New Podcast from Health Communication Alum gives a Dose of Joy
Thanks to the efforts of one MS in Health Communication alum, there’s a new resource out there for people faced with cancer diagnoses, or those supporting someone in cancer treatment. Joy Huber (MET’18) has recently launched a podcast, Dose of Joy, which provides ideas and inspiration for ways to thrive even in the midst of circumstances beyond one’s control.
It’s a subject Huber, author of Cancer with Joy, knows well. She was only 33 years old when she was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer in 2010, leading her to endure three years of chemotherapy. Her cancer journey taught Huber an important lesson: “While no one’s happy they have cancer, you can have cancer and still be happy,” she says.
More than anything, Huber found those facing cancer need guidance towards specific resources available to help them, and they often don’t have the time or energy to discern the best information. With Dose of Joy, she is able to share the lessons she came to understand—like the need for ongoing support and encouragement from loved ones, as courage is the opposite of fear and counteracts the terrifying emotions that often accompany a diagnosis.
Huber earned a Master of Science in Health Communication from Boston University in 2018, developing her capacity to convey challenging but important health-related information. She’s blogged about her experiences for outlets like The Huffington Post, and been invited to speak to groups of cancer patients and survivors. Huber took a unique approach to managing her hair loss when she opted to hold an online Facebook fashion show where she modeled different wigs and hats sharing pictures with friends who lived all over. It was an opportunity to gather support and encouragement from loved ones as friends “Liked” and commented on their favorite looks, lengths, and colors of hair. Thanks to the social media-minded tactic, she was featured in Coping with Cancer magazine.
She had a vision for a podcast that would allow her to share her knowledge and personal experience to comfort others and bring inspiration to those facing cancer. The Dose of Joy was launched in October 2021, just in time for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. New episodes debut every Sunday, and include stories and information from Joy’s book including valuable “do’s and don’ts” when diagnosed with cancer. She also shares information on hair loss, managing cancer along with a career, and helpful information for cancer caregivers.
With help from the media relations skills she picked up during her health communication master’s degree studies, Huber’s podcast was recently featured in a news segment by 1 011 Now, CBS’s Lincoln, Nebraska affiliate station. The segment focuses on how Huber was uplifted by friends and family as she decided on her new head of hair.
Visit here to watch the news segment.
Listen to Ms. Huber’s Dose of Joy podcast on Spotify.