Dr. Ulysses Labilles, the author of the book “The Genome of the Faith” was interviewed by Benji Cole from CBS Radio. The inspiration for the book arose not from abstract inquiry but from urgent necessity. Diagnosed with terminal cancer and given a limited prognosis, Dr. Ulysses turned inward, reflecting on the legacy he would leave behind. Instead of succumbing to despair, he chose to write a book that would affirm life, faith, and the possibility of inner healing even in the absence of a cure.
People of Distinction is one of the most wide-ranging radio shows in the United States, hosted by Benji Cole and Al Cole from CBS Radio. People of Distinction is the right fit for authors and readers to discover newly published books, mostly written by passionate and independent authors.
Dr. Ulysses Lagrimas Labilles, an epidemiologist, cancer researcher, and public health advocate, has a personal journey that has shaped his professional path. His academic achievements, including a PhD in Applied Public Health Epidemiology and the presidency of the Golden Key International Honour Society and other distinguished academic societies, are impressive. With a 3.8 GPA and a distinguished career during the COVID-19 pandemic and in precision oncology, Dr. Labilles has dedicated his life to improving outcomes for the vulnerable. However, it is his journey, following a diagnosis of stage 4 non-small cell lung cancer, that has led him to focus on healing, faith, and legacy, making his story one of resilience and hope.
“The Genome of the Faith” by Dr. Ulysses Labilles is an extraordinary fusion of memoir, medical insight, and spiritual reflection. At once deeply scientific and profoundly personal, this powerful book traces the life and legacy of an epidemiologist who, after years of helping others, finds himself in a life-altering battle with stage 4 non-small cell lung cancer. Rather than simply recounting a diagnosis, Dr. Labilles offers readers a rich and layered narrative of transformation—scientific, emotional, and spiritual.
The narrative of “The Genome of the Faith” begins in the clinical world of public health, where Dr. Labilles has long worked to track disease and implement healing on a population scale. With academic excellence and a dedication to service, he took his skills from the dental chair in the Philippines to the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, serving with the CDC Foundation and working in vulnerable communities such as the Navajo Nation. However, everything changed when he himself was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer with brain metastasis. Suddenly, the observer became the observed, the healer became the patient.
Dr. Labilles invites readers to see that life, however long or short, is filled with purpose. His unique voice—a combination of medical expertise, poetic reflection, and theological depth—makes this work both intellectually stimulating and emotionally resonant. Few books manage to seamlessly blend data and devotion, pathology and praise, science and surrender. This book does just that.
For those wrestling with the fragility of life, questioning the role of faith in medicine, or simply seeking to understand how someone can face death with dignity, this book offers not just answers but presence. It is a stirring reminder that in both our genome and our soul, faith leaves a mark that cannot be erased.
“The Genome of the Faith” is not just a memoir or a medical case study—it is a living document of courage. It speaks to healthcare professionals, people of faith, caregivers, cancer patients, and anyone standing at the crossroads of fear and hope. The book does not promise a cure, but it offers healing in its purest form: peace, understanding, and spiritual companionship.
To delve deeper into Dr. Ulysses’ inspiration behind his book and its content, you can watch the full interview below: