TED Talks Daily What to do when you’re told there’s nothing left to try | David Fajgenbaum and Kiah Williams
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Feb 28, 2026 
Kiah Williams, a social entrepreneur who founded Serum to expand medicine access. David Fajgenbaum, a physician-scientist who repurposes drugs and leads EveryCure. They discuss turning hope into action through small, practical steps. They share stories of overcoming medical crisis and economic hardship, grassroots advocacy, building supportive teams, and actionable strategies to create change.
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How Seven Drugs Saved a Life
- David Fajgenbaum nearly died from Castleman disease and spent six months in intensive care with doctors saying there were no options.
- Seven unrelated chemotherapies given together unexpectedly saved his life and sparked his quest to find repurposed drugs like sirolimus that could help other patients.
From West Philadelphia To Stanford Scholarship
- Kiah Williams grew up in West Philadelphia and at 15 vowed to save herself from poverty by focusing on school and getting a scholarship to Stanford.
- That early choice propelled her into healthcare work addressing patients' access and affordability barriers.
Start Change With A Single Call
- Do something rather than nothing: call a legislator, meet a state official, or mobilize a concerned citizen to spark systemic change.
- Kiah traced Serum's growth to single emails and meetings that led to policy and program launches like Georgia home delivery pharmacy.