Commentary

Lions Health Day Two Reflection

If Day 1 was all about being bold, Day 2 was a roller coaster ride of bravery. Each session was very different. They tapped on emotions of frustration, hope, awe, imagination, entertainment, empathy, laughter, and a night roaring with the first ever Health Lions Award show.

From challenging ourselves to ask: What would happen if Apple got into health?" Would there be genius bars to diagnose and heal? At the local level? Easy to navigate? And intuitive? And connecting us all? 

From challenging ourselves on how to recruit the best and brightest creatives to our field. By leaning in to the schools. Several college grads spoke about the honor of working in Healthcare tapping into their desire to put their craft to good. To do something they feel good about. But they want the industry to get cool, and hip, and fun. 

From supersonic futurist Jason Silva who took us to the future and back -- "cool" would be an understatement. He said: "Technology is how we extend our will in the world." 

He predicted the exponential disruption of the world. Putting a human face on data. And our ability to re conceive the possible. He challenged us to think of the future of us. With biology as the new canvas. Biology as software. A quantified self-revolution. Where we will measure everything and send that information back to the system. A data rich, always-on biologic system. Polling data from millions of people to see the trends. Assess. Learn, cure. 

We had to take a collective breath after Jason Silva -- and Dr. Rita Charon, an internist, was the prefect segue. 

She talked to us about Narrative Health. A practice using the most humble tools of listening, writing, absorbing and respecting your patients. Recording their stories with their permission. To humanize their struggle, share with their families and avoid the cold "reduction" of labeling patients -- e.g., "The man with the neck." 

Dr. Charon beautifully and quietly took us through a weaving journey of medicine, art and music to appreciate the privilege and the burden of practicing medicine. 

I guess it is only fitting that a Healthcare event session end with blood. A lot of blood. Not human blood -- show biz blood! Thanks to Director David Nutter of "Game of Thrones" and the "Red Wedding" Season Three finale. 

He discussed creativity. The challenges. The inner doubt. Giving it your all. 

Always being humble. And being prepared. Interspersed with clips of some of his best work. From "Band of Brothers" to "West Wing" to Entourage" to Homeland," he implored us to never settle. 

As the day closed and as we all went back to "clean up" for the Gala, a massive thunderstorm swept over Cannes. Was it an emphatic exclamation point to the sessions? Be bold. Be brave. Make your mark. I"m not sure, but it certainly gave us some time to pause and take it all in. And start setting our sights and laying out what we want to achieve for next year.

Marcy Q. Samet is EVP-Global Chief Growth Officer of MRM//McCann

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