Moving Forward

Kelly Aldrich had so many different diagnoses until she cannot count them all.  At age 51, she was finally diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) and Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS).  Kelly was born in Seattle, Washington.  During her early years, she realized she was different. She suffered from bad rashes, eczema, peptic ulcers, panic attacks, and physical challenges.  At the same time...

Dr. Felecia Harris is a dynamic professor of Women’s and Gender Studies, Sexuality, Health and Identity, Hip Hop/Popular Culture, and African American History.  She is a conqueror who has overcome many obstacles ranging from childhood "Money Bullying" to an excruciating diagnosis for her son to a blood pressure of 230/100.   After running her first half-marathon, 2 weeks later to be exact, she unc...

Our guest Steve grew up in Auburn, NY. Auburn is known for the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues.  So of course he played baseball along with hockey while in school.  After school, he served our country in the US Military.  This is where he embraced the fact that there wasn't anything he could not do.  One day, Steve met with the school psychologist about his son.  The psycholo...

Nicole, a vibrant mother of four children pants for a living.  As a painter, balance, and precision are essential in her profession. One day she started to have headaches.  Since she was under a lot of stress, she initially thought they were stress headaches.  She tried to manage the pain but, it grew worse.  Soon afterward, she developed a wooshing sound in her along with extreme nausea and vomit...

Join us tonight with guest Todd Helton, father of three vibrant young girls. His oldest daughter is Ellie. Ellie experienced repetitive headaches and ocular migraines but doctors were not sure of her actual diagnosis. Doctors began to go through a checklist of items while Todd did a lot of research on the fly.  Fortunately, the doctors at the University of North Carolina (UNC) Children’s Hospital,...

  Antione "Terrell Midgett was born in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, and raised in Raleigh, North Carolina.  Terrell played basketball and football with all of his friends.   Friends called him the peacemaker with the agility of a jack of all trades to ensure everyone was happy.   Actually, adverse environments caused him to withdraw from the crowd. In Fourth grade, Terrell was diagnosed with vi...

Kimberly Muktarian is a Senior Consultant at Save Our Sons in Raleigh, NC.   She was born and raised in South East Raleigh, NC.   She grew up in a large, loving, and supportive family.  Her great-grandmother is one of nine, and her grandmother is one of thirteen children. They enjoyed weekend and holiday family road trips.   In 2007, her brother’s arrest began to challenge her perception of how we...

Kim King is an Emmy and Edward R. Murrow award-winning reporter for WLOS in Asheville, North Carolina. Her passion is reporting civil rights and civil injustice from stories of racism to murder. Kim grew up in Manhattan where she attended the all-girls school Chapin. Kim credits Chapin for shaping her into a strong woman.   She attributes her tenacity to her mother and calls her mother's common se...

Tiawana Brown (Tia), born and raised in Charlotte, NC. High school cheerleader and track star with tons of family love and support which made Thanksgiving and Christmas an all time favorite. Her life took an unexpeted turn.  During her twenties she was arrested.  She spent 6 years in prison.  Today, she has the ultimate story of triumph and has turned her pain into purpose. Tia is a formerly incar...

#MOVINGFORWARD 8/21/2022 @10:00PM EST COACH KJ AND DR. V INTERVIEW Suicide Awareness Advocate Elizabeth Gerald  Marcie Gerald, the 2012 Pre-Teen Beauty Pageant State Finalist, an accomplished violinist, NBC prodcuers selection for a show empowering young girls, and community volunteer, smiled on the outside while grappling with pain on the inside.  The day after Marcy's 15th birthday, a gang membe...

In June, we will interview Chandelier Scoggins and her mother Rev. Jennifer Mclean-Russ. Chandelier has played soccer since age three. Chandelier was the middle child who never gave me any problems as a baby or as a child. Then, one day, while working in the Emergency Room, her husband called to say that the soccer ball had hit Chandlier in the face with her soccer ball and was under the concussio...

Sandra Dubose is a mother, award-winning, multi-talented Performing Artist, National Motivational Speaker, Author, and Host/ Producer of The Urban Parle' Podcast. She is also one of North Carolina's Beauty Queens - the 2011 Ms. Black North Carolina.  At the age of fourteen, Sandra experienced the first of several pivotal points in her life- domestic violence. She later developed alopecia and divor...

Tyrone McMillian (Ty) is an engaging veteran whose story of missed diagnosis, triumph, and rediscovery of purpose will restore hope for many challenged with PTSD. Some memories can be indelible, hard to process and discuss.  At seven years old, Ty saw his mother get hit in the face with a half-empty crinkled-up beer can.  Ty kept this image along with other experiences inside and just continued to...

Two dynamic overcomers will share their journey of discovery, expasion and flourishment. 10pm Join Dr. Kesha Reed as she shares her very transparent journey: from feeling depressed after an extremely difficult divorce, dealing with suicidal thoughts during her darkest times, feeling alone and defeated to becoming an extremely confident woman of faith. Kesha reveals her mistakes and trials that all...

10:00 pm Sonya Sherer, a Clinical Research Associate, active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, and avid reader with her daughter.   While traveling to Arizona for work, Sonya felt something strange.  Her aneurysm ruptured.  Only 50% of persons who experience an aneurysm rupture survive the experience.  Sonya loved her job as a CRA and she would have never expected this to happen in a hundred y...

Super Excited. December's Moving Forward Podcast guest will be the one and only Debbie Bogle. She is the Executive Director at United Way of Decatur and Mid-Illinois, Executive Director of the Lisa Foundation, a Four Time Triathlon Competitor and  cerebral aneurysm survivor. Join my cohost Dr. Valentina and I on December 19th for the Debbie Bogle Story.

#MovingFORWARD  Join Coach Kellye 'KJ' Jones and Dr. Valentina on Sunday, October 17th to meet Marcus Boyd. Part 2 Marcus went to six or seven of the best doctors. They all told his grandmother “your grandson is basically walking around with no working brain function.” With the right mentor, Marcus Boyd now plays 8 instruments and is a successful DJ. Marcus will share his story, 19 year journey, O...

September 26th to meet Marcus Boyd.    Marcus went to six or seven of the best doctors.  They all told his grandmother “your grandson is basically walking around with no working brain function.” With the right mentor, Marcus Boyd now plays 8 instruments and is a successful DJ.    Marcus will share his story, 19 year journey, September 26th on the Moving Forward Podcast.  https://www.facebook.com/m...

#MovingFORWARD  Join Coach Kellye 'KJ' Jones and Dr. Valentina on Sunday, August 29th to meet Todd Whiteside.  suffered a brain bleed and subsequent surgery. Todd has beat the odds several times with the love and support of his family and former UNC Chapel Hill Football teammates. Todd’s story of perseverance will provide perspective and inspiration for listeners.  

#MovingFORWARD  Join Coach Kellye 'KJ' Jones and Dr. Valentina on Sunday, August 15th to meet Dianne Heeley.  Dianne suffered a ruptured brain aneurysm on Christmas Eve almost 24 years ago.  She loved her great career as a field representative for a large teachers union.  The future seemed uncertain.  She suffered from depression and  extreme fatigue. Then she found new interests and new success. ...

Our guest tonight will be Sam Seitles.  Sam is a retired professional wrestler, who was introduced into the world of brain injury during his career. His experience helped him realize it was time to make a change. He shifted his focus from Pro Wrestling to educating classrooms filled with young students,  Quickly, he became a favorite among his students with captivating and charismatic storytelling...

Excited to Introduce to you to the Hosts of a new show in our line up called Moving Forward - 3rd Sun of each month! Kellye (KJ) Jones Was an active mom who loved to ride roller coasters, attend track meets, home school and teach bible study, KJ knew better than to let a little fatigue wear her down.  One night things changed. her headaches increased and her vision decreased.  After six weeks of d...