Ed Werder

How do you tell your son-in-law that he won’t survive colon cancer? How do you help your daughter survive a cancerous brain tumor and your wife survive breast cancer?

Ed Werder, who for 40 years as an NFL reporter for ESPN, CNN, Sports Illustrated and major daily newspapers, has gotten the football story where others haven’t. Ed talks about how he was unstoppable in getting the story of a lifetime (hint: it involves the Dallas Cowboys) and the new difficulties of continuing to get scoops during the pandemic.

But the challenges of reporting on football pale compared to what it takes to help loved ones persevere through the ravages of cancer. Ed discusses how he helped his daughter triumph over brain surgery to remove a cancerous tumor and then helped her with relearning basic functions; he had to tell his son-in-law he would never leave the hospital before he ultimately passed to colon cancer at the age of 30; and a few years ago, he helped his wife of 39 years, Jill, go through chemo and radiation therapy for breast cancer, from which she is now surviving.

Ed tells us that determination and perseverance in the face of adversity are a part of life. To keep going, he was inspired by legendary coach Bill Parcells and the Italian philosopher Seneca. But most of all, Ed drew inspiration from those around him and their will to persevere in the face of life’s worst challenges.

Joining Ed, is Jennifer Diamond, M.D. an Associate Professor at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, where she co-directs the Women’s Cancer Developmental Therapeutics program and the Phase One program. Dr. Diamond discusses breakthroughs in diagnosis, research and treatment of breast cancer — including a personalized cancer vaccine — and what women can do to decrease their risk of getting breast cancer.

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