Well Beyond Medicine: The Nemours Children's Health Podcast

We're celebrating our 100th Episode of Well Beyond Medicine — and we're pleased to feature special guests from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to share more about their MyPlate resource and other efforts to support access to healthy and nutritious foods.

Most parents and caregivers put a lot of thought into how their children are fed and fueled, especially as they head off to school each day. Yet feeding their children can be a challenge for those unsure of what foods best support their children’s healthy development or who struggle to consistently access healthy, safe, affordable food. That’s where the USDA and the resources and programs it provides, including MyPlate, can help fill in the gaps.

Access additional resources and information on how to support healthy nutrition created in collaboration with the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition and Health.

Guests:
Caree Jackson Cotwright, PhD, RDN, LD, Director of Nutrition Security and Health Equity, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service
Yetunde Akingbemi, MPH, RDN, Nutritionist, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion
Allison Gertel-Rosenberg, MS, Vice President, Chief Policy and Prevention Officer, 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.

The American Medical Association, the American College of Physicians, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services all recognize voting as a social determinant of health. In a year when more than 60 nations have or will hold elections (including the United States), the Well Beyond Medicine podcast examines the concepts of civic engagement and voting as ways to improve health.

On this episode, we’re joined by Aliya Bhatia, Executive Director of Vot-ER, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization working to integrate civic engagement into health care.

Register to vote

Guest:
Aliya Bhatia, Executive Director, Vot-ER

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.

Diversity in health care is more than just a buzzword — it is essential for delivering culturally competent care, addressing health disparities, and creating an inclusive environment for patients, families and providers. For the Latino/Hispanic community, which constitutes a significant and growing portion of the U.S. population, having health care providers who understand their cultural context can lead to better patient outcomes. Building a workforce pipeline for Latino and Hispanic individuals is essential to serve this population and to create an inclusive health care environment.

Joining in the discussion are nurse innovator Dr. Bonnie Clipper as well as Nemours Children’s workforce partnership development director Dr. Margaret LaFashia, and Merry Ann Carde Garcia, a member of Adelante — a Latino/Hispanic employee resource group, who weigh in with national and system perspectives.

Guests:
Bonnie Clipper, DNP, Nurse Futurist and Founder & CEO, Virtual Nursing Academy
Margaret LaFashia, DNP, Director of Workforce Partnerships, Nemours Children's Health
Merry Ann Carde Garcia, RN, Administrative Manager, 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.

McDonald’s is more than just the home of burgers, fries and shakes. It's a place where employees can learn valuable basic customer service skills and gain needed entry-level managerial experience. One in 8 Americans has worked at a McDonald's at some point in their lives, gaining these life-changing skills firsthand.

In addition to on-the-job experiences where McDonald's provides chances to learn these skills — a program called Archways to Opportunity® offers employees and their family members the chance to learn English, access tuition assistance for college, and earn high school diplomas through an online program!

Our podcast team recently traveled to a McDonald’s franchise in Bridgeville, Delaware, to learn about this program and hear the story of a teen mom and former McDonald's employee who now has a career at Nemours Children’s Health after earning her high school diploma through Archways to Opportunity.

Guests:
Erin Voss, Manager, Education Strategy & Analytics, McDonald's Corp.
Michael Meoli, President and Owner/Operator, The Meoli Companies
Quontisha Chisholm, Medical Administrative Assistant, Nemours Children’s Health, Delaware Valley

Carol Vassar, host/producer

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.

This week’s episode features two compelling stories of strength and perseverance in honor of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.

In our first segment, we remember Corey Phelan. At 19, Corey achieved his lifelong dream of becoming a professional baseball player, signing with the Phillies organization. His dream, though, and his life were cut short by pediatric cancer just after his 20th birthday in 2022. His legacy, however, lives through his family’s foundation, Corey’s Promise, which helps other families offset the financial burdens they endure during their child's cancer diagnosis. 

In our second segment, we speak with 20-year-old Elisha Rodriguez-Ford, an accomplished singer with a proven track record. In fact, hers is the voice you hear singing “God Bless America” at the top of this episode. At age 17 Elisha was diagnosed with a rare genetic condition called Swyer Syndrome. According to the National Organization for Rare Disorders, Swyer Syndrome is characterized by the failure of the sex glands – in this case, her ovaries – to develop fully, leaving only functionless scar tissue, and a 30 percent risk of developing tumors from that scar tissue – which is what happened to Elisha.

Guests:
Chris Phelan, Corey Phelan's father and co-founder of Corey's Promise
Dickie Noles, retired MLB player and Phillies advisor
Elisha Rodriguez-Ford, professional singer and cancer survivor

Carol Vassar, host/producer

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.

On a single night each September, Major League Baseball holds Childhood Cancer Awareness Night at games nationwide. This major initiative focuses on both educating the public about childhood cancer and providing respite for cancer patients, survivors, and their families. 

Join us as we visit Citizens Bank Park - home of the Philadelphia Phillies - for the 2024 edition of Childhood Cancer Awareness Night and hear about one family's ongoing battle against childhood cancer. We'll also talk with a representative of the Phillies organization about the history and purpose of this effort and the partnership forged between the Phillies and Nemours Children's Health, the official children's health provider of the Phillies. 

GUESTS:
Michele DeVicaris, Phillies Director for Community and Charity Events
Eric Newton, parent of cancer patient Eric "EJ" Newton
Onilisha Newton, parent of cancer patient Eric "EJ" Newton

Carol Vassar, host/producer

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.

In this encore presentation of Well Beyond Medicine, we explore the topic of period equity with Nemours Children’s Health adolescent medicine specialist, Robyn Miller, MD. 

Menstruation is something half of the world's population experiences. Yet having the right resources — access to period products and health information about menses — can prove elusive for some due to financial concerns or lack of communication and openness on the topic due to stigma, or cultural and religious considerations.

Nemours Period Pantry Amazon Wish List

Guest:
Dr. Robyn Miller, Adolescent Medicine Specialist, Nemours Children's Health

Carol Vassar, host/producer

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.

Smartphones have become a collective distraction in the classroom. One 2024 Pew Research survey of public-school teachers says 33% of middle school teachers and a whopping 72% of high school teachers see cell phone use in the classroom as a major problem: a disruptor to the educational process. 

Here to discuss the benefits of public school cell phone bans are Jay Bastianelli, Principal of HB du Pont Middle School in Hockessin, Delaware, part of the Red Clay Consolidated School District, and Nemours pediatric psychologist Dr. Meghan Walls. Dr. Walls provides insights on the topic from a professional and personal perspective. 

GUESTS:
Jay Bastianelli, Principal, HB du Pont Middle School. Hockessin, DE
Meghan Walls, PhD, Pediatric Psychologist and Director of External Affairs, Nemours Children's Health

Carol Vassar, producer

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 discussing methods of paying for health care in the U.S., you'll often hear the terms fee-for-service and value-based care. What do they mean? And what value can value-based care models bring to pediatric patients and their families? 

We discuss these questions and more with Alex Koster, Associate Vice President of Value Transformation for Nemours Children's Health. 

Guests:
Alexander Koster, MA, CHCIO, CHD-E, AVP, Value Transformation, 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.

In 2021, the Elizabeth Dole Foundation (EDF) released a study indicating that roughly 2.3 million children across the U.S. serve as primary or secondary caregivers to family members wounded, injured or ill due to their service in the U.S. military. They are our nation’s hidden helpers.

To better support these children, EDF partnered with the Wounded Warrior Project and the White House's Joining Forces Initiative, led by First Lady Dr. Jill Biden, to create the Hidden Helpers Coalition. The coalition comprises over 100 partner organizations, including government agencies, non-profits like Nemours Children’s Health, and private sector entities.

To highlight coalition efforts over the last three years and announce new commitments, Nemours Children’s, the Office of United States Senator Tom Carper (D-DE) and EDF held a forum at Nemours Children’s Hospital, Delaware, entitled “Supporting Our Military Families and Hidden Helpers.” This podcast is the second of a two-part episode series featuring event highlights. 

Featuring an introduction from Jill Biden, Ed.D., First Lady of the United States, and closing comments from R. Lawrence Moss, MD, CEO, Nemours Children's Health, and Steve Schwab, CEO, The Elizabeth Dole Foundation.

Guests:
Matthew Cook, MBA, CEO, Children's Hospital Association
Daniel Podberesky, MD, FACR, SVP, Chief Medical Officer, Nemours Children's Hospital, Florida
Tara Gleason, MEd, Director of Programs, Military Child Education Coalition (MCEC)
Laurie Sisk, School Liaison Program Manager, Dover (DE) Airforce Base
Denise Stouffer, MEd, Head of School, Providence Creek Academy
Jeanette Betancourt, EdD, Senior Vice President, U.S. Social Impact, Sesame Workshop
Charo Bates, MBA, MS, MA, Program Manager for Hidden Helpers, Elizabeth Dole Foundation
Tina Atherall, DSW, LMSW, CEO, PsychArmor Institute
Annie Pabon, Hidden Helper

Carol Vassar, host/producer

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.