Read. Talk. Grow.

Dr. Denise Millstine is joined by author Allison Ashley and hematologist Dr. Jeanne Palmer to explore the emotional and medical journey of leukemia treatment and stem cell transplantation through the lens of Allison’s romance novel IF TOMORROW NEVER COMES The conversation touches on the steps of bone marrow and stem cell blood donation, the anxiety and worry following transplant, and the power of human connection. 

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

We talked with:

• Allison Ashley is a science geek who enjoys coffee, craft beer, baking and love stories. When she's not working at her day job as a clinical oncology pharmacist, she pens contemporary romances, usually with a medical twist. She lives in Oklahoma with her family and beloved rescue dog. Her books are filled with lots of happiness, love and laughter. 
• Dr. Jeanne Palmer serves as the Vice Chair, and Section Chief for Hematology at Mayo Clinic in Arizona. She also is the Program Director for the Blood and Marrow Transplant Program. She teaches at the Mayo Clinic Medical School and University of Arizona in Phoenix. Her clinical interests include bone marrow transplantation, where she strives to offer innovative therapies to patients. 

Purchase “If Tomorrow Never Comes.”

• From Bookshop.org. 
• From Barnes & Noble.  

Got feedback?

• If you've got ideas or book suggestions, email us at [email protected]. 
• We invite you to complete the following survey as part of a research study at Mayo Clinic. Your responses are anonymous. Your participation in this survey as well as its completion are voluntary.
• 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.

Dr. Denise Millstine hosts author Julia Phillips and pulmonologist Dr. Ana Zamora explores the emotional and clinical realities of interstitial lung disease through the lens of Phillips’ novel BEAR. As we discuss the story of two sisters caring for their ailing mother, listeners can gain insight into the complexities of chronic illness, caregiving and the socioeconomic pressures that shape health outcomes.

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

We talked with:

• Julia Phillips is the author of the bestselling novels Bear and Disappearing Earth, which was a finalist for the National Book Award and one of The New York Times Book Review’s 10 Best Books of the Year. A 2024 Guggenheim fellow, she lives with her family in Brooklyn
• Ana Zamora Martinez, M.D., is the Medical Director of the Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD) Clinic at the Mayo Clinic Arizona, where she treats patients with, among other conditions, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, familiar pulmonary fibrosis, short telomere biology, collagen vascular disease associated ILD, hypersensitivity pneumonitis and diffuse cystic lung diseases. She is the co-director of the autoimmune ILD Clinic, where she collaborates with rheumatologists to diagnose and manage patients with this condition in real time.

Purchase “Bear.”

• From Barnes & Noble.
• From Bookshop.org.

Got feedback?

• If you've got ideas or book suggestions, email us at [email protected]. 
• We invite you to complete the following survey as part of a research study at Mayo Clinic. Your responses are anonymous. Your participation in this survey as well as its completion are voluntary.
• 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.

Contraception is commonplace in many countries — but that wasn’t always the case. In today’s episode, author Laura Anthony and Mayo Clinic expert Dr. Paru David join us to explore Laura’s gripping historical novel The Women on Platform Two. Set against the backdrop of 1970s Ireland, the book explores the barriers women faced in accessing contraception and asserting bodily autonomy. We talk about the evolution of contraceptive access and the deeply personal and political dimensions of women’s health. It’s a tribute to the resilience of women past and present and a call to continue the conversation.

We talked with:

• Laura Anthony is a pseudonym for a published author of emotional women’s fiction. She lives in Kildare, Ireland, with her husband and children.
• Paru David, M.D., is a Consultant and Assistant Professor of Medicine at Mayo Clinic where she is the current Vice-Chair of Women’s Health Internal Medicine. She has been a Fellow of the American College of Physicians since 2006 and a Menopause Society Certified Menopause Practitioner since 2003. She has published research and given lectures in the areas of menopause, contraception, menstrual migraine and sexual health

Purchase “The Women on Platform Two.”

• From Barnes & Noble.
• From Amazon.
• From Bookshop.org. 

Got feedback?

• If you've got ideas or book suggestions, email us at [email protected]. 
• We invite you to complete the following survey as part of a research study at Mayo Clinic. Your responses are anonymous. Your participation in this survey as well as its completion are voluntary.
• 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.

Acclaimed journalist Sebastian Junger and interventional radiologist Dr. Indravadan Patel join us to explore Junger’s harrowing brush with death, chronicled in his memoir In My Time of Dying. What begins as a mysterious abdominal pain spirals into a life-threatening medical emergency, revealing the miraculous precision of interventional radiology and the fragile line between life and death. We delve into the mysteries of consciousness, the power of modern medicine, and the profound questions that arise when one stares into the abyss.  

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

We talked with:

• Sebastian Junger is the New York Times bestselling author of Tribe, War, Freedom, A Death in Belmont, Fire, and The Perfect Storm, and codirector of the documentary film Restrepo, which was nominated for an Academy Award. He is also the winner of a Peabody Award and the National Magazine Award for Reporting.
• Indravadan Patel, M.D., is a board certified interventional and diagnostic radiologist, currently serving as Chair of Vascular and Interventional Radiology at Mayo Clinic in Arizona. His clinical focus includes expertise in management and treatment of vascular malformations; use of locoregional therapies to patients with liver and renal cancer; cutting edge use of MRI for diagnosis and treatment of patients with prostate cancer; and treatment of complex venous disease. In addition to his clinical activities, Dr. Patel is active in both research and education, providing mentorship to medical students, residents and fellows.

Purchase “In My Time of Dying.” 

• From Barnes & Noble.
• From Amazon.
• From Bookshop.org. 

Got feedback?

• If you've got ideas or book suggestions, email us at [email protected]. 
• We invite you to complete the following survey as part of a research study at Mayo Clinic. Your responses are anonymous. Your participation in this survey as well as its completion are voluntary.
• 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.

Bestselling author Lisa Genova and Mayo Clinic neurologist Dr. John Caviness join us to explore the emotional and medical complexities of Huntington’s disease through Genova’s novel Inside the O’Briens. The conversation delves into the science behind the disease, the complicated question of genetic testing, and the profound psychological toll on families. With powerful insights into caregiving, resilience, and the healing potential of storytelling, this episode is both a heartfelt tribute to those affected by Huntington’s and a compelling call to action for awareness and empathy.

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

We talked with:

• Lisa Genova, Ph.D., is the New York Times bestselling author of Still Alice, Left Neglected, Love Anthony, Inside the O’Briens, and Remember: The Science of Memory and the Art of Forgetting. Still Alice was adapted into an Oscar–winning film. Lisa graduated valedictorian from Bates College with a degree in biopsychology and holds a PhD in neuroscience from Harvard University. She is featured in the documentary films To Not Fade Away and Have You Heard About Greg. Her TED talks on Alzheimer’s disease and memory have been viewed over eleven million times.
• John Caviness, M.D., is a professor of neurology at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science and a consultant in the Department of Neurology at Mayo Clinic in Arizona. His clinical practice focuses on movement disorders, electrophysiology of movement disorders and interpretation of electroencephalography. His main research interest is cortical dysfunction in movement disorders.

Purchase “Inside the O’Briens.” 

• From Barnes & Noble.
• From Amazon.
• From Bookshop.org.

Learn more from the Huntington’s Disease Society of America

Got feedback?

• If you've got ideas or book suggestions, email us at [email protected]. 
• We invite you to complete the following survey as part of a research study at Mayo Clinic. Your responses are anonymous. Your participation in this survey as well as its completion are voluntary.
• 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.

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.

We talked with:

• 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.”

From Barnes & Noble.

From Amazon.

From Bookshop.org. 

Got feedback?

• If you've got ideas or book suggestions, email us at [email protected]. 
• We invite you to complete the following survey as part of a research study at Mayo Clinic. Your responses are anonymous. Your participation in this survey as well as its completion are voluntary.
• 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.

This episode explores the rich tapestry of traditional healing and integrative medicine through Linda Cohen Loigman’s novel “The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern.” Joined by Linda and integrative medicine expert Dr. Jodi Patel, the conversation delves into herbal remedies, generational wisdom, the healing power of listening and the enduring magic of chicken soup. 

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

We talked with:

• Lynda Cohen Loigman graduated from Harvard College and Columbia Law School. She has written four novels: her debut, USA Today bestseller, The Two-Family House, The Wartime Sisters,  The Matchmaker’s Gift, and, the book we'll be discussing today, The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern, which was a September Book of the Month Club Pick.
• Jyoti Patel, M.D., is a trailblazing triple board-certified physician in Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, and Integrative Medicine, whose groundbreaking work merges functional medicine, mindfulness, and community wellness. Her personal journey through illness transformed her approach to healing, prioritizing root causes, prevention, and the power of lifestyle medicine. Dr. Patel’s accolades, from Top Doc honors to her leadership in Fountain Hills’ community garden, reflect her unwavering commitment to redefining health beyond the prescription pad.

Purchase “The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern.”

• From Bookshop.org.
• From Amazon.
• From Barnes & Noble.

Got feedback?

• If you've got ideas or book suggestions, email us at [email protected]. 
• We invite you to complete the following survey as part of a research study at Mayo Clinic. Your responses are anonymous. Your participation in this survey as well as its completion are voluntary.
• 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.

Bestselling author Laurie Frankel and Mayo Clinic expert Dr. Robert Horsley join us to explore Laurie’s deeply moving novel “This Is How It Always Is.” Through the lens of Frankel’s story about a young transgender girl and her loving family, the conversation delves into gender identity, the nuances of gender expression, and the real-world challenges faced by transgender individuals and their loved ones. It’s a thoughtful discussion that underscores how fiction can illuminate the most pressing health and social issues.

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

We talked with:

• Laurie Frankel is the New York Times bestselling, award-winning author of five novels. Her writing has also appeared in The New York Times and other publications. She is the recipient of the Washington State Book Award and the Endeavor Award. Her novels have been translated into more than twenty-five languages and been optioned for film and TV. A former college professor, she now writes full-time in Seattle, Washington where she lives with her family and makes good soup.
• Robert Horsley, M.D., is an internist in the department of Community Internal Medicine at Mayo Clinic in Arizona. He specializes in HIV/AIDS and LGBTQIA+ care. After his Internal Medicine residency, he worked in Maricopa County at the McDowell Clinic, where he gained specialty training in HIV/AIDS and transgender care while providing primary care services. His clinical and research interests are HIV/AIDS, LGBTQIA+ care, and health care disparities.

Purchase “This Is How It Always Is.”

• From Bookshop.org. 
• From Barnes & Noble.  

Got feedback?

• If you've got ideas or book suggestions, email us at [email protected]. 
• We invite you to complete the following survey as part of a research study at Mayo Clinic. Your responses are anonymous. Your participation in this survey as well as its completion are voluntary.
• 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.

In this powerful episode of Read. Talk. Grow., host Dr. Denise Milstine is joined by author and anesthesiologist Dr. Maggie North and fellow author and psychiatrist Dr. Jesse Gold to explore the emotional and systemic roots of physician burnout through the lens of North’s romance novel “The Ripple Effect.” The conversation dives into the hidden grief of leaving medicine, the gendered realities of burnout, and the importance of reclaiming humanity in healthcare — and offers a deeply resonant look at what it means to care for others while learning to care for yourself.

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

We talked with:

• Dr. Maggie North is a doctor by day, author by night. She lives in Ottawa, Canada with the man she met in ninth grade, their kid, and a rotating cast of hypoallergenic aquarium friends. She enjoys being autistic a lot more since she received her diagnosis as an adult. Her books include Rules for Second Chances (2024) and The Ripple Effect (2025).
• Dr. Jessi Gold is the inaugural Chief Wellness Officer for the University of Tennessee (UT) System and an associate professor of psychiatry at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC). Dr. Gold works clinically as an outpatient psychiatrist and focuses her work on students, faculty, and healthcare workers. She is also the author of the national best seller HOW DO YOU FEEL?: One Doctor’s Search for Humanity in Medicine.

Purchase “The Ripple Effect.”

• From Bookshop.org.
• From Barnes & Noble.
• From Amazon.

Purchase "How Do You Feel?: One Doctor’s Search for Humanity in Medicine."

• From Bookshop.org
• From Barnes & Noble.
• From Amazon. 

Got feedback?

• If you've got ideas or book suggestions, email us at [email protected].
• We invite you to complete the following survey as part of a research study at Mayo Clinic. Your responses are anonymous. Your participation in this survey as well as its completion are voluntary.
• 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.

In this episode, author Susan Lieu discusses her memoir, “The Manicurist’s Daughter,” which explores her mother’s  death during an elective surgical procedure. Mayo Clinic physician Dr. Alyssa Janousek provides her anesthesiology expertise to help listeners navigate and make sense of surgical procedures. 

We talked with:

Susan Lieu, a Vietnamese-American author, playwright, and performer, tells stories that refuse to be forgotten. A daughter of nail salon workers, she took her autobiographical solo theater show 140 LBS: How Beauty Killed My Mother on a 10-city national tour with sold out premieres and accolades from L.A. Times, NPR, and American Theatre. Her debut memoir, The Manicurist’s Daughter has been featured on The New York Times, NPR Books, and The Washington Post. Also, Lieu is the co-host of The Model Minority Moms podcast and board member for international NGO Asylum Access. Susan and her sister co-founded Socola Chocolatier, an artisanal chocolate company based in San Francisco. Susan lives with her husband and son in Seattle where they enjoy mushroom hunting, croissants, and big family gatherings. 

Alyssa Janousek, M.D., is an anesthesiologist at Mayo Clinic in Arizona. She received her Medical Degree from University of Arizona-Phoenix, followed by residency in Anesthesiology at University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston with distinction as Chief Resident. She practiced at UTMB in Galveston until 2020 when she moved home to Phoenix and began a private practice career. She has been at Mayo Clinic since May 2023 and has a special interest in graduate medical education, clinical education research, and quality and safety. She is married to her husband, Derrick, and they have two daughters, Eleanor (5) and Clara (2). 

Can't get enough?

Purchase “The Manicurist’s Daughter”

• From Bookshop.org.
• From Amazon.
• From Barnes & Noble.

Information from Mayo Clinic about general anesthesia

Information from Mayo Clinic about cosmetic surgery

What to do — and avoid — before anesthesia

Anesthesia 101 – American Society of Anesthesiologists

Preparing for Surgery – American Society of Anesthesiologists

How to Make Peace with Your Belly Fat talk by Susan Lieu

Got feedback?

• If you've got ideas or book suggestions, email us at [email protected].
• We invite you to complete the following survey as part of a research study at Mayo Clinic. Your responses are anonymous. Your participation in this survey as well as its completion are voluntary.
• 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.