By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    An Expert’s Guide To Building and Improving Endurance
    June 30, 2022
    medical assistants
    What Do Medical Assistants Do On a Day to Day Basis?
    April 5, 2022
    superfoods to help with prostate health
    10 Healthy Foods That Can Help Protect Your Prostate
    August 29, 2022
    Latest News
    5 Steps to a Promising Career as a Healthcare Administrator
    August 3, 2025
    Why Custom Telemedicine Apps Outperform Off‑the‑Shelf Solutions
    July 20, 2025
    How Probate Planning Shapes the Future of Your Estate and Family Care
    July 17, 2025
    Beyond Nutrition: Everyday Foods That Support Whole-Body Health
    June 15, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    healthcare cost crisis
    What If the Health Care Cost Crisis Solves Itself?
    May 11, 2013
    Do You Need Life Insurance? What Does It Cover?
    December 23, 2022
    HIE metal plans
    The Four “Metal Plans” of Health Insurance Exchanges
    May 28, 2013
    Latest News
    How IT and Marketing Teams Can Collaborate to Protect Patient Trust
    July 17, 2025
    How Health Choices and Legal Actions Intersect After an Injury
    July 17, 2025
    How communities and healthcare providers can address slip and fall injuries with legal awareness
    July 17, 2025
    Let Your Lawyer Handle the Work Before You Pay Medical Costs
    July 6, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: TV Anchorpeople and Illness: Lessons Learned
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Policy & Law > Public Health > TV Anchorpeople and Illness: Lessons Learned
Public Health

TV Anchorpeople and Illness: Lessons Learned

Andrew Schorr
Andrew Schorr
Share
5 Min Read
SHARE

I’ve been thinking a lot about television anchors and personalities. As they get older they encounter health issues, like the rest of us, and they get publicized because we think we know them so well. Is this helpful for our own health or does it sometimes go too far?

I’ve been thinking a lot about television anchors and personalities. As they get older they encounter health issues, like the rest of us, and they get publicized because we think we know them so well. Is this helpful for our own health or does it sometimes go too far?

Lately, there have been rumblings of criticism of ABC News and the producers of top-rated “Good Morning America” because they have focused so much on the bone marrow transplant for myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) of their affable anchor Robin Roberts. When Diane Sawyer and George Stephanopoulos were at her bedside on TV, veteran television critic Tom Shales said it was more about ratings and not about caring. I don’t agree. Showing human emotion is what makes television tick and it is certainly natural for Robin’s co-workers to want to be with her at a critical moment. Yes, more of us watch, but is that a bad thing? For example, now many thousands more Americans have been HLA typed and added to the registry of potential bone marrow donors. People are learning about blood cancers because of Robin’s cancer journey. In a time when government programs have few resources and public service announcements rarely get airtime, why can’t commercial television lend a hand with a compelling story that calls us to action?

Sometimes there is little for us to do. In my hometown of Seattle, veteran local TV anchor Kathi Goertzen died this year from complications of acoustic neuroma, a tumor inside her skull. My interview with her years ago stays locked in my memory. Viewers followed her long trek through numerous surgeries and radiations. We learned about the illness and the unfairness of it all, but there was little we could do except pray for her and improved medical solutions. Yet awareness about serious health issues is a good thing. Maybe it leads to a viewer getting earlier detection for something that can be treated successfully; maybe it leads to someone taking basic preventive steps like quitting smoking, getting a pap smear or a colonoscopy.

More Read

Image
A New Era of Patient Engagement
Q and A: Addressing an Enormous Public Health Problem with a Simple Technology Solution
24 Hour Flu Does Not Exist: It’s Food Poisoning
The Top 5 Very Important Reasons To Learn CPR
Immunotherapy Trains the Immune System to Attack Cancer Cells

I’ve never been a fan of Hollywood celebrities making money with million dollar contracts from Pharma to pay them for speeches or press tours. It just seems wrong. TV anchors sharing their story with us, their family of viewers, seems ok and can produce some good.

One other point about TV anchors I wanted to share with you today, my 62nd birthday. I am back in the US to host our multiple myeloma town meeting in Columbus, Ohio and I have been watching morning network television as I get ready. I am thrilled to see a lot of older – post 60 – correspondents bringing us the big stories with their decades of wisdom and perspective – especially on CBS. And right in the middle of them is one of my idols – Charlie Rose – now 70 and still going strong with his insightful interviews. My goal this year is to be more like him and to find others to join me…providing insightful interviews specifically for people we serve with serious chronic conditions including, happily, more and more cancers that are truly “chronic” and not acutely fatal.

As we age illness is more likely to rear its head. It happens to people regardless of their station in life. For those who are well known to us can their story legitimately help us all learn and improve our own health or the health of our community in the process? I think so. So today I miss Kathi, pray for Robin and appreciate her being so public, understand why it was natural and inspirational for Diane and George to be with their friend on network TV, and I’m going to work hard to be like Charlie, asking the right questions so we can all make better decisions about our health and feel more confident and in-control.

Wishing you and your family the best of health!

Andrew

TAGGED:cancer
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

technology in medical research
The Tools Helping Medical Researchers See the Full Picture
News Technology
August 3, 2025
5 Steps to a Promising Career as a Healthcare Administrator
5 Steps to a Promising Career as a Healthcare Administrator
Health
July 31, 2025
holistic dental
Holistic Dentist Services Are Natural and Safe
Dental health Specialties
July 28, 2025
botox certification
Help Improve People’s Skin Health Via Botox Certification
Skin Specialties
July 22, 2025

You Might also Like

Social Media in Healthcare—Where is it Leading Us?

April 17, 2012
Image
BusinessPublic Health

It’s a Patient-Payer World

October 23, 2013
five star quality rating
FinanceHealth ReformHospital AdministrationPolicy & LawPublic Health

Hospital Selfies and Stars: Patients Look Deeper Than HCAHPS

June 9, 2015

Where the US Lags Italy in Healthcare

June 1, 2015
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?