On this episode, we are speaking with Andrea Wilson Woods, a keynote speaker, a writer who loves to tell stories, and a patient advocate who founded the nonprofit Blue Faery: The Adrienne Wilson Liver Cancer Association. For over ten years, Andrea worked in the education field as a teacher and professor for public and private schools as well as universities. Andrea obtained her master’s degree in professional writing from the University of Southern California; her nonfiction writing has won national awards. Her best-selling and award-winning book, Better Off Bald: A Life in 147 Days, is a medical memoir about raising and losing her sister to liver cancer. 

Please do not forget to visit www.aacr.org to make a donation or to find helpful information and resources. Together we can make progress in the fight against cancer and bring hope to those who need it most. 

Please don't forget, cancer research saves lives.

For more information visit the AACR and our podcast website here: https://www.aacr.org/get-involved/believe-in-progress-an-aacr-foundation-podcast/

This podcast was produced by the awesome people at CollegeCast LLC. Visit www.collegecastpodcasts.com for more information, or to check out our amazing podcasts.

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You can visit our guest, Andrea Wilson Woods's website here: https://www.andreawilsonwoods.com.

In 2002, Andrea founded Blue Faery: The Adrienne Wilson Liver Cancer Association after losing her 15-year-old sister Adrienne, whom she raised for seven years, to stage IV liver cancer. Blue Faery’s mission is to prevent, treat, and cure primary liver cancer, specifically hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), through research, education, and advocacy. Andrea established the articles of incorporation; wrote the bylaws, mission statement, and goals; and developed the organizational structure of the corporation. Currently, she attends board meetings, serves on committees, stays informed about liver cancer, and governs the organization. Andrea represents Blue Faery and its mission at conferences, seminars, and special events. Blue Faery has been honored for community service by U.S. Congressman Adam B. Schiff, California State Senator Jack Scott, and the County of Los Angeles, and was inducted into the Burbank Business Hall of Fame for receiving the Best of Burbank Charity Award from 2013 – 2017.

Since serving on an HCC Patient Advisory Board for Eli Lilly in 2014, Andrea has received numerous scholarships to attend various conferences around the country to tell her story, increase her knowledge, advocate for more funding, and continue her professional development. Organizations that have granted scholarships/sponsorships include Academy Health, American Association for Cancer Research, American Society of Clinical Oncology, American Liver Foundation, Caring Ambassadors, Conquer Cancer Foundation, Global Liver Institute, National Comprehensive Cancer Network, National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable, and more.

In 2017, Andrea won an e-Patient scholarship for Stanford Medicine X, where she presented her talk, “How Euphemisms Help Us Deal With Death.” Check out more speaking engagements.

As a patient advocate, Andrea serves on many committees and advisory boards, including NCI Hepatobiliary Task Force, Target Pharma Solutions HCC Advisory Board, and ASCO’s Systemic Therapy for Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma Guideline Panel. She is a patient advocate representative on the Mayo Clinic Hepatobiliary SPORE, which is devoted to improving the diagnosis and treatment of liver cancer and bile duct cancer. Andrea serves as a Consumer Reviewer on the Department of Defense’s Peer Reviewed Cancer Research Program. Andrea represents Blue Faery as a member of AASLD, ASCO, Deadliest Cancers Coalition, and GI Cancers Alliance. She was formerly a member and co-chair of the awareness group of the Liver Cancer Roundtable. Currently, Andrea is the only American serving on the Canadian Cancer Survivor Network’s Liver Cancer Advisory Council. 

Andrea was one of many co-authors of The Change 12: Insights Into Self-Empowerment(Amazon 2016). She is cited as a co-author on the academic article titled “Understanding the hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patient landscape: Results of the first global survey of people living with HCC” (Annals of Oncology, June 2017). In 2017, Andrea debuted her podcast Better Off Bald: A Life in 147 Days. Better Off Bald is based on Andrea’s (now published) memoir about raising and losing her sister to liver cancer. To listen to Adrienne’s story, search Better Off Bald in iTunes or listen to the first episode here. In October 2019, Andrea’s medical memoir Better Off Bald: A Life in 147 Days became a bestseller in multiple categories on Amazon.

Andrea obtained her master’s degree in writing from the University of Southern California where she focused on non-fiction. She loves telling and writing stories. Her nonfiction writing has won national awards from Writer’s Digest and the National Writer’s Association, and she received an editorial internship from Los Angeles Family Magazine. As an adjunct professor for Kaplan University, she taught a writing skills and strategies class to incoming freshman students. As a graduate TA, Andrea worked with more than 100 undergraduate students with the goal of improving all aspects of their writing.

Before focusing on her graduate studies, Andrea worked as a development writer and editor for USC’s School of Cinematic Arts. As a family service specialist at the Mattel Children’s Hospital at UCLA, she facilitated women’s groups in the Legacy for Children research study sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and managed by the Research Triangle Institute. Additionally, Andrea worked as a social media manager for the nation’s largest wine importer.

During the seven years she raised her sister, Andrea worked as a primary and secondary school teacher, and she acted in film, television, and theatre. Andrea received her certification in fundraising with a focus on institutional development from UCLA Extension. Andrea is also an ICF Associate Certified Coach and a 500-Hour Certified Yoga Teacher. She graduated cum laude from USC with a B.A. in humanities. After graduation, Andrea gained custody of her then eight-year-old sister Adrienne.

Andrea started Blue Faery because she doesn’t want another person to lose a loved one to HCC, and she wants the world to know Adrienne’s spirit, strength, and courage.

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This is the Believe in Progress podcast hosted by the AACR Foundation and featuring Andrea Wilson Woods.

Join us on this journey of hope and progress. Subscribe to Believe in Progress, the AACR Foundation's podcast, today, and be inspired by the incredible stories of those who have faced cancer with strength and resilience, and the medical professionals who are working to find new treatments and ultimately a cure.

Please do not forget to visit www.aacr.org to make a donation or to find helpful information and resources. Together we can make progress in the fight against cancer and bring hope to those who need it most. 

Please don't forget, cancer research saves lives.

For more information visit the AACR and our podcast here: https://www.aacr.org/get-involved/believe-in-progress-an-aacr-foundation-podcast/

This podcast was produced by the awesome people at CollegeCast LLC. Visit www.collegecastpodcasts.com for more information, or to check out our amazing podcasts.