AVM Alliance Podcast

Welcome to AVM Alliance, where we delve into the world of pediatric stroke and brain disorders with honest conversations and valuable insights for our community. In this episode, host Raylene Lewis shares her experiences from the International Pediatric Stroke Organization 2024 Congress and exciting updates from our AVM Alliance community events. Join us as we explore the transformative power of t...

 Creed is missing the majority of his brain. He essentially only has his brain stem and all of his other brain is missing. Doctors deemed her child deemed incompatible with life, but Creed has defied the odds is now 9 years old. Melanie, Creed's mom, shares their story. What is anticipatory grief? It is the emotions associated with grief before the expected loss actually happens. -- Think of...

I am excited to introduce our listeners to Ami Waggoner who has graciously come on today to tell us the story of her medically complex child Luke and Kathy Derr, founder and director of family engagement for the absolutely fabulous organization everyone should  know about — A Kid Again created to provide kids with life-threatening conditions and their entire family with the opportunity to forget a...

Happy October to all our listeners. October is Brain AVM Awareness Month. As a reminder, A brain AVM is a tangle of abnormal arteries and veins, that do not have the needed capillaries in between the connections. If you would like more information on Brain AVM’s: AVM Alliance, an official non-profit, now has its own website www.avmalliance.org. On it you will find lots of information as well as pe...

On this episode, we continue our interview with the director of the pediatric stroke program with McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston as we go over questions parents submitted for our medical professional. Today’s episode continues the discussion, diving a bit into epilepsy, EEG’s and stroke in infants.  Each episode for this season ends with a focus on a special children’s book with a &qu...

We are beginning season two with a 3 part “The doctor is In” Series going over questions with Dr. Stuart Fraser, the director of the pediatric stroke program with McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston. This month’s Part one episode focuses on medical terms parents read on radiology reports and goes into more detail about the different radiology tests doctor’s order as well as the major blood...

Today is the end of season one, our 15th episode.  We talk about why some parents of children who have suffered a stroke feel like they don't fit in and provide an analogy that hopefully will change that mindset. Our guests today are AVM Brain bleed survivors Kyler Lewis and Ashley Lindsey who talk about what it is like to deal with brain vessel disease. We end the podcast going over our last...

In Brain News,  researchers have recently performed a successful surgery to repair a Vein of Galen Malformation, in a baby’s brain before birth. This month's interview is with Brianna McCulloch who runs the Kailee Mills Foundation-- a charity on a mission to save lives one seat belt click at a time. The podcast ends with a discussion of Chapter 11 of our focus book, Suffer Strong, noting worl...

A Pediatric ischemic stroke is a type of stroke that occurs when a blockage, such as a blood clot, reduces or completely stops blood flow to a part of the brain. This causes brain cells to be damaged or die, which can cause long-term disabilities.  Our guest today, Mara Yale was introduced to the world of pediatric stroke when her 2nd child was diagnosed shortly after their birth. She has made it...

This podcast starts with a brief explanation of the genetic condition, Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia (HHT) and tells the story of Stephany Zumerling who suffered for years without the correct diagnosis. Her medical journey offers lessons we can all learn from and highlights the importance of finding a doctor who takes the time to listen to their patient and investigate symptoms that don&ap...

This morning we are starting with a Brain News medical study. A study with the University of Cincinnati will examine the effectiveness of a stroke treatment for patients with a pre-stroke disability, one of the first studies to focus on this population.  Our guest today is a spokesman from the sweetest non-profit I know, Icing Smiles, an organization who is baking a difference for children dealing...

In Brain News we go over two published studies from Stanford University involving Stem Cell treatment for Stroke survivors. Our guest today is Jonathan Slifka who was born with spina bifida who discusses the importance of working together to make positive changes in what you want to see happen in life.  We end with a discussion on redefining failure in Ch. 6 of our focus book, Suffer Strong, where...

In Brain News: Survivor, Malori Rodgers, just released her book “A Stroke a Heaven” which talks about her personal journey after a traumatic brain injury.  Our guest today is Heather Golladay, who talks about the importance for looking  at the bright side of things. Her husband suffered an ischemic stroke and she is the graphic arts designer for AVM Alliance and the creator of our butterfly pig an...

 Today's episode includes a discussion on yesterday's MSN published article: “Doctors dismissed these 3 young people's symptoms as migraines or drug-related — but they were really having strokes.”  We welcome guest Dina Chon with the Aneurysm and AVM Foundation and end with a short discussion on pain, perspective and PTSD as we finish chapter 4 of our focus book "Suffer Strong&...

This week, the short film Time Bomb was released to showcase the real life challenges of a rare disease diagnosis and was created with the help of The Aneurysm and AVM Foundation. With the holiday’s approaching, decadent treats and delicious food on the horizon it is no wonder heath and weight loss become added priorities on many a new year resolution list. How to put in place something that stick...

In today’s news we will talking about a new youth medial clinic that just opened this past November for children suffering from Cerebral Palsy, Traumatic Brain injury and stroke based on published journal findings on Hyperbaric medicine for brain injuries in children.  We will be visiting with Tim Siegal who started Team Luke, Hope for Minds after his son’s tragic golf cart accident. We will end w...

Today we are talking about brain Aneurysms and will be visiting with Natalie Niekro who started the Joe Niekro Foundation after her father’s sudden passing from a ruptured aneurysm. And We will end with a short discussion finishing up Chapter 2 of our current focus book “Suffer Strong” by Katherine and Jay Wolf and, in particular, discuss hope as an anchor in our lives. Guest Website: https://www....

Today we are going to be talking about the UCSF Pediatric Stroke Research Center and three of their current research projects headed by Dr. Heather Fullerton.  We will visit with guest Jennifer Odell whose beautiful son Brayden gained his wings just days after his AVM rupture and learn what is important to families during this difficult time.  We will end with a short discussion on part one of Cha...

Today we are going to be talking with guest Sherri Logan who started The AVM Research Foundation with her husband Mark and we will end with a short discussion on the second half of Chapter 1 of our current focus book “Suffer Strong" by Katherine and Jay Wolf. The AVM Research Foundation’s mission is to raise funds for AVM awareness, with their biggest goals to 1) create a way for early detect...

Today we are going to be talking about something many parents consider for their child who has a disability: service animals! We are going to go over the general ADA rules as well as the steps to take and things to consider when deciding if a service animal is the right addition for your family. Our guests are Terry and Nancy Cadel who own River’s Edge Dog Academy—a business who has been training...

Today we are going to get caught up on some Awareness Month information and statistics. Our guest on the show is Amy Danner, who is the mother of an AVM Survivor and Epilepsy warrior. We are going to end with a short discussion on the prologue and chapter 1 of our current focus book “Suffer Strong: How to Survive Anything by Redefining Everything" by Katherine and Jay Wolf. Guest Page:  https...