Podcast Summary: “What to do when you’re told there’s nothing left to try”

TED Talks Daily
Guests: Dr. David Fajgenbaum, Kiah Williams
Host: Alexandra Tillman
Date: February 28, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode features an inspiring conversation between Dr. David Fajgenbaum (physician, medical researcher, and rare disease survivor) and Kiah Williams (social entrepreneur and co-founder of SIRUM), moderated by Alexandra Tillman. Both guests share profound personal experiences overcoming adversity, discuss what motivates them to drive systemic change, and explore the practical steps we can take when faced with impossible circumstances—whether in our own lives or in the world around us.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Turning Points: When Passive Living No Longer Works

(03:20 – 06:39)

• David Fajgenbaum: Became critically ill from Castleman Disease during medical school, after promising his late mother he’d become a doctor. Despite facing fatal prognoses with no approved treatments, he discovered a lifesaving drug not made for his disease, igniting a purpose to find “hidden cures” for others.
  • “Even when the world thinks that there are no more options... sometimes there's a solution that's literally as close to you as your neighborhood pharmacy.” — David Fajgenbaum (04:36)
• Kiah Williams: Grew up in poverty, realized at a young age she had to actively create her future. Later, as a health coach, saw patients’ health suffer due to lack of medication access, inspiring her to address root causes rather than symptoms.
  • “I was like, I need to get out of here and I need to do something... the only one who's going to do it is me.” — Kiah Williams (05:13)

2. Using Adversity as Creative Fuel

(06:39 – 10:24)

• Both guests discuss harnessing difficult circumstances to create, rather than contract.
• Kiah: Action doesn’t require a perfect plan; motivation can come after starting. On her grandfather navigating streets by the stars:
  • “If my grandfather can look at the stars to find his way... what excuse do I have to not do everything I possibly can?” — Kiah Williams (08:18)
• David: When you see the impact of action (such as a repurposed drug saving a life), the responsibility to pursue bigger questions grows.
  • “Once you see something like this... you can't unsee it.” — David Fajgenbaum (09:19)

3. Changing Systems: Start With Small Actions

(10:24 – 13:23)

• Real, systemic change often begins with a single concerned individual.
• Kiah: Shared the humble origins of SIRUM’s home delivery pharmacy in Georgia, sparked by an email from a retiree.
  • “It was usually just one person who was concerned... an email or a phone call... can change fundamentally the destiny of our organization.” (11:14)
• Emphasized acting even when the path is unclear—“choosing action over apathy.”

4. Actionable Hope: Converting Hope to Impact

(13:23 – 17:25)

• David: Urges reflection on what we hope for—those wishes often indicate where to act.
  • “Whatever you're hoping for... is actually the inverse of, you know what you should be doing.” (13:52)
• Outlines a cycle:
  • Hope → Action → Impact → More Hope
  • “You create this incredible circuit. Hope, action, impact leads to more hope.” (15:17)
• Practical ways to support their work:
  • Visit everycure.org/ideas to submit your off-label drug experiences.
  • Raise awareness of drug repurposing.
  • Donate funds or unused sealed medications (per regulations).

5. The Privilege (and Pain) of Doing Hard Things

(17:53 – 21:21)

• Kiah: Not a natural optimist, but recognizes “choosing hard things” as a privilege.
  • “For so many people in this world, that is not a choice that they have... So the fact that I have food on the table, good health insurance... I get to now choose what are the things that I'm going to take on that are hard.” (18:34)
• The experience of moving from survival to self-actualization (Maslow’s hierarchy) emboldens her mission.

6. Advice for Navigating Change and Building Resilience

(21:21 – 26:35)

• David: Three essential supports during hardship:
  1. Vision: Having something concrete to fight for.
  2. Team: Support network is crucial—both personally and professionally.
  3. One Step at a Time: Focus on the present action, not the daunting big picture.
     • “Just breathe, Dave, just breathe... I can do a minute of this, I can do an hour of this.” (23:05)
• Kiah: Resilience is not about constant optimism, but about faith in humanity and choosing a vision of hope.
  • “It's much better for me... thinking about this world and humanity as a race that is ultimately going to save itself.” (24:27)
• Warns against deferring life in pursuit of distant goals; encourages regular reevaluation between “delayed gratification” and present change.

7. Ultimate Takeaways: Focusing on What Matters

(28:26 – 31:49)

• Kiah: Prioritize what deeply matters to you instead of striving to “do everything.” Focus your energy for greater impact.
  • “You can't do everything. But the things I'm going to do, I'm going to do really well.” (29:52)
• David: Life after his near-death experience is “overtime”—a clarifying perspective to focus only on what matters most.
  • “I found for me that I've been in the state of overtime now for 15 years... In this overtime, it helps me to sort of cut out the noise, the things that I don't care about... just focus on the things that are really, really important to me.” (30:33)

Memorable Quotes

• “Sometimes motivation follows motion, not the other way around.” — Kiah Williams (07:48)
• “Whatever you're hoping for and you're wishing for... that is actually the inverse of... what you should be doing.” — David Fajgenbaum (13:52)
• “It's a privilege to be able to choose the hard things in your life.” — Kiah Williams (18:34)
• “Just breathe, Dave, just breathe.” — David’s sister, recounted by David Fajgenbaum (23:05)
• “Overtime can also be really clarifying... in overtime, you focus only on the things that are most important to win.” — David Fajgenbaum (30:33)

Important Timestamps

• 03:40 | Guests share their pivotal moments
• 07:43 | On turning adversity into forward motion
• 10:24 | Making change in systems & communities
• 13:52 | “Actionable hope” and the hope-action-impact loop
• 17:53 | Privilege of choosing to do hard things
• 21:48 | Coping strategies for change and resilience
• 23:05 | “Just breathe, Dave, just breathe”—the power of taking the next step
• 28:39 | Distilling your focus to what truly matters

Final Thoughts

Both speakers demonstrate that barriers—personal, medical, or systemic—can become sources for revolutionary change when approached with curiosity, persistence, and action. Their stories illustrate that even when told “there’s nothing left to try,” there may be another option nearby. Ultimately, the ability to face hard things—and to choose which hard things matter most—is both a privilege and a path to impact.

To learn more:

• Every Cure: everycure.org
• SIRUM: sirum.org