I’m breaking new ground with a special guest: Dr. Kevin Pantalone, an endocrinologist whose insights offer a fresh perspective on patient care. In a recent poignant reflection, Dr. Pantalone shared the emotional impact of losing one of his patients, a woman living with Type 1 diabetes. His words shed light on a side of healthcare we often overlook—the connection between patients and their providers. In this episode we discuss how to effectively communicate with healthcare providers and...

Welcome to Unearthing Diabetes Discoveries, your inside look at cutting-edge diabetes research. In this episode, I chat with Ulf Hannelius, CEO of Diamyd Medical, about their groundbreaking investigational immunotherapy that aims to safely and specifically slow down or halt the autoimmune destruction of insulin producing cells.  BIO: Meet Ulf Hannelius, the CEO of Diamyd Medical. With a PhD in Molecular Biology and an Executive MBA, Ulf brings over 15 years of expertise...

After her Type 1 diabetes diagnosis, Mia Fasanella became a certified yoga instructor, using yoga and meditation to navigate the uncertainties. As a second-grade teacher, she fosters a supportive classroom environment by embracing her diabetes, inspiring her students to celebrate their uniqueness. In this episode we discuss the fascinating story of how her father unraveled her unique Type 1 diabetes family history, the importance of being mindful, and how to navigate the classroom....

This particular podcast subject, diabetes in animals, sparked my interest after I learned about Quincy, a koala bear at the San Diego Zoo, who was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in 2018, was insulin dependent, and wore a CGM. It made me think – why do animals have diabetes and is it the same as mine? Fascinating! BIO: Dr. Andrew Bugbee is originally from Dallas, Texas. He received both his bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Sciences as well as his Doctor of Veterinary...

Saira Khan-Gallo is on a mission to bridge the gaps in diabetes outcomes by championing equitable and patient-centered healthcare. In this episode we delve into Saira’s unique story of meeting her husband through matching insulin pumps, her time in the Peace Corps, a passion project close to her heart, and how Type 1 diabetes is a family affair.  BIO: Saira Khan-Gallo, MPH is the Content Marketing and Access & Equity Lead at Tidepool, a nonprofit that is a recognized...

I’ve recently had the opportunity to connect with three fathers who shared their experiences of raising daughters, aged 11 to 16, living with Type 1 diabetes. In this groundbreaking episode, Dan Kendall, Brooks Ratzlaff, and returning guest Scott Kinsel, provide insights into the unique challenges and joys of being a father to a T1D daughter. This episode delves into poignant topics such as diagnosis stories, navigating puberty, the nuances of dating, and the delicate balance of paternal...

I connected with Molly Schreiber after reading a heartfelt LinkedIn post about her family history of Type 1 diabetes and the tragic loss of her father. Molly is a patient living with multiple health conditions and an active patient advocate within those communities. In this episode we discuss growing up with a T1D dad, her personal T1D diagnosis, and how her role as Community Director gives her the privilege to spend time with patients, caregivers and patient advocacy focused...

Jazz Sethi, is the founder and director of The DiaBESties Foundation – a global movement to make those with Type 1 Diabetes feel heard, understood, supported and celebrated. She is also a certified diabetes educator, a professional dancer, choreographer, theatre artist, and a published author. In this episode we discuss what living with T1D in India looks like, D-Coded, and her ever growing advocacy efforts. BIO:  Jazz Sethi is the founder and director of The Diabesties...

Kayla Chorley, is a certified Canadian Counsellor and therapist whose practice extends her support for individuals living with Type 1 diabetes and focuses on areas of burnout, diabetes distress and hypoanxiety. Having lived with T1D for 23 years, she is deeply passionate about supporting mental health in our community. In this episode we discuss diabetes and mental health, and her experience with Canadian healthcare. BIO:  Kayla Chorley, BEd MACP CCC, is a certified...

Zippora Karz is a former soloist ballerina with the New York City Ballet, and a diabetes spokesperson who hopes to continue to inspire people to live healthy active lives through her work as an author, teacher, and motivational speaker. In this episode we discuss her misdiagnosis, life as a ballerina from an early age, the importance of journaling, and learning how to manage diabetes while on stage. BIO:  Zippora Karz is a former soloist ballerina with the New York City...

Farhaneh Ahmadi is the Founder and CEO of eddii, a virtual in-app character designed to engage people living with diabetes. Her vision is to make every eddii user feel motivated to achieve long-lasting health outcomes, and enjoy doing so! In this episode we discuss her personal Type 1 diabetes journey, the inception and benefits of eddii, gamification, and why the app operations are based in Oklahoma. BIO:  Farhaneh Ahmadi did her PhD in Biochemistry at Cambridge, where...

Harold Hamm is world renowned for his entrepreneurial spirit and successful career in the oil and natural gas industry, but there is SO much more to this story. In this episode we discuss how a Type 2 diabetes diagnosis was a personal game changer, the Giving Pledge, the International Biomedical Research in Diabetes Award, and his commitment to solving many of humanity’s greatest challenges including diabetes, energy poverty, literacy and education. BIO:  Growing up in...

Scott & Poppy Kinsel popped up on my radar after reading a heartfelt Facebook post about not letting type 1 diabetes slow life down after her recent diagnosis. In this episode we discuss Poppy’s misdiagnosis, navigating competitive sports, parenting, and what an epic adventure to Norway looks like with T1D. BIO:  Scott Kinsel – I am an entrepreneur and photographer. We live in Houston TX. I have three kids – Poppy 13, Max 14, Luke 7. Nobody in our family has any...

Katie Bone had the diabetes community in awe of her drive and competitive spirit as she dominated the third ever American Ninja Warrior Women’s Championship. In this episode we discuss a T1D family history, incremental boluses, teenage hormones, when to compete in wet shoes, and her motivation to continue a strict workout regimen.  BIO:  Katie Bone is originally from Bernalillo, New Mexico. This 17-year-old is already a nationally-ranked rock climber; member of the 2022...

It’s been awhile since I interviewed a T1D parent, but Sara Spencer-Kinoti stands out. Her LinkedIn profile reads unapologetic, ridiculously excited diabetes advocate, ally and part-time pancreas. In this episode we discuss her college side hustle taking care of insulin dependent cats, her family history of Type 2 and how she uses her unique platform as a healthcare provider to not only influence and educate those living with diabetes, but also members of their care...

I can’t remember a joke to save my life so finding someone who can, with the addition of diabetes humor, makes Bryan Flynn the perfect guest. In this episode we discuss Bryan’s advertising career with clients like Starburst and Mars candy, his crazy dog Darla who keeps him in shape, winning the funniest person in advertising contest, and all of the jokes.  BIO:  Bryan Flynn is an award-winning advertising copywriter who grew up in Pompton Plains, New Jersey. He studied...

The diabetes community is fortunate to have so many one of a kind warriors and Thom Solo is top of the list in my opinion. His advocacy efforts at an early age + pursuit of art as a career = my dream guest. In this episode we discuss Thom’s artistic journey, runway lows, diabetes and dating, his fashion family, the LGTBQ+ community, and speaking things into existence. BIO:  Thom Solo attended the Museum of Fine Arts School, Boston. While in college, Thom developed a...

It took me months to nail down an interview with Elizabeth Vesely after seeing her Facebook post about taking the polar plunge and it was well worth the wait. In this episode we discuss her misdiagnosis, addressing diabetes denial, and what living life to the fullest while you still can looks like for this T1D world traveler. BIO:  Elizabeth Vesely is a 61 year old woman who was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in her forties. She retired at age 55 and has been traveling...

May is mental health awareness month and is the perfect time to release this episode with Allison Nimlos, a licensed marriage and family therapist and co-founder of the Diabetes + Mental Health Virtual Conference who specializes in behavior change psychology for diabetes. In this episode we discuss the importance of addressing mental health for those living with a chronic disease. BIO:  Allison Nimlos is a licensed marriage and family therapist and diabetes health coach...

I’ve known Marwin Begaye for years and stumbled across one of his pieces that stopped me dead in my tracks titled, Super Size Angels. In this episode we discuss he and his families journey to prevent a diabetes diagnosis, holistic medicine, the growing numbers of diabetes within the American Indian communities, and the controversial body of work he created around this topic. BIO:  An internationally exhibited artist, Marwin Begaye examines the issues of cultural...

Reverend Mireya Martinez was a panelist on the Crushing: The Burden of Diabetes on Patients session during SXSW in Austin, Texas where she dominated the conversation in my opinion. In this episode we discuss her life as an insulin dependent person living with Type 2 diabetes, healthcare disparities and how she is writing her own story. BIO:  Rev. Mireya Martínez is an Ordained Elder in the UMC, a Type 2 Diabetic, and a self-proclaimed Hope Junkie. These are the lenses...

Sarah Petti is back on the show and her life has drastically changed since her last appearance three years ago. In this episode we discuss T1D pregnancy, body image and what’s new in her very active life with a guest appearance from Angus. BIO: Sarah Petti has been living with type 1 diabetes since 2005. She is a certified health coach, yoga + meditation teacher, and full-spectrum doula. These days, her work in the diabetes community primarily centers around peer support and...

Rachael Dyer and Scott Alexander Ruderman are the directors of Pay or Die, a feature documentary that provides an inside look at how the soaring price of insulin in America is threatening, if not deadly.  We’ve heard WAY too many stories about people rationing their insulin and this film documents what life is like with this disease and the impact it has on our pocket books.  STATEMENT: While we commend Eli Lilly in taking this first step and hope that Novo...

Serena Valentine, was misdiagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in her twenties. This misdiagnosis is one of the many reasons she is a passionate advocate for health equity, eye health and diabetes education. In this episode we discuss Serena’s misdiagnosis, diabetes complications, healthcare disparities, food deserts and her advocacy efforts. BIO:  Serena Valentine, is an American Diabetes Association Focus on Diabetes Champion living in Houston, TX. Serena was incorrectly...