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

To kick off brain cancer awareness month 2024, I sit down with Roon app creators Rohan Ramakrishna & Vikram Bhaskaran in episode 1 of Season 4 of The Game On Glio Podcast.

We dive into the importance of real time information and the need for advocacy when it comes to serious diseases like Glioblastoma. My guests also explain why they felt the need to create an app like Roon.

The Roon app offers people an opportunity to get extensive information from actual clinicians and doctors, to search for questions they didn't get to ask with their own personal doctors, and to hear from mental health experts, patients, caregivers, and holistic practitioners. 

Season Sponsors:

GammaTile Therapy

Imvax Inc.

Episode Sponsor:

Roon.com

When Eric Wood sat in a delivery room supporting his wife as she gave birth to their child, he didn't expect to find out that his NFL career was over. It was 2018 and the middle of the football season; Wood had played his entire career for the Buffalo Bills football team, but his path there was narrow and included a bit of destiny. Wood knew full well how fortunate he had been, especially since he had already seen loss and challenges in his life. So, when another challenge knocked at his door, Wood rose to the challenge and overcame it.

In this episode, Wood sits down with me to talk about tips to help overcome challenges, gain confidence and what it really means to "win" (hint: it's not what you think). We also discuss the importance of being grounded in life and in relationships and how his faith carries him through life.

This is a powerful holiday episode you won't want to miss.

**extended audio version. For video, visit our YouTube Channel.

Season Sponsors:

GammaTile Therapy

Imvax Inc.

Episode Sponsor:

UBNS (UB Neurosurgery)

In this episode, Kate sits down with me to discuss the power of hope, faith, family, and never giving up--even when you think all hope is lost.

Her foundation, Hope Rises, shares hope-filled news every single day, as well as hosting powerful giveback projects. To date, they have raised over $300,000+ and change countless lives through charitable efforts of love which include the Shine Gold fundraiser for pediatric cancer and fundraising for veterans at WNY Heroes.

Learn more and find out how you can donate to Hope Rises by visiting our website thegameongliopodcast.com

You can listen to this episode or watch it over at our YouTube channel (Game On Glio Podcast).

This season is sponsored by GammaTile Therapy and Imvax Inc.

Episode 11 is sponsored by UBNS 

When Amber Jackson met her husband Tim, she describes it, "He came across my sky and lit it up, and now he's gone just as quickly."

Amber and Tim were both nurses at the same hospital, and very quickly realized they were soulmates and meant to be together. Within five years they got married and had two beautiful kids.

Then it all came crashing down when Tim was diagnosed with brain cancer.

Amber shares her story of resilience, caring for 4 small children, one of whom has special needs, and navigating being single while carrying space as a young widow.

Listen now!

Season Sponsors: GammaTile Therapy, Imvax Inc.

Episode Sponsor: UBNS

At the time of his diagnosis, Chris Baccash had a full time analytics job and spent his weekends racing and training with the Doylestown Bike Works elite cycling team. His accomplishments included the hardest event of the season — the 50-mile Bucks County Classic, in his hometown of Doylestown, PA, with a personal-best time.

Of cycling at the time, Chris says, “When else do you get to ride through a beautiful countryside, side by side with a good friend, and have an uninterrupted conversation for five hours?”

After being diagnosed with brain cancer, his perspective on what was important in life changed, “I knew that my situation was going to take a while to get corrected and I would have a chance to reprioritize,” he said. “It’s rare that we get these opportunities to pause and stop the show. I thought, ‘This is an opportunity to change my life.'"

And that is what he did. Hear Chris's remarkable story and what he is doing today.

Listen now!

Season Sponsors: GammaTile Therapy, Imvax Inc.

Episode Sponsor: UBNS

It's hard enough to imagine a young adult getting glioblastoma. But to hear of a baby having it truly tugs at the heart strings.

Kelly Barnhart shares her incredible story with us of her 5 year old son Carson's GBM story.

A mother of three, a wife, and an educator in the Buffalo school system as well as through Buffalo Hearing and Speech, Kelly has made it her mission to share Carson's pediatric cancer story to highlight congenital glioblastoma.

Listen now!

Season Sponsors:

GammaTile Therapy

Imvax Inc.

Episode Sponsor:

UBNS

  It's an old phrase, one that has actually been around since the 11th century when Saint George slayed his first "dragon." The more recent old English proverb is "Some days you get the bear, some days the bear gets you." Basically we win some, we lose some--BUT we always keep going, and we slay one dragon at a time.

That is life; life throws us curve balls and all we can do is wait for the next pitch and hope we connect in a positive and meaningful way. And, that's exactly what our guest today has done.

Laura Dill is the founder of the Slay Society Inc., a charity that promotes a healthy experience for caregivers and those living with Glioblastoma by providing funding to families, and access to counseling, information, and group programs to individuals with Glioblastoma, their families.

Listen now!

Season Sponsors:

GammaTile Therapy

Imvax Inc.

Episode Sponsor:

UB Neurosurgery