Chapter 19: Strategies to Build Public Awareness of Colorectal Cancer
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Description
In this Chapter, Dr. Levin talks about his role as a public representative of MD Anderson, the Division of Cancer Prevention, and colorectal cancer awareness. He mentions that MD Anderson provided him with training for television appearances and also notes that the Department of Public Affairs “embraced cancer prevention,” which was seen as a strong promotion point for the institution. He also mentions his appearance on the Today Show with Katie Kouric and other cancer prevention specialists to increase awareness of colorectal cancer. He says that after that appearance, MD Anderson saw an increase in requests for information about colorectal cancer screening. He also mentions that when Katie Kouric publicly announced her own colonoscopy, there was a measurable increase nationwide in requests for this screening procedure known as “the Kouric Effect.” He mentions the ways in which Public Affairs creatively used these public appearances at Board of Visitor meetings and other situations to advance the cause of cancer preventions.
Dr. Levin talks about what he learned about leadership from his appearances on television and at other public events. He also talks about his admiration for Katie Kouric and her ability to overcome hardship and make a national difference for cancer prevention.
Identifier
LevinB_02_20130208_C19
Publication Date
2-8-2013
City
Houston, Texas
Interview Session
Bernard Levin, MD, Oral History Interview, February 08, 2013
Topics Covered
The Interview Subject's Story - The Administrator The Administrator Character, Values, Beliefs, Talents Beyond the Institution Information for Patients and the Public Portraits Patients, Treatment, Survivors
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.
Disciplines
History of Science, Technology, and Medicine | Oncology | Oral History
Transcript
Tacey Ann Rosolowski, PhD:
So you were saying that you had TV training.
Bernard Levin, MD:
Yes. MD Anderson provided me with opportunity to learn a bit about TV training, and Steve Stuyck, whose contributions as head of Public Affairs were legend and for whom I have tremendous respect—he is now retired—was helpful in letting some of us be taught how to represent the institution in public. This included formal TV training. I subsequently had the opportunity to appear on the Today Show with Katie Couric, which was a totally frightening experience. Then with others too, also locally. One of the TV hosts, who was well known for her abrasive attitude, kept saying to me, “Speak faster. Speak faster. You’re too slow.” She was the master of the 15-second interview and wanted an instant sound bite and didn’t want any um-ing and oh-ing around it and wanted your thoughts extraordinarily crisp and concise. But it was initially frightening to have to do that. Subsequently, with more experience and with hosts who were tolerant, it became an almost pleasant experience and one to which I looked forward.
Tacey Ann Rosolowski, PhD:
What were some of the other—I’d like to come back to some of those very public appearances. But what were some of the other kind of supports in that way that you were offered? You did take on a very public role in bringing the message about cancer prevention.
Bernard Levin, MD:
Well, Public Affairs—in general—directed by Steve Stuyck was an extraordinary help. They embraced cancer prevention. Steve Stuyck used to say it was MD Anderson’s—I won’t go into the commercial—but a good little bite and viewed it as the way that MD Anderson could appear to be truthfully doing something very positive for not only the general public but also for people at high risk at MD Anderson. Their office and Cancer Prevention worked very closely together, such that we actually had a Public Affairs representative within Cancer Prevention for much of the time in which I was the vice president. That individual reported dually to Steve [Stuyck] and his senior colleagues, as well as to me and our division administrator. Public Affairs played a major role in helping convey the message about cancer prevention. We did very little in terms of public outreach without their blessing and support.
Tacey Ann Rosolowski, PhD:
When did that relationship start in Public Affairs?
Bernard Levin, MD:
Almost immediately when I became involved. Steve was very helpful, supportive, knowledgeable, and I learned a lot from him.
Tacey Ann Rosolowski, PhD:
Steve Stuyck talked about this being a real promotional point, basically, for MD Anderson. What were some of the other benefits of public appearances of this kind?
Bernard Levin, MD:
Well, he and his colleagues used all the media to provide support. Written media—there were often articles in various—for local newspapers and others. There was radio. Cancer Prevention Center directed by Dr. Terri Bevers—Therese Bevers. She was often on the radio. Tobacco control billboards, TV appearances. The whole array of both English and multi-language—Spanish in particular—advertising for various programs was in place. All of this had some relationship to Public Affairs.
Tacey Ann Rosolowski, PhD:
After you—for example—appeared on the Today Show, what was the result from that?
Bernard Levin, MD:
Well, Katie Couric’s mission in having us—my colleagues, who were a part of her advisory board, and me—appear was to draw attention to the importance of colorectal cancer, particularly to colorectal screening. Indirectly, we saw an increase in queries about colon cancer and screening. Tangibly, when Katie Couric had her colonoscopy in public—so to speak—there was a measurable increase throughout the country in requests for colonoscopy screening and subsequent examinations. This has been well documented as “the Couric effect.” My own personal appearance probably had very little to do with anything, but the importance of her imprimatur on all of this can’t be over-estimated. Public Affairs was able to capture elements of my appearance and that of others, utilize it in various ways, shown at Board of Visitor meetings—all sorts of ways of creatively utilizing the media to advance the science and the cause of cancer prevention in a very broad—a very broad perspective.
Tacey Ann Rosolowski, PhD:
Did you feel you learned something about leadership from going through that experience of being on TV?
Bernard Levin, MD:
Undoubtedly I did, because it taught me to compose my thoughts concisely, to overcome the fear of exposure on national television, to sit appropriately—not slouch—and the declining importance of the blue shirt. One could wear a white shirt, as well.
Tacey Ann Rosolowski, PhD:
Oh, that’s right.
Bernard Levin, MD:
As color technology improved, it wasn’t essential any longer to wear a blue shirt. Then a great deal about Katie Couric—having the opportunity to get to know her in a professional sense and to admire her extraordinary ability to overcome hardship—the death of her husband at a young age and the subsequent death of her sister, Emily, from pancreatic cancer—both very tragic, and her determination to succeed as a host of a major morning program and her very amazing ability to bring up her two daughters. I gained a great deal of respect from that experience.
Tacey Ann Rosolowski, PhD:
Uh-hunh (affirmative). Let me pause the recorder again at 10:30. (The recorder is paused.)
Bernard Levin, MD:
Easily.
Recommended Citation
Levin, Bernard MD and Rosolowski, Tacey A. PhD, "Chapter 19: Strategies to Build Public Awareness of Colorectal Cancer" (2013). Interview Chapters. 1355.
https://openworks.mdanderson.org/mchv_interviewchapters/1355
Conditions Governing Access
Open
