The Future You Is a Four-Part Vodcast Series from Men’s Health & Women’s Health, Produced in Partnership with NYU Langone Health
NYU Langone’s Dr. Elizabeth Comen and Richard Dorment, editorial director of Men’s Health and Women’s Health, speak with an author and actor about their experiences managing care and making plans for the rest of their life.
Credit: NYU Langone Health
After a nearly yearlong quest for a diagnosis, journalist and author Suleika Jaouad learned, at age 22, what was making her so ill. The news marked a “cleaving moment” in her life: “There was my life before—and there was everything that came after.”
In this episode of The Future You, a vodcast hosted by Richard Dorment, editorial director of Men’s Health and Women’s Health at Hearst Magazines, Jaouad shares how an aggressive form of leukemia reshaped her outlook and inspired her bestselling memoir .
Joining in the conversation are breast oncologist Elizabeth Comen, MD, of NYU Langone Health, and actor Colin Egglesfield, who was diagnosed with testicular cancer at 32. Together, they share how cancer forces people to confront their own mortality, navigate care, and ultimately redefine what it means to live fully.
Too Young to Have Cancer?
Before her leukemia diagnosis, Jaouad recalls visiting multiple doctors, only to be told she needed rest or therapy. “Because of my age or maybe some subconscious bias, I felt like nobody was taking me seriously,” she says.
Dr. Comen sees this often. “So many women of all ages leave medical appointments feeling like they were told their symptoms are ‘all in their head,’” she says.
Living Life as a Three-Time Cancer Survivor
Egglesfield had just landed a three-year contract with the soap opera All My Children when he noticed swelling in his left testicle. A visit to the urologist led to a diagnosis of advanced stage testicular cancer and an immediate appointment for surgery.
A year after his first bout with cancer, doctors discovered cancer in his other testicle, and that was scarier, he admits. “I was worried about, am I ever going to get an erection again, am I going to be able to have sex ever again?” More recently, he received treatment for prostate cancer.
Initially hesitant to share his cancer journey with others, Egglesfield has learned to be more open. “I want to tell other guys that these things are scary, but you can face them head-on,” he says.
Beyond Cancer Survival
At NYU Langone and other leading centers, oncologists are thinking more holistically about these issues in the context of survivorship—not just extending life but improving it. “Historically, patients were told, ‘You’re alive, be grateful,’” says Dr. Comen. “But we need to ask: How are you really feeling? What gives you joy?”
That means addressing issues like sexual health, mental health, fertility, and identity—topics long ignored in oncology.
for an insightful and inspiring discussion on life as a cancer survivor. Highlights include the following:
- what it’s like to be young and managing cancer, especially when your symptoms are dismissed or misdiagnosed
- why Dr. Comen is on a mission to change the “battle” analogies in cancer care
- how sharing the personal aspects of your cancer journey can be empowering
As Jaouad says, “Survival has never been my goal. The goal is to live—and that means more than just being alive.”
