In this special New Year’s episode, host Rome Madison steps into the interviewee chair, sharing the driving force behid his two-decade career in precision medicine with DNA Today Podcast host Kira Deneen. Rome recounts his unexpected entry into the field, and a self-taught pursuit of molecular science that led him to market groundbreaking cancer diagnostics.

Rome’s reveals that his passionate mission to expand patient access was birthed when his own father was diagnosed with colorectal cancer. This coupled with the serendipitous fact that his father’s surgeon and the hospital where he received care were also his clients, which ensured his father received the genomic insights few patients got access to at the time. Rome’s father today is a 20-year colorectal cancer survivor, which fuels his relentless fight to eliminate obstacles for people to acces genetic and genomic testing today.

Kira Dineen is a certified genetic counselor the host and executive producer of DNA Today, a weekly podcast that educates and engages listeners about genetics. Kira has produced over 300 episodes of DNA Today, interviewing experts in the field of clinical genetics and has won the Best 2020, 2021, and 2022 Science and Medicine Podcast Awards.

Listen for these powerful takeaways:

• The Power of Personal Experience: Rome’s direct involvement in his father’s colorectal cancer surgery and genomic testing profoundly solidified his lifelong mission to expand patient access to genetic and genomic testing.
• Persistent Access Barriers: Despite two decades of scientific advancement in precision medicine, significant hurdles such as outdated reimbursement policies, lack of provider awareness, and inherent biases continue to prevent equitable access.

The Imperative of Self-Advocacy: Rome emphasizes that accessible information and patient empowerment are crucial for navigating the complex healthcare system, enabling individuals to advocate for and ultimately receive personalized, genome informed care.