Taking a Breath: A Stop the Clot Podcast is a show committed to shining a light on the dangers of blood clots and breathing life into The National Blood Clot Alliance’s mission of pushing these preventable killers to the forefront of public discourse. We will hear the stories of notable blood clot survivors like Olympic medalists Katie Hoff Anderson & Tatyana McFadden, among others, as well as the expertise of medical professionals to provide connection, empathy and resources to listeners like you. At Stop the Clot we know the patient because we are the patient. Journey through this miraculous series with hosts and blood clot survivors Leslie Lake and Todd Robertson as they, with the help of listeners like you, change the way we think about blood clots. Join us as we collectively stop the clot.
The National Blood Clot Alliance (NBCA) is a 501(c)(3), non-profit, voluntary health organization dedicated to advancing the prevention, early diagnosis and successful treatment of life-threatening blood clots such as deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism.
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Blood clots are unexpected. They arrive and shift your life down the path of the unimaginable. As parents, we do everything within our power to protect our children. When it comes to an unexpected clotting event, how do you navigate being there for your loved one? How do you reconcile with the sudden and immediate loss of a child? In this episode of Taking a Breath, we’re joined by Sara Wassenaar to discuss the harrowing experience of losing a child to a blood clot. Together we remember and cele...
Season 3 Episode 8 Life changes in ways you rarely expect and in the wake of these changes we try our best to take it all in and breath it all out. On the forever elusive path we find ourselves, even when the light is the furthest away, we can still find a spark of joy and laughter and know that no matter what’s to come, we can experience this moment, joyously. In this episode of Taking a Breath, Comedian Kelly MacFarland shares her experience as a blood clot survivor and how a simple request in...
Season 3 Episode 7 How do you endure the unimaginable experience of losing a child? Though the grief stays with you forever, knowing that your advocacy is shaping the landscape of blood clot prevention and saving countless lives the world over can at least shine some joy through the pain. In the memory of a beautiful life cut short, we can shine a light on what needs to be done and give others the chance to live. In this episode of Taking a Breath, Karrie and Bob Burgess, parents to Blake Burges...
How do you endure the unimaginable experience of losing a child? Though the grief stays with you forever, knowing that your advocacy is shaping the landscape of blood clot prevention and saving countless lives the world over can at least shine some joy through the pain. In the memory of a beautiful life cut short, we can shine a light on what needs to be done and give others the chance to live.
Season 3 Episode 6 When experiencing the splendor and the intrigue of culture and communities halfway across the world, we’re reminded of the complex yet similar life experiences we all share. When it comes to blood clots, it takes a singular event to bring these miraculous journeys to a close. How do we protect ourselves from the covert and dangerous experience of a clotting event? In this episode of Taking a Breath, World Traveller and Blogger Sherry Ott shares with us her journey as a lifelon...
Season 3 Episode 5 Who do you fight for? When instilling good in the world day after day, who gives you the strength to keep going? In this episode of Taking a Breath, Florida State Senator Shevrin Jones shares his journey as a multiple blood clot survivor as well as the tragic passing of his Brother to a blood clot in 2017. Alongside NBCA President Leslie Lake and NBCA Patient Liaison Todd Robertson, this conversation explores not just survival and loss, but what it means to chart a path that w...
Season 3 Episode 4 Sometimes you are called to become the very guide you once needed. To take the devastation of a near-fatal blood clot and turn it into a roadmap that helps someone else get help sooner, heal stronger, or feel less alone. In this episode of Taking a Breath , NBCA Board Member and clot prevention advocate Dan Walsh shares the story that changed his life — and how he learned to navigate the aftermath, including the often-unspoken emotional toll and post-traumatic stress that foll...
Season 3 Episode 3 Nothing resets the way you view the world like a close call or a brush with devastation. On this episode of Taking a Breath, we are joined by Newscaster, Father and Advocate, the exceptional Chris Gailus to discuss his experience with a complex clotting event, the reality of an unbelievably close call and what it means to be a an advocate as a survivor. With National Blood Alliance President Leslie Lake and National Blood Clot Alliance Patient Liaison Todd Robertson alongside ...
Season 3 Episode 2 As we gain more insight into the realities of blood clots and examine the scientific truths behind these silent killers, we are able to adjust and explore the future of clot removal and lifesaving technologies. Even those of us who feel healthy cannot guarantee their exemption from this dark reality that presents itself to so many, day after day. On this episode of Taking a Breath, we are joined by the wonderful Elizabeth Simms to discuss her journey as a blood clot survivor a...
Season 3 Episode 1 In a moment of crisis, we rely on our instinct, mobility and autonomy to parse and navigate split second decision making. In a moment when all you can do is wait for help to find you, how to you process the reality of an impossible situation? On this episode of Taking a Breath, we are joined by the exquisite Rebekah Bradford to discuss her journey from Olympic Hero to Blood Clot Survivor. With National Blood Alliance President Leslie Lake and National Blood Clot Alliance Patie...
We talk a great deal about signs, symptoms and awareness in hopes of preventing blood clots. Even when armed with the knowledge and the skills, what happens when the suggestion of medical experts leads to the unexpected loss of a loved one? On this episode of Taking a Breath, we are joined by the exceptional Omari Maynard to discuss the life and legacy of Shamony Gibson and what advocacy looks like in the face of unimaginable loss. With National Blood Alliance President Leslie Lake and National ...
What does it mean to be a leader? Though the ability to empower those around you through personal action and creative celebration is a gift few people get to share, how do you maintain that light through some of the most difficult days of your life? On this episode of Taking a Breath, we are joined by creative powerhouse Jevon Dewand to discuss his experience as a blood clot survivor and what it means to lead in your community. With National Blood Alliance President Leslie Lake and National Bloo...
What do you do when the moment of creative actualization is jeopardized by the silent and unceremonious rumblings of a clotting event? On this episode of Taking a Breath, we are joined by Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader, Dancer and Star of America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders , Charly Barby and her experience as a blood clot survivor . With National Blood Alliance President Leslie Lake and National Blood Clot Alliance Patient Liaison Todd Robertson alongside listeners like you, we will ...
Going for Gold with Lauren Brzozowski : A Conversation on Persistence and Survival The road to an olympic medal is a road of diligence, consistency and sometimes heartbreak. How do you adjust from a moment of survival into a pillar of inspiration on the bob run and off. On this episode of Taking a Breath, we are joined by Team USA Bobsled Olympic Hopeful Lauren Brzozowski to discuss her experience as a blood clot survivor . With National Blood Alliance President Leslie Lake and National Blood Cl...
Surviving the Impossible with Aaliyah Walker and Brady Arnold : A Conversation on Survival and Partnership When the odds are stacked against you, how do you navigate a future you were statistically not supposed to experience? How do you navigate the impossibility of a worst-case scenario when survivability fluctuates drastically from one minute to the next? On this episode of Taking a Breath, we are joined by Aaliyah Walker and her husband Brady Arnold, as well as the rest of their immediate fam...
Traversing the Summit with Sage Canaday : A Conversation on Overcoming the Unexpected Like most professional athletes, knowing your body and its idiosyncratic tendencies is key. The built resilience and scaling effort comes down to knowing precisely the inner and outer workings of your own body. What happens when you're faced with the unfamiliar? What happens when it's life threatening? On this episode of Taking a Breath, we are joined by Professional Distance Runner Sage Canaday to discuss his ...
Finding Your Sunny Side with Loren Ridinger : A Conversation on Life After Loss Where do you begin when starting over? How do you find the resilience to move forward when life as you know it is irrevocably changed? On this episode of Taking a Breath, we are joined by Loren Ridinger to discuss the life and legacy of her late husband JR Ridinger as well as the launch of her new book Scrambled or Sunny-Side Up: Living Your Best Life After Losing Your Greatest Love. With National Blood Alliance Pres...
A Second Act with Dave Hall : A Conversation on Survival Clotting events are sudden. They can feel like something as mundane as a slight cough or a sore leg. When the symptoms begin, its only a matter of time before its too late. On this episode of Taking a Breath, we are joined by News Anchor Dave Hall to discuss his experience of having a clotting event life on air and his journey post clot as a blood clot survivor. With National Blood Alliance President Leslie Lake and National Blood Clot All...
Demanding Change with Teri Stanfield : A Conversation Grief and Advocacy No parent should endure the guttural horror of losing a child. When all that you've lived for has been taken away, how do you find the strength and purpose on the road ahead? On this episode of Taking a Breath, we are joined by Teri Stanfield to discuss the life and legacy of her late son Bryce Taggart Stanfield and what it means to demand systemic change for blood clot awareness and prevention. With National Blood Alliance...
Expecting the Unexpected with Michael Philbin : A Conversation on Resilience On this episode of Taking a Breath, we are joined by Dr. Michael Phiblin to discuss his experience as a blood clot survivor in the wake of cancer survival. With National Blood Alliance President Leslie Lake and National Blood Clot Alliance Patient Liaison Todd Robertson alongside listeners like you, we will continue working together to collectively Stop the Clot! Taking a Breath: A Stop The Clot Podcast is an Everything...
A Legacy Honored with Deveraux and Kristie Hubbard: A Conversation on Remembrance and Community. The loss of a child is unimaginable. When faced with the impossible reality, how do you find strength to keep going? On this episode of Taking a Breath, we are joined by founders of The Second Foundation for blood clot awareness Deveraux and Kristie Hubbard to discuss the legacy and life of their late son Deveraux Hubbard The Second. With National Blood Alliance President Leslie Lake and National Blo...
A Future Unknown with Todd Robertson : A Reprisal Conversation on Tedious Outcomes and Diagnosis Even when things feel stable and comfortable, tides still have the capacity to shift. How do you allow yourself to grieve, to be angry and to maintain hope in the face of the severe and unexpected? On this Season Two Premiere, we are once again joined by the host of this very podcast and National Blood Clot Alliance’s Patient Liaison, Todd Robertson to share his story as a continuous survivor and bei...
In a world full of sporadic heartbreak and devastating happenstance, how to do we make the world a littleeasier on one another? Through community we, in turn, make life a little easier on ourselves. On thisSeason One Finale, we are joined by, as always,host of this very podcast and National Blood ClotAlliance’s Patient Liaison, Todd Robertson to share his story as a survivor and as a resource to thethousands of blood clot survivors seeking community at the NBCA. With National Blood AlliancePresi...
‘We are not sure how you survived.’ In this moment what do you do? What do you say? How do you take this sudden reality and use its energy to propel you into the life you may not have lived? On this episode of the 12-part series, Taking a Breath: A Stop the Clot Podcast, we are joined by Founder and CEO of Walk Swiftly Productions and former Sports Journalist for ESPN and CBS Sports, Bonnie Bernstein to discuss forward momentum in the face of a life cut short. Join our hosts, National Blood Alli...
In the moments of seemingly irreconcilable odds, how do you navigate the often times short path before you? On this episode of the 12-part series, Taking a Breath: A Stop the Clot Podcast, we are joined by Oncologist, Father and Blood Clot Survivor, Dr. Mark Lewis to discuss the powerful affects of hope in the face of worst-case scenarios. Join our hosts, National Blood Alliance President Leslie Lake, and National Blood Clot Alliance’s Patient Liaison Todd Robertson as they, with the help of tru...
This episode features Doug Adkins discussing the tragic loss of his daughter Emily to a pulmonary embolism and his subsequent journey into political advocacy. He shares how the Emily Adkins Bill, aimed at systemic medical change and blood clot prevention, garnered bipartisan support. The conversation also includes Dr. Elliot Haupt explaining the importance of recognizing both obvious and subtle blood clot symptoms to save lives.
It is the call no parent is ready to receive. Hearing those words echo from the receiver of your phone. She’s gone. How do you move forward when everything you know has changed? How do you move forward without your child? On this episode of the 12-part series, Taking a Breath: A Stop the Clot Podcast, we are joined by Mother, Activist and Community Leader Arshelle Brooks-Harris to discuss her journey as a parent in losing her daughter to a clotting event and her life-saving community advocacy fo...
Amidst the cheering and applause of the supportive crowd, you feel the break. SNAP! A moment you trained for years in the making thwarted by a broken bone. In the process of healing, complications arise and a blood clot changes the trajectory of your life. Forever. On this episode of the 12-part series, Taking a Breath: A Stop the Clot Podcast, we are joined by Founder, CEO and President of Everything Podcasts Jennifer Smith to discuss trauma-induced clotting events and her journey as a blood cl...
Imagine waking up in a hospital. Your friends and family surround you, tears welling in every eye. Unbeknownst to you, they are gathered to say their final goodbyes. On this episode of the 12-part series, Taking a Breath: A Stop the Clot Podcast, we are joined by Senior Policy Advisor, Public Health Advocate and Managing Director at Minat Health, Heide Bajnrauh to discuss her journey as a blood clot survivor. Join our hosts, National Blood Alliance President Leslie Lake, and National Blood Clot ...
