Out of Patients EP418: GenX Therapy With Sally Wolf
Sally Wolf is back on Out of Patients.
FWIW, this episode is a masterclass in what happens when two people who should absolutely not be allowed to chaperone a middle school trip talk about the absurdity of “aging gracefully” while wondering how we’re still alive. But underneath the wit and wisdom is something deeper: Sally is also living with metastatic breast cancer. And she’s six years into a diagnosis that most people can’t even pronounce, let alone live with while dancing their ass off and building a purpose-driven career.
In our first conversation, we talked cancer. In this one, we talk everything else. Grievances of aging. The absurdity of GenX resilience. Why being “lucky” still sucks. And yes, the weird crap that happens when you survive long enough to confuse perimenopause with the apocalypse.
Sally isn’t here to inspire you. She’s here to tell the truth. About what it means to live with an incurable disease while still showing up with joy, sarcasm, and perfect hair. She taught me that “no evidence of disease” isn’t a destination. It’s a state of mind.
We laughed. A lot. Maybe too much. But if you’re over 40 and still alive, you’ve earned the right.
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Matthew Zachary
Producer
Matthew Zachary never planned on becoming a healthcare advocate. At 21, while training to be a concert pianist, he was diagnosed with brain cancer and told he might never play again. That was nearly thirty years ago. Spoiler alert - he survived! Instead of returning to the recital hall, he set out to change the healthcare system that nearly broke him.
In 2007, Matthew founded Stupid Cancer, a groundbreaking nonprofit that gave young adults with cancer something they’d never had before: a voice, a community, and the freedom to be angry. Through national conferences and online platforms, it helped millions of patients and families find connection and purpose in the face of isolation.
That same year, he launched The Stupid Cancer Show, the first talk radio program to cover the patient experience with the urgency of breaking news. It later evolved into Out of Patients, his award-winning podcast known for its honest conversations and unapologetic tone. His media work also includes the acclaimed documentary The Cancer Mavericks, which tells the story of the rebel patients who helped transform modern oncology.
Today, Matthew leads Matthew Zachary Worldwide, a media and consulting company that helps brands and organizations better understand the real needs of patients and how to co-create solutions with them, not just for them. His upcoming book, We the Patients: A Field Guide to Surviving American Healthcare (Wiley, June 2026), draws on three decades of lived experience and advocacy to help readers navigate and challenge the U.S. healthcare system.
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Out of Patients EP417: Family Reach: The Charity America Forced Into Existence
