We had the good fortune of connecting with Allison Rosen and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Allison, can you share the most important lesson you’ve learned over the course of your career?
After working in oncology for 15 years an going through cancer treatment during this time I have learned many life lessons. I have learned that life will provide numerous tests and it is how you handle them and come out on the other side that can help define you and your life forever. I realize now, after going though cancer treatment, and working the field that the patient voice needs to be involved in making decisions for what the they actually will befit from. I help to bridge that gap between researcher and the cancer community in an effort to have all parties benefits and lives positively impacted. When we all work together lives can be saved.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Professionally I have gotten where I am currently at through hard work and determination. One friend who passed away always said she turned her pain into purpose and I take those words and they have guided me into the career I have today. I have taken the lessons I have learned through my cancer journey and applied them to my job in the field to take all the lessons I learned and use them to help others. I want people to know if you try hard enough you can accomplish anything and you can a negative into a positive. Due to my cancer journey I am now lucky enough to help others and educate about the importance of cancer screening to the Houston area and beyond. This is truly lie changing and am grateful every day to be doing something I am so passionate about every day .

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I think Houston is a melting pot for diversity and a food tour through various neighborhoods eating, visiting museums, learning about Houston history would be an amazing day for anyone visiting, My top 5 places to take people when visiting are: 1. Food tour that would include down Bellaire into Chinatown like Foo Foo Cake, try soul food, eat authentic Tex-Mex from places like Ninfa’s on Navigation, find some of best taco joints in town like Liberty Tacos, and so much more. I like to follow Allison Cooks; top 100 restaurants and try the new hot spots 2. Houston Nasa to go on a tour of the space station. 3. The Museum district to see art that ranges from classic to contemporary 4. I would map out and try Texas BBQ at all the hot spots like. Goode Company, Kileens, Pappa’s Brothers’s BBQ, Luling City Market 5. Lastly i would take them to go country dancing at Whiskey River and Stampede to take a free lesson and learn how to two step

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would not be where I am at without the numerous patient advocacy organizations helping me realize that my cancer journey deserved to be heard and could help shape my career, I have working in the oncology world at Baylor College of Medicine for 15 years, 4 of them in our NCI designated Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center. I have been given the opportunity to volunteer my time with the Young Adult Advisory Council and the Patient, Family Advisory Council, and the Ostomy support team for MD Anderson Cancer Center. I am on the Never Too Young Advisory Board with the Colon Cancer Alliance, am the Chair of the Get Your Rear in Gear 5K in Houston with the Colon Cancer Coalition, work on policy advocacy with the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, Fight Colorectal Cancer and the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship. These and so man other non-profits and medical center institutions have given me an opportunity to advocate and be the voice of the cancer patient.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alicat380
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allison-rosen-a89b9277/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ARosen380
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alicat380

Image Credits
Allison Rosen

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