The Our Stories Podcast

Our Stories is pleased to present a conversation with Kari Esbensen, MD, PhD, a newer member of HMO but a longer time member of several Emory specialties including palliative care and hospice, medical ethics and academic medicine with responsibilities in research and teaching. In this podcast Dr Esbensen shares her passion for taking care of patients and families in a holistic way that feels more like a calling than a job. Although the work may be difficult at times, finding meaning in relationships and drawing on inspiration from experiences her loved ones have been through keeps her professional life energized. When not in the hospital or medical setting, Dr Esbensen enjoys time in her garden and appreciates the weather we enjoy her in Atlanta that allows for gardening most of the year. So much to learn and appreciate from Dr Esbensen in this podcast, enjoy!

The HMO Wellness program is excited to present the latest Our Stories podcast, a conversation with Tarun Aurora, MD. In this podcast Dr Aurora shares his full circle journey from growing up in Georgia, where he attended undergraduate and medical school, to Ohio and then Tennessee (for training) before returning to Georgia for work at Grady taking care of people dealing with sickle cell disease. There were many encouraging mentors along the way, and Dr Aurora offers special shouts out to people he works alongside in clinic as well as family members he has loved and appreciated. Getting to know his patients has brought joy to his work. Dr Aurora leans into gratitude as a regular practice, especially now that he is working as an attending physician in a place he once visited and admired as an undergraduate student. May we all feel our spirits lifted by the good energy Dr Aurora brings to our department.

In this episode oncology social worker Joy McCall shares about her journey to social work, rooted in values of listening deeply. She shares memory of witnessing her father pay deep attention to people, which left an imprint on her that she carries into her work. She was the first social work intern with Winship Cancer Institute, 14 years ago and over the years has had the pleasure of mentoring new social workers in the field. She loves the experience of helping to ease burdens for patients and families when they find themselves facing a cancer diagnosis and treatment. She has deep appreciation for the Winship social work department and the community of support it provides. Please take a listen!

The Our Stories Podcast is excited to introduce one of HMO's newest faculty members, Dan Halperin MD. Dr Halperin has moved from Texas to Georgia to join our neuroendocrine program with a goal of promoting research and patient care. In this podcast Dr Halperin shares his experience in cell biology when he knew that one day he would become an oncologist, as well as the value of really good mentorship in medical education. Time with family, walks along the river, and attention to local sporting events are all part of what protects Dr Halperin's sense of wellness being. Welcome to Atlanta, Emory and Winship Dr Halperin!

Our Stories podcast is delighted to present a conversation with Rebeca Leon, RN, BSN, Nursing Professional Development Specialist at Winship Emory Midtown (WEM). Ms. Leon shares her journey to WEM through other Winship sites including clinical work with multiple teams on Clifton Road and at Emory St Joseph Hospital. Her care for other people was something her family noticed at a young age, and she attributes her nursing success to this care for others as well as her resiliency and flexibility, especially while working through the covid pandemic. As a professional development specialist Ms. Leon helps nurses think about what they care about most, and what needs to happen to reach their own professional goals. She has enjoyed working at WEM and encourages others to see the opportunities in a space that allows for care communities to blend the out and inpatient experiences of patients. The good energy radiating from Ms. Leon is not to be missed, enjoy her story!

The Our Stories podcast series is pleased to present a conversation with Susan Modesitt MD, director of gyn oncology at the Winship Cancer Institute. In this episode you will hear about the big plans Susan had for herself at 6 years old, one of which came to fruition with her career in medicine. Dr. Modesitt's time at Emory is rooted in her undergraduate education, #Eagle, which included time at the school's pool on the dive team. After spending time outside of Georgia for training and practice, she has returned to the city she loves for the friendly people, beautiful trees and the excellent food scene. While her primary joy in medicine is caring for patients (many of whom are also caregivers), even in the difficult space of cancer treatment, Dr. Modesitt also finds joy in teaching the next generation of doctors. Take a listen and enjoy the good energy coming from our Gyn Onc Chair!

The Our Stories Podcast series is pleased to present a conversation with Dr Janghee Woo, MD, PhD. In this podcast Dr Woo shares his excitement for science, an excitement that started at a young age, and was perpetuated by coursework in immunology, participation in the Human Genome Project and graduate training in Boston with inspiring mentorship. A tendency to be a curious person, as well as someone constantly in search of novel ideas and therapeutics, keeps Dr Woo excited about testing hypotheses, even when projects are not all successful. Having the support of his family has helped Dr Woo maintain a sense of well-being through his career, along with connection to the people he works alongside. While newer to HMO than some, he has already come to appreciate the people of Winship, admiring the talents of health care professionals and appreciating the willingness of them all to "make it happen."

In this episode, Jamisha Estes, Manager of Clinic Operations, Building C, Winship Cancer Institute shares her story. Her inspiration to work in healthcare came from her mother, a nurse of 30 years, who taught her to "do what is right because it is right." She understood the importance of helping families through the concrete and practical elements of cancer treatment because of her aunt's cancer journey, and felt compelled to work in an environment where she could make things easier for patients and their loved ones. She started as a front line staff and was promoted over time into manager, and has had the privilege of working with the Winship at Emory Midtown opening and the EPIC rollout. She pays attention to her wellness as she balances full time motherhood and full time work with meditation and yoga. And she loves contributing to a positive work environment, in which people feel supported and able to progress in their careers. It's wonderful to have Jamisha on the management team at Winship- please take a listen!

The HMO Wellness program is delighted to present another episode of the Our Stories podcast with Maria Leon-Camarena, MD, one of our first year HMO fellows. In this episode, Dr. Leon-Camarena shares her inspiration for a career in medicine as the first person in her family to go to medical school (and only the second to go to college). While she lived in many places as a young person, her medical school and residency years were in Texas so for fellowship Atlanta offered a nice change of pace. Reading and learning about cancer therapies as well as journeying along with people in need of cancer care contribute to Dr. Leon-Camarena's joy in work. Outside of fellowship Dr. Leon-Camarena has found her way to Atlanta dog parks (with Oliver "the best dog ever") and running groups, places that contribute to her sense well-being.

In this Episode, Dorice Nolan, Phlebotomy Supervisor for Laboratory Services shares her story. She reflects on lessons learned from her 8th grade science teacher, Ms. Anderson, who was tough, but invited her and her classmates to take pride in themselves. She learned to not hide what she knows, but to move through the world with confidence. Dorice also shares about the profound impact of her mother, who taught her to treat others with dignity and respect, especially when they came "onto her porch." Dorice values getting to know all the people she works with, taking the time to learn people's names, and to hear about their days. She also discusses the importance of decreasing the suffering of her patients through helping them feel comfortable and at ease while having their labs drawn. Winship is fortunate to have her Dorice on the team! Please take a listen to this wonderful interview.