The Game On Glio Podcast

Dr. Horbinski sits down with me to discuss the complexities of brain tumors and how his work in the Feinberg School of Medicine lab is looking into mutIDH1 and how it dramatically alters the glioma’s micro-environmental landscape by preventing the thrombosis-necrosis phenomenon that is characteristic of IDH1 wild-type gliomas. Furthermore, mutIDH1 increases the risk of seizures in patients. He explains why his team's work may improve diagnostic and prognostic accuracy.

For methylation profiling patient care and information, please send samples to: Northwestern Department of Pathology.

Season Sponsors:

GammaTile Therapy

Imvax Inc.

Episode Sponsors:

Highmark BlueCross BlueShield of WNY

Mimivax Inc.

For all of Scott Hamilton's successes, there has also been sacrifice, fear, and loss. He has battled health issues that truly put death in front of him and has made him confront very hard truths. And, it was through his wife that he learned and felt the power of faith in God's word.

Scott doesn't see his life as lucky-he sees his life as a road map. All of his experiences teach him and have helped him navigate 4 pillars that are at the foundation of everything he does in life: emotional, physical, spiritual, intellectual living. He calls it "getting strong". 

Staying rooted in his spiritual life has allowed Scott to stay humble, kind, patient, and has driven him to give back. Because of his own cancer battle, and the brain tumor he lives with, Scott founded Scott CARES Foundation, revolutionizing cancer care by funding cutting-edge research that focuses on treating the cancer while sparing the patient from harsh side effects associated with conventional cancer treatments. He also helped develop ChemoCare.com- a way for patient's to take back control of their chemo treatments and feel empowered.

Watch or hear (an extended version) of his story now! The video is on YouTube. The audio is available here on Podbean or anywhere podcasts are played!

Season Sponsors:

GammaTile Therapy

Imvax Inc.

Episode sponsors:

Stang Life Insurance

Alliance Advisory Group

Robert and Melanie Ham were young, with two young children when Melanie was diagnosed with an incurable rare form of Sarcoma in 2020. Robert, an award winning film maker and military veteran, decided he wanted to document her journey, their love, to help others.

The documentary aired in 2022 after Melanie's death and has been viewed more than 1 million times on YouTube.

Robert knew that a part of his grief journey included finding a way forward for himself and his children. That mean, not giving up on love and the lessons it teaches us. Enter Brooke. Brooke had been battling her own hard grief journey after her marriage ended in divorce. With two children of her own, Brooke had to find a way to balance single motherhood while also redefining what life was to look like for her. Brooke knew that she never wanted to give up on love, because a life without love is only half a life.

This is a story of love, of hope, of longing, of enduring memory. Listen now! Or watch the video episode on our YouTube channel.

Premier Sponsors:

GammaTile Therapy

Imvax Inc.

Episode sponsors:

Mimivax Inc.

Alliance Advisory Group

Having glioblastoma doesn't mean life is over. In fact, it can be viewed as an opportunity! Tara McCaughan from Northern Ireland has been living with gbm for nearly five years.

Her story shows us how human resilience and internal cognitive reshuffling can be our biggest weapon in battling such a formidable disease. But she doesn't do it alone, her partner Stephen is her rock.

We need stories like hers! I sit down with Tara and Stephen to learn how she realigned her life after her diagnosis, and what motivates her today to see the beauty in her disease.

Season Premier Sponsors:

Imvax Inc.

GammaTile Therapy

Episode Sponsors:

Alliance Advisory Group

Mimivax Inc.

There are so many facets of the grief and loss journey. One that many don't think of is financial understanding.

Whether it's starting a non-profit organization after a loss or trying to navigate investing from money left to you after a death, it's vital to know how to advocate for your own best interests. Self advocating is important in in all areas of life, not just in caregiving or physical health.

Today, I sit down with Frank Randall and Dan Schlein of Alliance Advisory Group to discuss the who, what, where, when, and why of financial advising and important questions people should be asking when meeting with a financial advisor.

Season Sponsors:

GammaTile Therapy

Imvax Inc.

Episode Sponsor:

Mimivax Inc.

Grief is something that crashes into us. It takes a toll on us emotionally and physically. But when it does, it also teaches us. We grow from our journeys in life--the good and the bad.

Emily Peterson, CEO of Saranoni Luxury Blankets, knows this journey all to well.

Emily's husband Nathan was diagnosed with glioblastoma brain cancer just 3 months after launching their Saranoni Cares initiative for cancer patients, including brain cancer. Nathan, just in his early 50's, only had two months before the cancer took his life.

With six kids to care for, Emily hardly had any time to grieve. Hear her story only on Game ON Glio! Listen now.

Season Sponsors:

GammaTile Therapy

Imvax Inc.

Episode Sponsor:

Highmark BCBS of WNY

Love is infinite. You don't run out of love. You don't stop loving your late spouse just because a "new and different love" introduces itself. Your heart grows around what was to make room for what is.

Annie and Matt teach us just that. In this episode, we sit down with the two to talk about finding love again after loss, and what it truly looks like to live life in the transitions.

Annie and Matt both have children and lost their late spouses early in life. Yet the universe found a way to bring these two together to create a second chapter in life. Listen to their inspiring story. Listen now!

Season Sponsors

GammaTile Therapy

Imvax Inc.

Episode Sponsor

Highmark Bluecross Blueshield of WNY

Big Tree Memorial Fund, a 501c3 was started in honor of Erik Knapp who died from glioblastoma in his early 30's.  The fund is unique in that it doesn't just focus on brain cancer, but any family suffering from hardship due to a cancer diagnosis. The fund helps supports families and caregivers through resource and financial assistance.

Erik was Lauren's best friend, and to honor his memory and the man he was, she could think of nothing better than finding a way to help others!

Lauren sits down with me in this wonderful friendly interview between two women who have such respect for each other, lifting and elevating each other, to discuss how brain cancer impacted her life through her best friend Erik Knapp and how the Big Tree Memorial Fund was started.

Listen now!! Please share with others. 🙏

Season Sponsors:

GammaTile Therapy

Imvax Inc.

Episode Sponsor:

Highmark Bluecross Blueshield of WNY

There are people you meet in life, whether through words, groups, from a community or work that redefine how you interact with and see life. For me, it started with words; a little book I found one rainy Sunday morning at the bookstore-- Be Like Water. I flipped through this tiny paperback, it's first sentence reading, "More than 70% of the Earth's surface is water. Every living thing is composed of water." I was intrigued so I bought it. Little did I know that book would help me through some difficult times in my life. Whether finding my center, conquering fear, channeling my energy or freeing my mind of anger and guilt. So back to the store I went and purchased his other book that I relied on heavily, Bow to Life.

Dr. Cardillo is a best-selling author in the fields of health, mind-body-spirit, and psychology. His books, which include The 12 Rules of Attention: How to Avoid Screw-ups, Free Up Headspace, Do More and Be More at Work; Body Intelligence - Harness Your Body's Energies for Your Best Life; The Five Seasons; Your Playlist Can Change Your Life; Can I Have Your Attention? How to Think Fast, Find Your Focus and Sharpen Your Concentration; Bow to Life; and the body-energy classic, Be Like Water  have inspired people of all ages and backgrounds worldwide. Foreign language editions of his work have appeared in German, Russian, Portuguese, Spanish, French, Arabic, Turkish, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Malaysian, and Indian.

He co-writes books for Harvard Health Publications. Joseph teaches workshops in Health and Wellness at various colleges and institutions. He is a Research Associate at the Mind-Body Science Institute and writes a health column for Live Happy Magazine. He is a black belt martial arts specialist and a master teacher of Chinese and Filipino martial systems and philosophy.

Podcast: Available Now!

I hope you guys enjoy this!

This season is sponsored by:

GammaTile Therapy (learn more at gammatile.com)

&

Imvax Inc. (imvax.com)

How can you comprehend become a widower at 35 years old after 16 years with the one you love? How do you make sense of losing that spouse (only 33) 11 months after giving birth to your first child?

This is exactly what Alan Johnstone faced when his young 33 year-old healthy wife Anneka was diagnosed with glioblastoma five months after giving birth to their daughter Sienna. Six months after diagnosis, Anneka was gone. Sienna not even one year old. 

Game On Glio traveled to Boston Massachusetts to spend some time with Alan, his daughter, Anneka's mother as well as Alan's mother (both of whom are absolutely lovely and a joy to be with) and dive into his story. And we were there to cheer him on!

Hear this amazing story and how brain cancer brought a man from Scotland here to the States to run the Boston marathon for brain cancer. 

(Read more of this story on our website thegameongliopodcast.com)

Season Sponsors:

GammaTile Therapy

Imvax Inc.

Episode Sponsor:

Roon.com