How Compelling Communication Makes Early Cancer Detection Part of Everyday Life: With D. Ross Camidge, MD, PhD; and Keith Singer

How This Is Building Me, hosted by world-renowned oncologist D. Ross Camidge, MD, PhD, is a podcast focused on the highs and lows, ups and downs of all those involved with cancer, cancer medicine, and cancer science across the full spectrum of life’s experiences.

In this episode, Dr Camidge sat down with Keith Singer, the founder and executive director of Catch It In Time.

Camidge and Singer discussed how Singer's background in broadcasting and cable television has led to a career in promoting cancer awareness. Although Singer initially wanted to be an astronaut, a decline in aerospace engineering jobs during the 1970s and a love for the technical side of high school theater led Singer toward television. He left college early and started his career in Cincinnati, first running a boom microphone and later directing newscasts. Singer explained the career hurdles he faced, noting that they led to opportunities for him to hone his skills and exercise creative freedom.

In the mid-1980s, a project involving a new pacemaker sparked Singer's interest in using video for health care education. This fascination led him to co-create an innovative platform that broadcast medical programming for physician continuing medical education. Driven by seeing friends and family struggle with cancer, Singer founded the nonprofit Catch It In Time in 2011. His key communication strategy is that cancer should be the supporting actor, not the lead, allowing stories to appeal to targeted audiences based on their hobbies or professions, with cancer awareness as the secondary message.

Catch It In Time is currently developing The User's Guide to Oncology, a software-based program that uses gaming technology to guide patients with lung cancer, providing essential information to help them have better conversations with their care teams. Singer stressed the importance of short video content for garnering views for this type of content.

Notably, Catch It In Time recently produced a song titled "Breathe Again" by Lilliana De Los Reyes. "Breathe Again" can be found on all major streaming platforms, and all proceeds are dedicated to cancer awareness and research.