Welcome to Episode Six of Woman-Run – The Podcast, hosted by Wright Lindsey Jennings attorney Jennifer L. Smith. Jennifer is joined by Dr. Diane Wilder, a medical oncologist at CARTI. Dr. Wilder shares her extraordinary journey from a South Texas ranch to medical school at 38, reflecting on resilience, purpose, and the art of caring—for patients and for oneself.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How early life on a Texas ranch and years in Mexico shaped Dr. Wilder’s empathy, curiosity, and love of service.
• Why she left a successful corporate career to pursue medicine later in life—and how perseverance opened unexpected doors.
• The emotional realities of balancing family, loss, and medical training, and how those experiences inform her patient care today.
• The three pillars that drew her to oncology: lifelong patient relationships, holistic care, and ever-evolving science.
• How CARTI’s team-based approach surrounds patients with both technical excellence and human compassion.
• Simple, evidence-based wellness practices—from “50-10” movement breaks to the 80/20 nutrition rule—that sustain both physicians and patients.

Highlights & Key Takeaways:

• “Just stir the spaghetti pot.” — Dr. Wilder’s counselor’s advice on honest perseverance through hardship.
• Going to medical school at 38 required rebuilding scientific foundations but proved that courage outweighs age.
• Oncology offers a model for whole-person medicine: integrating nutrition, psychology, and precision science.
• CARTI’s collaborative culture ensures patients are never alone—care extends well beyond the exam room.
• Small, consistent movement (“activity snacks”) improves health as effectively as longer workouts.
• Each life stage for women brings its own beauty, strength, and opportunity.

Mentioned in the Episode:

• CARTI (Cancer Center of Arkansas)
• Exercise is Medicine (global initiative)
• American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR)
• American Cancer Society (ACS) guidelines
• Highland Park Schools (Dallas)
• Runge and Goliad, Texas

Quotes:

“We tell them: the road looks dark; put one foot in front of the other. It’s a step of faith.” — Dr. Diane Wilder

“Each age in a woman’s life is wonderful and glorious, and it has its unique challenges, but it is a place of beauty and a place of opportunity.” — Dr. Diane Wilder

Enjoy this inspiring conversation about resilience, compassion, and redefining success at every age. Follow Woman-Run: The Podcast and Wright Lindsey Jennings for more stories of women leading with courage and purpose.