Marrow Masters Podcast

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SEASON 17 : EPISODE 0

Season 17 Trailer : Adolescents & Young Adults and How They Manage Transplants and Survivorship

In our 17th season of the Marrow Masters podcast, we will be focusing on Adolescents and Young Adults, collectively known as AYAs. Defined as between the ages of 15 and 39 by the National Cancer Institute, these patients have a unique cancer journey. They are often too old for pediatric clinics, but feel out of place among older adults in a traditional oncology department.
This season we will talk to survivors, social workers, caregivers, and doctors. And you won’t want to miss a conversation between two moms who have become family – when one made a life saving donation to the other’s daughter.

SEASON 17 : EPISODE 1

Two Mothers’ Love: The Touching Story of A Life Saving Donation and Transplant

In this incredible episode of Marrow Masters, we sit down with Kayla West, a stem cell donor from Texas, and Miriam Bauer, the mother of a young leukemia survivor Miley, from Oklahoma. This story is a deeply emotional journey of hope, resilience, and a connection that transcends bloodlines. Kayla and Miriam take us through the entire transplant process from both perspectives: the donor stepping up during a pandemic, and the caregiver navigating a life-threatening diagnosis in a child.

SEASON 17 : EPISODE 2

Elephants and Tea: Why AYAs Deserve Their Own Cancer Support Space

In this episode, we sit down with Nick Giallourakis, Executive Director of the Steven G. Cancer Foundation and co-founder of Elephants and Tea, a digital magazine and support platform for adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer patients and survivors. We begin by learning about Nick’s brother, Steve, whose incredible journey as a five-time cancer survivor—including osteosarcoma, Secondary AML, renal cell carcinoma, and pleomorphic sarcoma—serves as the foundation and inspiration for Nick’s work.

SEASON 17 : EPISODE 3

What Young Adults with Cancer Really Need: A Conversation with Emily Sarro

In this episode, we speak with Emily Long Sarro, a board-certified family nurse practitioner specializing in adolescent and young adult (AYA) care at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. We focus on the unique challenges AYAs face before, during, and after a stem cell transplant. Emily shares how this age group, defined as 15 years old to 39 years old by the National Cancer Institute, is often overlooked in the healthcare system, stuck between pediatric and adult care settings. They’re navigating identity, relationships, careers, and independence—while also managing a serious illness, which can disrupt or halt life milestones.

SEASON 17 : EPISODE 4

From Surviving to Thriving: AYA Cancer Care with Dr. Chris Dandoy

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Chris Dandoy, Associate Professor of Clinical Pediatrics and bone marrow transplant physician at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. Dr. Dandoy shares his deep experience working with adolescents and young adults (AYAs), focusing on the unique challenges they face during and after cancer treatment. Our conversation centers around empowering AYAs to take ownership of their healthcare journey, improving outcomes, and restoring quality of life.

SEASON 17 : EPISODE 5

Relapse and Resolve: Two-Time Survivor Kitrena Young’s Story of Grit and Growth

This episode of Marrow Masters brings us an incredible conversation with Kitrena Young, a two-time cancer survivor whose story spans decades and highlights the unique challenges faced by adolescents and young adults (AYAs). We begin by learning about Kitrena’s initial diagnosis of B-cell ALL with a Philadelphia chromosome at the age of eight, followed by a shocking relapse 23 years later. Her candor about how she recognized the early signs the second time around—bruising and fatigue—underscores the importance of self-awareness and advocacy.

SEASON 17 : EPISODE 6

Caregiver Perspective: Divide and Conquer, A Father Shares The Journey

In this episode, we talk with David Hartley, PhD, MPH, who shares his deeply personal experience as both a caregiver and a scientist. David is chair of the board for Engraft, a learning network focused on improving outcomes in transplant and cellular therapy through collaboration and shared data. While he brings professional expertise in infectious diseases and epidemiology, our conversation centers on his journey as a father navigating his son Devin’s stem cell transplant at age 13.