Today, we have the pleasure of interviewing Flora Stondell, an advanced practice manager and assistant director at UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center. Flora’s extensive experience in bone marrow transplants, particularly in malignant hematology, transplant, and cellular therapy provide us with invaluable insights. Flora begins by sharing her journey into the field, highlighting her accidental start in transplant care and her enduring passion for her patients. Her commitment is evident as she c...
May 31, 2024•21 min•Season 13Ep. 3
In this episode, Peggy interviews Beth Ades, who shares her compelling journey after being diagnosed with Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS) in 2021. Beth's story begins with mysterious bruises on her legs, leading to a diagnosis that required immediate hospitalization and numerous tests. Despite a harrowing seven-month diagnostic process, Beth was eventually diagnosed with MDS and was told her only chance of survival was a bone marrow transplant. Beth recounts the emotional and physical challenges ...
May 31, 2024•23 min•Season 13Ep. 4
In this episode we interview Heather Knutson, a registered dietitian from the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS). Heather shares invaluable advice on nutrition management post-transplant, emphasizing the critical role of caregivers in the dietary adjustments necessary during this period. We start by addressing the challenges that both survivors and caregivers face when transitioning back home. Heather points out the importance of preparation before the survivor arrives home, suggesting that c...
May 31, 2024•29 min•Season 13Ep. 5
In this episode, we talk with Rachael Sommer, a dedicated mother and caregiver from Cleveland, Ohio. Rachael shares the journey of her daughter Maddie, who was diagnosed with Hepatosplenic T-cell Lymphoma in October 2023, after several months of mysterious symptoms. Treated at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Maddie's condition has profoundly impacted their lives. Rachael recounts their initial stay at the Ronald McDonald House post-diagnosis, highlighting the physical and emotional c...
May 31, 2024•26 min•Season 13Ep. 6
Our 13th season of the Marrow Masters podcast, produced by the National Bone Marrow Transplant Link, is out June 1, 2024. This season will focus on side effects of bone marrow and stem cell transplant, including GVHD. As always, you'll hear expert advice from professionals. You'll hear from patients who are open and honest about their experiences. Caregivers are also a key part of the journey, who also must take care of themselves physically, mentally, and for some, spiritually. The Marrow Maste...
May 30, 2024•4 min
**Disclaimer: The information in this podcast should not be construed as medical advice. Please consult with your health care provider regarding your medical decisions and treatment. Any listed resources are not intended to be endorsements.** Ailey Armstrong, MSW, LICSW is a licensed clinical oncology social worker at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle. Today, she shares her insights on transitioning home post-transplant. She emphasizes the importance of continued caregiving support and su...
Dec 18, 2023•33 min•Season 12Ep. 1
**Disclaimer: The information in this podcast should not be construed as medical advice. Please consult with your health care provider regarding your medical decisions and treatment. Any listed resources are not intended to be endorsements.** In today's episode of our podcast, we had the privilege of speaking with Gregory Proctor, a 53-year-old multiple myeloma survivor from San Antonio, Texas. Gregory's story is a testament to resilience and hope, as he details his journey through a challenging...
Dec 18, 2023•34 min•Season 12Ep. 2
**Disclaimer: The information in this podcast should not be construed as medical advice. Please consult with your health care provider regarding your medical decisions and treatment. Any listed resources are not intended to be endorsements.** Today we welcome Diane Raab, a remarkable survivor of multiple myeloma and a licensed clinical social worker from Cheboygan, Michigan. Diane shares her personal journey through the challenging path of cancer treatment, sprinkling her narrative with both pro...
Dec 18, 2023•32 min•Season 12Ep. 3
**Disclaimer: The information in this podcast should not be construed as medical advice. Please consult with your health care provider regarding your medical decisions and treatment. Any listed resources are not intended to be endorsements.** In the podcast, Peggy welcomes Sue Hill, a registered dietitian at Henry Ford Health Cancer in Detroit, to discuss food safety and nutrition for post-transplant patients. Sue emphasizes the importance of following guidelines by the Academy of Nutrition and ...
Dec 18, 2023•29 min•Season 12Ep. 4
**Disclaimer: The information in this podcast should not be construed as medical advice. Please consult with your health care provider regarding your medical decisions and treatment. Any listed resources are not intended to be endorsements.** In today's episode, we had the privilege of speaking with Alan Katz, a Massachusetts resident and a survivor of Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML). Alan's journey through his diagnosis, treatment, and life post-transplant is both inspiring and enlightening. He sh...
Dec 18, 2023•31 min•Season 12Ep. 5
**Disclaimer: The information in this podcast should not be construed as medical advice. Please consult with your health care provider regarding your medical decisions and treatment. Any listed resources are not intended to be endorsements.** In this podcast, Peggy converses with Leila Zengel, who shares her family's journey and challenges following her 10 year-old daughter Julie's bone marrow transplant. Julie, diagnosed with (refractory) Ph-like ALL in January 2018, underwent a transplant in J...
Dec 18, 2023•32 min•Season 12Ep. 6
Welcome to Season 12 of the Marrow Masters Podcast, brought to you by the National Bone Marrow Transplant Link, and sponsored by Sanofi. This season focuses on one critical question. "I'm home. Now what?" You'll hear candid stories and advice from survivors and caregivers. This season, you'll also get valuable advice from a registered dietician and a social worker. Season 12 of the Marrow Masters Podcast is out December 19th, 2023. Don't miss an episode - follow our show for free on Apple, Spoti...
Dec 08, 2023•3 min
Loriana Hernandez felt like she had it all. She'd been a news anchor all over the country whose profile had risen nationally. In her own words, she was a clean-eating, green-drinking, yoga enthusiast. She had a two-year-old son, and was in the midst of fertility treatment when her doctor noticed there was something wrong. Loriana had AML Leukemia, and a doctor contact at world-renowned Johns Hopkins told her "Get on a plane. Say goodbye to your son. You don't have time to waste. We have a bed wa...
Aug 31, 2023•35 min•Season 11Ep. 1
Peter Gordon is no stranger to the National Bone Marrow Transplant Link. The author of " Six Years and Counting : Love , Leukemia, and the Long Road Onward" was very well received at our book club. Today you'll hear his story. In 2008, this avid outdoorsman was living in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, and his girlfriend had just moved down from Montreal to marry him. Soon after, he was diagnosed with leukemia and put on the transplant waiting list at Boston's Dana Farber Cancer Institute....
Aug 31, 2023•27 min•Season 11Ep. 2
We first met the incredible Sharde Fultz in our very first season of Marrow Masters, back in 2019. We wanted to reconnect with her as one our our "survivors who thrive" this season. In 2009, Sharde was a college student, living on campus as a dance major with big dreams. Then she was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins Lymphoma. Following chemotherapy and radiation, Sharde received an an allogeneic bone marrow transplant in 2011. Having to leave school, she immersed herself in online support forums for ...
Aug 31, 2023•31 min•Season 11Ep. 3
As a patient, Mike Rubin was at the forefront of bone marrow transplants when he received one in 1987 at the age of 24. Today, he serves a director of philanthropic gifts for the very place he received his transplant - Seattle's Fred Hutch Cancer Center. In the mid 80's, Mike was diagnosed with myelodysplasia, which would eventually morph into AML leukemia. After consulting with some of the nation's leading cancer centers, Mike and his family settled on the institution that pioneered bone marrow...
Aug 31, 2023•32 min•Season 11Ep. 4
As a child, Molly Pratt had a fear of medical facilities. Today, you'll hear how her perspective changed. She's now a BSN, RN in Pediatrics at Beaumont Children's at Corewell Health's Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, Michigan. Molly was an active 16 year-old high school student when she was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Her first round of treatment involved outpatient chemotherapy, but she eventually needed a bone marrow transplant, which she received in 2017. Her priorities shifted from extra...
Aug 31, 2023•18 min•Season 11Ep. 5
Dr. Brad Zebrack is not only an incredible social worker who specializes in oncology but he is survivor himself. Brad was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma, at the age of 25, back in 1989. We spend some time on the term "survivor" - 40 years ago it referred to the family members left behind when someone died of cancer. Now, a survivor is anyone who is still alive, starting from the moment of diagnosis. But it's important to remember that every journey is different, and terms like this can mean d...
Aug 31, 2023•27 min•Season 11Ep. 6
Welcome to Marrow Masters Season 11, sponsored by The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and Sanofi. The National Bone Marrow Transplant Link, established in 1992 strives to help patients, caregivers and families cope with the psychosocial challenges of bone marrow/stem cell transplant from diagnosis through survivorship. Season 11 of our show focuses on thriving in survivorship. We know it’s hard work. In this season, you will meet six incredible people who will share the challenges they faced as ...
Aug 28, 2023•4 min
As this season focuses on Graft Versus Host Disease (GVHD), we thought we would start with the basics. Today we welcome Melora Rennie, OTR/L, CLT-LANA, an Occupational Therapist from the blood and marrow transplant unit at Northside Hospital in Atlanta. She helps patients who are battling various blood and marrow cancers such as leukemia, lymphoma, aplastic anemia, multiple myeloma and even sickle cell disease. Melora explains the reasons for and different types of bone marrow transplants, from ...
Jun 22, 2023•48 min•Season 10Ep. 1
It's hard not to be inspired by the story of today's guest. Jim Bond is a four-time transplant survivor, dating back to his first transplant in 1993, following his 1992 diagnosis.. He's participated in a life-saving clinical trial. In 2002, he was running out of options after his third transplant. In fact, his doctor was ready to send him to hospice care. But Jim wouldn't take no for an answer, travelled from Cleveland to Boston, and continued his fight. Wouldn't you know, he was the seventh pat...
Jun 22, 2023•18 min•Season 10Ep. 2
Dr. Matt Kalaycio is the Vice Chairman of the Taussig Cancer Institute at the Cleveland Clinic. He joins us today to talk about clinical trials - the hope they bring, the lives they save, and why they are so important in regards to Graft Versus Host Disease. For example, the popular GVHD drugs Ruxolitinib, Ibrutinib, and Belumosudil They were found to be effective, thanks to clinical trials Dr. Kalaycio walks us through how that happened. Clinical trials are often intimidating, or even frighteni...
Jun 22, 2023•28 min•Season 10Ep. 3
Rhonda Frederick Stewart has been through it all. She was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in 2012. Her chemo treatment likely led to acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Later, she developed both a brain bleed and an aneurism. Today, she takes us through her journey of survivorship and inspiration. Rhonda's treatment has led to Chronic Graft Versus Host Disease(GVHD) of the lungs, skin, eyes. and gastrointestinal system (GI system.) Through a combination of communications with her medical team at...
Jun 22, 2023•24 min•Season 10Ep. 4
Dr. Andy Harris was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) when he was a 19 year old pre-med college student. After receiving lifesaving care at the University of Michigan, he vowed to pay it forward. Now he works with young people at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York. Today we do a deep dive with Dr. Harris on the unique challenges posed to kids of all ages fighting cancer. Babies are supposed to be spending this time bonding with their parents. Toddlers are supposed to be...
Jun 22, 2023•29 min•Season 10Ep. 5
Dr. Barbara Abernathy is the President and CEO of The Pediatric Oncology Support Team, (POST) serving South Florida. She was already working at POST, helping pediatric cancer patients and their families, when she herself was diagnosed with Polycythemia Vera, a blood cancer, in 1996. She kept her diagnosis to herself. In 2013, Barb's disease morphed into AML, and she was in urgent need of a bone marrow transplant. A match, a young man in Germany, was found. Barb's intimate knowledge of cancer tre...
Jun 22, 2023•28 min•Season 10Ep. 6
SEASON 10 OF MARROW MASTERS WILL BE OUT ON THURSDAY, JUNE 22, 2023! Welcome to Marrow Masters Season 10, sponsored by Pharmacylics and Janssen, and Incyte. The National Bone Marrow Transplant Link, established in 1992, strives to help patients, caregivers, and families cope with the psychosocial challenges of bone marrow and stem cell transplant from diagnosis through survivorship. Season 10 focuses on sharing hope and inspiration regarding chronic graft versus host disease, or GVHD. This season...
Jun 13, 2023•3 min
Kate Arnold underwent a stem cell transplant for Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma 12 years ago. She joins us today to discuss her best survivorship tips for every step of the process. First, you need a goal--- a "why." For Kate, she wanted to get her young daughters through high school. Today, they are both in college. Throughout this process, listen to your gut. ASK QUESTIONS - there are no stupid questions, even if they seem trivial. Make sure you have a medical team that you are comfortable with. Despit...
Dec 14, 2022•33 min•Season 9Ep. 1
This is a special episode of the Marrow Masters Podcast. Not only do we have two guests, but we are also diving into a very important topic that isn't often discussed. When you're facing transplant, fertility may be the furthest thing from your mind. But chemotherapy, radiation, and other treatments could impact your body's ability to start a family. That's why it's critically important to at least have a conversation before starting treatment. Today's guests are Dr. Quinton Katler, a reproducti...
Dec 14, 2022•34 min•Season 9Ep. 2
Lela Prewitt was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) n February of 2021. She walks us through her diagnosis and transplant process. This includes having to move with her wife from their small community to Seattle, so they could have access to the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, also known as "The Hutch." Lela's transplant in June 2021 went well, but she developed Graft Versus Host Disease, and with it came many complications. She talks about the need for education about survivorship post-...
Dec 14, 2022•31 min•Season 9Ep. 3
Nancy Robey spent 34 years as a Physicians Assistant at Johns Hopkins in Maryland. Now retired, she has a wealth of experience with pediatric transplant patients. She's here today to offer her tips and best practices to care for them. In the pediatric transplant world, the procedure may be for something other than cancer, and many patients and families don't have the knowledge base that cancer patients do. Education is so important. Speaking of education, how do you navigate a patient being out ...
Dec 14, 2022•33 min•Season 9Ep. 4
