Real Life Diabetes

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 how they can better serve the diverse needs of the patient population. 

BIO:

Kevin M. Pantalone, DO, ECNU, FACE, is a board-certified staff endocrinologist at Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio. Dr. Pantalone also completed his internal medicine residency and endocrinology fellowship at Cleveland Clinic. He served as the Director of Clinical Research for the Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism Institute from 2014-2019. He currently serves as the Director of Diabetes Initiatives. He is appointed Professor of Medicine at Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio. His clinical focus is on the glycemic management of type 2 diabetes, as well as the diagnosis and management of thyroid disorders, pituitary tumors, and male hypogonadism. Dr. Pantalone’s research interests include the study of novel approaches to manage patients with type 2 diabetes, and examining the effects of diabetes therapies in real-world practice using the enterprise-wide electronic health record at Cleveland Clinic.LINKS:

* LinkedIn

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 in the biotech industry, spanning diagnostics and drug development. He boasts a wealth of experience in steering complex development projects and has co-authored 12 peer-reviewed publications in the genetics field.

LINKS:

* Diagnode-3 Website

* Diamyd Medical Website

* Those interested in participating in the Diagnode-3 study who meet the criteria (diagnosed in the last 6 months and between 12 to 29 years old) will be screened for the specific genotype at their initial study visit.

* Please help to spread the word because the study needs twice as many people to be screened to find the 50% of type 1’s with the HLA genotype. Thank you on behalf of Diamyd!

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.

BIO:

Mia Fasanella received the life changing diagnosis of type 1 diabetes 8 years ago, at the age of 19. Shortly after her diagnosis she became a certified yoga instructor. Her yoga and meditation practices shaped how she was able to manage the uncertainty of living with diabetes and gave her physical, mental and emotional strength. Mia is a second grade teacher at Success Academy Charter Schools in the Bronx. Mia’s openness about her journey with diabetes extends into her classroom, where she shares her experiences with her students. Mia believes that embracing her diabetes fosters a supportive classroom environment and encourages her students to celebrate the aspects of themselves that make them unique. LINKS:

* Instagram

* TikTok

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 Medicine from Texas A&M University’s College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. He completed a small animal medicine and surgery rotating internship and an internal medicine residency at the University of Georgia, becoming a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine in 2013. After residency he was on faculty at Purdue University before returning to the University of Georgia in 2014. During his time at UGA, he Co-founded and Directed the UGA Veterinary Diabetes Clinic in addition to his role as an Associate Clinical Professor of Internal Medicine. In July 2023, he joined the faculty of the Texas A&M University School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences as an Associate Clinical Professor of Internal Medicine and is developing the TAMU Veterinary Endocrinology Clinic and research program. Dr. Bugbee was elected to the Board of the Society for Comparative Endocrinology in 2019 and is currently serving as the Secretary and Treasurer. He also serves as a Co-Chair of the AAHA Endocrinology Guidelines Task Force. His current research interests are focused on small animal endocrinology, specifically diabetes mellitus and canine hypercortisolism.

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 innovator in diabetes software. After more than a decade of experience in nonprofit management and program development, Saira is committed to bridging disparities in diabetes outcomes across populations. 

100% of Saira’s family relies on insulin and juice boxes to stay alive – she was diagnosed when she was 8 years old, met her husband through their matching insulin pumps, and both of their daughters also live with Type 1 diabetes. 

LINKS:

* Tidepool Period Project

* DC Berne Survey

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 guidance without exerting excessive control over their daughters’ evolving lives.

BIOS: 

Dan Kendall is the founder of Mission Based Media, the company behind podcasting brands Health Podcast Network, Digital Health Today and, most recently, Health Unmuted. Dan has spent nearly 30 years in the healthcare sector across various roles in product development, sales, and marketing.  He has led innovation projects in medical device, technology and pharmaceutical companies to develop novel solutions for healthcare professionals as well as patients. Now, at Mission Based Media, he is building a podcast and media ecosystem to engage, educate and empower audiences with information about health and well-being.

Scott Kinsel: I’m a dedicated husband and father of three, ages 14, 13 and 8 and reside in Houston, Texas. I’m an entrepreneur at heart, but when I can, I get off the grid to photograph wild places and things.  

My middle daughter Penelope “Poppy” was diagnosed March 27 of this year and we have no history of auto immune disease. While our T1D journey has been brief, I feel like we’ve learned a lot, but realize there is still so much more to learn. Our latest development –  Poppy has celiac, which threw us a curve ball, but with the right attitude and continued effort, I’m optimistic we can adjust to it, just like Type 1 diabetes. Poppy’s first checkup post diagnosis was two weeks ago and her A1C was 6. I am so so proud of her! 

Brooks Ratzlaff has spent the last 15 years in the oil and gas service industry. He currently owns FieldPoint Energy Services, that he helped found in 2018. He sold Petroleum Water Solutions, which he founded, in 2013 and has been involved in multiple acquisitions and divestitures in his career. 

He and his wife, Laney, have five kids and reside in Oklahoma City, OK. 

Brooks currently serves on the JDRF Oklahoma Chapter Board and will be joining the Harold Hamm Diabetes Center Advisory Board in January 2024. 

Brooks’ daughter, Haddie, was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in November of 2020. He has embraced himself in the fight to bring awareness and to find a cure for Type 1 diabetes. He enjoys golfing, traveling and coaching 8th grade boys basketball in his spare time!

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 organizations. 

BIO: 

Molly Schreiber is a patient living with multiple health conditions including Type 1 diabetes and Rheumatoid Arthritis, and is an active patient advocate within those communities. She lives in Baltimore, Maryland with her husband, two children, and their mischievous cat. Molly has spent her career working in healthcare, previously working for: a Johns Hopkins Medicine pediatric affiliate and the American Cancer Society. Currently, as Savvy Cooperative’s Community Director, she has the privilege of spending her time with patients, caregivers and patient advocacy focused organizations. She strives to amplify the voices of the underserved in all facets of her work.

LINKS:

* Savvy Cooperative

* LinkedIn

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 Foundation – a global movement to make those with Type 1 diabetes feel heard, understood, supported and celebrated – with a dedicated youtube channel, monthly meet ups, Awareness tours, education programs, access and advocacy drives and several other creative projects. She was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when she was 13 and currently on a pump, CGM and DIY Loop. 

She was the IDF’s Young Leader of Diabetes for South East Asia for 2019-2022 term representing India.  The Diabesties Foundation works closely with Diabetes India, RSSDI, and NHS England for developing projects and publications. Jazz is also a certified diabetes educator and did her training with the IDF program. 

She is also a professional dancer, choreographer, theatre artist and a published author. She completed her training from Broadway Dance Center in New York and the AEF from Florence.  Her mantra is simple – Live Happily and Bolus Regularly.  

The Diabesties Foundation is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to serving the healthcare sector. We are actively involved in creating diabetes awareness and spreading Type 1 diabetes education to Indian society at large. We believe that healthcare is a fundamental right as well as duty of every Indian. From healthcare providers to family, friends and relatives, we are all stakeholders in this journey. We also work predominantly for Awareness, Advocacy and Access. Diabesties is a movement dedicated to making every individual living with Type 1 diabetes, non-communicable diseases and disabilities feel heard, understood, supported, loved and celebrated.

LINKS: 

* Diabesties Foundation

* YouTube

* D-Coded

* Twitter

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 Canadian Counsellor and Counselling Therapist based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Through her private practice, Pineapple Therapy, she extends her support to individuals living with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D), primarily focusing on areas such as burnout, diabetes distress, and hypoanxiety. Additionally, she can be found at the Edmonton Diabetes & High-Risk Foot Clinic once a month and serves as a committee member for the annual Diabetes + Mental Health Conference, held virtually each year.

Having lived with T1D for 23 years, Kayla is deeply passionate about supporting the mental health of the T1D community, drawing from her personal experience of the emotional toll that living with this chronic condition can take. She firmly advocates that mental health and wellness are key components of diabetes management, often overlooked in diabetes care.

As a result of her dedication, Kayla has been invited to speak about diabetes and mental health on numerous podcasts and had the honor of providing a keynote address at the 2023 JDRF Walk For the Cure. Furthermore, she regularly hosts webinars for parents and caregivers who are supporting children and teens living with T1D.

Kayla provides both online and in-person counseling services to individuals across Alberta and various other regions of Canada.

Beyond her professional life, Kayla enjoys camping in the mountains, walking her dogs, spending time with family, watching Oilers games, and collaborating with her partner on home renovation projects.

LINKS: 

* Website – Pineapple Therapy

* Perfectly Imperfect Post

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 Ballet where she performed for 16 years on stage and in televised performances. She was featured in a variety of roles choreographed by George Balanchine and Jerome Robbins as well as works choreographed for her by such choreographers as Peter Martins and Lynne Taylor Corbett.Miss Karz danced with the New York City Ballet from 1983 through 1999. She now serves as a teacher and repetiteur for the George Balanchine Trust, rehearsing and staging Balanchine’s choreography for a host of national and international dance companies. She is also a diabetes spokesperson and educator who regularly addresses major diabetes conferences and organizations worldwide.

Zippora’s memoir “The Sugarless Plum” has inspired people all over the world to live happy and healthy lives. “The Sugarless Plum” is now translated in Slovenian.

Zippora also authored a children’s book, “Ballerina Dreams.” The story teaches children, with and without Diabetes, that they should not give up on their dreams no matter what challenges they face.

She is currently guest faculty at the prestigious Colburn Dance Academy in Los, Angeles, California.

Zippora hopes to continue to inspire people to live healthy active lives through her work as an author, teacher, and motivational speaker.

LINKS: 

* Website