How Dancing, Community and Little A.I. Saved This Woman’s Life and What She’s Doing to Save the Lives of Others with Amy Li, Founder at Dance4Healing

Welcome to the Outcomes Rocket podcast where we inspire collaborative thinking, improved outcomes and business success with today’s most successful and inspiring healthcare leaders and influencers. And now your host, Saul Marquez

: Welcome back once again to the outcomes rocket podcast where we chat with today’s most successful and inspiring health leaders. I want to welcome you go to outcomesrocket.health/reviews where you could rate and review today’s podcast because she is an amazing woman and an amazing contributor to the health industry. Her name is Amy Li. She’s the founder at dance for healing a graduate of the Singularity University program of health entrepreneurs. She’s done so many things at dance for healing. They used technology and behavior designed to build a telehealth platform for music and dance. Her story as a cancer conqueror has created just a platform for others to be able to overcome adversity in their health conditions. Some of the things that they’ve done is they’ve been a top 5 semifinalist for Pfizer’s Aves advancing care for MBC patients challenge. She’s done second prize finish for partners connected health fit mind challenge Stanford Medicine x healthcare design. She got an award there so the list is long of awards that she’s done here with this company but she’s also a board of directors at humanity plus it’s an international fiber Wannsee non-profit dedicated to developing knowledge about science tech and social changes. She’s very very interested in influencing health and I want to open up the microphone to Amy to fill out any of the gaps that I missed in the intro. Amy what a pleasure to have you on the podcast today.

: Thank you. Yeah no I think you did a great job at introducing me. The only thing may make me sound a little bit nerdy is actually graduate from Zener A.D. city which is Social Entrepreneurship Program in Nassa. For those who are curious about space and astronauts and aliens.

: Well you know what I think there’s definitely an interest across many of those. The listener base and folks I’ve had a chance to connect with Amy and she’s definitely nerdy but nerdy in a really cool way. And so Amy you know one of the things that I like to ask our guests is what got you in the medical sector to begin.

: Yeah. Life is crazy. I never thought I will had cancer changed my life. I have stage 4 cancer halfway through this program I just mention NASA and so I had a very successful corporate career. And at one point I started to realize that I was making way too much money for large corporations and not be fulfilling. And so I decided to apply for this social entrepreneurship welcome in NASA Off-Road full scholarship I should say yeah I’m going to go I changed the world. So I got to NASA and but it was to lay that of stress that I suffered from there Corporate stress from my last job which is a pretty abusive boss and his personal relationships falling off in all kinds of dimensions just in life just really can take a huge toll in my health. So you know I made it to Nassa finally. It was still let me so I was excited that I finally was spending time with people from 36 countries and inspiring entrepreneurs and leaders who want to change the world. Then I got very sick and I literally was so good at being given no choices I in able to survive and make good difference in this area that I really feel I can share it with my patients story.

: Thank you for sharing that Amy and it sounds like just the stress and the turmoil and just kind of got you out of corporate world and just as you were making a transition. It’s when you’ve got cancer you defeated it though. And from that you’ve developed the springboard for others to do the same. And I had a chance to see the program that she has listeners it’s dance for healing where you dance and she’s got some algorithms in there that see how how your mood is and it’s just a really cool program that you put together a very innovative Amy as you work to reach out to people to adopt your technology in general what would you say. Every health leader needs to be thinking about today.

: I would say the first thing is the empathy and understand who the users are really putting yourself into their shoes and understand what’s their motivation not yours. What color the day to day journey. What kind of struggles do you have to do are trying to go from one side to the other and really cannot get into what they are dealing with. And we’ll probably trying to solve for them and it was you understand the journey. And then you can provide a bit of intervention whatever you want to make a difference you know which part of the journey.

: That’s a really great topic Amy and what is it that your patients this feeling and think of it in terms of their perspective. I think that’s how Amy put together her current offering at dance for healing. Maybe Amy you know obviously you showed me the program I’d love if you could just share with the listeners what dance for healing is and how it works and how you’ve been able to improve outcomes with it.

: Yeah sure. So Dance for healing is in AI powered tele-exercise platform designed to bring exercise fitness music things in our most importantly is the community support to your house where patients like myself who oftentimes struggle with isolation loneliness you know due to chronic conditions or aging. We are a Behavior Intervention company. And what’s unique about ours is we combining AI in behavior design. So we get the most relevant data that will help you cultivate healthy behavior change. And we also match you through a buddy. How many for patients and why that we match you to is base on all kinds of imitations of data that we got. Is your preference data as was compatible personality types and we also truckle real time emotions and basal emotions. We can recommend instant interventions of the music and bands that will make a difference.

: And it’s super interesting. So Amy talked about tracking emotions and as you move in front of this camera which is basically your camera on your laptop and there’s this little tracker that follows your face and then it can tell if you’re sad or if you’re happy and you know I tried competing against Amy on this thing and there’s no I don’t. I’ve never met anybody as happy as she is.

: I know I was having a hard time to make sassy go go.

: And so yeah we had a blast there. But yeah what a great way to help intervene and give patients a dance routine a social environment to do better and with the platform. I understand you’re just beginning to do some pretty amazing things and you’re also working on some different projects to right. Putting together a new online magazine.

: Yes. So Saul did you know creative arts improve quality of life for cancer patients by by 50%?

: I did not know.

: And decrease pain by 59 percent.

: Really.

: Yes. And actually dancing also reduce dementia by 76 percent.

: Dementia.

: Yes. Yeah. Which all time was eventually gonna cost one in three dollars in Medicare money. And then the other research data indicating a forty eight thousand patients study in Australia is dancing also reduce cardiovascular death by 46 percent.

: Wow.

: Yeah.

: Insane statistics Amy.

: Yeah it’s crazy that 21 year study indicating that the dancing reduce dementia was a study publishing The New England Journal of Medicine actually tracks walking, biking, golf, tennis, singing, listen to music, solving puzzles, reading and writing. And then it turns out dancing is the only physical activity shows the result dementia in the highest by 76 percent.

: I wonder does it say why.

: Yeah. So can you guess why or do you want me to tell you.

: Yeah why don’t you tell me. That’s something I’m definitely wondering about it. I’m not sure why.

: Yeah. So they said it’s a tribute to Robert. Yes. So you’re left side of brain. Your logical side is doing mathematic calculation of the musical beats and 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 in a split second you have to transfer their signal with your hands your fingers. Every single part of the body and you need to use your body counting the same mathematical beats and expressing your own whatever Gangnam Style. Yeah exactly. So that means that amount of decision making on the fly yet is so much fun. The thing is you thinking so are you just you.

: And there’s even the other side of your brain right your left side where you are. You got to be creative and change it.

: Exactly. So stimulate both your left side and the right side brain.

: Super interesting and you know so my wife and I did salsa lessons for a year and after our lessons Amy just to your point we’d be dancing but I would feel my brain like I feel like I was working out my brain too.

: Yeah. Well in addition to the brain benefits it also you know release oxytocin so oxytocins love chemicals try to build it all day. So dacing have validating results to improve relationships among couples

: Yeah.

: Yeah. One time I was an exponential medicine. We were in the demo booth. And my neighbor is a Indian engineer who’s typical little bit nerdy wearing glasses. Yeah and during the break he came by and he was like know this works because me and my wife been married for five years and the first year we took a dance classes together. And I think that make a huge difference.

: There you go. Yeah it’s really interesting and what’s fascinating is the statistics behind it. You know it’s very very interesting to know that it’s so beneficial.

: Yeah yeah. So this is why I decided to opt. Finally after five years I decided to tell my last five year creative writing into a book. The title is Stage IV it and I’m also launching a magazine stageiv.org to educate the public about these medical research. And we also want to feature inspiring stories from patients like me as well as caregivers and then we want to offer healthy living tips and tools and the to publish in medical research and also innovative solutions.

: Wow supercool. Amy you’re so giving. You’ve done so much with dance for healing and now you’re just taking your learnings and your packaging in a different way that will help reach even more people. What would you say your biggest and proudest moment to date is so far.

: Wow. That’s how into us. I don’t know. I came across normal as probably luckily that our first launch party is thanksgiving launch party we do a lot of bonding exercise flawlessly and much patience of buddies like the exercise we do is a love plate exercise where people play in the back of people’s shirts and then you just walk and talk to someone in few minutes and write something being nice about them in my room right now. I had this love plate. We have these little nice clothes and my patient wrote. We like what you do will really change my life. And then you’re such inspiring person and I really appreciate kindness. You know in all these things that just really makes me happy. There’s good days and is always down days right. I have this luck place straight me. Actually it was really interesting is it a point in my life where this is 2016 where I have scared cancer might have returned.

: Oh my gosh.

: Yeah cause I had a Faour focus in his my when they millimeter. It took them a long time to see how it was in returning and while I was going to all these different tests scans and scans and different things and one day in the middle of the night was walking in my kitchen and then I was just I was really sad really just lay down. Now I’m all set and just hits me like wow. If I die I actually could probably say I did change a few people’s lives.

: Yeah

: Yeah it just hits me like oh.

: Yeah.

: I could claim that

: Yeah and what did that make you feel.

: That makes me feel it’s very meaningful what I do and I know probably my heart’s. And we had awesome patients videos. And whenever I saw the video and I see how happy they are it we might see a grounds me you know as entrepreneurs especially when you have a focus on social impact. It’s not easy and trying to be in their last year aquatic healthcare system. It’s not the easiest thing to do especially for someone like me who’s almost the track in innovation in internet technology. It’s very different. So there’ll be big days there will be down days. My patients are really the one that keeps me going. Yeah.

: I love it. That’s a great story. Me love plate and the you know listeners think about what Amy just said. You know she she was at the pits of her experience and she found that light that fire when she thought about the lives that she changed and it’s that impact that we can have as contributors and leaders in health that makes it all worth it. And putting this love plate where it’s visible. This is a great technique that you can do to listeners. Whether it be a love plate or something that remind you about your purpose. Put it in front of you don’t keep it in a binder or don’t just keep it in your head. Put it front and center because when you need it most it’s going to be there to remind you why you’re here and what you’re doing. Really appreciate you sharing that.

: Yeah and what’s nice about exercise is mainly for patients attended this program and so everybody go. We will love play. We can save it if only while we’re there really once and all the time they’ve they have something to feed them up a little bit.

: I think it’s great. And as leaders in health we got to do more to love on ourselves. We do a lot for loving others. If we are running with an empty tank. There’s no way we could love others so this is a great message from Amy listeners. Leaders love yourself and you’ll be more full to be able to love on others to make this health system even better. Would you agree Amy.

: Yeah that’s so beautifully said.

: Thank You. I love it. And so right now you’re focused on building out this new book this content. What would you say one of the key areas of that work that you’re doing now is that gets you most excited is.

: One of the key areas about the book the magazine.

: Either one if you pick one.

: Well sell the book in the magazine would serve as the educational component of my company. And not only raise awareness of the power behind creative arts the be and also establish our expertise you know and create a brand Selebi. I wanted to create a web space where when people are curious how oh what’s created was that would be it’s not so scouter right now like you know we have to take a lot to get it. If our research papers but there’s a dedicated space with the publishing medical research not only the experts voice but also stories give us stories and then they’ll put them into coqui healthy living tips and tools where people can practice a weekday you know remind them to be in my feelings about their bodies and a law without just talking about right. In a lot of sense you know the essence of music don’t get the same smile all these are a huge part of your self care. Yes. So I’m hoping the magazine we’re able to service her breasts as I so often happens is you know and when I ask how many people like music I tend to be like 90 percent or something like only like dance O’Berry is a bit like 50 to 70 and depends on audience and it’s like it’s you know like you know if I throw out one of the day that’s the whole room is silent always silent. Yeah. So you see there’s a huge gap in the medium that the funds that raise awareness and then the other one obviously is provides the solutions that we built audience were hearing you know we just like the real perform that 24/7 available to individual users. We got to sell air in our location. You know Tom they can against anybody anyone anywhere. We provide a body matching and they can also do it themselves and such just wanted to increase the quality of writing these pre-recorded video and the buddy matching we follow B.J. Fox Lotto. So this is one way we can increase the ability and the other component to emphasize is put hot chick in and motivate people. And so all we do is you know we don’t put in motivation to people. We did the empathies study to understand what the motivations are. So a patient line wanted to like I want to see my kids growing up. I want to go travel with my husband. So my Hail and gets artist publishing market research you know you can actually see all kids going there you can actually spend more time with your husband. That way we help them bridging the gaps. You know we help them see how they can get to them motivation and we bring in the most effective behavior cheekier which is human support in the teens. We have two classes folks in prison right. And you more likely accomplishable but you really only have a buddy and that’s where that the beauty of body matching comes in. We do patient a patient match. He’ll give us the code that will match and also indigenous facial matching.

: I think that’s super cool and just keep doing what you’re doing. You’re playing in a space that is outside of the four walls of of health care and and really it’s the wellness space and I think it’s just a great opportunity for you to continue to pump out the great things that you’re putting together. And it’ll be a good funnel to give value to people and show them the way to dance for healing which is which I think will be the ultimate way to stay healthy and get healthier way.

: And so one of the things I also like to share as part of our effort to raise awareness of the medical research behind query was the lobby I recently share my story at a conference. And this gentleman came up to me and he said I’m a producer for PBS show American Health channel which is longest health show on TV. I’ve been asked to do for documentary a year and I’m really touched by a story I like to a documentary about your story. And so we are currently looking for underwriters who can back from eight minutes of air time to 170 million audience worldwide and some will be in these 21 months. And if you know any accretions of philanthropy foundations or individual in a philanthropist share of the story. And also help us raise awareness of the power of creative arts. Bellambi so it can really are in healthcares the artist will be starving. Patients can benefit. Healthcare costs will be reduced and everybody you know can benefit from it.

: I love it. And so listeners if you happen to be somebody interested in that you can reach out to Amy she’ll provide her info at the end here but you can also check her stuff out at dance4healing.com and you’ll find links to the things that she’s up to as well as our contact form there. But getting here to the end. Amy what I want to do is build a leadership course on what it takes to be successful and health today. The 101 of Amy Li and I’ve got four questions followed by a book in a podcast that you recommend to the listeners. You ready.

: Yes.

: OK. What’s the best way to improve health outcomes.

: The empathy.

: What is the biggest mistake or pitfall to avoid.

: Trying to build things out of your head or out of your little organizations who live inside without talking to the users.

: How do you stay relevant as an organization in health despite constant change.

: You do need to have a whole landscape. The big picture right not only including our stakeholders like you know patients policy makers and also trying to understand how to innovate. That’s all come with bold dimensions.

: Love it. And finally what’s one area of focus that should drive everything in your organization.

: I will say Human Centered Design Behavior strategy is also very important. Is you know all guiding principles and I think it should be for many organizations.

: Awesome. Amy what book and what podcast would you recommend to the listeners.

: I’m a fan of Ted Radio Hour. Nice. Yeah I’m a regular NPR listener. And then the books I really love the work. We wanted to learn how to increase productivity and also given that tape. Adam Green is the great book for leaderships.

: Excellent deep work by Cal Newport. So Amy this is really great listeners don’t worry about writing any of this down. Just go to outcomesrocket.health/li. That’s Amy’s last name – li and you’re going to find all the show notes as well as links to the books that she recommended her company and all the other things that we’ve discussed Amy. Before we conclude I love if you could just share a closing thought and then the best place that the listeners can get a hold of you.

: Yeah sure. So it dance4healing we are actively looking for partnerships to help us scale. So this year our focus is funding itself. See you feel there’s potential collaboration opportunities or what you do out of people are organizations that you know that might be a good partner for us. Please let us know. And then for the web magazine we are setting up an Expo’s voice into Yossarian’s and so we don’t know anybody who could tell a story and any of the four sections or conference please let me know. We are also looking for requirements as you are already you know have it for us in this every year and half the company that you like to koshary please contact me. We will link it back to your site and how we are promoting your account Qin’s as well as will be our mission align what we wanted to promote and then please you know anybody you know make my story to him come to PBS is my favorite station so I can have my stories shared to PBS and I think we can really make a huge difference and raise awareness of the power creative arts that will be a lot of benefit. My email is fairly easy it’s amy@dance4healing.com ins for heating back home. You can also fight for heating in most of the social media. The only thing that is Facebook is safe or because Facebook does not allow for whatever reason. Yeah everything else is dance4healing

: Really great stuff Amy. This has been a lot of fun. I think the listeners will definitely be inspired by what you just shared today and we’re looking for to just keep up with you and see the amazing things that you continue to improve patient lives. So much for making the time to be with us.

: Thank you.

Thanks for listening to the Outcomes Rocket podcast. Be sure to visit us on the web at www.outcomesrocket.health for the show notes, resources, inspiration and so much more.

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