The Remarkable Life of Dr. Sterling Bunnell: Father of Hand Surgery 

Meet the pioneer who shaped an entire field. In this episode, Dr. Denise Millstine and Dr. Anthony Smith dive into the extraordinary life of Dr. Sterling Bunnell — adventurer, innovator, and the founding father of hand surgery.

This episode was made possible by the generous support of Ken Stevens. 

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Burnout is real - and writing can help.

In this episode, Dr. Denise Millstine talks with Dr. Carolyn Roy‑Bornstein, “A Prescription for Burnout” and Sandra Marinella, “The Story You Need to Tell” about how restorative writing helps clinicians process stress, grief, and emotional exhaustion. A powerful conversation on healing, meaning‑making, and reclaiming your story.

This episode was made possible by the generous support of Ken Stevens. 

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This episode was made possible by the generous support of Ken Stevens. 

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The podcast is for informational purposes only and is not designed to replace the physician’s medical assessment and judgment. Information presented is not intended as medical advice. Please contact a healthcare professional for medical assistance with specific questions pertaining to your own health if needed.

Chronically Dolores — Interstitial Cystitis, Invisible Illness & the Power of Storytelling

Dr. Denise Millstine is joined by NYT bestselling author Maya Van Wagenen and Mayo Clinic urologist Dr. Aqsa Khan for a conversation about interstitial cystitis — a chronic bladder condition that's widely misunderstood and often dismissed. Maya shares the personal experience behind her award-winning YA novel Chronically Dolores, while Dr. Khan breaks down the medical realities of IC, from diagnosis challenges to treatment options. Together, they explore what it means to live with an invisible illness, the emotional toll of feeling unseen, and why representation in fiction matters for patients of all ages.

This episode was made possible by the generous support of Ken Stevens.

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The podcast is for informational purposes only and is not designed to replace the physician’s medical assessment and judgment. Information presented is not intended as medical advice. Please contact a healthcare professional for medical assistance with specific questions pertaining to your own health if needed.

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The podcast is for informational purposes only and is not designed to replace the physician’s medical assessment and judgment. Information presented is not intended as medical advice. Please contact a healthcare professional for medical assistance with specific questions pertaining to your own health if needed.

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What makes you happy? Many people would answer with the basics: family, friends, good food, and (of course!) a good book. But what brings deep joy and purpose to your life? What little habits and practices could make a big difference in your mood and outlook? In this episode, author Courtney Walsh, author of “The Happy Life of Isadora Bentley,” and Mayo Clinic Medical Director of Joy and neuropsychologist Anni Shandera-Ochsner, Ph.D., L.P., encourage us to think deeper about what makes us feel alive and gives us meaning. 

This episode was made possible by the generous support of Ken Stevens.

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• Courtney Walsh is the Carol award-winning author of several low spice, small town romance novels. She’s committed to creating stories that bring joy and always promises a happy ending. Her debut novel, A Sweethaven Summer, was a New York Times and USA Today e-book best-seller and a Carol Award finalist in the debut author category. In addition, she has written two craft books and several full-length musicals. Courtney lives with her husband and three children in Illinois, where she co-owns a performing arts studio and youth theatre with her business partner and best friend—her husband.
• Anni Shandera-Ochsner, Ph.D., L.P., is an assistant professor of psychology at Mayo Clinic and a board-certified clinical neuropsychologist at Mayo Clinic Health System in Wisconsin. She is also the medical director of Joy for Mayo Clinic and directs the Midwest region's Mayo Clinic HABIT Healthy Action to Benefit Independence in Thinking®, which is a behavioral intervention program for people with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI).

Purchase “The Happy Life of Isadora Bentley.”

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The podcast is for informational purposes only and is not designed to replace the physician’s medical assessment and judgment. Information presented is not intended as medical advice. Please contact a healthcare professional for medical assistance with specific questions pertaining to your own health if needed.

What if running could help you heal? In this episode, Dr. Denise Millstine sits down with author Josie Lloyd and cancer rehabilitation expert Dr. Nandita Keole to explore the powerful intersection of breast cancer recovery and exercise through Josie’s uplifting novel The Bright Side Running Club. Inspired by her own diagnosis, Josie shares how journaling and joining a running group transformed fear into resilience and community, while Dr. Keole explains why movement—even during treatment—boosts strength, mood, and hope. Together, they remind us that thriving after cancer isn’t just possible—it starts with one step forward.

This episode was made possible by the generous support of Ken Stevens. 

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• Josie Lloyd had been writing novels for twenty-five years. Mother of three daughters and a beloved dog, Ziggy, she lives in Brighton in the UK with her husband, Emlyn Rees. Together they have written seven internationally bestselling novels and their latest joint venture, You & Me & You & Me & You & Me is out in the US in February 2026. Josie was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2017 after a routine scan. She wanted to read something positive, hopeful and uplifting about what she was going through, and so wrote 'The Cancer Ladies' Running Club' published in the states as 'The Bright Side Running Club'. She's also written the screen adaptation of her novel, which is in development as a feature film. When she's not writing, Josie loves travelling, cooking and is a keen sea swimmer and swims all year round no matter what the weather. She is also the patron of the charity Lobular Breast Cancer UK and regularly runs journalling and wellbeing workshops to help women going through a cancer diagnosis.
• Dr. Nandita Keole is a cancer rehabilitation physician at the Mayo Clinic Arizona. She teaches at Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine and is the current chair of the Arizona Society of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.

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• If you've got ideas or book suggestions, email us at [email protected].
• Connect with others talking about the podcast in the Read. Talk. Grow. group on Mayo Clinic Connect, an online community moderated by Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic Connect is free, trusted, moderated, welcoming, safe and easy-to-use.

The podcast is for informational purposes only and is not designed to replace the physician’s medical assessment and judgment. Information presented is not intended as medical advice. Please contact a healthcare professional for medical assistance with specific questions pertaining to your own health if needed.