Heart2Heart Talk with Mary Burrell

Episode: #4 Guest: Dr. Prashanth Venkatesh Topic: Healthcare Navigation | Cardio-Oncology | Heart Valve Disease The treatments that saved your life shouldn't be the ones that sideline your heart. If your symptoms are being dismissed as 'stress' or 'aging,' it’s time to change the conversation. In this episode, host Mary Burrell sits down with Dr. Prashanth Venkatesh (Smidt Hear...

Episode: #3 Guest: MARY BURRELL Topic: Healthcare Navigation, Caregiving & Invisible Labor When the system fails to communicate, the caregiver becomes the bridge. But what happens when that bridge is stretched to the breaking point? In this episode, host Mary Burrell addresses the "empty chair" at the table, a powerful metaphor for the invisible labor and exhaustion that define the m...

Episode: #2 Guest: Ken Aster Topic: Carcinoid Heart Disease, Rare Disease Advocacy & Invisible Battle When a neuroendocrine tumor silently triggers a 'hormone storm,' your heart valves become the collateral damage. How do you lead a business when your body is fighting a war no one can see? In Episode 2, host Mary Burrell is joined by Ken Aster, Co-Founder of Prosum and a Southern Calif...

Episode: #1 Guest: LESLIE MOORE Topic: Mantle Radiation & Hodgkin Lymphoma This episode explores the long-term heart effects of mantle radiation, Hodgkin lymphoma treatment, and radiation-related heart valve disease in cancer survivors. For many cancer survivors, ringing the bell at the end of treatment feels like the finish line. But for some people, the story doesn’t end there. In this openi...

Welcome to Season 3 of Heart to Heart Talk — where we speak from the heart, for the heart. This episode dives into something every patient faces at some point: the words we hear in healthcare. Language can build trust… or break it. Mary shares the moment she was handed a long consent form she couldn’t understand — sick, scared, and overwhelmed. That moment changed how she sees communication in med...

S3 E5 — Patients: The Table We Never Had Welcome to Season 3 of Heart to Heart Talk — where we speak from the heart, for the heart. This episode digs into a truth patients have felt for decades: Most of the decisions in healthcare and research happen without us — even though they’re about us. For too long, patients haven’t had a real seat at the table. Mary reflects on her own journey from two yea...

Welcome back to Heart2Heart Talk, where we speak from the heart, for the heart. This season, we’ve been pulling back the curtain on clinical trials — what works, what needs fixing, and what it feels like to walk this road as a patient or caregiver. In this episode, we’re talking about what happens when research finally crosses into real life: 👉 How does innovation move from a lab… to an actual be...

Welcome to Season 3 of Heart to Heart Talk — where we speak from the heart, for the heart. This season, we’re digging into the real challenges inside clinical research: trust , access , delays , and what it actually feels like to wait for new treatments as a patient. In this episode, we’re opening the curtain on something everyone wonders: 👉 Why does it take so long for new treatments to reach re...

Welcome to Season 3 of Heart to Heart Talk — where we speak from the heart, for the heart. This season, we’ve been talking about some of the toughest parts of clinical research: trust, ethics, access, and what it actually feels like to go through all of this as a patient. In this episode, we’re pulling everything together and looking ahead: 👉 What does real patient-centered research look like? 👉...

Welcome to Season 3 of Heart to Heart Talk — where we speak from the heart, for the heart. This season, we’re digging into clinical trials, trust, access, and the real human stories behind the science. And we’re kicking things off with a powerful conversation about why so many patients feel unsure about research — and what it actually takes to rebuild trust. Mary is joined by Dr. Marlyn Panchoo-Br...

In the powerful season finale of Heart2Heart Talk , we return to Tori Lundgren and her family—months after she became one of the first patients at OHSU to undergo the CardioBand procedure for tricuspid valve disease. Joined by her adult children, Amanda and Elijah, this episode is raw, emotional, and full of wisdom. Together, they reflect on the aftermath: the victories, the setbacks, and the ment...

In this powerful episode of Heart to Heart Talk , Mary Burrell sits down with Linda Coelho , devoted daughter and caregiver to heart valve disease survivor Barb Schneider . Together, they peel back the curtain on what it really means to be a caregiver navigating the medical system—through open-heart surgeries, clinical trials, and complications doctors didn’t always catch. Linda shares the emotion...

In this inspiring episode of Heart to Heart Talk , Mary Burrell sits down with Barb Schneider , an 87-year-old heart valve patient whose story is equal parts courage, recovery, and purpose. Barb shares her powerful journey through two open-heart surgeries for mitral valve disease , a tricuspid valve replacement , and a brave step into a clinical trial that changed her life. Despite the complicatio...

In this powerful roundtable episode of Heart to Heart Talk , host Mary Burrell is joined by Azure Burrell and Katherine Jones to shine a light on the heart health crisis facing Black women . With raw honesty and lived experience, they explore the medical bias, missed diagnoses , and systemic disparities that too often leave Black women unseen, unheard, and untreated. Together, they share personal...

In this deeply personal episode of Heart2Heart Talk , host Mary Burrell shares the origin story behind the podcast—and the woman who helped her believe it was possible. Joined by Katherine Waddell , podcaster, coach and founder of This Needs to Be Said Media , the two reflect on mentorship, trust, healing after illness , and what happens when someone sees your potential before you can. Mary opens...

In this compelling episode, we dive into the heart of patient advocacy —the real work, the emotional weight, and the ripple effect it creates across healthcare. Our conversation explores the challenges patient advocates face , the courage it takes to share personal health stories, and how these stories have the power to reshape healthcare policies, systems, and clinical culture . We discuss why pa...

In this powerful Season 2 episode of Heart to Heart Talk , host Mary Burrell opens up about the moment that changed everything: when Emmy Award–winning filmmaker Beryt Nisenson saw the power in her story—and helped bring it to life. Together, they reflect on the making of Mary’s patient documentary, the emotional healing that came from telling her story, and the deep connection between storytellin...

In this inspiring episode of Heart to Heart , host Mary Burrell shares her own journey of self-discovery, healing, and growth —and the people who made it possible. She reflects on the powerful impact of having the right support at the right time: the planters who speak life into our potential, the nurturers who walk with us during hard seasons, and the harvesters who help us step into our purpose....

In this episode of Heart to Heart , Mary Burrell sits down with Elijah, son of heart valve patient Tori Lundgren, for a candid conversation about the often-unseen role of young caregivers . Elijah shares his experiences supporting his mom through heart valve disease , upcoming CardioBand procedures , and the emotional intensity of showing up during medical appointments . Together, they explore the...

Amanda— daughter of heart valve disease patient Tori Lundgren—shares her powerful story as a young caregiver navigating the challenges of her mother’s tricuspid valve regurgitation and upcoming CardioBand procedure . In this episode of Heart to Heart , Amanda opens up about the emotional toll of caregiving for a heart patient , the critical role of self-advocacy in healthcare , and the importance...

Tori Lundgren shares her powerful patient journey as she prepares for the innovative CardioBand procedure to treat tricuspid valve regurgitation —a serious form of tricuspid valve disease . In this intimate conversation, Tori reflects on multiple heart surgeries , the emotional impact of living with chronic heart disease , and the faith, courage, and hope that carry her forward. We explore the rea...

Patient engagement isn’t just about being heard — it’s about driving real change. In this episode of Heart 2 Heart Talk , I sit down with Robyn Peacock to talk about how organizations like Heart Valve Voice US are helping patients shape policy, fight for clinical trial access, and prove that patient voices don’t just belong in the room—they belong at the table . We unpack: 🫀 How patient voices ar...

What happens after survival? In this powerful episode of Heart 2 Heart Talk , I sit down with Berkeley Barnett , Director of Policy & Advocacy for Heart Valve Voice US, to explore how healing can open the door to purpose. We dive into questions like: 🫀 How do you go from surviving to speaking up? 🧠 What pushes someone to become an advocate? 💬 What are the silent battles no one talks about?...

They didn’t just save my life — they helped me find my voice. In Part 3 of my story, I open the door to what happens after survival—when the fight to stay alive becomes the fight to make it matter. This episode of Heart 2 Heart Talk is about more than healing. It’s about stepping into purpose, rising from the ashes, and discovering what your life was always meant to say. 💬 Mary’s Story, Part 3: (...

Before EVOQUE gave patients like me a second chance, it started with a team who refused to believe the tricuspid valve was too forgotten to save. In this roundtable episode of Heart 2 Heart Talk , I sit down with Sid, Katie, and Scott —three of the hearts behind the EVOQUE valve innovation. We talk about the moments no one saw: the doubts, the breakthroughs, the setbacks, and the quiet belief that...