00;00;00;18 - 00;00;07;12 Dr. Winn I'm Dr. Rob Winn and you're listening to Real Cancer Talk from VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center. 00;00;07;14 - 00;00;31;14 Clovia Lawrence Miss Community Clovia of Community Conversations. The Black Health Wins podcast. We're having simple discussions about issues that can impact our life in a good way. One team, one fight. Let's go. Doctor Robert Winn of the VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center. And Delegate Delores McQuinn, member in Virginia's General Assembly. 00;00;31;21 - 00;00;42;06 Dr. Winn Delegate McQuinn, how are you? As we're still trying to make progress, we got to remember that there's just more to do. And I think sometimes people want to take their foot up off the pedal. I’m like it's not the time. 00;00;42;13 - 00;00;43;29 Del. McQuinn No, no it’s not. 00;00;44;00 - 00;00;45;23 Clovia Lawrence Absolutely not. 00;00;45;26 - 00;00;46;07 Del. McQuinn Okay. 00;00;46;14 - 00;01;09;20 Dr. Winn You know, I just lost a 32 year old. You know, I mean, it's ridiculous. It's, you know, breast cancer, you know, and she got misinformation that breast cancer, you know, is probably nothing at 30. You know, you like that is {inaudible}. It is. And it's not her fault. 00;01;09;22 - 00;01;12;29 Del. McQuinn It's unacceptable. It should be unacceptable. 00;01;13;01 - 00;01;25;23 Clovia Lawrence But nowadays, with the way that this, with the way that the world is the the toxins that are in the air, we should put a limit on something. If you get symptoms like or a lump or something doesn't feel right. 00;01;25;25 - 00;01;47;06 Dr. Winn We do. And and I worry a little bit because, you know, I think that you know, I, you know, we moved the needle from 1991 till now, but we don't recognize that there's still more to do, a lot more to do. And I think that this sense that it just doesn't get done because you have a company that figured something out is all of us. 00;01;47;06 - 00;01;56;05 Dr. Winn It's the team. From the government to the people to the hospitals. And, it's it's anyways, it's just rough. It's been rough. 00;01;56;05 - 00;02;28;14 Del. McQuinn Well Dr. Winn I, I certainly, you know, want to just applaud you for your expertise and your fight. I mean, you're fighting tirelessly to help address, you know, the challenges of, this just dreadful, awful disease that, you know, you just, at any time a person could be and even healthy people could be you know, diagnosed with one form of of caner, get a positive diagnosed with, one form of cancer of the other. 00;02;28;14 - 00;03;03;23 Del. McQuinn But you have been absolutely exceptional in terms of keeping this in the forefront of people's minds. And I just and on, you know, on the radar, you know, and we still fight not only in terms of the disease, but. Yes, disparities you know, and, you know, those are some of the issues that certainly, that that many of us are, that we are obligated to help us, especially in my capacity or as legislators. 00;03;03;26 - 00;03;25;25 Del. McQuinn We've got to make sure that the person who lives in, Windsor Farm and the person that lives in, one of these, you know, housing developments will get the same kind of treatment. Get the best kind of attention. That is that is the bigger fight for particular the minority community. We've got to... 00;03;25;25 - 00;03;55;25 Del. McQuinn We've got to demand that that everyone is treated, you know, as a person, and not just based on your zip code is it often happened based on, you know, where you grew up, based on how much money you have in your bank account. That that's that's our struggle. And so I thank you for being, you know, on the just the gatekeeper in many ways to make sure that people are treated fairly. 00;03;55;25 - 00;03;59;27 Del. McQuinn And just when it comes to health care and medical attention that they need. 00;04;00;06 - 00;04;25;21 Clovia Lawrence Happy New Year to you, you and you. We're going to put it in the mix for 2026 with Community Conversations, the Black Health Wins podcast, and we're going to talk about it. I have my very special guest joining me on the show, and she just so happens to represent me and Virginia's General Assembly delegate, Delores McQuinn, representing the 81st district and co-chair of the Virginia Cancer Caucus. 00;04;25;23 - 00;04;29;09 Clovia Lawrence Thank you so much for being here today, Delegate Delores McQuinn. 00;04;29;16 - 00;04;56;10 Del. McQuinn Thank you, Community Clo, and thank you for having me and being having an opportunity to talk about one of my, one of the issues that, and I guess the banner that I've taken on to just, address, and have conversations overall about, cancer and fighting, this, dreadful and mean disease that often takes so many of our loved ones too soon. 00;04;56;10 - 00;05;27;23 Del. McQuinn So many are diagnosed and, you know, and and fighting for, for their lives. And so this is what this is, you know, what we are doing today is all about. And so I'm grateful as a legislator that I'm able to carry, legislation and get my colleagues to really focus in on zero in on this and making certain that whatever we can do to, to, help address this particular issue, understanding that it is complex. 00;05;27;23 - 00;06;03;16 Del. McQuinn It is it is, it is sometimes, extremely, a difficult disease that people often when they hear it, they say, you know, they think that the big C means a death sentence. And thanks be to God, we have individuals like, leading expert Doctor Winn, and I think we are we are better. The world is better because God has so endowed him with the gifts and talents and skills and the intellect to help fight this disease, and to make sure that we are also abreast of the many dynamics of it. 00;06;03;18 - 00;06;10;15 Del. McQuinn And, so I am I'm delighted to be here and to join him, in having this conversation. 00;06;10;18 - 00;06;28;24 Clovia Lawrence Truth to that, I'm going to bring to the stage he is the super doctor, too sweet to be sour. Doctor Robert Winn, director of the VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center. Doctor Winn come on in. 00;06;28;26 - 00;06;52;28 Dr. Winn I’m going to equally say that, you don't get many legislators who you've been that they wake up in the morning and they led by spirit led by focus, and they are all about communit. 24 ways to tomorrow. And in fact, I say that because my first introduction was, the the cancer caucus is run by, delegate McQuinn. 00;06;52;28 - 00;07;18;05 Dr. Winn And then, it was Senator Ruff, I believe. And, and I have to tell you that you have no better people that are, and particularly a better person. The best person always wants to make this fight of cancer, to make sure that every single person within the Commonwealth benefits from the science that champion is, Delegate McQuinn. 00;07;18;05 - 00;07;37;18 Dr. Winn I’ve got nothing but respect and love for this woman. In fact, you know what, every time I start thinking about legislators and oh my God, they are all about. I look at, I remember her, and I'm like, that's what this is all about is about the people. So thank you. Delegate McQuinn. And sister Clo for giving us a platform. 00;07;37;21 - 00;07;38;15 Dr. Winn Thank you sis. 00;07;38;18 - 00;07;59;26 Clovia Lawrence Yeah. I mean, because all of us, if not us, someone in our family or our communities will experience that C word, but we want to give them that hope that it can be cured and it can be in remission and and just be healed of it. And this is what Doctor Winn, as you said and Delegate McQuinn is you said about Doctor Winn. 00;08;00;02 - 00;08;09;10 Clovia Lawrence It is a win win situation. And we're going to talk really quick about the current legislation and, and this session and the impact on our community's health. 00;08;09;10 - 00;08;33;08 Clovia Lawrence Now, we've been talking we've been doing that celebration, and we're talking about the strides that we're going to make. And we got to take a break, and we're going to come on back and we're going to talk about your journey, Delegate McQuinn and the Commonwealth's cancer care. And what is the Virginia Cancer Caucus? Stay close. This is Community Conversations, the Black Health wellness podcast. 00;08;33;10 - 00;08;40;03 Dr. Winn I'm Dr. Rob Winn and you're listening to Real Cancer Talk from VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center. 00;08;40;06 - 00;09;04;09 Clovia Lawrence Welcome back to Community Conversations the Black Health Wins podcast. I am your hostess with the mostest, Miss Community Clovia. Delegate Delores McQuinn is joining us from our house office now at Virginia's General Assembly. And of course, he's sitting in the lab always trying to find a way to cure cancer. Doctor Robert Winn of the VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center. 00;09;04;11 - 00;09;18;22 Clovia Lawrence Welcome back to the show. Delegate McQuinn, please share with our listeners your journey as a breast cancer survivor of more than 30 years and how you were inspired to bring cancer care to the Commonwealth. 00;09;18;25 - 00;09;51;03 Del. McQuinn Yes. Thank you Clo. You know, I and I often reflect on my own experience and my journey, you know, thinking from the very first offset, February the 28th of 1992, when when I was diagnosed and I, I looked at the entire situation, I looked at it at that time, after the surgery and the chemotherapy and I my I thought my in the back of my mind, okay, I've got a nine year old daughter and I have a 13 year old son. 00;09;51;03 - 00;10;13;27 Del. McQuinn And I'm like, God, am I going to be able to see my children into adulthood? And I ask God and I in many ways, doctor Winn I beged God, you know, to spare me, because at that time the the word cancer was certainly associated with death. You know, in many ways you all, thank God you have made so many more advances. 00;10;14;00 - 00;10;38;00 Del. McQuinn But I felt compelled after I went through it and survived it. And, and, and it wasn't long after that I was determined that I was going to take this on as a platform and and doing even during that period, I, I was would, would question God, you know, why me? Why me? And and because I really thought that, you know, in many ways will I survive it? 00;10;38;00 - 00;11;07;01 Del. McQuinn Will I make it through to see my children and to adulthood? And then I came to, you know, the realization that, you know what? God had spared me. He allowed me to live through this and and even with the challenges that I've had had. Then I have no other choice but to take that and use that to make certain that my own experience would be able to strength and to inspire, to encourage someone else. 00;11;07;06 - 00;11;32;08 Del. McQuinn And that's what I've done. I create, you know, the platform that God gave me. You know what he elevated me is such a time of this. I didn't think at that time I wasn't in the General Assembly. It wasn't even on my mind. Seeing where this journey has taken me from 1992 to now, giving me a platform to share, to talk, to, encourage and inspire other women and men for that matter. 00;11;32;13 - 00;12;02;16 Del. McQuinn I mean, I I've been since been, you know, all different types of cancer. I've been able to put legislation in, you know, in terms of colon cancer in terms of prostate cancer, you know, certainly breast cancer, but legislation that have passed over the years to help address this issue of cancer and make people very much aware of where the experts are, where the medical field, what they have done in terms of making progress with this. 00;12;02;19 - 00;12;31;12 Del. McQuinn And, and just like, you know, on Friday the 23rd, you know, we are going to have, you know, again, the Cancer Caucus meeting and reception where experts from all over the Commonwealth will come, but not only experts, legislators, as well as people from every walk of life of our community to come and hear about, you know, the highlights, the accomplishment, the legislation in terms of cancer screening and prevention. 00;12;31;14 - 00;13;01;07 Del. McQuinn We have a, opportunity to the to elevate the importance. And this is means so much about early detection. And Doctor Winn, you know, early detection is often the key to just surviving. And I think that is why I'm here because it was early detection. And even though there was limited sort of information when when I first, was diagnosed, you know, it was just that little thing, a change in my body. 00;13;01;12 - 00;13;22;04 Del. McQuinn I didn't know what was going on. Went to the doctor, and the doctor was a black female doctor, Linda Willis, who said, well, it may just be a bacteria, but I'm not sure. So I want to send you to someone else so that you can, we can be certain there is nothing else. And is because of her. 00;13;22;07 - 00;14;00;19 Del. McQuinn And because of her determination, you know, to make sure that she was just not going to be say, okay, it's just a bacteria, okay? She just, no, we are going to go beyond that to make sure there is nothing else. And I was the first person in my family to ever be diagnosed with breast cancer. No one else, to our knowledge, had breast cancer had been diagnosed, but that that cancer caucus and what we are doing there to me is a an effort to make sure that we are all sensitive to this issue of cancer and we have lost, you know, we we've I've got several of my colleagues who are out right now, 00;14;00;21 - 00;14;23;28 Del. McQuinn who have been diagnosed with cancer. There were doctors, I mean, Senator Ruff, we lost him last year and he was my partner in crime, as relates to this. So but we have been able to bring on Senator Stanley and then Mike Jones. And I know he doesn't mind Mike Jones since he’s been battling with cancer. And he's been he's been public about this. 00;14;23;29 - 00;14;48;17 Del. McQuinn I'm not just putting that they're putting his name out there, but. And then the majority leader, matter of fact, Charniele Herring. So the four of us have joined forces to make sure that we have this cancer caucus meeting and reception and share with the public about what is going on in, in this, as relates to this particular issue. 00;14;48;19 - 00;14;54;08 Dr. Winn Delegate McQuinn, you’re going to get me out here, you know, break out opportunities. I know you're saying. 00;14;54;11 - 00;14;56;11 Clovia Lawrence She laid it out for us. 00;14;56;14 - 00;15;24;29 Dr. Winn You you are the embodiment of when science and faith intersect. And what I love about your story. But what I love about you is that that whole concept of the intersection of the progress of science, which is now, allowed us to get 36% fewer Americans died from cancer today relative to 1991, prostate cancer becomes 50%. But what you said was, work ain't done. 00;15;25;02 - 00;15;33;28 Dr. Winn And so what I love about bringing the science and the faith together. And by the way, {inaudible}. 00;15;33;28 - 00;15;36;05 Del. McQuinn Yes. These are people. Yes. I mean. 00;15;36;11 - 00;15;50;06 Dr. Winn He has been the champion of ensuring that these same things also apply to rural communities, which are also at risk of getting cancer. And so I give a big shout out to Senator Stanley, he's been amazing. 00;15;50;09 - 00;15;56;06 Del. McQuinn Yes he is. He is, he is. Yes. And again and then Mike Jones as well. 00;15;56;08 - 00;16;11;28 Dr. Winn He's he's. Oh yeah. Yeah, yeah. You got the power. You got the power. You got the power. They say the the quartet. You got the power quartet right there. 00;16;12;00 - 00;16;41;17 Del. McQuinn Yeah. But Doctor Winn it's, you know, all of us, whether we have been diagnosed, you know, as an individual, if it's not, you know, the individual being diagnosed, family members, you know what? Friends and neighbors. And this is a disease that doesn't just affect the the the individual, it affect the family. It affects our communities. You know, the impact on it, whether it is the disease itself or the financial component that comes along with this disease. 00;16;41;17 - 00;17;19;14 Del. McQuinn This is a fight that is is often, you know, expensive fight, you know, to, to, to, to stay alive, to, to be alive out of this. And, and often we find particularly in communities clothed that you speak to your audience and my audience that I'm a, you know, my constituents often, you know what they don't know how what to do and how they're going to address it because they look at their financial, the financial limitations that they have, and then they're like, okay, well, you know, I just don't have the money and and I've heard that there have been people who didn't have the money. 00;17;19;14 - 00;17;41;29 Del. McQuinn And so therefore you didn't get what you need in terms of the medical attention. And this is something that we must we must stand up against and fight against that every person, regardless of who they are, should have access to health care services and, and and the medical attention that's needed for the disease that they often find themselves confronted with. 00;17;42;01 - 00;18;01;23 Clovia Lawrence That's why we praying for your continued health and all of your members of your Virginia Cancer Caucus. And thank you so much for laying it out for us, because we have to understand those legislators down at Virginia's General Assembly, they work for us. They work for us as a community. So you need to connect with your delegate or senator. 00;18;01;29 - 00;18;25;03 Clovia Lawrence If delegate McQuinn is your delegate, get with her and support the Virginia Care Caucus and other bills that she is proposing at Virginia's General Assembly. Now, we're going to take another break and come on back, and we're going to talk about how legislation is shaping health care in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Make sure you stay close. This is community conversations. 00;18;25;05 - 00;18;32;08 Dr. Winn I'm Dr. Rob Winn and you're listening to Real Cancer Talk from VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center. 00;18;32;10 - 00;19;05;21 Clovia Lawrence Welcome back. This is Community Conversations. I am Miss Community Clovia the Black Health Wins podcast. Joining me on this show is Delegate Delores McQuinn and Doctor Robert Winn, director of the VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center. Virginia's General Assembly is now in session, and we've been talking about access to health care. And but what what better way to talk about this is from the delegate herself who is fighting down at the GA for all Virginians through her Virginia Cancer Caucus and delegate McQuinn... 00;19;05;24 - 00;19;15;11 Clovia Lawrence we were having a conversation off air. You were like, we want to make more strides, but we need people to get in clinical trials. Is that what I heard you say? 00;19;15;13 - 00;19;57;19 Del. McQuinn Absolutely. We've been we've been a little shy, particularly the minority communities, and maybe rightfully so. But it is time for us to step up and say, you know what? I want to be a part of the clinical trials. I want to I want to be a part of the research that's being done. And, and I'll, you know, the the best that we could do in terms of being a part of that, is to make sure that whether it is this generation or the next generation that we are being helpful in terms of the fight, against this, against cancer and coming up ways more ways for, you know, prevention and making sure 00;19;57;19 - 00;20;38;25 Del. McQuinn that, we are looking at, you know, there's equitable distribution. You know, what of of resources and, and surviving. So we, we are stepping in to, to make sure that the next generation will not have to deal with some of the struggles that we have dealt with in the past. You know, as it relates to as it relates to cancer, it it truly is about, you know, advocates and survivors and caregivers and, and health care partners all coming together to make sure that we are doing our very best to be, helping to make that helping with the progress that that, Doctor Winn and his many scientists and others are working with. 00;20;39;02 - 00;20;48;19 Del. McQuinn So, you know, I, I just encourage, encourage the audience to hear what I'm say and be willing to be a part of these clinical trials. 00;20;48;21 - 00;20;49;29 Clovia Lawrence Doctor Winn I know you want to take that. 00;20;49;29 - 00;21;18;11 Dr. Winn One team... you gave us a one team, one fight for real. This thing takes all of us. I think it does and it commitment from. And that's why I love your caucus because it aligns all of our efforts to give focus in the commitment to actually fighting cancer on multiple levels. On the level of, you know, the state and the and the universities and the businesses, community, businesses getting together to ensure that we have enough resources to do the research. 00;21;18;13 - 00;21;37;26 Dr. Winn Then, you know, the affordability and the access. And the reality is critical trials that not so much trial, that they are an extension of health care. Right. So what I always say to somebody, when you reach the end of the road on the standard of care, your standard is to be offered a clinical trial, which either gives you hope that it's going to work for you today. 00;21;37;29 - 00;21;47;23 Dr. Winn Yeah, hope that it works for somebody tomorrow. So we need to stop playing as a community particularly is an African-American community that we ain't part of it. 00;21;47;26 - 00;22;16;18 Del. McQuinn Absolutely, absolutely. And and Dr. Winn, one of the you know, I think in terms of this, Virginia Cancer Caucus meeting, a reception that we'll be having on Friday, January the 23rd at 8 a.m. on the ninth floor and in General Assembly. One thing about, you know, when we come together, it really is a laser in, lasering in on some real issues, you know, understanding the legislation of the past. 00;22;16;18 - 00;22;32;12 Del. McQuinn And, you know, what we've been able to accomplish in cancer screening and prevention is about elevating the importance again. And we talked about that earlier about early detection and access to care. It is, it is and this is a bipartisan effort. 00;22;32;12 - 00;22;33;00 Clovia Lawrence Yes. 00;22;33;00 - 00;22;53;06 Del. McQuinn I part of this I'm glad you said it because. Yes, yes. Cancer. Cancer doesn't care whether you are Democrat or Republican, independent UK or otherwise. Okay? It doesn't care. It just, you know, when it attacks, it says all they need, all all cancer needs and looking for is a body, okay? It doesn't care what color you are. 00;22;53;12 - 00;23;30;01 Del. McQuinn And so it's important for, it is essential that it be a bipartisan effort to help address the, the, the burden of it. And how do we move forward in terms of making progress and that's where individuals like yourself come in and really be able to help us. Again, just understand that to a degree that we know whatever we do in terms of whether it is legislation, conversation or just encouraging communities, we are all helping to make progress. 00;23;30;01 - 00;23;36;29 Del. McQuinn You come with the experts. We come with understanding how involved and how we can engage the community in the process. 00;23;37;05 - 00;23;54;05 Clovia Lawrence Well, you answer my question what you citizens do, just pay attention to the legislative session. Delegate McQuinn and others in the House and Senate will keep you updated on health care. Doctor Robert, Winn, you going to help us all the way up, we gotta go. 00;23;54;08 - 00;24;01;00 Dr. Winn Well, you know, we going to do you know that old song, McFadden and Whitehead. That disco song. Ain't no stopping us. 00;24;01;02 - 00;24;03;00 Clovia Lawrence Ain't no stopping us now. 00;24;03;02 - 00;24;04;16 Dr. Winn Just keeping it real. 00;24;04;18 - 00;24;10;23 Del. McQuinn Thank you Dr. Winn. 00;24;10;25 - 00;24;27;02 Clovia Lawrence Well, this has been a great community conversations. And we want all of our listeners, if you have any questions or concerns about this show, you can call delegate McQuinn's office and your number is 804-698-1081. 00;24;27;04 - 00;24;31;19 Del. McQuinn Yes. You are so good. It's you are great in that. That's absolutely what the number is. 00;24;31;19 - 00;24;39;27 Clovia Lawrence Yes. That's right. Because you work for me and I call you anytime. This has been community conversations. I am Community Clo. Thanks for listening.