Curveballs and Lemonade

What happens when life throws you a curveball you never planned for? For Brian Davis, that moment came when his father was diagnosed with terminal prostate cancer. As Brian stepped in to help his parents navigate the diagnosis, he also discovered financial hardships he hadn't fully understood. That experience ultimately changed the direction of his own life and inspired him to leave his previous c...

What would you do if doctors told your family you probably wouldn't survive the night? In this unforgettable episode of Curveballs and Lemonade , Judy Kogan sits down with Lauren Rosaasen , who has survived meningitis not once, but twice. Lauren's journey began at just six weeks old when she survived viral meningitis. Years later, during her junior year of high school, she was diagnosed with bacte...

Originally released as one of our very first episodes, we're bringing back this powerful conversation with Jennifer Satel because its message continues to resonate. Jennifer's honest story about secondary infertility, IVF, miscarriage, and healing has helped so many listeners, and we believe it's worth sharing again. What happens when the dream of growing your family becomes a journey filled with...

What happens when the life that looks perfect on the outside no longer feels right on the inside? In this heartfelt episode of Curveballs and Lemonade , Judy Kogan welcomes her close friend Amy Meshulam for an honest conversation about navigating one of life's most difficult seasons. Amy shares how what appeared to be a picture-perfect life slowly began to unravel, leading to three major life chan...

Have you ever wondered if genetic testing could change your future? In this powerful episode of Curveballs and Lemonade , Judy Kogan sits down with close friends Dana Fletcher and Melissa Davis to share their deeply personal journeys after testing positive for hereditary cancer gene mutations. Dana was diagnosed with the BRCA2 mutation, while Melissa tested positive for CHEK2 . Both women faced li...

Trigger Warning: This episode discusses suicide, addiction, grief, and mental health. What happens after losing someone you love to suicide? In this deeply moving episode of Curveballs and Lemonade , Judy Kogan sits down with fitness and wellness professional Anita Pressman to share the heartbreaking story of losing someone she deeply loved, Sean, to suicide. Anita opens up about the warning signs...

DESCRIPTION What do you do when your child is losing weight, sleeping constantly, and no one can tell you why? In this episode of Curveballs and Lemonade, Judy Kogan sits down with attorney, mom, and longtime friend Jen Gitlin to share her family’s journey navigating her son Trevor’s Crohn’s disease diagnosis. Trevor was just 10 years old when subtle symptoms during the COVID pandemic turned into...

What happens when life’s earliest heartbreak becomes the foundation for your life’s purpose? In this episode of Curveballs and Lemonade, Judy Kogan sits down with special education and Regional Center attorney Rachel S. Milman to discuss the profound childhood loss that shaped her career and her mission to help families navigate some of life’s most challenging diagnoses. Rachel shares the heartbre...

What do you do when every doctor tells you your child is fine, but your gut tells you something is terribly wrong? In this episode of Curveballs and Lemonade, Judy Kogan sits down with Melinda Hughie Blalock to share her family’s extraordinary journey navigating pediatric epilepsy, medical advocacy, and resilience in the face of unimaginable challenges. Melinda opens up about her son Beck’s battle...

What would you do if a routine trip to the emergency room revealed a rare brain disease you never knew you had? In this episode of Curveballs and Lemonade, Judy Kogan sits down with Linda Fuchser to share her incredible journey living with cerebral cavernous malformation (CCM), a rare neurological disease that causes abnormal blood vessels in the brain, brainstem, and spinal cord. Linda discusses...

What happens when a health crisis becomes the wake-up call that changes everything? In this episode of Curveballs and Lemonade, Judy Kogan sits down with Candice Kennedy to discuss her remarkable journey from a serious diabetes diagnosis, high blood pressure, and declining health to losing 127 pounds and completely transforming her life. Candice shares the emotional toll of being a full-time careg...

In the very first episode of Curveballs and Lemonade , host Judy Kogan sits down with Jennifer Satel for an emotional and deeply honest conversation about secondary infertility, IVF, miscarriage, pregnancy loss, and the emotional toll of trying to grow a family after having a child. Jennifer opens up about her years-long fertility journey, including multiple miscarriages, IVF treatments during COV...

Curveballs and Lemonade is a powerful podcast hosted by Judy Kogan featuring honest conversations with people who have faced life’s toughest moments and found a way to move forward. Each episode explores real stories of loss, trauma, heartbreak, illness, and unexpected life changes, while focusing on resilience, healing, personal growth, and hope. Judy sits down with guests to discuss how adversit...