Art, Drama, and a Terminal Illness | Ellen Dunphy

Jun 28, 2022

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When actress and playwright Ellen Dunphy — then a robustly-healthy 33-year old — first met co-host Dr. Tyler Johnson in early 2020, they were filming an educational video teaching doctors how to discuss terminal illnesses with patients. Six months later, in a twist of fate, upon receiving a terminal diagnosis of gastric cancer, Ellen learned that Dr. Johnson would be her oncologist — for real this time. In this poignant episode, Ellen candidly shares her experiences from the moment she received her diagnosis to how she has subsequently grappled with grief, and discusses how this has fueled the creation of a play about her cancer journey. This is a rare occasion of conversation and reflection between a dying patient and her doctor on what matters most in medicine.

We note with sadness that Ellen passed away peacefully on July 4, 2022, surrounded by people who loved her.

In this episode, you will hear about:

The circumstances that first brought Ellen and Dr. Johnson together - 1:38
Ellen and Tyler’s second meeting, under drastically different yet parallel circumstances - 5:03
What it was like for both Ellen and Dr. Johnson at the moment her diagnosis was delivered - 7:24
What was surprising to Ellen about going through cancer treatment - 13:24
Ellen’s advice to medical professionals in light of her own treatment journey - 16:40
Ellen’s reflections on the process of writing her play about receiving a terminal cancer diagnosis - 21:12
The meaning of medicine, as seen by Ellen - 27:45
Ellen’s advice to all patients on the importance of advocating for oneself - 29:00

Ellen’s one-woman play “Imaginary Endings” about facing her cancer diagnosis can be viewed on YouTube.

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