Marrow Masters Podcast

The information in these podcasts should not be construed as medical advice. Please consult with your health care provider regarding your medical decisions and treatment. The listed resources are not intended to be endorsements.

SEASON 5 : EPISODE 0

Season 5 Trailer : Focus on Survivorship

Welcome to Marrow Masters, Season Five, sponsored by the National Bone Marrow Transplant Link, SeaGen, Omeros Corporation, and The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. The National Bone Marrow Transplant Link, established in 1992 strives to help patients caregivers and their families cope with the psychosocial challenges of transplant from diagnosis through survivorship. In season five, join Peggy Burkhard, executive director of the nbmtLINK as she focuses on all things survivorship.

SEASON 5 : EPISODE 1

25 Year BMT Survivor Juanita McReynolds

Juanita McReynolds received her life-saving bone marrow transplant back in 1996 after being diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). In our first episode of Season 5, McReynolds talks about perspective and purpose.

SEASON 5 : EPISODE 2

Veteran and 10 Year ALL Survivor Mike Ansley Shares How He “Embraces The Suck”

Mike Ansley is a 10 year Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL) survivor and military veteran. When he was in the Navy, he and his colleagues used the term “embrace the suck.” There were times when they were in tough situations, and they had to acknowledge their limitations. The same is true for survivorship.

SEASON 5 : EPISODE 3

LCSW Karen Hartman on Survivorship AFTER Transplant

Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Manager Karen Hartman of New York’s Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center joins us today to talk about life after transplant. So much goes into medical care up to, during, and immediately after transplant. But survivorship is its own key phase of the experience.

SEASON 5 : EPISODE 4

Young Adult Cancer Survivor Stephanie Scoletti on Finding Your Herd

The cancer journey is a difficult for everyone, but being diagnosed as a young adult brings its own unique set of challenges. Stephanie Scoletti was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) just before her 20th birthday. She changed her career focus from pharmacist to social worker and wants to provide resources and kinship for those in similar circumstances.

SEASON 5 : EPISODE 5

Physician, Donor and Dad of an Infant with AML: Dr. Omar Durani shares his story.

No amount of medical training can adequately prepare you for the news that your 9 month-old-daughter has a rare form of leukemia, AML. But that’s the position Dr. Omar Durani found himself in when Kenza was diagnosed in 2016. Dr. Durani shares so many lessons learned throughout this adventure – including the need to register more bone marrow donors in minority communities, the importance of being a strong patient advocate for you or your child, and the importance of clinical trials.

SEASON 5 : EPISODE 6

Physician and MDS Survivor Anna Holness

Anna Holness, a Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) survivor received her transplant in 2017. Her background as a physician gave her a unique perspective as she navigated her journey. Anna researched, gained as much medical knowledge as she could, and even planned for the worst case scenario. She wanted to make sure her kids had as much knowledge and as many memories as possible – just in case. After all, forewarned is forearmed. Anna explains how she empowered them by preparing them to lessen their potential burden.

SEASON 5 : EPISODE 7

CLL Survivor Pete Thomason on Art Therapy and Mindfulness

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) survivor Pete Thomason joins us today to share strategies for dealing with the emotional challenges of survivorship. Following his diagnosis and transplant six years ago, his daughter introduced him to art therapy. Pete is also a big proponent of mindfulness, meditation, and visualization and walks us through how these strategies have helped him through survivorship.

SEASON 5 : EPISODE 8

AML Survivor Jennifer Barish Talks About Returning to Work and Dancing in the Rain

Jennifer Barish is now a 10 year survivor of acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and today she walks us through her journey of returning to work, battling chronic GVHD, and more. We always hear the cliché about this journey being a marathon, not a sprint. But Jen’s journey of slowly returning to work after a five year leave of absence illustrates this point. She needed a plan, but also needed to be flexible with that plan.

SEASON 5 : EPISODE 9

Dr. Katy LaLone on Mental Health in Survivorship

Dr. Katy LaLone is a Consultation Liaison Psychiatrist at Seidman Cancer Center, University Hospitals and Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH. Today, Dr. LaLone joins us to discuss the importance of mental health care in survivorship. PTSD, or post traumatic stress disorder, is very common in survivors. Cancer and treatment are, in fact, a trauma. There are treatments, biopsies, isolation, frustration with our medical system, and so many other stress-inducing events. These often result in everything from anxiety to panic attacks.