Dr. Brian Merkel’s Story: From Surviving Cancer to Inspiring Future Doctors

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Cancer Covered

Greenbay Oncology

69 episodes

2 weeks ago

The practice of cancer medicine is complex and demanding. And like anything that takes practice, we’ll spend our whole lives trying to get it right. In each episode, the white coats come off as the dedicated men and women who take on cancer every day unpack the complexities of their work and share stories of how it’s done—and why they keep at it.

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Medicine

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Dr. Brian Merkel’s Story: From Surviving Cancer to Inspiring Future Doctors

Cancer Covered

14 minutes 16 seconds

3 weeks ago

Dr. Brian Merkel’s Story: From Surviving Cancer to Inspiring Future Doctors

In this episode, Dr. Brian Merkel, Associate Professor and Chair of Human Biology at the University of Wisconsin Green Bay, shares the deeply personal story of surviving acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in 1984. Despite a 10% chance of survival, he overcame the disease through a bone marrow transplant, an emerging treatment at the time. Now, he dedicates his life to teaching and mentoring the next generation of doctors and scientists. Joining him are Green Bay Oncology’s Dr. Brian Burnette and Dr. Evan Wenig, a former student of Dr. Merkel’s.

“…that miracle is never lost on me because every day I have a chance on multiple occasions to pay that gift forward.” – Dr. Brian Merkel

On this episode of Cancer Covered, you’ll learn:

* Dr. Merkel’s harrowing cancer journey, from his initial diagnosis as a high school senior in 1984 to undergoing a bone marrow transplant during the infancy of the procedure.

* The psychological and emotional toll of surviving a severe illness and the process of reintegrating into life, including the surprising challenge of simply being asked, “How are you feeling?”

* How Dr. Merkel channeled his survival trauma into a decades-long passion for teaching, mentorship, and inspiring students to pursue careers in medicine and science.

* The profound impact of Dr. Merkel’s teaching philosophy, which focuses on getting students to “realize their value,” as discussed with his former student, Dr. Evan Wenig.

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