Talk! with Audrey

Northwestern Memorial Hospital, in Illinois wants to encourage us to learn the truth about organ and tissue donation. Most organ donations take place after the donor has died however, some organs can be donated while the donor is still alive. This can be a great alternative to waiting on the ever growing transplant list and can help save lives. Dr. Juan Caicedo, Director of the Liver Transplant Program, Living Donor Liver Program and Hispanic Transplant Program at Northwestern Medicine joins me to talk about organ donation and discuss some of the latest research available and Northwestern Memorial’s role in advancing treatment.

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, STEM jobs are projected to grow 8.8% from now until 2029. STEM education encourages critical thinking skills, innovation and creative problem-solving.  Competency in these areas is a strong indicator of future career success. Joining me to talk about the importance of STEM education as kids head back-to-school, Phil Cook, high school chemistry teacher and TikTok star (@chemteacherphil 3.3M followers.

Kevin L. Schewe has penned another action-packed romp in his critically acclaimed Bad Love series his latest, Bad Love Medicine takes readers from the deep-space beauty of Planet Azur back to a WWII Europe riddled with danger and espionage, bringing the Bad Love Gang face-to-face with one of history’s greatest villains—Adolf Hitler himself , the Bad Love Gang (based on his own friends in high school) once again set out to save history—this time, by stopping the Nazis from creating a time machine of their own.

Cobra Gold is an annual multinational military exercise co-hosted by the United States and Thailand and involves 29 participant nations. PETA has exposed a dark secret: One Cobra Gold drill billed as “survival” training is in reality a gruesome macho party. Joining me with the details, Shalin  Gala, Vice President, International Laboratory Methods at PETA.

After four years of collecting data, the first scientifically authenticated documentation of unidentified aerial phenomena UAP’s was released by the Genesis 2 Project (G2P) and Primeau Forensics in 2020 which included images captured with infrared technology.  Former Los Alamos National Labs biophysicist Dr. Jennifer van Velkinburgh and  former FBI Special Agent and Forensic Scientist in the Evidence Response Team Unit at the FBI Lab Debra LaPrevotte to discuss the report and the ongoing release of scientifically-authenticated UAP recordings  . . . from the Genesis 2 Project. 

Matt Blashaw, licensed contractor; television host on HGTV and DIY Networks joins me with a rundown of the most common summer home repair issues and how to tell when a project has become too big or dangerous for you to handle yourself and how to find qualified, vetted professionals when you need them!

Now that summer is well underway, it's a great time to revisit your budget to make sure you are on track with your spending and saving goals, while still enjoying all that summer has to offer.Jason Gaughan, Consumer Card Product Executive at Bank of America, is here to discuss his top tips for keeping your spending in check.

A year and a half ago, a family received a devastating diagnosis in the midst of the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, that mother is sharing her son’s experience with (SMA), a rare, devastating genetic disease that is also a leading genetic cause of infant death, and how early diagnosis and treatment transformed his life. My guests are Dr. Sandy Reyna, Vice President of Global Medical Affairs, Head-Therapeutic Area at Novartis Gene Therapies and Kathryn McBride, parent of child with SMA. We talk about the signs of SMA, the importance of newborn screening and an early diagnosis, and new treatment options.

According to PETA, instead of using modern research methods to find a cure, billions of taxpayer dollars have been spent and more are set to be spent on sepsis experiments on animals, while the more than 150 medicines that have effectively treated sepsis in other species have then failed in humans.   . . . joining me to discuss the very real cost to animals and humans of this failure to switch gears, EMILY TRUNNELL, Ph.D., Neuroscientist and Research Associate for PETA joins me with information about state-of-the-art, human-relevant research methods that are available and the very real cost to animals and humans of this failure to switch gears.

Bob  is back, and this time he shares his easy to read, but challenging “thought-starters” to help spark your new found freedom in retirement and to think beyond your past career. Retirement: Your New Adventure! challenges you to move forward with creativity, joy, and great hope to seize the opportunity brought by retirement or other changes by looking to the many new adventures ahead.

Jeanneane Maxon, 41, was living the life of a “work hard, play hard” non-profit executive in Washington, D.C. However, her migraine headaches which she had suffered from since age six were becoming increasingly debilitating. A subsequent MRI revealed a lime-sized tumor in her brain which would ultimately be diagnosed as glioblastoma (GBM), a rare and aggressive form of cancer, but the most common type of primary brain cancer in adults. Jeanneane and her physician, Dr. Karen Fink, a Neuro-oncologist at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas join me to help raise awareness of GBM, and the latest treatments and technology available to help treat this debilitating disease.

More Than Words advisors Dr. Monique Gary, a board-certified fellowship-trained breast surgical oncologist and medical director of the Grand View Health Penn Cancer Network cancer program  and Ricki Fairley Co-Founder and CEO of TOUCH, The Black Breast Cancer Alliance and a stage 3A triple negative breast cancer survivor, and thriver. They speak with me have about a New initiative launched by Novartis called More Than Just Words, a multi-year commitment to promote health equity in breast cancer care and the disparities in breast cancer for black women.

One out of four women 20 years or older will experience a pelvic floor disorder (PFDs) yet not seek treatment due to embarrassment. Are you one of them? Well, today we’re going to talk about it with  My guest is, Dr. Kimberly Kenton, a board-certified in OB/GYN and Female Pelvic Medicine & Reconstructive Surgery at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

Tech and Digital Creator Justine Ezarik joins me to talk about how spending more time at home due to the pandemic has created ‘smart living’ and how new tech habits have evolved over the past year.

Weight bias, it appears in every aspect of life including employment, health care, education, media and personal life. Joining me to talk about what you can do to help end this form of bullying from the Obesity Action Coalition,Joseph Nadglowski, President & CEO and Patricia Nece, J.D., Chair of OAC.

Our thoughts define who we are. But for many of us, thoughts of work and the things we need to get done consume our waking hours. How can we achieve a more balanced life if we are so overwhelmed? Bob Boylan, a retired presentation skills trainer, professional landscape photographer, seasoned traveler, and the founder of Successful Presentations. Wrote his new book, 4 Ideas With Actionable Wisdom, to present concrete, actionable suggestions to inspire you and  get you on your way!

It’s summer and that means backyard barbecues! Celebrity chef Josh Capon joins me live from the  National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Culinary Center with his favorite grilling tips and crowd-pleasing recipes for a weekend of grilling.

For childhood cancer survivors, learning to protect their health and embrace survivorship is a lifelong job. Dr. Timothy Pearman, a psychologist at Lurie Cancer Center at Northwestern Medicine joins me to talk about the center’s STAR Program (Survivors Taking Action & Responsibility) and how they are addressing the psychological needs of cancer survivors who were diagnosed before the age of 21.

The coastal prairies, marshes and bays of the Gulf of Mexico are among North America's most productive wetland systems. Tragically, they are also among the most threatened, Adam Putnam, CEO of Ducks Unlimited, the leader in wetlands and waterfowl conservation joins me to talk about the crucial conservation work being done along the gulf coast and how their partnership with the James M. Cox Foundation will the enhancement of high-quality coastal marsh and rice prairie wetland complexes.

In celebration of Healthy Vision Month in May, the Focus on Diabetes™ initiative is launching The Next Step Eye Health Challenge to raise awareness of diabetes-related eye disease and the steps people can take to maintain better eye health. My guest is Dr. Robert Gabbay, the Chief Scientific and Medical Officer for the American Diabetes Association (ADA).