Lunch & Learn

This month’s call-in program will focus on dealing with post-transplant isolation, including the timeline for doctor/clinic visits and common complications survivors can expect. Dawn Speckhart, Ph.D. Clinical Health Psychologist, Cellular Therapy and Leukemia Program at Northside Hospital will offer coping skills and strategies to manage the frustration experienced in waiting to get back to real life. As well, Kathleen Stewart, of Portland, Oregon, a long time AML survivor, will share her personal experience, coping techniques and lessons learned, offering hope and inspiration. Jennifer Gillette, our licensed staff social worker, will host this call. There will be plenty of time for live questions.

This month’s call-in program will focus on Multiple Myeloma featuring Christy Donovan, DNP, RN and Blood Cancer Coordinator from the Blood and Marrow Transplant/ Leukemia Program at the Northside Hospital Cancer Institute. Christy will cover the benefits of a multi-disciplinary approach, the latest options available for treatment as one size does not fit all, and the many resources available. Additionally, Kenny Capps, a Multiple Myeloma survivor and founding director of Cancer Active, will share his story, including his relapse post-transplant and life today—offering inspiration, insight and coping strategies. Jennifer Gillette, our licensed staff social worker will host this call. There will be plenty of time for live questions.

This month’s call-in program featuring Dr Farhadfar, a transplant and cellular therapy physician at Sarah Cannon Transplant and Cellular Therapy Program at Methodist Hospital, San Antonio, where she also serves as the director of research. Dr. Farhadfar is a nationally recognized expert in chronic GVHD and has a distinguished career in the transplant space. She completed both her hematology fellowship at NYU/Winthrop University and a blood and marrow fellowship at Mayo Clinic. Prior to that, she joined the University of Florida College of Medicine in Gainesville and launched the BMT Survivorship/GVHD Clinic in 2018 and served as its director. Dr. Farhadfar focuses on better understand the long-term complications of allogeneic transplant, and tests interventions to lessen the effects of complications and optimize quality of life.

Dr. Farhadfar will share updates and her expertise as it relates to what is on the horizon, research findings and how to be proactive and on the lookout when chronic GVHD shows up in multiple manifestations. Additionally, long time survivor Steve Hodges will share his story and the creative ways he copes with cGVHD. Steve’s upbeat attitude is sure to inspire listeners. Jennifer Gillette, our licensed staff social worker, will host this call. There will be plenty of time for live questions.

This month’s call-in program will focus on how to find your way, despite great loss and life altering diagnoses. Ashlee Cramer, a widow and caregiver to her young adult son Michael knows plenty about loss, grit and resilience. Ashlee will share her personal story and how she manages it all. Ashlee is a certified Happy for No Reason Trainer (trained by Marci Shimoff herself) and has studied all about happiness and how it can be achieved even when life gets really tough. Ashlee will share and reference the book, “Happy for No Reason, 7 Steps to Being Happy from the Inside Out” written by Marci Shimoff, NY Times bestselling coauthor of Chicken Soup for the Woman’s Soul and a featured teacher in The Secret.” Jennifer Gillette, our licensed staff social worker, will host this call. There will be plenty of time for live questions.

The Holidays are Approaching: Tips to Get Through it All
This month’s call-in program, featuring Michelle Bishop, PhD, Clinical Health Psychologist will focus on how survivors handle well-meaning friends and family, especially during the holiday season, who want them to get over their illness and “get back to normal.” How do you try to share how you really feel without offending those you know and love? Michelle will also share her expertise regarding fatigue, isolation and more. Janice Chabros, an acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) survivor, will share her story and how she manages these types of situations. Jennifer Gillette, our licensed staff social worker, will host this call. There will be plenty of time for live questions.

This month’s call-in program, in recognition of November, National Marrow Awareness Month, will feature Raegan Bell, a Donor Recruitment Coordinator for DKMS from Dallas, Texas. Raegan will share her incredible altruistic donor story, her volunteer efforts with DKMS for nine years post donation and her decision to work for DKMS today. Raegan will inspire listeners with details regarding being a lifesaving donor and sharing the gift of life in 2014. Learn more about the importance of getting swabbed, being educated about becoming a donor (it is easier than you think) and the small and big ways you can give back at any age. Help us honor those who embody the essence of hope through their selfless donations, advancing stem cell and bone marrow transplantation. Jennifer Gillette, our licensed staff social worker will host this call. There will be plenty of time for live questions.

This month’s call-in program, featuring Dr. Rupin Shah of the Adult Bone Marrow & Cellular Therapy Program at Corewell Health West will focus on the importance of post-transplant health—getting up to date on immunizations, a colonoscopy, dermatology appts, prostate screenings, a mammogram, and more to stay healthy and to screen for secondary cancers caused by cancer treatment. Dental needs as well as vision screenings should be maintained, especially if GVHD is a possibility. Angela Keith, a survivor, will share her story and experiences, offering tips and inspiration. Jennifer Gillette, our licensed staff social worker will host this call. There will be plenty of time for live questions.

This month’s call-in program will recognize Blood Cancer Awareness Month with a focus on the practical needs before, during and after a bone marrow/stem cell transplant. This conversation will be helpful to both survivors and caregivers. Julie Larson, LCSW a psychotherapist and speaker-educator who has spent the entirety of her career working with survivors and family members will join us to share strategies for sharpening self-awareness, normalizing the understandable stressors felt along the way and tips for finding calm and clarity. Stephenie Perry, a survivor of Hodgkin lymphoma, who underwent both an auto and allogeneic transplant will share her story and best tips. Jennifer Gillette, our licensed staff social worker, will host this call. There will be plenty of time for live questions.

This month’s call in program will focus on skin issues related to chronic Graft Versus Host Disease (cGVHD). Dr. Rachel Rosenstein, a physician-scientist at Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine with a clinical and research interest in chronic skin GVHD will discuss skin related issues, and treatment options, sharing her expertise and best practices. Additionally, Anne Fitzpatrick, a survivor of myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) with a myelofibrosis overlay, who knows all about skin related cGVHD, will share her transplant story and coping strategies. Jennifer Gillette, our licensed staff social worker, will host this call. There will be plenty of time for live questions.

This month, Kathryn M. Smolinski, MSW, JD Director, Legal Advocacy for People with Cancer Clinic, Associate Clinical Professor, Wayne State University Law School, will focus on what benefits, leave, accommodations and rights you have as you navigate a bone marrow or stem cell transplant and the recovery process. Jennifer Leal, Board Certified Patient Advocate, AML/Stem Cell Transplant Survivor, and Clinical Data Scientist, will share her personal experience and how she advocates to improve health equity for patients needing life-saving therapies. Jennifer Gillette, LMSW, Staff Social Worker at nbmtLINK will host this program.