'Fatal to Fearless' Author and 2x Cancer Survivor Kathy Giusti Joins Thyme Care as Strategic Advisor, Patient Experience

Pharmaceutical insider who defied her three-year prognosis, established a $600M research fund, and tripled patient survival rates brings her patient advocacy expertise to Thyme Care to eliminate the barriers she faced in America's fragmented healthcare system

NASHVILLE, Tenn., March 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Thyme Care, the leading value-based cancer care enabler, today announced that two-time cancer survivor and healthcare disruptor Kathy Giusti will join Thyme Care as a strategic Advisor for Patient Experience. The pharmaceutical executive-turned-patient advocate will collaborate with Thyme Care's team to further enhance its patient-centered care model with her unique insights—especially as Thyme Care expands into commercial and employer audiences, where people are balancing careers, families, and the many competing challenges of a cancer diagnosis.

"Everyone with a new cancer diagnosis suddenly finds themselves needing to figure out how to navigate a ridiculously complicated health care system all while managing the physical and emotional effects of having cancer," said Bobby Green, MD, president, co-founder, and chief medical officer. "Kathy brings an extraordinary perspective to Thyme Care and will give us a level up in continuing to enhance our patient-centered model to meet the multifaceted needs of our members. While a cancer diagnosis has historically impacted older adults, today, younger people and women are getting diagnosed and face different challenges navigating the system than older generations. Kathy's expertise couldn't come at a more critical time." 

According to the American Cancer Society, 5,600 new people are diagnosed with cancer every day. While cancer rates have surged 30% among younger Americans, with women under 50 now facing an 82% higher cancer risk than men, the disease's heaviest burden still falls on older adults. Two-thirds of all cancer diagnoses occur in people aged 65 or older. Regardless of demographics, the financial and emotional toll of a cancer diagnosis is devastating. New treatments routinely cost over $200,000 annually, nearly 60% of working-age survivors report financial hardship, and 70% of Americans say the healthcare system failed to meet their needs because of long wait times, confusing processes, and unaffordable care.

"Navigating two cancer diagnoses—one in my thirties and one in my sixties—taught me the hard way how difficult it was to navigate our healthcare system, even as an 'insider'," said Giusti. "Beyond managing the disease itself, I had to figure out everything else myself—family affairs, rides to the office, and finances. Thyme Care's model would have made every part of this disease more manageable, from being able to call my nurse anytime to having someone help me find a second opinion. I strongly believe everyone deserves this support."

Kathy Guisti was first diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 1996, at a time when treatment options were scarce and the survival rates dismal. A driven pharmaceutical executive at G.D. Searle, Kathy refused to accept this reality. She co-founded the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation to advance cancer research and fast-track 15 FDA-approved therapies that tripled the lifespan of patients with multiple myeloma. Her influence expanded to co-chair the Harvard Business School Kraft Precision Medicine Accelerator and advise three presidential administrations on precision medicine, earning her recognition on TIME's 100 Most Influential People and Fortune's World's Greatest Leaders. Recently, after overcoming a breast cancer diagnosis later in life, Kathy published "Fatal to Fearless: 12 Steps to Beating Cancer in a Broken Medical System," drawing on her experience navigating cancer twice in vastly different life stages. 

"I've dedicated my life to making sure that people with cancer—and their families—are seen, heard, and supported. It's not just about the medical side of things. Cancer disrupts every part of a person's life, and patients deserve clarity, guidance, and a team that helps them move forward," Giusti continued. "In Fatal to Fearless, I lay out the critical steps patients must take to navigate a confusing healthcare system while trying to live their lives. Thyme Care is doing the work to remove those barriers so patients don't have to do it alone. They're bringing real, proactive support into every step of the journey, ensuring that no one is left guessing about what's next. That's why I'm so excited to partner with them—to help shape a future where every patient's experience is supported and their path to care is clear."

Thyme Care provides 24/7 dedicated support through oncology nurses, registered nurses, social workers, and community health workers who collaborate with a member's oncologist to provide complete wraparound care. The team addresses both clinical and non-clinical needs, from medication adherence and symptom management to transportation and financial assistance. This proactive approach to care reduces costly and unnecessary emergency room visits and hospitalizations, reduces the total cost of care, and improves member health outcomes. 

About Thyme Care
Thyme Care is the leading value-based care enabler, collaborating with payers and providers to transform the experience and outcomes for individuals living with cancer. The company partners with health plans, employers and risk-bearing providers to assume accountability for enhanced care quality, improved health outcomes, and reduced total cost of care. Thyme Care's approach combines a technology-enabled Care Team and seamless integration with more than 800 oncologists in Thyme Care Oncology Partners, creating a hybrid collaborative care model that guides and supports the entire patient journey. Thyme Care empowers oncologists nationwide through purpose-built tech, advanced data analytics, and virtual patient engagement, driving better care and outcomes in value-based arrangements. Thyme Care is a founding member of CancerX, and is backed by leading investors. To learn more about how Thyme Care is enabling the shift to value-based care in oncology, visit www.thymecare.com.

Contact
Kimberly Dreisinger
Thyme Care Communications
[email protected] 

SOURCE Thyme Care