Cassie Liu, MD, PhD

It certainly applies as a resiliency strategy in general! The steps build on each other so you can't have the next without finishing the step prior. That said, I consider 3️⃣ the hardest for me because that can be about believing in yourself & your value, especially when the future is uncertain.

Thank you!!! 🥹🙏🏽✨️ I'm so glad to see you here! 🤗🦋

And if you're asking "progress in what," let me remind you of our assignment: bsky.app/profile/thec...

Here is the message I've taken away from these conversations:
1️⃣Know the rules.
2️⃣Be flexible & pivot in how I approach what I want to accomplish.
3️⃣DO NOT be flexible or pivot from my desired outcomes.
4️⃣Make progress no matter what.
Thank you, #AACRdisp25, for this vital lesson in #resiliency.

A slide from the AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities from USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center & Keck School of Medicine of USC. Left side of the slide has a picture of the word "resilience" in scrabble tiles. Right side of the slide has a circle with three layers: the innermost layer reads, "resilience"; the second innermost layer is split into three sections: "Emotional resilience," "Resilient thinking," & "Balance and recovery"; the outermost layer is split into eifht sections: "Social connections," "Positive emotions," & "Emotion regulation" nested outside "Emotional resilience," "Flexible thinking" & "Optimism" nested outside "Resilient thinking," & "Self-care" & "Balancing demands" nested outside "Balance and recovery."

But to be flexible in approach means that I change how I discuss, how I perform, the path that I take to achieve my goal - but the goal remains the same regardless of the external noise surrounding it. I now realize that flexibility & pivoting is referring to a strategy to engage #resiliency.

But what I have come to realize is being flexible and pivoting is about ➡️approach⬅️, not outcome. The outcome, my goal, what I want to accomplish does not change; to do so is to give up myself & who I am. I didn't realize before how strongly my idea of pivoting equated with essentially giving up.

I thought that being flexible meant that I needed to be flexible in outcomes, that I cannot always get what I want so I need to be flexible in who I become & what I hope to accomplish (outcomes). I think there is also external messaging that reinforces this interpretation (probably intentionally).

I have always been told to be flexible - & I thought I was - but after hearing from so many voices & perspectives during this conference, the words "flexible" & "pivot" have taken on a new meaning to me; I think I have fundamentally misunderstood what these words mean.

One of the topics of conversation was the idea of needing to "pivot." Someone shared the personal & difficult story of a trainee who decided to leave their research training path. For this particular trainee, it sounded like this was the right choice. 🧵 #academicsky #researchsky

#AACRdisp25 offered a session on professional advancement for #healthdisparities #cancerdisparities researchers, organized by @theaacr.bsky.social Minorities in Cancer Research Council. There were hard questions by researchers at all stages that reflected the difficult moment in #scientificresearch.

#AACRdisp25 is modeling for me the questions I have had regarding how to not only lead research ethically & with intention but how to listen, trust, & pursue research not for but WITH a community. The climb known as progress is endless, but the view from here is still taking my breath away.

The closeness & relationship I had with her & how we always met at @sabcs.bsky.social to discuss what research was really impactful to her fundamentally changed the way I wanted to engage with research & pushed me to consider how to incorporate community voices.

Cassie Liu with two breast cancer advocates holding signs that say, "Is your study as diverse as your clinic?" and "Close the gap. Diversity matters."

Cassie Liu at a function with two breast cancer advocates, all smiling at the camera

She told me about how seriously she took her role & quickly introduced me to her whole community(ies!) of breast cancer advocates. She tragically passed away from breast cancer, as did others I met in her circle. I still think about her today & I always will.

My introduction to patient advocates in research was at @sabcs.bsky.social, another conference held by @theaacr.bsky.social. It was my first international conference as a brand new graduate student. The first person I ever spoke to when I got there was a breast cancer advocate.

Even more, the patient/community advocates here also push themselves, constantly evaluating & asking how to represent communities even more than how they already are; they held a whole roundtable today around how to better advocate for their communities. #AACRdisp25

A slide from the 18th AACR Conference on The Science of Cancer Health Disparities introducing, "Ysabel Duron Journalist, Cancer Survivor, Patient Advocate Founder and Executive Director, The Latino Cancer Institute"

A slide from the 18th AACR Conference on The Science of Cancer Health Disparities introducing, "Alia Graham, The Chicago Reader's Vice President of People & Culture Breast Cancer Advocate"

I am so impressed with #AACRdisp25 giving space, time, & honor to patient/community advocate voices. The closeness & respect publicly shown by the researchers who work with these advocates is clear role modeling for the scientific community in how to listen & collaborate with communities.

Dr. Winn urged, "Understand the rules & continue to make progress no matter what."

Of course, we know our assignment. Thank you, Dr. Winn, for this heartfelt reminder. #AACRdisp25

I am reminded, if you'd indulge me for ruining this moment with one of my favorite #DoctorWho quotes: "Goodness is not goodness that seeks advantage. Good is good in the final hour, in the deepest pit - without hope, without witness, without reward. Virtue is only virtue in extremis."

He reminded us, "Fear will paralyze both Facts and Faith if you let it." & he urged us to "follow the tradition of all great scientists...Keep [scientific research] moving forward."

"Your assignment is to show up every day & do the best science you can."

A slide titled, "Health Disparity Key Milestones." Below the title is the outline of a powerful timeline: 1985, Report of the Secretary's Task Force on Black & Minority Health was published; 1986, Office of Minority Health was established; 1989, American Cancer Society released a Report to the Nation on Cancer and the Poor; 2000, NIH established the National Center on Minority Health & Health Disparities; 2001, NCI established the Center to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities; 2003, "Unequal Treatment: Confronting Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Healthcare" was published; 2007, the inaugural year of AACR's The Science of Cancer Health Disparities international research conference

A slide titled, "The Playbook: Progress No Matter the Situation." Below the title are photos of African American woman Gladys West, captioned "Mathematician who gave us GPS."

A slide titled, "The Playbook: Progress No Matter the Situation." Below the title are photos of African American man Percy Lavon Julian, captioned "Made pain relief affordable."

He reminded us that #healthdisparities #cancerdisparities #scientificresearch has persevered through even the most turbulent times, that significant gains have been made despite sometimes overwhelming resistance, that there are many who came before us who wrote the playbook for us to follow.

He reminded us to publicly promote the fact that our hard work has already demonstrated gains: overall cancer incidence & survival are on the decline regardless of racial and ethnic population groups, & one of our big challenges now includes rural vs urban #cancerdisparities #healthdisparities.

#AACRdisp25 opened with Dr. Robert Winn's keynote, "Know your assignment" - a passionate call to action and sincere reminder to continue to do the strong, real, hard work to advance #scientificresearch in #cancerdisparities #healthdisparities.

A badge that says "Cassie Liu, Stony Brook University Hospital, Stony Brook, NY" with a blue ribbon underneath that says, "Scholar in Training Awardee" overlaying a certificate from the 18th AACR Conference of The Science of Cancer Health Disparities awarding Cassie Liu with the AACR Scholar in Training Award supported by National Cancer Institute - Center to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities.

I'm so grateful to have received one of the 43 Scholar in Training Awards at this conference to be able to come present my work, learn from the experts, & network in this critically important space in #scientificresearch #cancerdisparities #healthdisparities #AACRdisp25

Cassie Liu standing by posterboard A126 with her poster.

Come chat with me at A126 #AACRdisp25! I'm representing my work on rural-urban #healthdisparities #cancerdisparities in prostate cancer in Nebraska done at @unmc.bsky.social & also representing my new position as resident physician @stonybrookmedicine.bsky.social!

I hope to share the things I learn & am excited about from the conference as well! Stay tuned! 😁

Thank you all for the warm welcome 🥹🙏🏼 Grateful to be here with all of you ❤️✨️🦋

Thanks for the welcome & highlight - definitely pinned! I'm still learning my way around these parts.....but I found a couple #medsky &, more importantly, #womeninmedicine starter packs & now I'm following 1k people. 😂 This place is amazing.

If you are also looking for comraderie, respite, and/or just some relaxed conversations about #cancerdisparities #healthdisparities research in these challenging times, please consider saying hello to me by my poster: A126, Sept 18, 7-8:30pm! #AACRdisp25

As I prepare to travel to the @theaacr.bsky.social Conference on The Science of Cancer Health Disparities, I feel this is also an opportune moment to start my Bluesky 🦋 account!

I hope to find this conference motivating & unifying in a stressful time that feels to be intentionally the opposite.