist Ms Nancy Buermeyer, working with colleagues at Breast Cancer Prevention Partners, the leading USA science-based policy and advocacy organisation to focus on preventing breast cancer by eliminating exposure to toxic chemicals and radiation linked to the disease.

 

 

 

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International LicenseCreative Commons License

What does this mean?

Share: You can copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format

Adapt: You can change, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially.

Credit: You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made.

More episodes

Professor Theodore Allen | From Sanitizers to Social Media: The Hidden Science Behind Everyday Choices

Professor Theodore Allen | From Sanitizers to Social Media: The Hidden Science Behind Everyday Choices

When most people think of scientific research, they may imagine test tubes, lab coats, and microscopes. However, many impactful experiments happen not in laboratories, but in office buildings, student unions, and even on social media. In two fascinating studies co-authored by Professor Theodore Allen of The Ohio State University, researchers show how the same rigorous logic that drives cutting-edge chemistry or physics can be applied to practical, everyday challenges, such as where to place a hand sanitizer dispenser or how to convince someone to get vaccinated. The studies, though different in their subjects, share a common theme that data and careful experimental design can make the world cleaner, healthier, and more humane.

Prof. Dr. Christopher Gerner | Colitis ulcerosa und die verborgene Logik chronischer Erkrankungen

Prof. Dr. Christopher Gerner | Colitis ulcerosa und die verborgene Logik chronischer Erkrankungen

Colitis ulcerosa, oft als UC bezeichnet, ist eine chronisch-entzündliche Erkrankung des Dickdarms, die weltweit immer häufiger auftritt, auch bei Jugendlichen und jungen Erwachsenen. Für viele Patientinnen und Patienten beginnt sie mit subtilen Warnzeichen wie Bauchbeschwerden, Durchfall, Müdigkeit oder Spuren von Blut im Stuhl. Im Laufe der Zeit können sich diese Symptome zu schmerzhaften und beängstigenden Schüben entwickeln, die Ausbildung, Karriere, Familienleben und das emotionale Wohlbefinden beeinträchtigen. Obwohl die moderne Medizin bemerkenswert wirksam darin geworden ist, diese akuten Krankheitsepisoden zu kontrollieren, bleibt UC hartnäckig bestehen. Bei den meisten Betroffenen kehrt die Erkrankung nach Phasen scheinbarer Erholung zurück, manchmal ohne einen offensichtlichen äußeren Auslöser.

Prof. Jamie Rausch | The Hidden Life of Fat: How Adipose Tissue Shapes Health Across a Lifetime

Prof. Jamie Rausch | The Hidden Life of Fat: How Adipose Tissue Shapes Health Across a Lifetime

For much of modern history, body fat was viewed simply as stored energy, a passive reserve that expanded or shrank depending on diet and activity. Today, that understanding has shifted dramatically. Research led by scholars such as Prof. Jamie Rausch of Indiana University reveals that adipose tissue is not merely a storage site but a dynamic, hormone-producing system that influences nearly every aspect of human health. When this system becomes dysregulated, it can quietly set the stage for chronic diseases that affect millions worldwide.

Prof. Letitia Pienaar | The Long Journey Toward Mental Health Rights in South Africa

Prof. Letitia Pienaar | The Long Journey Toward Mental Health Rights in South Africa

Mental health is increasingly recognised as a vital part of human well-being, yet the legal systems that protect people with mental illness have often developed slowly. In South Africa, the story of mental health legislation is a powerful example of how societies move from fear and control toward dignity and rights. The research of Prof. Letitia Pienaar of the University of South Africa explores this transformation and reveals how law, history, and human experience have shaped the country’s modern approach to mental health care. Her work shows that progress has been significant, but it also highlights the continuing challenges in turning legal promises into real protection for vulnerable people.

Increase the impact of your research

• Good science communication helps people make informed decisions and motivates them to take appropriate and affirmative action.
• Good science communication encourages everyday people to be scientifically literate so that they can analyse the integrity and legitimacy of information.
• Good science communication encourages people into STEM-related fields of study and employment.
• Good public science communication fosters a community around research that includes both members of the public, policymakers and scientists.
• In a recent survey, 75% of people suggested they would prefer to listen to an interesting story than read it.

Step 1 Upload your science paper

Step 2 SciPod script written

Step 3 Voice audio recorded

Step 4 SciPod published