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The Rich Roll Podcast

From Death To Life: Dr. Dawn Mussallem On Surviving Cancer Twice, Running A Marathon Post Heart Transplant, & Why Mindset Matters More Than Medicine

The Rich Roll Podcast

Rich Roll

Education, Society & Culture, Self-improvement, Health & Fitness

4.713.3K Ratings

🗓️ 16 February 2026

⏱️ 124 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Dr. Dawn Mussallem is a Mayo Clinic oncologist who survived stage 4 cancer at 26, heart failure, and a heart transplant—then became the first person to run a marathon within a year of receiving a new heart. This conversation explores the integrative approach to cancer treatment, why exercise might be as powerful as chemotherapy, the self-flagellation patients feel despite doing everything right, and the profound role of mindset in survival. Typically, my guests fall into two buckets—incredible story or incredible expertise. I don't know that I've ever had a guest who inhabits both worlds the way Dawn does. Her story is super inspirational, and the information is equally impactful. Enjoy! ⁠Show notes + MORE⁠ ⁠Watch on YouTube⁠ ⁠Newsletter Sign-Up⁠ Today’s Sponsors: Noble Mobile: The first phone carrier that pays you to use your phone less. Try it for just $10 with code RICHROLL👉🏼⁠https://www.noblemobile.com/richroll⁠  Go Brewing: Use the code Rich Roll for 15% OFF👉🏼⁠https://www.gobrewing.com⁠  BetterHelp: Get 10% OFF the first month👉🏼⁠https://www.betterhelp.com/richroll⁠  AG1: Get a FREE bottle of D3K2, Welcome Kit, and 5 travel packs with your first order👉🏼⁠https://www.drinkAG1.com/richroll⁠  OneSkin: Get started today with 15% off using code RICHROLL👉🏼⁠https://www.oneskin.co⁠  WHOOP: The all-new WHOOP 5.0 is here! Get your first month FREE👉🏼⁠https://www.join.whoop.com/Roll⁠  Check out all of the amazing discounts from our Sponsors👉🏼⁠https://www.richroll.com/sponsors⁠  Find out more about Voicing Change Media at ⁠https://www.voicingchange.media⁠ and follow us⁠ @voicingchange

Transcript

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0:00.0

You have to take care of your body.

0:02.0

Seven out of the 10 top chronic diseases are preventable with lifestyle.

0:06.0

My name is Dom Ys Salem and I'm a physician and my specialty is integrative oncology.

0:11.0

Five to 10% of cancers are genetic.

0:13.0

Five to 10% are family histories.

0:14.0

That means 75% to 80% of cancers are happening because of things, not because of genes in our family history.

0:19.0

They're happening because of external causes.

0:22.3

When you were 26 years old, you're just starting your medical education, and out of the blue,

0:27.3

you're hit with this stage four non-Hodgkins lymphoma diagnosis. Don says it's her own experiences

0:33.9

that's helped her career. My disease is basically what has defined me. I learned a lot in

0:38.1

medical school, but I learned everything from being a patient. You survive this only to later

0:43.1

suffer heart failure, which requires a heart transplant, and you go on to become the first person

0:49.8

to run a marathon within a year of a heart transplant. It's just set the stage for me to be in this position to help others in their moments of hardship.

0:58.0

And whether it's me sharing my story, reaches someone so far across the world that we never would have met, great.

1:04.0

But there is that listener out there that maybe this connects with them, and I hope it does.

1:13.2

Dawn, it's an absolute delight to have you here today.

1:16.1

So much to talk about.

1:18.3

We're going to talk about the lifestyle pillars that drive well-being and longevity,

1:23.9

also cancer prevention and recovery for cancer patients. But I want to begin with your

1:31.8

incredible story. What I would like you to do is to just share directly to the person who is

1:38.6

gifting you with their attention today, who maybe is stuck or really going through it.

1:45.4

What can you tell that person right now, right here, about what you've learned about human

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