Guest: Lisa Simms Booth, Executive Director, Smith Center for Healing and the Arts

In this episode of the Beyond the Clinic, Living Well with Melanoma Dr. Sam Siegel welcomes Lisa Simms Booth, Executive Director of the Smith Center for Healing and the Arts—an organization dedicated to whole-person support for people with cancer, their families, and caregivers.

Lisa shares the deeply personal story that shaped her nearly 30-year career in advocacy, public health, and patient-centered cancer work. After her mother’s ovarian cancer diagnosis, Lisa found herself navigating two worlds at once: the complexities of cancer care and the systemic barriers within the research and advocacy landscape. That experience became the catalyst for her life’s mission.

Together, Dr. Siegel and Lisa explore:

• How personal experience can ignite a passion for advocacy

• Why resilience in cancer is a learned skill—not an inherent trait

• The emotional realities of caregiving and survivorship

• Smith Center’s “healing basket” approach to integrative support

• Practical ways people can manage stress, find community, and cultivate tools for emotional and spiritual well-being

• The importance of accessible, no-cost cancer support programs

• How patients can weave integrative practices into their medical care

Lisa also offers a grounded, compassionate look at the nuances of topics like nutrition, mindfulness, emotional support, and how even a few minutes of intentional rest can change the trajectory of a day.

Whether you’re a patient, caregiver, clinician, or advocate, this conversation offers wisdom, comfort, and a reminder that no one has to walk the cancer journey alone.

Guest Bio

Lisa Simms Booth joined Smith Center for Healing and the Arts following a nearly thirty year career in media, politics, community organizing, and advocacy. Lisa has always had a servant’s heart and has aspired to do work that improves the lives of others or empowers them to advocate for positive change. She has previously worked at FasterCures, a center of the Milken Institute, Biden Cancer Initiative, LISTEN, Inc., The Alliance for Justice, Children’s Defense Fund, and the National Rainbow Coalition.

  As Executive Director, Lisa is responsible for strategic oversight, fund development, administrative and financial management, and community building. In addition to her work at Smith Center, Lisa is a member of the Professional Oncology Navigation Task Force (PONT), the American Cancer Society’s Leadership in Oncology Navigation (ACS LIONTM) Advisory Council and Cancer Support Community’s Cancer Policy Institute Advisory Board. She also serves on the Boards of Commonweal, the Microbiome Alliance for Disease Prevention and the National Organization of Arts in Health.

In this episode, we sit down with Vanessa Tompkins, wife and caregiver to Mike, who has been battling Stage 4 metastasized ocular melanoma. Over the past five years, Vanessa has supported Mike through weekly immunotherapy, four major surgeries—including the removal of his left eye, liver surgery, triple hernia repair, and open-heart surgery—and countless challenges along the way.

A registered nurse, former hospice nurse, and current Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner, Vanessa brings professional expertise, personal experience, and unwavering compassion to her role as a caregiver. She is also a mother of three, grandmother of four, and devoted owner of her golden lab, Romeo. Guided by her motto, “One day at a time,” Vanessa shares insights into the realities of caregiving, the emotional resilience required, and the lessons learned in supporting a loved one through a complex and ongoing cancer journey.

Tune in to hear her story, practical tips, and heartfelt reflections on the challenges and rewards of being a caregiver.

In this episode of Beyond the Clinic: Living Well with Melanoma, Dr. Samantha Siegel is joined by Katie Ostrovsky and Cheryl Marker from the MelaHomies community.

Cheryl, diagnosed with Stage I melanoma in 2023, shares how she turned to online groups for education and support when her medical team left her with more questions than answers. Katie, a Stage IV survivor now, 11 years cancer-free, reflects on the emotional and practical challenges of survivorship — and how building the Mela Homies helped transform isolation into connection.

Together, they explore the power of peer support, the gaps in survivorship care, and why community is just as vital as treatment.

👉 Tune in to hear their stories and learn how the MelaHomies are making sure no one faces melanoma alone.

In this powerful episode, we’re joined by Dr. Wendy G. Lichtenthal, a leading expert in grief and bereavement care. Dr. Lichtenthal is the Founding Director of the Center for the Advancement of Bereavement Care at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center and Professor at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. A licensed clinical psychologist with over 20 years of experience, she brings deep compassion and groundbreaking research to the field of psychosocial oncology.

We discuss the complexities of grief after cancer loss, the evolving nature of bereavement care, and how clinicians and caregivers can better support those navigating life after loss. Dr. Lichtenthal also shares insights from her work developing Meaning-Centered Grief Therapy and the EMPOWER intervention — both designed to help individuals find meaning and resilience in the face of profound sorrow.

Whether you're a healthcare professional, a grieving loved one, or someone seeking to better understand bereavement, this conversation offers validation, hope, and expert guidance.

ABOUT OUR GUEST: Wendy G. Lichtenthal, PhD

Wendy G. Lichtenthal, PhD, FT, FAPOS is founding director of the Center for the Advancement of Bereavement Care at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center and Professor in the Department of Public Health Sciences, Division of Prevention Science and Community Health at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, which she joined in 2023. She is a licensed clinical psychologist and has worked as a grief specialist for over 20 years.

In 2005, she began her career at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) in New York City, where she was Founding Director of the Bereavement Clinic and Associate Attending Psychologist, and where she now serves as Consultant Faculty. She was a recipient of the 2012 International Psycho-Oncology Society Kawano New Investigator Award, the 2019 Association for Death Education and Counseling Research Recognition Award, and the 2023 American Psychosocial Oncology Society Outstanding Clinical Care Award.

She is a Fellow in Thanatology and was elected a Fellow of the American Psychosocial Oncology Society in 2024. Her federally funded research has been supported by the National Institute of Mental Health, National Cancer Institute, National Institute of Nursing Research, American Cancer Society, T.J. Martell Foundation, and MSK’s Cycle for Survival and has focused on grief and bereavement, cancer survivorship, intervention development and evaluation, and finding meaning in the face of adversity. She is an inventor of the Meaning-Centered Grief Therapy and EMPOWER intervention manuals that are used in her research.

In this episode, we sit down with Abby Singh, a melanoma survivor diagnosed as an Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA). Abby is now the Director of Patient Content and Nutrition Education Services at The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS), where she creates critical resources for patients and caregivers, including the Survivorship Workbooks.

She shares her journey through diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship, and how her experience drives her work supporting nutrition programs for all cancer types. Abby also opens up about life beyond cancer—from her Tennessee roots in Sevierville (Dolly Parton’s hometown) to her passions for fiction writing, bar trivia, and family life.

Join us for an honest, inspiring conversation about resilience, healing, and the importance of community in the AYA cancer experience.

ABOUT OUR GUEST: Abby Singh, a melanoma survivor and passionate advocate for cancer patients, serves as the Director of Patient Content at the Nutrition Education Services Center and The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS). In this role, she has dedicated over a decade to creating impactful resources like the Survivorship Workbooks and supporting LLS’s comprehensive nutrition program, which benefits individuals with all types of cancer.

A proud graduate of Belmont University in Nashville, TN, Abby holds a bachelor’s degree in English and history. She is also a member of the Alpha Gamma Delta sorority. Outside of her professional work, Abby enjoys reading, writing fiction, and testing her knowledge at bar trivia. She lives in Sevierville, TN—Dolly Parton’s hometown—with her husband, young son, and two beloved cats.

Facing melanoma or any cancer isn’t just a physical journey — it impacts your mind, emotions, relationships, and sense of self. In this episode, Dr. Rena Szabo, PsyD, a clinical psychologist specializing in psycho-oncology, shares insights on how a holistic, person-centered approach can support patients and caregivers throughout their cancer experience.

Dr. Szabo discusses practical strategies for building resilience, managing stress and anxiety, and coping with changes to body image, helping patients maintain a sense of control and hope during treatment and survivorship. She also highlights how healthcare providers can better support patients by addressing mental and emotional well-being alongside physical health.

Tune in for guidance, encouragement, and a compassionate look at caring for yourself through the full spectrum of the cancer journey.

About Our Guest:

Dr. Rena Szabo, PsyD, is a clinical psychologist specializing in psycho-oncology and integrated behavioral health. With a deep commitment to the well-being of both patients and healthcare providers, Dr. Szabo works at the intersection of psychology and medicine to enhance overall health and quality of life. She is also deeply involved in Special Olympics Arizona, where she has contributed significantly to developing programs like Strong Minds, which focuses on the mental and emotional health of athletes. Dr. Szabo is also a mother of three and enjoys running, reading, and being part of her faith community.

In this enlightening episode, we are joined by Elizabeth Cohn Stuntz, LCSW, a cancer survivor and expert in emotional well-being, to explore the power of collective wisdom and practical strategies for those touched by cancer. Elizabeth, a psychotherapist trained in contemporary psychoanalysis and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), shares her invaluable insights on how to manage the intense emotional stresses of a cancer diagnosis. She offers concrete, effective skills for decision-making, emotional regulation, and managing the uncertainties that come with cancer.

Elizabeth also discusses how to effectively communicate with family, friends, colleagues, and medical providers, helping individuals navigate the complex relational dynamics that arise during cancer treatment. Drawing from her experience and her collaboration with Marsha Linehan to create the program Coping with Cancer: DBT Skills to Manage Your Emotions and Balance Uncertainty with Hope, Elizabeth provides actionable tools to help those affected by cancer live meaningfully and with a sense of hope.

About Our Guest:

Elizabeth Cohn Stuntz, LCSW, is a cancer survivor, psychotherapist, and advocate for emotional well-being. With expertise in contemporary psychoanalysis and DBT, she has dedicated her career to supporting individuals and families navigating cancer. As co-author of Coping with Cancer: DBT Skills to Manage Your Emotions and Balance Uncertainty with Hope, Elizabeth combines her personal and professional experiences to offer transformative coping skills that empower cancer patients and caregivers. She is also a faculty member at the Westchester Center for Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy.

In this deeply personal episode, Drs. Samantha and Samuel Siegel share their journey of navigating cancer, medical school, and family life together. From their time as medical students at Jefferson Medical College to the challenges they faced with Samuel's testicular cancer diagnosis and Samantha’s battle with Hodgkin's Lymphoma, their story highlights the complexities of being both physicians and patients. Throughout their experiences, they uncovered significant gaps in cancer survivorship care, prompting them to become passionate advocates for change in the healthcare system.

Join Samantha and Samuel as they discuss the struggles and triumphs of parenting through illness, managing health crises while continuing their careers, and the emotional toll of caring for one another. With their shared mission to improve survivorship care and elevate its importance within medical practice, this episode serves as an inspiring and thought-provoking conversation on resilience, advocacy, and the power of personal stories in driving change.

About Our Guest:

Samuel Siegel, MD
Pediatrician
Dignity Health Woodland Clinic

Samuel Siegel is a general pediatrician in Woodland, CA serving a predominantly rural population, including immigrants from Mexico and Central America. He practices hospital medicine, seeing newborns during their birth hospitalization and he attends high risk deliveries.

In his outpatient practice, Dr. Siegel has a special interest in pediatric obesity and nutrition and founded an annual healthy eating project called Home-Grown Health. There, he gives away 1000 vegetable starts, soil, and fertilizer each year to families in his community. He believes that allowing children to participate in the unique process of nurturing plants from seeds will more successfully promote healthy eating habits.

He is also a patient who has learned to live a fulfilling life with chronic medical conditions since his early twenties including inflammatory bowel disease, treatment for cancer while in medical school, and a living donor liver transplant from his brother in 2016. He is a husband and partner to a physician-patient spouse and together they have three wonderful children.