Marrow Masters

In this episode, we sit down with Nick Giallourakis, Executive Director of the Steven G. Cancer Foundation and co-founder of Elephants and Tea, a digital magazine and support platform for adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer patients and survivors. We begin by learning about Nick’s brother, Steve, whose incredible journey as a five-time cancer survivor—including osteosarcoma, Secondary AML, renal cell carcinoma, and pleomorphic ...

In this episode, we speak with Emily Long Sarro, a board-certified family nurse practitioner specializing in adolescent and young adult (AYA) care at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. We focus on the unique challenges AYAs face before, during, and after a stem cell transplant. Emily shares how this age group, defined as 15 years old to 39 years old by the National Cancer Institute, is often overlooked in the healthcare system...

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Chris Dandoy, Associate Professor of Clinical Pediatrics and bone marrow transplant physician at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. Dr. Dandoy shares his deep experience working with adolescents and young adults (AYAs), focusing on the unique challenges they face during and after cancer treatment. Our conversation centers around empowering AYAs to take ownership of their healthcare journey, improv...

This episode of Marrow Masters brings us an incredible conversation with Kitrena Young, a two-time cancer survivor whose story spans decades and highlights the unique challenges faced by adolescents and young adults (AYAs). We begin by learning about Kitrena’s initial diagnosis of B-cell ALL with a Philadelphia chromosome at the age of eight, followed by a shocking relapse 23 years later. Her candor about how she recognized the ear...

In this episode, we talk with David Hartley, PhD, MPH, who shares his deeply personal experience as both a caregiver and a scientist. David is chair of the board for Engraft, a learning network focused on improving outcomes in transplant and cellular therapy through collaboration and shared data. While he brings professional expertise in infectious diseases and epidemiology, our conversation centers on his journey as a father navig...

In our 17th season of the Marrow Masters podcast, we will be focusing on Adolescents and Young Adults, collectively known as AYAs.  Defined as between the ages of 15 and 39 by the National Cancer Institute, these patients have a unique cancer journey.  They are often too old for pediatric clinics, but feel out of place among older adults in a tradtional oncology department.

This season we will talk to survivors, social workers, care...

In this episode, we welcome Jeannie Wiarda, LMSW, a Medical Social Worker at the Adult Blood and Bone Marrow Transplant Center at Corewell Health in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Jeannie has been a Medical Social Worker at Corewell Health for 20 years including 14 years in Hospice and Palliative Care Inpatient; time in the Emergency Room prior to that, and has currently spent three years in bone marrow transplant. Jeannie provides insigh...

In this episode, we sit down with Sarah Bugen, a nurse at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, who shares her expertise on managing life after a blood or bone marrow transplant, particularly in relation to chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). The conversation centers on practical advice for patients and caregivers navigating recovery and maintaining quality of life.

Regarding Oral GVHD, Sarah emphasizes the importance of ora...

In this episode, we meet up with Josh Conklin, a seasoned bone marrow transplant (BMT) nurse at the University of Michigan Hospital, to explore his experiences, insights, and tips for managing chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). With 11 years of inpatient experience, Josh offers a comprehensive view of the challenges and triumphs in caring for patients undergoing BMT.

Josh explains that his primary role involves guiding patien...

In this episode, we talk to Carly Cappozzo, a senior occupational therapist specializing in graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) rehabilitation at a major cancer hospital. Carly shares her unique approach to patient care, emphasizing the importance of holistic and personalized therapy that empowers patients to regain their independence and identity post-treatment.

Carly explains her role as an occupational therapist, detailing how she h...

In today’s episode, we talk with Krista Wood, a registered nurse with the Cell Therapy and Transplant Program at Victoria General Hospital in Halifax, Nova Scotia (Canada). Krista shares her invaluable insights and experiences working with patients dealing with chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), a common complication following stem cell transplants. Our discussion delves into the importance of communication, post-transplant ...

In this episode, we sit down with Lisa Stewart, a nurse practitioner with more than 25 years of transplant nursing experience, currently working at the post-transplant BMT clinic at the Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center in Boston. Lisa provides invaluable insights into managing chronic and acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and shares her expertise, stories, and advice for patients and caregivers navigating post-transplant life...

Season 16 of Marrow Masters, Sponsored by Sanofi, will be released January 30, 2025. The National Bone Marrow Transplant Link, established in 1992, strives to help patients, caregivers, and families cope with the psychosocial challenges of bone marrow transplant, from diagnosis through survivorship. Season 16 of our show will focus on the best tips for dealing with Chronic GVHD. Top notch health care professionals will share their ...

In this episode of Marrow Masters, we hear the journey of married couple Dave and Laurie Brock, as they share their experience with CAR T-cell therapy— one Dave very recently underwent. The Brocks provide an inspiring and honest account of navigating this complex treatment process. Dave, diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2015, had an eight-year remission following a stem cell transplant. When he relapsed earlier this year, his doc...

In this interview, we sit down with Dr. Hemant Murthy, a professor of medicine in the division of Hematology/Oncology at Mayo Clinic, to explore the groundbreaking potential of CAR T-cell therapy and the crucial role clinical trials play in advancing cancer treatments.

Dr. Murthy begins by emphasizing the importance of clinical trials in hematology, reminding us that many of today’s standard treatments—like oral medications for chro...

In this podcast episode, we talk to Liz Muenks, a licensed psychologist and director of the Onco-Psychology Program at the University of Kansas Cancer Center. We discuss the psychosocial and emotional challenges faced by patients undergoing CAR T-cell therapy, a groundbreaking treatment for cancer, and how these experiences affect both patients and caregivers.

Liz explains that patients typically enter CAR T-cell therapy after exhau...

(Disclaimer: This episode contains advice on nutrition and lifestyle. Always consult your health care team regarding your personal circumstances).

In this episode, we speak with Terena from Tampa, Florida, about her journey with CAR T-cell therapy, covering her experiences from diagnosis through recovery and remission. Diagnosed with mantle cell lymphoma, a type of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, in September 2019, Terena endured years of m...

In this episode, we talk with Dr. Hassan Alkhateeb, a hematologist from the Mayo Clinic Transplant Center, about CAR T-cell therapy. Dr. Alkhateeb walks us through the basics of this groundbreaking immunotherapy and how it has evolved as a treatment option for various cancers. CAR T-cell therapy involves collecting a patient's T cells and re-engineering them in the lab to target and destroy cancer cells. This therapy has shown prom...

Today we interview Lori Dear, a registered nurse and transplant coordinator in the adult Blood & Marrow Transplant Program at Corewell Health in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Lori shares her deep insights into the CAR T-cell therapy process, a groundbreaking treatment for certain cancers, focusing on the patient experience and the critical role of caregivers.

Lori explains that CAR T-cell therapy is highly personalized, with no "cookie-cu...