Imagine life trucking along, young healthy children, pursuing a dream career, a wonderful marriage, a beautiful home. When you are in your 30's, you don't think that life can change so rapidly. But that's the tricky thing about life, it doesn't matter how old you are, life has a way of veering us of course and onto a whole new path. Today's guest, Ellen Duncan knows this experience all to well. Her late husband's life was cut short very suddenly-barely into his mid 30's. With two young girls, El...
Jun 25, 2025•59 min•Ep. 21
We are all guilty of it; something overwhelming happens or a trauma and we try to bury our grief, our stress, our feelings over what's happened. But, we can't outrun our grief or trauma. Eventually it manifests in other ways, sometimes physically. In today's episode, I talk with Grief Coach Kelci Jager of Rise with Grief, & author of A Millions Miracles and the One That Didn't Come. Kelci's journey through her own grief started with a car accident with her boys that led to a discovery they d...
Jun 11, 2025•58 min•Ep. 20
There is a Chinese proverb- "The temptation to quit will be greatest just before you are about to succeed." We never know what we are on the cusp of until we finish the journey. And, while failing teaches us many things, we don't have to be scared of failing. We should only be scared of walking away. In today's episode, our 50th episode of The Game On Glio Podcast, we sit down with Dr. Sheri Dewan, a board certified Neurosurgeon with expertise in neurological and spine surgery. Dr. Dewan is also...
May 28, 2025•58 min•Ep. 19
Compassion and creativity are vitally important these days in cancer care. The old rule of thumb, especially in brain cancer, of standard of care just isn't enough anymore. Patients and families need a voice, and need to know that they are heard when asking questions about clinical trials, supplements, holistic options, and cross-collaboration across neuro-oncology care. Enter Dr.'s Soma Sengupta and Dominique Higgins of UNC School of Medicine in North Carolina. On today's episode (in total the ...
May 07, 2025•53 min•Ep. 18
Grief is a reflection of love. It's a natural part of life, and the more we love, the more profound our grief will be when that love is lost. If we think about the fact that grief is grounded in love, it does help us move through the journey. This is part of the work that grief coaches like Emily Bingham do. She helps people navigate significant life traumas. But this isn't just Emily's profession. She has personally walked through the flames of grief herself, having lost her 32 year old husband...
Dec 18, 2024•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 17
Dr. Horbinski sits down with me to discuss the complexities of brain tumors and how his work in the Feinberg School of Medicine lab is looking into mutIDH1 and how it dramatically alters the glioma’s micro-environmental landscape by preventing the thrombosis-necrosis phenomenon that is characteristic of IDH1 wild-type gliomas. Furthermore, mutIDH1 increases the risk of seizures in patients. He explains why his team's work may improve diagnostic and prognostic accuracy. For methylation profiling ...
Nov 20, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Season 4Ep. 11
For all of Scott Hamilton's successes, there has also been sacrifice, fear, and loss. He has battled health issues that truly put death in front of him and has made him confront very hard truths. And, it was through his wife that he learned and felt the power of faith in God's word. Scott doesn't see his life as lucky-he sees his life as a road map. All of his experiences teach him and have helped him navigate 4 pillars that are at the foundation of everything he does in life: emotional, physica...
Oct 30, 2024•1 hr 22 min•Ep. 16
Robert and Melanie Ham were young, with two young children when Melanie was diagnosed with an incurable rare form of Sarcoma in 2020. Robert, an award winning film maker and military veteran, decided he wanted to document her journey, their love, to help others. The documentary aired in 2022 after Melanie's death and has been viewed more than 1 million times on YouTube. Robert knew that a part of his grief journey included finding a way forward for himself and his children. That mean, not giving...
Oct 16, 2024•52 min•Season 4Ep. 9
Having glioblastoma doesn't mean life is over. In fact, it can be viewed as an opportunity! Tara McCaughan from Northern Ireland has been living with gbm for nearly five years. Her story shows us how human resilience and internal cognitive reshuffling can be our biggest weapon in battling such a formidable disease. But she doesn't do it alone, her partner Stephen is her rock. We need stories like hers! I sit down with Tara and Stephen to learn how she realigned her life after her diagnosis, and ...
Sep 25, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Season 4Ep. 8
There are so many facets of the grief and loss journey. One that many don't think of is financial understanding. Whether it's starting a non-profit organization after a loss or trying to navigate investing from money left to you after a death, it's vital to know how to advocate for your own best interests. Self advocating is important in in all areas of life, not just in caregiving or physical health. Today, I sit down with Frank Randall and Dan Schlein of Alliance Advisory Group to discuss the ...
Aug 28, 2024•58 min•Season 4Ep. 7
Grief is something that crashes into us. It takes a toll on us emotionally and physically. But when it does, it also teaches us. We grow from our journeys in life--the good and the bad. Emily Peterson, CEO of Saranoni Luxury Blankets, knows this journey all to well. Emily's husband Nathan was diagnosed with glioblastoma brain cancer just 3 months after launching their Saranoni Cares initiative for cancer patients, including brain cancer. Nathan, just in his early 50's, only had two months before...
Aug 14, 2024•54 min•Season 4Ep. 6
Love is infinite. You don't run out of love. You don't stop loving your late spouse just because a "new and different love" introduces itself. Your heart grows around what was to make room for what is. Annie and Matt teach us just that. In this episode, we sit down with the two to talk about finding love again after loss, and what it truly looks like to live life in the transitions. Annie and Matt both have children and lost their late spouses early in life. Yet the universe found a way to bring...
Jul 24, 2024•1 hr 8 min•Season 4Ep. 5
Big Tree Memorial Fund , a 501c3 was started in honor of Erik Knapp who died from glioblastoma in his early 30's. The fund is unique in that it doesn't just focus on brain cancer, but any family suffering from hardship due to a cancer diagnosis. The fund helps supports families and caregivers through resource and financial assistance. Erik was Lauren's best friend, and to honor his memory and the man he was, she could think of nothing better than finding a way to help others! Lauren sits down wi...
Jun 26, 2024•55 min•Season 4Ep. 4
There are people you meet in life, whether through words, groups, from a community or work that redefine how you interact with and see life. For me, it started with words; a little book I found one rainy Sunday morning at the bookstore-- Be Like Water. I flipped through this tiny paperback, it's first sentence reading, "More than 70% of the Earth's surface is water. Every living thing is composed of water." I was intrigued so I bought it. Little did I know that book would help me through some di...
Jun 12, 2024•56 min•Season 4Ep. 3
How can you comprehend become a widower at 35 years old after 16 years with the one you love? How do you make sense of losing that spouse (only 33) 11 months after giving birth to your first child? This is exactly what Alan Johnstone faced when his young 33 year-old healthy wife Anneka was diagnosed with glioblastoma five months after giving birth to their daughter Sienna. Six months after diagnosis, Anneka was gone. Sienna not even one year old. Game On Glio traveled to Boston Massachusetts to ...
May 29, 2024•1 hr•Season 4Ep. 2
To kick off brain cancer awareness month 2024, I sit down with Roon app creators Rohan Ramakrishna & Vikram Bhaskaran in episode 1 of Season 4 of The Game On Glio Podcast. We dive into the importance of real time information and the need for advocacy when it comes to serious diseases like Glioblastoma. My guests also explain why they felt the need to create an app like Roon. The Roon app offers people an opportunity to get extensive information from actual clinicians and doctors, to search f...
May 08, 2024•57 min•Season 4Ep. 1
When Eric Wood sat in a delivery room supporting his wife as she gave birth to their child, he didn't expect to find out that his NFL career was over. It was 2018 and the middle of the football season; Wood had played his entire career for the Buffalo Bills football team, but his path there was narrow and included a bit of destiny. Wood knew full well how fortunate he had been, especially since he had already seen loss and challenges in his life. So, when another challenge knocked at his door, W...
Dec 21, 2023•1 hr 14 min•Season 3Ep. 12
In this episode, Kate sits down with me to discuss the power of hope, faith, family, and never giving up--even when you think all hope is lost. Her foundation, Hope Rises, shares hope-filled news every single day, as well as hosting powerful giveback projects. To date, they have raised over $300,000+ and change countless lives through charitable efforts of love which include the Shine Gold fundraiser for pediatric cancer and fundraising for veterans at WNY Heroes. Learn more and find out how you...
Nov 16, 2023•57 min•Season 3Ep. 11
When Amber Jackson met her husband Tim, she describes it, "He came across my sky and lit it up, and now he's gone just as quickly." Amber and Tim were both nurses at the same hospital, and very quickly realized they were soulmates and meant to be together. Within five years they got married and had two beautiful kids. Then it all came crashing down when Tim was diagnosed with brain cancer. Amber shares her story of resilience, caring for 4 small children, one of whom has special needs, and navig...
Oct 26, 2023•1 hr•Season 3Ep. 10
At the time of his diagnosis, Chris Baccash had a full time analytics job and spent his weekends racing and training with the Doylestown Bike Works elite cycling team. His accomplishments included the hardest event of the season — the 50-mile Bucks County Classic, in his hometown of Doylestown, PA, with a personal-best time. Of cycling at the time, Chris says, “When else do you get to ride through a beautiful countryside, side by side with a good friend, and have an uninterrupted conversation fo...
Oct 12, 2023•54 min•Season 3Ep. 9
It's hard enough to imagine a young adult getting glioblastoma. But to hear of a baby having it truly tugs at the heart strings. Kelly Barnhart shares her incredible story with us of her 5 year old son Carson's GBM story. A mother of three, a wife, and an educator in the Buffalo school system as well as through Buffalo Hearing and Speech, Kelly has made it her mission to share Carson's pediatric cancer story to highlight congenital glioblastoma. Listen now! Season Sponsors: GammaTile Therapy Imv...
Sep 21, 2023•57 min•Season 3Ep. 8
It's an old phrase, one that has actually been around since the 11th century when Saint George slayed his first "dragon." The more recent old English proverb is "Some days you get the bear, some days the bear gets you." Basically we win some, we lose some--BUT we always keep going, and we slay one dragon at a time. That is life; life throws us curve balls and all we can do is wait for the next pitch and hope we connect in a positive and meaningful way. And, that's exactly what our guest today ha...
Aug 24, 2023•1 hr 12 min•Season 3Ep. 7
StacheStrong is a 501(c)3 non-profit devoted to raising funds and awareness for brain cancer research in memory of the late GJ Gerner--Co Founder Colin Gerner's brother. The organization has become a beacon of hope for countless individuals and families afflicted by brain cancer. In this episode, Colin recalls, “It all started with a seizure. My 29 year old brother had a seizure. We figured, well we hoped, that it was just dehydration--you know something minor. I followed the doctor into the hal...
Jul 27, 2023•1 hr•Season 3Ep. 6
Mike was diagnosed with glioblastoma in April of 2022. 13 months in, he is doing well and stronger than ever--but it comes at a price. “I know the statistics,” he said. “The statistics for glioblastoma are a median survival of 14 months; half the people are dead by 14 months. The five-year survival is four or five percent.” Mike found the tumor after a seizure while driving home led to a car crash. He woke up in the hospital with a broken back, but it was his brain scans that would change his li...
Jul 13, 2023•58 min•Season 3Ep. 5
In this episode, we talk to Wade Lewis who was diagnosed with glioblastoma at the age of 43. Faith, fortitude, and fight all describe what this episode is about. Wade shares his brain cancer journey, the intriguing friendship he developed with Dr. Fonkem and how it led to their work in Africa together, and how ministry and his belief in God has given him a new outlook on the path that has been handed to him. We also discuss some interesting drug news that isn't on everyone's radar. Listen now! P...
Jun 29, 2023•59 min•Season 3Ep. 4
Lance Kawaguchi's motto is "working with heart" and it shows in all he does for the brain cancer community. The CEO of Cure Brain Cancer Foundation , a nonprofit organization in Australia, Lance is also an internationally recognized executive leader with over 25 years of global finance and banking experience, and currently serves as the Chairman of the Asian Fund for Cancer Research (www.AFCR.org). Lance was featured on the cover of CEO Magazine and awarded the 2022 CEO Magazine Global Not-for-P...
Jun 08, 2023•54 min•Ep. 15
"It's hard when someone puts an expiration date on you," said Nick Adamski, glioblastoma thriver and one of our guests for episode 2 of Season 3. Nick, with the support of his wife Diane (ABC7 Chicago News Journalist), has been beating the odds against glioblastoma since December 2020. Walking through this rare cancer is not pretty, nor is it for the faint of heart. When Nick and Diane sat down with us, he didn't hold back; painting a picture of just how hard this journey has been and the obstac...
May 25, 2023•1 hr 7 min•Season 3Ep. 2
In this first episode of Season 3, we sit down with Dr.'s Elad Levy and Ken Snyder of UB Neurosurgery/Buffalo General Hospital and Gates Vascular Institute/Jacobs School of Medicine. They give us rare insight into the work they do, the cutting edge technology being used (including GammaTile Therapy now being offered) and even the emotional toll this field can take. This season we are going to learn--together. "Navigate and Advocate" is a theme you will hear a lot during season 3 of The Game On G...
May 11, 2023•59 min•Season 3Ep. 1
Our guest today, Marie Alessi, is a celebrated author of the book "Loving Life After Loss" and podcast host of Upspiral Grief. Marie unexpectedly lost her husband and father to their two boys in 2018 to a sudden brain aneurysm. Using her own tools and strong intuition, she created a path back happiness and now shares that with others across the globe. In our last episode of Season 2, Marie and I tackle the myths and peel back the many layers of grief and loss, and how to ignite happiness again. ...
Jan 26, 2023•1 hr•Season 2Ep. 12
"I (insert name here) take you (insert name here) to be my lawfully wedded husband/wife. To have and to hold from this day forward. For better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish until death parts us." Sound familiar? When we say those vows, we say them theoretically. As if we know that this is what we truly vow, it's what we mean, but we never expect to have to uphold some of them so soon. Being a spousal caregiver is so nuanced, so delicate. It...
Jan 12, 2023•1 hr 11 min•Season 2Ep. 11
