Mullica Hill Doctor Radio Show Host Makes Waves On The Air

Gloucester County Times, September 19, 2011

Most days, Dr. Craig Wax has a stethoscope slung around his neck. But every Thursday afternoon, the Mullica Hill-based family physician trades the blood pressure cuffs and tongue depressors for a set of headphones and a mic, as he records segments for Rowan Radio 89.7 WGLS-FM.

Wax is the host of “Your Health Matters,” a weekly half-hour radio show where he interviews well-respected health professionals on topics from Alzheimer’s Disease to preventative medicine.

“As the host I ask all of the pertinent, burning questions to the professionals, both locally and around the world,” he said. “We have interviewed everyone from local physical therapists to Nobel Laureate researchers on Alzheimer’s.”

Although Wax recently marked 10 years on the air, he wasn’t just handed the gig a decade ago. It took persistence to get “Your Health Matters” on Rowan Radio’s schedule.

“I thought it would be interesting because I have a lot of media experience and have worked in radio and TV in the past as a hobby. I thought it would be nice to use that expertise and volunteer to get good information out to people,” he said.

Shortly after moving his practice to Mullica Hill in 2000, Wax began a letter-writing and phone call campaign to area media outlets in radio and television.

“There was a little bit of interest at Rowan by the director of Rowan Radio,” Wax said. “He said, ‘we kind of have something in place that is similar, but the doctor might retire. Why don’t you call me in month.’”

Wax waited a month before following up, but the station still had hundreds of shows left to air of its similarly-formatted program.

“The next month I again persisted,” said Wax, who made another enthusiastic pitch for the show.

This time, he wanted to meet with station managers in person, he said.

He was greeted with another, “call me next month.”

“We were four months out now, and I probably should have quit, but I didn’t,” Wax said.

Finally, months after his first letters and phone calls, Wax got the chance to pitch his idea face-to-face with the radio station bigwigs.

“He (manager) shook my hand and said, ‘welcome to Rowan Radio. You’re persistent, and I know you’ll succeed,’” Wax said.

A decade after that first pitch, the show potentially has tens of thousands of listeners in the area. Listeners can also follow Wax and “Your Health Matters” on Facebook.

“I’ve always wanted to be able to get good, quality, reputable information out there and make it available to people,” said Wax. “One of the strengths of our show is that I ask very basic, straightforward questions that our callers might ask.”

In May, Wax interviewed Dr. Barry Sears, creator of The Zone Diet.

Wax guided Sears through the workings of the diet that uses hormone levels as a weight loss tool. As the show’s host, Wax asked Sears how he developed the diet, who benefits from its use and how it works.

“Once you understand that food affects hormones, you stand back in awe,” Sears told Wax — and the show’s listeners. “Hormones are hundreds of times more powerful than any drug.”

Wax has also pulled valuable health information out of Dr. Arthur Agatston, Florida cardiologist and creator of the South Beach Diet; Dr. Jack Kanoff, pulmonologist for South Jersey Chest Disease; and Dr. Leon Kavaler, a New York physician who discussed colon cancer, screenings and risks for developing the disease.

“I kind of enjoy bringing out the best preventative information from the people we talk to,” said Wax, who fully supports preventative measures in medicine.

Although the show has run for a decade, Wax said it’s not going to run out of topics any time soon. That’s the beauty of a show about medicine.

“We aren’t limited because I can use all kinds of different medical guests on all sorts of topics,” Wax said. “The topics are also rapidly redeveloping and changing. Something we do on asthma today, in three years might be different.”

“Your Health Matters,” hosted by Mullica Hill-based family physician Dr. Craig Wax, airs from 5:30 to 6 p.m. on Thursdays on Rowan Radio 89.7 WGLS-FM. For more information about Rowan Radio visit www.rowan.edu/rowanradio.