S10 E4: Preventing Blood Clots in Cancer Care
Published Date: March 12, 2026
With podcast host, Ginger Blackmon, and featuring Leslie Lake, Voluntary President and Board Chair of the National Blood Clot Alliance (NBCA).
March is Blood Clot Awareness Month, making it the perfect time to spotlight an often overlooked but life-threatening complication in cancer care: blood clots.
In this episode of the PQI Podcast, we speak with Leslie Lake, Voluntary President and Board Chair of the National Blood Clot Alliance (NBCA). After surviving a bilateral pulmonary embolism in 2018, Leslie became a passionate advocate for improving patient education, awareness, and prevention of venous thromboembolism (VTE). Her personal experience with limited information after discharge from the hospital inspired her to help ensure that other patients receive the knowledge and support they need.
Leslie shares insights into the mission of the National Blood Clot Alliance and their national education initiative, Stop the Clot®, which works to increase awareness of blood clot risks, symptoms, and prevention strategies. The conversation also highlights why oncology teams should pay close attention to blood clot risk in patients with cancer, how healthcare professionals can better educate patients, and the role of advocacy and policy in improving outcomes.
Listeners will learn practical strategies for patient education, key risk factors oncology teams should recognize, and how organizations like NBCA are working to improve awareness and prevention nationwide.
Learn more at: www.stoptheclot.org
Recent Episodes
S10 E3: No Room for Shortages: Protecting Patients Through Advocacy + Action
Laura Bray, MBA (Angels for Change) joins for a conversation on oncology drug shortages—her personal story, the current landscape, and practical steps pharmacists and care teams can take to support patients and strengthen access.
March 4, 2026
S10 E2: Bringing Care Closer to Home: Advancing Rural Oncology
Bhavana (Tina) Bhatnagar shares her move from academic centers to rural West Virginia and what it takes to expand access to high-quality cancer care for underserved communities, from overcoming transportation and financial barriers to building community-based clinical trials and bringing innovations like CAR T closer to home.
February 25, 2026
S10 E1: Connecting Oncology Care Across Borders
Eoin Tabb, an oncology and haematology pharmacist in Ireland, and explores multidisciplinary practice, real-world uses of digital health and AI, and opportunities for global collaboration.
February 19, 2026