The Mark White Show

On this Make a Difference Minute, I’m joined by Rusty Gipson, Director of the Firefighter Cancer Support Network, Alabama, to share how firefighters are helping fellow firefighters through one of life’s most difficult challenges. Founded in 2005 after a California fire captain was diagnosed with cancer and recognized the need for support, the Firefighter Cancer Support Network connects firefighter...

On this Make a Difference Minute, Debbe Coffman Kirk shares the story of her husband, Ronnie Kirk, of Stevenson, Alabama, a retired U.S. Army veteran who spent 22 years serving his country and now needs a living kidney donor. Ronnie enlisted in the Army at just 17 years old. Throughout his military career, he became much more than a leader to the soldiers serving alongside him. He became a mentor,...

Debbe Coffman Kirk first met Ronnie Kirk when she was six years old. They were neighbors in Stevenson, Alabama, and rode the same school bus. Years later, Ronnie moved back home, they reconnected, and they married in 2011. When I asked Debbe what Ronnie would want people to know about him, she put it simply. “He’s a good soldier.” Ronnie joined the Army at 17 and served for 22 years, retiring as a...

On this Make a Difference Minute, I'm joined by Elena Dreyzin, a physician assistant at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Pennsylvania, and Fred Radtke, a husband, grandfather, retired veteran, and community advocate who has been living with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer for 12 years. Fred understands what it's like to face a diagnosis and navigate treatment decisions. His message to others facing b...

Tonight, we’ll start in Phil Campbell, Alabama, where a local Christmas effort is helping make the holidays special for children. You’ll hear from Kristi VanDiver about what the community is doing for local families and how you can help. Then, for Bladder Health Awareness Month, I’ll talk with Fred Radtke, a retired veteran and grandfather who has lived with bladder cancer for 12 years, and Elena...

On this Make a Difference Minute, I’m joined by JoHelene Patrick, Director of Corporate and Community Partnerships with the Alabama Kidney Foundation, following the first meeting of our regional advisory board. JoHelene shares why bringing community members together is so important to the foundation’s mission. By listening to local voices, building relationships, and identifying needs, the Alabama...

On this Make a Difference Minute, Rebecca Lewter of Ardmore, Alabama, shares the joy her 4-year-old daughter, Harper Jo, brings to their family as she battles leukemia and receives treatment at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. Rebecca describes Harper Jo as a bright, playful little girl with a big personality who loves to laugh, learn, and spend time with others. Despit...

On this Make a Difference Minute, Coach Tremaine Edwards of Liberty Middle School shares why making a difference in a young person’s life goes far beyond coaching a sport. For Coach Edwards, it’s about building character, teaching respect, encouraging communication, and helping young people develop a strong foundation for life. He understands that children will make mistakes along the way, but he...

Tonight, as The Mark White Show marks nine years of sharing stories and recognizing difference makers, I’m introducing you to 4-year-old Harper Jo Lewter of Ardmore, Alabama, and her parents, Rebecca & Cody. Harper loves cooking, Barbies, Bluey, and her big sister, Rheygan, who will turn 13 on Friday! When their normally energetic little girl began lying around and losing her appetite, her parents...

At Liberty Middle School in Madison, Alabama, Coach Tremaine Edwards is teaching lessons that reach far beyond the scoreboard. On this edition of The Mark White Show, Principal Shannon Brown, a former University of Alabama football player, joins Coach Edwards to share why he is “more than a coach.” From checking grades and building confidence to teaching players that leadership includes cleaning c...

On this Make A Difference Minute, I’m sharing Jewell Brown’s journey and her need for a kidney donor. After facing kidney challenges since childhood and receiving a transplant from her mom that has lasted 20 years, Jewel is now in renal failure and searching for a living donor. This segment highlights both the reality that transplants are not always permanent and the opportunity for someone to mak...

On this Make a Difference Minute, I’m joined by Brenda Gantt of Cooking with Brenda Gantt in Andalusia, Alabama. After spending 25 years as a teacher, Brenda never imagined that a simple biscuit-making video recorded in her kitchen would introduce her to millions of people. What started as a way to share her cooking knowledge with friends and fellow church members reached one million views in just...

On tomorrow’s Make a Difference Minute, UCLA oncologist and sarcoma specialist Dr. Noah Federman explains desmoid tumors, a rare condition affecting approximately 1,500 people each year in the United States. Although desmoid tumors do not spread to distant parts of the body like many cancers, they can grow aggressively into surrounding tissues, causing pain, nerve problems, limited mobility, and s...

On this Make a Difference Minute, Sandra Miller shares an important message for anyone struggling to find answers to a medical problem. After experiencing persistent numbness and pain in her leg, Sandra was eventually diagnosed with desmoid tumors. Her experience taught her the importance of speaking up, asking questions, and continuing to seek answers when something isn't right. Sandra wants othe...

For four years, Sandra Miller searched for answers as numbness and tingling in her leg became pain that made walking, driving, and sleeping difficult. Initially told her symptoms were related to stress, she continued speaking up until testing revealed a rare desmoid tumor. Tonight, Sandra joins me alongside UCLA oncologist and sarcoma specialist Dr. Noah Federman to discuss her experience, the imp...

On this edition of TMWS, I’m joined by Keri Morrison, Executive Director of Live Like Jake, for a conversation every parent, grandparent, caregiver, teacher, and community member needs to hear. After the heartbreaking loss of her son Jake, Keri turned unimaginable grief into a mission focused on childhood drowning prevention, water safety awareness, and helping families protect their children thro...

Tonight, I’m joined by Limestone County Sheriff's Office Sheriff Joshua McLaughlin, Athens Police Department - Alabama Chief Anthony Pressnell, and Vickie Leasher with Crisis Services of North Alabama. From providing Christmas gifts for children in foster care through the Drive for Kids Golf Tournament to standing with survivors of domestic violence at “A Night of Hope and Healing,” we’re highligh...

On tomorrow’s Make a Difference Minute, Alan Nichols of Dogpatch Q shares how Operation BBQ Relief brings hot meals to communities affected by disasters. I met Alan, a Vietnam veteran and longtime volunteer, at The Butcher - Meat Co. The Butcher's Smoke and Flames Barbeque Cookoff in Vinemont, Alabama. What began in 2011 with barbecue teams coming together to feed people following a disaster has g...

On tomorrow’s Make a Difference Minute, Bradley Barrontine of Huntsville, Alabama, shares how a life-saving liver transplant gave him a second chance at life. After 18 years in the National Guard, deployments, regular physical examinations, and an active lifestyle, Brad never imagined he would be diagnosed with a rare genetic liver disorder at age 53. Within months of learning he needed a new live...

On this Make a Difference Minute, we honor the life and legacy of the late Stacy Wolfe and the continuing work of the Stacy Wolfe Breast Cancer Foundation. Through the generosity of donors and community supporters, the foundation is helping cancer patients and their families with immediate needs, including travel expenses for treatment at MD Anderson, medical bills, and other financial challenges....

On this Make a Difference Minute, Limestone County Sheriff Joshua McLaughlin shares how the Sheriff’s annual Drive for Kids golf tournament helps provide Christmas gifts for children in foster care. While many sponsors and donors may never see the children receiving their gifts because of privacy considerations, Sheriff McLaughlin wants every supporter to understand the difference their generosity...

Tonight, I’m joined by Limestone County Sheriff's Office Sheriff Joshua McLaughlin, Athens Police Department - Alabama Chief Anthony Pressnell, and Vickie Leasher with Crisis Services of North Alabama. From providing Christmas gifts for children in foster care through the Drive for Kids Golf Tournament to standing with survivors of domestic violence at “A Night of Hope and Healing,” we’re highligh...

On this Make a Difference Minute, Sean Tucker, Managing Editor at Kelley Blue Book, shares what parents should look for when purchasing a safe, affordable vehicle for a teen driver. From anti-lock brakes and stability control to independent crash-test ratings, Sean explains why safety should remain a priority, even when shopping for an older used vehicle. Kelley Blue Book has identified vehicles m...

In the promo picture, I'm pictured with my granddad at age 16 with my first car, a Dodge Spirit. I remember what it meant to have those keys. My first time to drive was to the Lauderdale County High School football field to practice my kicking. Now, as a dad, I can appreciate that milestone from a parent’s perspective, too. Tonight, I’m welcoming Sean Tucker, managing editor at Kelley Blue Book, f...

On this Make a Difference Minute, board-certified OB/GYN and menopause care specialist Dr. Diana Bittner discusses why some women hesitate to talk with their healthcare providers about hot flashes and other menopause symptoms. For some, it’s something they were raised not to discuss. For others, it’s the fear of being labeled as old or simply not knowing what treatment options are available. Dr. B...