The 1 in 50

On August 21, 2025, Rosie Maxheimer was on a date night with her husband when a sudden "whoosh" of a headache made her pass out. She thought it was the worst food poisoning of her life. Her husband had heard the warning signs of a brain aneurysm before, and he pushed her to go to the ER. A scan found two ruptured brain aneurysms side by side.

In this Brain Aneurysm Awareness Month episode of The 1 in 50 Podcast, host Christine Buckley talks with Rosie, a mom of three and the creator behind The Sweet Mama Life. Rosie describes the nine days she spent in the ICU, a recovery where at first she couldn't lift her two-year-old, and what it's like to live with the fear that comes after. She also shares her advice for survivors and for anyone who might one day need to recognize the signs.

Brain aneurysms affect at least 1 in 50 people. Learn the signs, trust your instincts, and be your own best advocate.

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For decades, doctors have judged aneurysm risk mostly by two things: size and location. In this episode, Dr. Ethan Winkler — Co-Chief of Neuroendovascular Surgery and Director of the Vascular Anomalies and Stroke Computation Laboratory at UCSF, and a past Brain Aneurysm Foundation research grant recipient — explains why that picture is incomplete.

Dr. Winkler and host Christine Buckley discuss his team's recent paper in Nature, which identifies a destructive feedback loop between fibroblasts and macrophages that weakens aneurysm walls from the inside. He explains what it means for future diagnosis, medication-based treatment, and patients living with an unruptured aneurysm today.

To watch the video version, visit our YouTube channel, https://bit.ly/1in50Youtube

In this episode, host Christine Buckley sits down with April Sabangan, RN and CEO of Mission:BRAIN, to talk about the staggering global shortage of neurosurgical care — from the roughly 29 countries that don't have a single neurosurgeon to the access gaps that persist in rural areas of the U.S. April traces Mission:BRAIN's fifteen-year path from a handful of UCSF colleagues volunteering in Mexico to a network of over 130 chapters in 30 countries, and shares a firsthand story from Sierra Leone that shows exactly what's at stake when neurosurgical care isn't available. The conversation also covers why training and mentorship multiply impact, the growing role of telemedicine and AI, and why April believes public understanding of the brain itself may be the biggest lever for changing outcomes.

To watch the video version, visit our YouTube channel, https://bit.ly/1in50Youtube

In this episode of The 1 in 50 Podcast, host Christine Buckley is joined by Dr. Monsour, Chief Psychiatrist at Talkiatry, to discuss the mental health realities that follow a brain aneurysm event — for survivors, families, and caregivers alike. They cover the barriers that prevent millions from accessing care, how to manage fear of recurrence and the grief of the "old self," why caregivers are often the invisible patients, and what practical steps anyone can take today to begin getting support.

To watch the video version, visit our YouTube channel, https://bit.ly/1in50Youtube

What does a minor car accident have to do with saving your life? For Steve Trifletti, a Plymouth, Massachusetts, trial attorney, the answer is everything. A routine ER visit after being rear-ended led to an unexpected discovery: a brain aneurysm.

In this episode of the Brain Aneurysm Foundation's The 1 in 50 podcast, host Christine Buckley sits down with Steve to discuss his diagnosis, his recovery, and the awareness model he has built in his community ever since. He shares how speaking openly about his experience prompted family members to get tested - with life-saving results. His advice to other survivors: lean into your strengths and share your story, because it can save lives.

To watch the video version, visit our YouTube channel, https://bit.ly/1in50Youtube

In this episode, we’re joined by professional MMA fighter Rafael Barbosa, fresh off winning the Pancrase Lightweight Title. Known for his grit and determination inside the cage, Rafael’s journey took an unexpected turn in 2022 when routine pre-fight medical testing revealed two brain aneurysms—an incidental finding that changed everything.

What followed was a battle far beyond the octagon. Rafael opens up about receiving his diagnosis, navigating treatment and recovery, and the mental and physical challenges of stepping away from the sport he loves.

Now back in the cage, he shares what it meant to return to fighting, how his perspective has shifted, and why prioritizing your health can be life-saving.

To watch the video version, visit our YouTube channel, https://bit.ly/1in50Youtube

Chicago-based neurosurgeon and social media educator Dr. Zayed Almadidy, MD — known to more than 1 million followers as Dr. Z Neurosurgery — joins us to share what life behind the scenes in neurosurgery really looks like.

He opens up about the demands of training, the moment that inspired him to pursue this path, and the dedication and commitment required to care for patients. Dr. Z also discusses the realities of delivering life-changing news, explains key risk factors for brain aneurysms, and reflects on the 16-year journey of discipline, education, and empathy it takes to operate on the human brain and spine.

A candid and insightful conversation about medicine, purpose, and the dedication behind saving lives.

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Christine Buckley sits down with Dr. Edgar A. Samaniego, MD, MS, from the University of Iowa to discuss the future of brain aneurysm research—and the challenges holding it back.

While treatment tools for brain aneurysms have advanced significantly, our understanding of biology, genetics, and screening remains in the early stages. Dr. Samaniego shares why better screening tools, improved diagnosis of unruptured aneurysms, and clearer guidance on who needs treatment versus monitoring are critical next steps.

The conversation also highlights how declining research funding at both the industry and government levels threatens progress and delays potential breakthroughs in understanding why brain aneurysms form and how to prevent rupture.

To watch the video version, visit our YouTube channel, https://bit.ly/1in50Youtube

Dr. Jared Cooper and brain aneurysm survivor and advocate, Janine Durso come together for an honest conversation about survival, care, and community. Janine shares her personal experience with a brain aneurysm and how Dr. Cooper played a key role in her lifesaving care.

They explore the signs and symptoms of brain aneurysms, the realities of both ruptured and unruptured diagnoses, and why ongoing support is just as important as medical treatment. The episode also spotlights their involvement in building a brain aneurysm support group at White Plains Hospital, creating a space where patients and families can feel seen, supported, and understood.

To watch the video version, visit our YouTube channel, https://bit.ly/1in50Youtube

After collapsing from a traumatic brain injury in South Florida, Susan Bailey’s aneurysm was missed twice on CT scans. Told not to worry, her instincts—and her family—told her otherwise. A call to the Brain Aneurysm Foundation connected her to a specialist who discovered the bleeding aneurysm and performed emergency surgery. Today, Susan shares how awareness and advocacy saved her life.

To watch the video version, visit our YouTube channel, https://bit.ly/1in50Youtube