At 49, Karen Peterson was diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer. Two years later it was stage IV, with a prognosis measured in months. Karen tells Stephanie Sirota how biomarker testing and a Phase 1 immunotherapy trial saved her life, why she walked out on her original oncologist, and what underrepresentation in clinical trials looks like up close. She also explains how Karen's Club, a New York City nonprofit and 2026 grantee partner of the RTW Foundation, helps patients of color use their own test results to make informed decisions about trials.

PODCAST TEAM

Producer: Devon Leaver

• Editor: Dominique Guerra
• Production Coordinator: YingYu Lin
• Production Support: Annabelle Chan
• Research Consultant: Chris Liu, Senior Research Analyst, RTW Investments
• Story Consultant: Sarah Garwood, Director of Community Engagement, RTW Foundation

Featuring: Karen Peterson, Founder and Chief Patient Advocate, Karen's Club, moderated by Stephanie Sirota, Partner and Chief Business Officer, RTW Investments.

FOLLOW US

Love our podcast? Follow us on LinkedIn at RTW Investments, LP and check out our website for the latest updates and insights.

To make sure you never miss an episode, you can subscribe to the RTW podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and most other podcast platforms.

CHAPTERS

00:00 - Introduction

01:03 - Diagnosed at 49

02:36 - The vow, and an unannounced visit

04:54 - The immunotherapy trial that saved her life

06:19 - From patient to advocate

08:35 - Who to tell, who to lean on

09:52 - Leaving her oncologist

12:05 - Patients who ran out of time

14:14 - Fear, trust, and the first call

16:02 - Why representation shapes the data

17:17 - The positive impact of peer navigation

18:08 - Working with clinicians

18:59 - How Karen's Club works

20:03 - A CAR T success story

21:38 - The RTW Foundation partnership

22:54 - What decision makers should know

23:26 - Outro

DISCLAIMER

This interview was given by Karen Peterson, Founder and Chief Patient Advocate of Karen's Club, a 2026 grantee partner of the RTW Foundation, and moderated by Stephanie Sirota, Partner and Chief Business Officer at RTW Investments. Statements reflect RTW's views and opinions as of the date hereof and not as of any future date. All expressions of opinion are subject to change without notice and are not intended to be a forecast of future events or results. The views expressed by guests are their own, and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent.

Episode Description

Is there still time for investors to join the biotech rally, or have they already missed it? Rod Wong says there is still plenty of opportunity and sits down with Stephanie Sirota to make the case. They start by contrasting high-profile concerns about AI’s risks with Rod’s more measured view: manage the downside, and position early to capture the benefits. He then explains why today’s rally is built on real commercial data and fundamentals rather than the hype around technology platforms in 2020, and why cancer could be the biotech sector’s flag-bearer for the next decade. Rod discusses how FDA leadership is signaling more support for biotech innovation, how an M&A wave is reshaping the sector, and how commercial launches are outperforming expectations. Looking ahead, Rod shares what he’s watching next. He closes with his biggest-picture takeaway: that medicine is entering a golden age of innovation, one that AI’s growing impact on drug discovery productivity will only help accelerate.

Podcast Team

● Producer and Editor: Tim Young

● Cinematography: Peter Garofalo

● Assistant Camera/Swing: Kate Montgomery

● Executive Editorial Advisor: Stephanie Sirota

● Editorial Advisors: Steve Alperin and Jim Heins

● Theme Music: Ganymede by Yehezkel Raz, with additional music by APM Music.

Featuring: Rod Wong, Founder, Managing Partner and Chief Investment Officer at RTW Investments, moderated by Stephanie Sirota, Partner and Chief Business Officer at RTW Investments.

Follow Us

Love our podcast? Follow us on LinkedIn at RTW Investments, LP and check out our website for the latest updates and insights.

To make sure you never miss an episode, you can subscribe to the RTW podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and most other podcast platforms.

Chapters

00:00 – Introduction

01:10 – AI and the Fate of Humanity

04:13 – Tech vs. Biotech: Value and Villains

06:27 – The RTW Model

09:35 – What's Driving the Recovery Now

12:58 – The Decade of Oncology

15:16 – FDA Leaning into Innovation

18:39 – M&A and the Eli Lilly Effect

21:08 – Launch Performance and Public Markets

24:28 – What's Next

25:21 – Closing Thoughts

Disclaimer

This interview features Rod Wong, Founder, Managing Partner and Chief Investment Officer at RTW Investments, in conversation with Stephanie Sirota, Partner and Chief Business Officer at RTW Investments.

Statements by RTW personnel reflect their own views and opinions as of the date of recording and are subject to change without notice. Nothing in this episode is intended as investment advice, a recommendation to buy or sell any security, or an offer or solicitation to provide investment advisory services. The views expressed are those of the participants and do not necessarily reflect the views of RTW Investments, its affiliates, or its clients. This content is for informational purposes only.

A cancer diagnosis in your early 30s. A doctor who says chemotherapy could leave you infertile. An insurer who says you don't qualify for fertility benefits because you "aren't infertile yet." Amanda Rice lived that call and built The Chick Mission in response: a nonprofit that has funded egg-freezing cycles for nearly 900 women and helped pass fertility preservation coverage into law in 22 states and the District of Columbia. Amanda joins Stephanie Sirota to unpack both sides of what she calls being the "CEO of your own body": the self-advocacy required inside a doctor's office, and the coalition-building required inside a state legislature. They also get into the part of survivorship nobody warns you about, the depression that can follow being declared cancer-free, and what Amanda wishes every oncologist would ask a newly diagnosed patient.

Podcast Team

• Producer and Director: Devon Leaver, recorded at RTW headquarters in New York

• Editor: Dominique Guerra

• Production Coordinator: YingYu Lin

• Production Support: Annabelle Chan

• Sound Engineer: Stephanie Polonio

• Executive Editorial Advisor: Stephanie Sirota

• Special Thanks: John Wasilewski

• Theme Music: "Ganymede" by Yehezkel Raz. Additional music by APM Music.

Follow Us

Love our podcast? Follow us on LinkedIn at RTW Investments, LP and check out our website for the latest updates and insights.

To make sure you never miss an episode, you can subscribe to the RTW podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and most other podcast platforms.

Chapters

00:00 – Introduction

01:00 – "You Aren’t Infertile Yet": The Insurance Call

02:30 – From Fundraising Career to The Chick Mission

05:45 – The 48-Hour Hope Grant

07:45 – CEO of Your Own Body

09:30 – Putting Ourselves Out of Business: The State-by-State Playbook

11:45 – Texas, Arizona, and the Medicaid Gap

14:10 – Resilience After "Cancer-Free"

16:40 – Following the Science

19:15 – Rewriting the First Oncologist Conversation

21:30 – Worthy of More Than Survival

22:25 – Outro

Disclaimer

This interview features Amanda Rice, Founder and CEO of The Chick Mission, in conversation with Stephanie Sirota, Partner and Chief Business Officer at RTW Investments.

Statements by RTW personnel reflect their own views and opinions as of the date of recording and are subject to change without notice. Nothing in this episode is intended as investment advice, a recommendation to buy or sell any security, or an offer or solicitation to provide investment advisory services. The views expressed are those of the participants and do not necessarily reflect the views of RTW Investments, its affiliates, or its clients. This content is for informational purposes only.