Episode Eight: Brooks Bell, Colonoscopy Enthusiast and Cancer Survivor & Dr. Austin Chiang, Gastroenterologist and Chief Medical Officer of Endoscopy at Medtronic
The guests on this episode of Get Real with the Chairman are Brooks Bell and Dr. Austin Chiang. What brought them together was Colorectal Cancer. What brings me to this topic is my own experience with that diagnosis. About a decade ago, I saw a potential sign of colon cancer, which I only realized was a symptom through my work with Katie Couric. Thankfully, it was caught early through a colonoscopy and treated, but often, the signs of colon cancer are missable or far too easy to shoo away. In 2019, Brooks Bell was diagnosed with Stage 3 Colon Cancer. Today, in remission, she’s worked with the Colorectal Cancer Alliance and Lead From Behind. You may remember them from a 2022 video where Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney recorded their first colonoscopies, leading to a 36% increase in appointments nationwide. Her next venture is Worldclass Clothing, an apparel brand designed to improve access to colon cancer research and colonoscopies in underinsured communities. Dr. Austin Chiang is a gastroenterologist known for his expertise in digestive health, endoscopy, and social media advocacy. In 2021, he became the first Chief Medical Officer of Medtronic’s Endoscopy business, the world’s leading medical device company. His book, Gut: The Owner’s Guide, came out this April 2024. It’s an informative introduction to this mysterious organ we are so reliant on. The rates of colorectal cancer are rising among those in their 20s to 40s and declining in those over 65. Today, we’ll learn how Brooks and Austin are working to change that reality. I’m thrilled they could take time out of their schedules to chat with me on Get Real With The Chairman!
