Out of Patients EP408: The Bronx Bleeds Blue: Vanessa Ghigliotty vs. Everyone
Vanessa Ghigliotty doesn’t care if you feel uncomfortable. She never has. She fought stage 4 colon cancer while dragging her chemo bag into the Board of Education to demand a fair shot for her dyslexic son. She survived when the experts told her to get her affairs in order. Then she built a life that dared anyone to pity her.
I brought my LIVESTONG BFF "sister from another mister" on Out of Patients because she’s the definition of no-bullshit advocacy. We go back to the pre-Stupid Cancer days when the words “young adult cancer” didn’t even exist in medical journals. She showed up at the first meetup I ever hosted and said,
“These are my people.” She meant it. She never left.
You’ll hear her call out lazy doctors who still dismiss twenty-somethings with symptoms. You’ll hear her torch the idea that resilience looks pretty. You’ll hear her admit she almost quit it all after holding an 11-year-old’s hand through end-stage disease.
She taught me that true advocacy means showing up when no cameras roll. She taught me that righteous rage fuels change more than any awareness ribbon.
Listen if you want the real story of how the young adult cancer movement grew from a handful of pissed-off survivors who refused to stay invisible
Matthew Zachary
Producer
Dubbed "The People's Voice in Healthcare" by People Magazine, Matthew Zachary turned a brain cancer diagnosis at 21 into a global movement for patient empowerment. He beat the odds and became a powerhouse advocate for patient rights, giving a voice to millions overlooked by traditional healthcare.
As the founder of Stupid Cancer, he launched the young adult cancer movement, pioneering a new era of patient advocacy. In 2007, he created The Stupid Cancer Show—the first-ever healthcare talk radio show before podcasts were even a thing—building a global community for cancer survivors.
His groundbreaking podcast Out of Patients and the award-winning documentary The Cancer Mavericks cemented him as the "Podfather of Healthcare" and one of the most trusted, irreverent voices in the industry.
Now, as Principal of Matthew Zachary Worldwide, he leads a media, consulting, and think tank agency disrupting healthcare marketing with bold, empathy-driven storytelling. His work spans digital health, life sciences, entertainment, and nonprofit advocacy—challenging the system, amplifying patient voices, and driving real change.
With millions of downloads, hundreds of keynotes, and a sharp GenX edge that blends wit with wisdom, Matthew empowers patients to reclaim their stories while helping organizations embrace authentic, lived-experience storytelling.
Matthew is also... still standing.
Out of Patients EP409: The Elastic Life of Gigi Robinson
