Kevin Marr helps audiences move from avoidance and uncertainty to ownership and confidence.
As a speaker, author, cancer survivor, and healthcare advocate Kevin’s presentations help patients, caregivers, healthcare professionals, and organizations:
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navigate uncertainty with confidence
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confront avoidance before it becomes crisis
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rebuild identity after disruption
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improve communication and advocacy
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move from fear toward ownership and action
A career leading complex initiatives and presenting to large audiences in corporate and consulting environments, Kevin now shares lessons drawn from navigating chronic illness, cancer survivorship, life-altering foot reconstruction surgery, and the complexities of healthcare decision-making and financial toxicity.
Through honest storytelling and practical frameworks, Kevin helps patients, caregivers, healthcare professionals, and community audiences reclaim confidence during difficult transitions.
Kevin is the author of Yes, It Is Time: My Foot Surgery Journey, a story built on a universal truth: the decisions we think we are postponing are often already shaping our lives.
In addition to keynote presentations and recovery workshops, Kevin provides educational sessions focused on healthcare navigation and financial confidence, including Medicare, Medicaid, Medicare Advantage, and Supplemental insurance planning.
Kevin’s newest presentation, Hope, Memories, and Courage: Life Beyond the Diagnosis, focuses on helping individuals reclaim identity, purpose, and confidence after cancer.
Select a Topic
Yes, It Is Time: When Avoidance is Making the Decision
Focus:
Avoidance isn’t passive—it’s a decision. In leadership, health, and life, the cost of delaying hard choices compounds quietly until the outcome is no longer yours to control. This talk challenges audiences to confront the hidden cost of inaction—and reclaim the moment where choice still exists.
Target Audiences:
This program can be customized for Leadership conferences • Healthcare organizations • Nonprofits and advocacy groups • Corporate teams navigating change.
Audiences Takeaways:
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A practical framework to recognize and break patterns of avoidance
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A decision-making model that works under pressure and uncertainty
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The “Ownership Shift”—how taking action builds confidence and momentum
The Ownership Advantage: Decision-Making in Uncertain Times
Focus:
In uncertain environments, most teams don’t fail from bad strategy—they stall from indecision. This talk introduces a structured approach to making confident decisions when clarity is incomplete and stakes are high. Move teams from hesitation to aligned action."
Target Audiences: This program can be customized for Leadership conferences • Nonprofits and advocacy groups • Corporate teams navigating change.
Audiences Takeaways:
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The “Checklist Model” for making decisions without perfect information
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How to move teams from hesitation to aligned action
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A repeatable method to build a culture of ownership and accountability
Hope, Memories, and Courage: Life Beyond the Diagnosis
Focus:
A cancer diagnosis disrupts identity, control, and the future people thought they had. Patients and caregivers are left navigating uncertainty that medicine alone cannot resolve. This talk reframes survivorship—not as returning to life before, but building a meaningful life beyond diagnosis.
Target Audiences:
This program can be customized for Healthcare organizations • Support Groups • Nonprofits and advocacy groups.
Audiences Takeaways:
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A pathway from uncertainty to identity and purpose
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Practical ways to reclaim control during and after treatment
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A deeper understanding of the emotional journey of patients and caregivers
Navigating Financial Toxicity: From Stress to Strategy
Focus:
Financial stress isn’t just a budget issue—it is a clinical hurdle fueled by uncertainty. Drawing from personal experience navigating healthcare systems and recovery, Kevin Marr helps healthcare providers and patients dismantle the "financial toxicity" that often stalls recovery and self-care.
Target Audiences:
This session bridges the communication gap between providers and patients.
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For Clinicians: Master the skills to effectively discuss costs without compromising care, fostering trust and improving patient adherence.
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For Patients: Gain the tools to stop avoiding the mail and start managing medical timelines and deadlines with confidence.
Audiences Takeaways:
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The Insurance Roadmap: Learn to maximize benefits across Medicare, Medicaid, Supplemental, Advantage, and Prescription Drug Plans (PDP).
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Strategic Advocacy: Navigate private insurers and secure grants through a proven financial framework.
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Behavioral Shifts: Overcome the psychological barriers of "bill avoidance" to prioritize health over financial fear.
Workshops
Yes, It Is Time: Preparing for Recovery Workshop
Workshop Overview:
Major life and health events don’t just require physical recovery — they demand a complete redefinition of personal space, daily processes, and dependencies. Yet most people delay preparation, avoiding the hard and uncertain decisions that ultimately determine the success of their recovery.
This workshop provides a practical, 4-step framework to help participants move from uncertainty to becoming a Resilient Owner of their recovery journey. Participants will learn how to anticipate disruption, assess their current environment, and build a personalized, actionable plan that reduces risk, stress, and avoidable setbacks.
The Preparing for Recovery Framework
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Assess Uncertainty – Identify what is unknown, avoided, or underestimated
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Inventory Capabilities – Evaluate personal, physical, and support resources
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Adjust with Resilience – Redesign environment, routines, and expectations
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The Checklist Model – Build a clear, executable recovery plan
Takeaways:
Participants leave with a customized preparation plan that transforms uncertainty into clarity, confidence, and control.
Yes, It Is Time: The Ownership Architecture Workshop
Workshop Overview:
In uncertain environments, individuals and teams rarely fail because of poor strategy — they stall due to hesitation, unclear ownership, and delayed decisions.
The Ownership Architecture Workshop introduces a practical, 4-step framework that shifts participants from being a victim of circumstances to a Participating Owner who drives outcomes. This session equips participants to recognize decision bottlenecks, take ownership of action, and implement structured follow-through in moments that matter most.
The Ownership Architecture Framework
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The Cost of Inaction – Understand the real impact of delay and avoidance
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Identify the Visible Delay – Pinpoint where decisions are stalling progress
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The Ownership Statement – Define clear responsibility and commitment
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The Checklist Model – Translate ownership into consistent execution
Takeaways:
Participants leave with a clear ownership framework and actionable tools to eliminate indecision, accelerate progress, and drive results.
Navigating Financial Toxicity: From Stress to Strategy Workshop
Workshop Overview:
Financial stress isn’t just a budget issue—it is a clinical hurdle fueled by uncertainty. Drawing from personal experience navigating healthcare systems and recovery, Kevin Marr helps healthcare providers and patients dismantle the "financial toxicity" that often stalls recovery and self-care.
This program begins with an insightful keynote and transitions into a 2-4 hour "get your hands dirty" workshop. Together, we move beyond the fear of medical bills toward a clear, actionable financial framework.
The Financial Stress to Strategy Framework
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The Insurance Roadmap: Learn to maximize benefits across Medicare, Medicaid, Supplemental, Advantage, and Prescription Drug Plans (PDP).
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Strategic Advocacy: Navigate private insurers and secure grants through a proven financial framework.
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Behavioral Shifts: Overcome the psychological barriers of "bill avoidance" to prioritize health over financial fear.
Takeaways:
Participants leave with a clear financial strategy framework and actionable tools to approach recovery with greater clarity, confidence, and ownership.
Book Store
Yes, It Is Time: Memoirs Of Life
Daily Journals - Prompted, We Need Help On Some Days
What You Can Expect
Let Us Work Together
Kevin is committed to being easy to work with and to make the planning process as seamless as possible. From the first conversation, the goal is to take pressure off the event planner by handling details proactively and communicating clearly every step of the way. Programs are available as keynotes, breakout sessions, workshops, or virtual presentations and can be customized to fit your audience and schedule.
Agree on Desired Outcomes
Each engagement begins with a focus on your desired outcomes. Together, we establish clear goals and objectives so the program aligns with your audience, your message, and the experience you want to create. Kevin then customizes every presentation to fit those specific needs—no “one-size-fits-all” talks.
Focus on Audience, Preparation, and Delivery
From the moment the program begins, the focus is on the audience. Participants are engaged early, involved throughout, and leave with a message that is relevant, actionable, and meaningful to them. Excellence is the standard in both preparation and delivery. Kevin arrives early, prepared, and fully engaged with your event, and is equally willing to stay afterward to connect with attendees, answer questions, or support your broader objectives.
Booking Information
Speaking Fees & Expenses
Kevin’s speaking fees vary based on factors such as program length, location, number of sessions, and event requirements. We aim to work within your budget whenever possible and will provide a clear, customized quote for your event.
You may choose either:
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Fee + Expenses (itemized), or
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All-Inclusive Fee (one simple number covering all costs)
Standard Expenses
For keynote and workshop engagements, typical expenses may include:
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Round-trip airfare or ground transportation
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Hotel accommodations
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Local transportation (as needed)
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Applicable incidentals related to the engagement
Travel Guidelines
Due to ongoing variability in airline schedules, airfare is booked at the lowest available flexible or upgradeable fare that allows for changes without significant penalties. For events within a three (3) hour drive of New Bern, North Carolina, Kevin will typically travel by personal vehicle. In these cases, mileage is billed at the current IRS standard mileage rate.