On January 17, 2021, our host Dr. Marianne Ritchie was joined by George P. Valko, MD and Marc J. Altshuler, MD for a discussion about the benefits of an annual physical exam with your Family Doctor and disparities in health care in the underserved.

Dr. Valko is a Gustave and Valla Amsterdam Professor of Family and Community Medicine and the Vice-Chair for Clinical Programs and Quality for the Department of Family and Community Medicine in the Sidney Kimmel Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University. He is also the Medical Director of Jefferson Family Medicine Associates.

Dr. Altshuler is a Professor of Family and Community Medicine in the Sidney Kimmel Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University. He is also the Director of the Residency Program.

​Your Real Champion: Being Patient

​Each week we highlight the #RealChampions in your life! Your family, friends, or colleagues who go the extra mile to help others in their community. For this week, Your Real Champion was Nicholas Kristock!

While this star athlete played professional soccer in Australia, he spent his spare time volunteering with hospital patients and the homeless. He came back to America with a mission…to make 30,000 blankets for kids in hospitals…comforting hearts and creating smiles.

On January 10, 2021, our host Dr. Marianne Ritchie was joined by Katie K. Lockwood, MD for a discussion about the importance of maintaining a schedule of routine well visits and vaccinations during the pandemic.

Dr. Lockwood is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Penn and an attending physician at CHOP Primary Care in South Philadelphia.

​Each week we highlight the #RealChampions in your life! Your family, friends, or colleagues who go the extra mile to help others in their community. For this week, Your Real Champion was Marc Winokur!

Along with a 39-year career with the US Post Office, Marc and his wife Sharon find joy in making other people happy. Marc has spent 25 years as a leader in the Lion’s Club, volunteers as a fireman, and packs hundreds of food baskets with his son who also has a life of service as a police officer. Marc and Sharon volunteer as Clowns at St Mary’s Hospital and Sharon is Mrs. Claus for Marc’s work with the annual Breakfast with Santa.​

On January 3, 2021, our host Dr. Marianne Ritchie was joined by Deni Carise, PhD for a discussion about Addiction and Substance Use Disorders.

Deni Carise, Ph.D. is a Clinical Psychologist and part of the recovery community for over 30 years. She is currently Chief Scientific Officer of Recovery Centers of America (RCA) and Adjunct Assistant Professor at the University of Pennsylvania.

​Each week we highlight the #RealChampions in your life! Your family, friends, or colleagues who go the extra mile to help others in their community. For this week, Your Real Champion was Joy Tartar!

Joy is the Director of CB Community Schools where the mission is to engage children who were formerly involved in the child welfare or juvenile justice system to learn, heal and grow into caring, confident, competent citizens of the world. Joy has also opened her heart and home to several foster children.​

On December 27, 2020, our host Dr. Marianne Ritchie was joined by Daniel J. Hilferty, President & CEO of Independence Health Group, to discuss medicine before, during, and after the pandemic.

​Your Real Champion: Gold Star Sister

​Each week we highlight the #RealChampions in your life! Your family, friends, or colleagues who go the extra mile to help others in their community. For this week, Your Real Champion was Ryan Manion!

Ryan is the President of the Travis Manion Foundation. Ryan lost her brother to the war in Iraq. The goal of the Foundation is to empower veterans and their families of fallen heroes to develop character in future generations.​

On December 20, 2020, our host Dr. Marianne Ritchie was joined by Emily Rubin, RD, LDN​ for a discussion on how to eat and drink safely over the holidays.

Emily Rubin, RD, LDN is the Director of Clinical Dietetics and Dietitian for Celiac Center at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital.

​Each week we highlight the #RealChampions in your life! Your family, friends, or colleagues who go the extra mile to help others in their community. For this week, Your Real Champion was Ms. Geralyn Ritter, the Executive Vice President for External Affairs and Corporate Governance of Organon & Co; a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc.

On May 12, 2015, Geralyn Ritter was a passenger on the ill-fated Amtrak train that was taking her home to central New Jersey after a long day of meetings in Washington, D.C. In an instant, this mother of three and international health care executive went from being a fast-paced globe trotter to a completely dependent patient. communities and their country

On December 13, 2020, our host Dr. Marianne Ritchie was joined by P. Maxwell Courtney, MD for a discussion about hip fractures.

Dr. Courtney is a board certified, fellowship-trained orthopaedic surgeon specializing in hip and knee replacement surgery. He completed his internship and residency at the University of Pennsylvania and then pursued fellowship training in Adult Reconstruction at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, IL.

​Each week we highlight the #RealChampions in your life! Your family, friends, or colleagues who go the extra mile to help others in their community. For this week, Your Real Champion was Kenneth E. Hartman, PHD!

Dr. Hartman is the Founder and President of Our Community Salutes an organization that organizes send-off ceremonies for graduating high school students who enlist directly into the military service and put country before themselves. These enlistees and their parents/loved ones know that they have the support of their communities and their country.​

On December 6, 2020, our host Dr. Marianne Ritchie was joined by Deni Carise, PhD for a discussion about Addiction and Substance Use Disorders.

Deni Carise, Ph.D. is a Clinical Psychologist and part of the recovery community for over 30 years. She is currently Chief Scientific Officer of Recovery Centers of America (RCA) and Adjunct Assistant Professor at the University of Pennsylvania.

​Each week we highlight the #RealChampions in your life! Your family, friends, or colleagues who go the extra mile to help others in their community. For this week, Your Real Champion was Joy Tartar!

Joy is the Director of CB Community Schools where the mission is to engage children who were formerly involved in the child welfare or juvenile justice system to learn, heal and grow into caring, confident, competent citizens of the world. Joy has also opened her heart and home to several foster children.​

On November 29, 2020, our host Dr. Marianne Ritchie was joined by Dr. Kathleen Squires, an International Expert on HIV/AIDS, to discuss where we are today with the disease.

Dr. Kathleen Squires is a Professor of Medicine and former Director of the Division of Infectious Diseases at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. She is also the Executive Director of Scientific Affairs for HIV at Merck Research Labs.      

​Your Real Champion: Gold Star Sister

​Each week we highlight the #RealChampions in your life! Your family, friends, or colleagues who go the extra mile to help others in their community. For this week, Your Real Champion was Ryan Manion!

Ryan is the President of the Travis Manion Foundation. Ryan lost her brother to the war in Iraq. The goal of the Foundation is to empower veterans and their families of fallen heroes to develop character in future generations.​

On November 22, 2020, our host Dr. Marianne Ritchie was joined by Daniel J. Hilferty, President & CEO of Independence Health Group, to discuss medicine before, during, and after the pandemic.

​Your Real Champion: Walking with Purpose

​Each week we highlight the #RealChampions in your life! Your family, friends, or colleagues who go the extra mile to help others in their community. For this week, Your Real Champion was Deanne Riley-Giddins!

Deanne is the Senior Network Coordinator for the Managed Health Network at Independence Blue Cross and recently received the prestigious Distinguished Corporate Volunteer Award from the Greater PhiladelphiaCorporate Volunteer Council in partnership with the Mayor’s office. She refers to the Dali Lama quote, "It’s not enough to be compassionate. You must act.”​

On November 15, 2020, our host Dr. Marianne Ritchie was joined by Dr. Barry Rovner, Professor of Psychiatry & Neurolog, Kellie Butsack, Associate Director of Programs for the Delaware Valley Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, and Phil Gutis, contributing writer at Being Patient and former New York Times reporter, for a discussion about the risks, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of dementia. Phil Gutis also shares his own story as an Alzheimer’s patient.

Your Real Champion: Being Patient

​Each week we highlight the #RealChampions in your life! Your family, friends, or colleagues who go the extra mile to help others in their community. For this week, Your Real Champion was Phil Gutis!

Phil was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease at the young age of 54. He has since become a champion for the cause of early recognition and treatment for Alzheimer’s Disease. He writes and speaks extensively about the condition, and “counts his blessings” as he continues in his quest to help himself and others who face this battle.