In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, we speak with Adela Casas-Melley, MD, Chair of Surgery, Nemours Children's Health. She shares her journey from a young Cuban immigrant in Miami to a leader in pediatric surgery, how her family’s belief in education guided her, the challenges she faced, and the legacy she’s creating through mentorship and advocacy.

Watch the episode on YouTube.

Featuring: 
Adela Casas-Melley, MD, Chair of Surgery, Nemours Children's Health

Host/Producer: Carol Vassar

Views expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the host or management.

Subscribe, review or let your voice be heard at NemoursWellBeyond.org.

When technology promises to lighten the load but instead adds to it, what’s really going on? Katie Boston-Leary, PhD, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, FADLN, FAONL, Senior Vice President for Equity and Engagement, American Nurses Association,  joins us to share her journey from aspiring accountant to national nursing leader — and explores how AI, virtual care and innovation can actually empower nurses instead of overwhelming them.

Watch the episode on YouTube.

Featuring:
Katie Boston-Leary, PhD, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, FADLN, FAONL, Senior Vice President for Equity and Engagement, American Nurses Association

Host/Producer: Carol Vassar

Views expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the host or management.

Subscribe, review or let your voice be heard at NemoursWellBeyond.org.

Nemours Children’s Health is proud to be the official Children’s Hospital of the Philadelphia Phillies. For the third year in a row, the Phillies welcomed our podcast team to share powerful stories from Childhood Cancer Awareness Night on September 13, 2025.

In our first segment, we talk with Douglas J. Harrison, MD, MS, Division Chief of Hematology/Oncology/Transplant and Cellular Therapy, Inaugural Lisa Dean Moseley Foundation Presidential Endowed Chair, Nemours Children’s Health, who reflects on his unlikely journey from college theater major to nationally recognized pediatric oncologist and researcher.

In our second segment, we meet 11-year-old pediatric cancer patient Vishaal and his sister, Sahasra, who share how life shifts for a family after a cancer diagnosis. We’re also joined by Vishaal’s clinician, Nicholas Manini, MD, Pediatric Hematologist-Oncologist, Nemours Children's Health, who offers insights into Vishaal’s care and prognosis.

Watch the episode on YouTube.

Douglas J. Harrison, MD, MS, Division Chief of Hematology/Oncology/Transplant and Cellular Therapy, Inaugural Lisa Dean Moseley Foundation Presidential Endowed Chair, Nemours Children’s Health
Nicholas Manini, MD, Pediatric Hematologist-Oncologist, Nemours Children's Health
Vishaal A., pediatric cancer patient
Sahsra A., sister of a pediatric cancer patient

Host/Producer: Carol Vassar

Views expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the host or management.

Subscribe, review or let your voice be heard at NemoursWellBeyond.org.

Charles Johnson walked into a California hospital expecting joy – hours later, his wife, Kira, was gone after preventable delays and inaction. Charles shares how that devastating loss sparked the creation of 4Kira4Moms, a nonprofit dedicated to improving maternal health outcomes, advancing policy reform and supporting families impacted by maternal mortality. The U.S. is facing a maternal health crisis, with Black women most at risk. 4Kira4Moms works to close these gaps and make childbirth safe, empowering and free of fear for every mother.

Guest: Charles Johnson IV, Founder and President, 4Kira4Moms

Host/Producer: Carol Vassar

Views expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the host or management.

Subscribe, review or let your voice be heard at NemoursWellBeyond.org.

Asthma and food allergies remain major health concerns, especially as students head back to school. Chris Martinez, President and CEO, Asthma and Allergy Impact and Rescue (AAIR), joins us to share life-saving, practical solutions that keep kids healthy and learning. From stocking albuterol in schools to equipping families with diagnostic kits and advancing key policy initiatives, AAIR is transforming how communities respond to these chronic conditions.

Guest:  Chris Martinez, President and CEO, Asthma and Allergy Impact and Rescue (AAIR)

Host/Producer: Carol Vassar

Views expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the host or management.

Subscribe, review or let your voice be heard at NemoursWellBeyond.org.

Caring for a child with a chronic condition can feel overwhelming – especially when it involves coordinating specialists, therapies and countless appointments. That’s where Health Hug helps. By combining technology with a personal touch, Health Hug streamlines pediatric care, connects families to resources, and eases burdens for both parents and providers. On this episode, Health Hug’s CEO & Co-founder, Christina Sloan-Vélez, takes us back to the kitchen table where Health Hug was born as a result of personal, professional and world circumstances she was facing.

Guests:
Christina Sloan-Vélez, CEO & Co-Founder, Health Hug
Christina Nadaskay, RN, BSN, Chief Clinical Officer, Health Hug

Host/Producer: Carol Vassar

Views expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the host or management.

Subscribe, review or let your voice be heard at NemoursWellBeyond.org.

Mama Glow founder Latham Thomas shares her personal journey into birth work, breastfeeding and the difference between doulas and midwives. A SuperSoul 100 honoree, she’s advancing maternal health through advocacy, education and birth equity.

Guest: Latham Thomas, Founder, Mama Glow

Host/Producer: Carol Vassar

Views expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the host or management.

Subscribe, review or let your voice be heard at NemoursWellBeyond.org.

Tina Aswani-Omprakash began experiencing symptoms as a child – joint pain, eye inflammation and digestive issues – but no one connected them. Without a diagnosis, health insurance, or support due to the cultural stigma surrounding inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and Crohn’s disease, Tina endured a long and painful journey to understand her own body.

Today, she’s a patient advocate, storyteller and CEO of the South Asian IBD Alliance (SAIA), using her lived experience to support others – especially young people and families – facing similar challenges.

Own Your Crohn’s
South Asian IBD Alliance (SAIA)

Guest:
Tina Aswani-Omprakash, MPH, CEO, South Asian IBD Alliance (SAIA)

Host/Producer: Carol Vassar

Views expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the host or management.

Subscribe, review or let your voice be heard at NemoursWellBeyond.org.

Anne Snowdon, PhD, Chief Scientific Research Officer, Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS), joins us to discuss how information, innovation and digital technology are transforming health care worldwide. From AI tools that support early-career clinicians to cross-border collaboration on system design, this conversation explores how digital health is improving outcomes, addressing workforce shortages and advancing a shift from disease management to whole child health.

Guest: 
Anne Snowdon, PhD, Chief Scientific Research Officer, Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS)

Host/Producer: Carol Vassar

Views expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the host or management.

Subscribe, review or let your voice be heard at NemoursWellBeyond.org.

Early literacy is one of the strongest predictors of lifelong health and success – yet reading scores across the U.S. are falling at an alarming rate.

In part two of our series on early literacy and health, we highlight Nemours Children’s Reading BrightStart!, a proven, science-based program celebrating 20 years of impact.

Reading BrightStart! supports children from birth through first grade with early literacy curricula, educator training, and family resources – helping more young learners become confident readers and setting a foundation for lifelong health.

Resources:
Nemours Children’s Reading BrightStart! Family Resources
Harris Poll Executive Summary
Full Harris Poll Results

Guests:
Rebeca Grysko, PhD, CBIS, Special Education Teacher and School Liaison, Nemours Children’s Hospital, Florida
Jamie Williams, MEd, Manager, Intellectual Property and Curriculum Design, Nemours Children's Health
Dawn Espinoza, MEd, Educational Support Supervisor, Early Learning Coalition of Pasco and Hernando Counties, Florida
Samantha Taylor, Quality Performance Specialist, Early Learning Coalition of Pasco and Hernando Counties, Florida

Host/Producer: Carol Vassar

Views expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the host or management.

Subscribe, review or let your voice be heard at NemoursWellBeyond.org.