HSCT Warriors

Warrior: Bonnie McKenzie Snowflake: Multiple Sclerosis HSCT: 7.10.18 Superpower: divine positivity How thick is the fog on your brain? How clearly are you able to think and plan? When gearing up for a significant procedure, how well do you prepare for recovery? After years of experiencing symptoms without answers until finally receiving a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis in 2016, Bonnie experienced...

Warrior: Jay Blankenfeld Snowflake: MS Caregiver HSCT: March 18, 2018 Superpower: “Knowledge we could not do it alone” How do you shift focus from self to other when faced with taking on the role of caregiver? When you ask your neurologist about HSCT as an option for treatment, what is their reaction? Do you have what it takes to construct space for success? Meet Jay, a proactive planner who made...

Warrior: Chris Snowflake: CIDP (chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy) HSCT: August 14, 2018 Superpower: ability to walk again Have you ever lingered on the brink of life? Or wondered why diagnosis by exclusion takes so long? How much energy would you have to spin your wheels? Meet Chris, a physical therapist familiar with physical movement, injury, and the understanding that when numb...

Warrior: Alison Coates Snowflake: AIMS Charity HSCT: Caregiver Superpower: Dedication Have you considered the possibilities of traveling abroad to pursue HSCT to halt your autoimmune disease? Are you striving to overcome obstacles like funding or researching HSCT? Meet Alison, a caregiver for her warrior husband who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2010 and experienced significant declines...

AI: RRMS HSCT: Chicago, scheduled in March 2019 Superpower: walk with God Where do you find confidence to move forward? How do you take the reins and find the right mindset? Who do you consider to be family? Join us along Katie’s Hope Journey and learn from this interview with our first HSCT Hopeful. After spending 9 years battling multiple sclerosis, Katie found the mindset and the communal suppo...

*This episode contains content that may be alarming to some listeners, including mentions of suicidal ideation. Please check the show notes for more detailed descriptions and take care of yourself* Warrior: Cassidy V. Chapman AI: Multiple Sclerosis HSCT: July 15, 2019 Superpower: Passion for bringing awareness to HSCT To what extent are you an over-achiever? How open are you to receiving support f...

Warrior: Rachel Gallery AI: Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy HSCT: Oct 19, 2020 Superpower: Empathy Do you consider yourself a lucky person? How often do you receive treatment for autoimmune disease? How layered is your circle of support? After spending nearly a year with strange symptom progression, a neurologist was finally able to diagnose Rachel when IVIG helped to offset some...

Warrior: Erin Schoenlein AI: Multiple Sclerosis HSCT: March 15, 2020 Superpower: energy to help other people How wide is your view? Do you know what it feels like to be well? For how long have you been distanced? Having been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease in high school, Erin is no stranger to advocacy for well-being and the importance of spinning challenges into positive opportunities. Alth...

Warrior: DeWayne Durr AI: Multiple Sclerosis HSCT: Oct 29, 2020 Superpower: Confidence How supported do you feel? To what extent do you think about each step that lies ahead? Continuing from where we left off in this two part episode, tune in to learn from DeWayne as he shares more about his experience navigating his return to work, changes with his diet, and considerations for health and wellness...

Warrior: DeWayne Durr AI: Multiple Sclerosis HSCT: Oct 29, 2020 Superpower: Confidence Check-in with DeWayne to hear more about his experience as the first patient to receive HSCT for Multiple Sclerosis at the Cleveland Clinic. With so many details about his experiences with the myeloablative protocol of the BEAT-MS study, including securing insurance coverage, the staff and his in-patient experie...

Warrior: Vic Bonilla AI: Multiple Sclerosis HSCT: October 2020 Superpower: unbreakable resolve Have you ever felt like an observer of your life? Have you stared down the barrel of mortality? Is the patience you have with others, the same, greater, or less than the patience you have with yourself? Within a few months of being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, Vic was connected with someone who was...

Warrior: Joceline AI: Multiple Sclerosis HSCT: soon in 2021? Superpowers: doing nothing How comfortable are you with uncertainty? Are you able to leave the unknown alone? How do you find patience when you find yourself on the brink? Picking up where we left off in this two-part episode, tune in to learn more about how Joceline reacted to the idea of incorporating a wheelchair as an assistive devic...

Warrior: Joceline AI: Multiple Sclerosis HSCT: soon in 2021? Superpowers: doing nothing How do you establish trust in the systems? How many doctors have you fired? How do you find patience when you find yourself on the brink? After initially being brushed off by doctors, once diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, Joceline found she wasn’t interested in pursuing medication for what she felt doctors kn...

Warrior: Chloe Zallen AI: Relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis HSCT: Oct/Nov 2020 Superpowers: self-love Are you able to recognize your limitations? Are you aware of your stressors? As a traveling cardiac specialist with experience at several hospitals, Chloe found herself in an extremely stressful environment with a lot of fear incited by the uncertainties of her MS. When she suddenly had numbn...

Warrior: Christy Miller Kuziensky AI: MS HSCT: February 2021 in Monterrey Superpowers: patience and trust in Clinica Ruiz Have you been fortunate enough to find confidence in your big decisions? How has patience served you along your journey? Are you comfortable showing up with no expectations? With arm numbness that led to her diagnosis at the age of 24, Christy experienced some time without many...

Warrior: Ovi James AI: PPMS HSCT: February 2021 Superpower: Strength, Bravery, Grit, Courage When faced with adversity, are you able to advocate for yourself? Are you someone who can find gratitude often? What gifts can you share with the world? After years of terrible headaches and issues with standing and walking, Ovi ended up losing her job and her home which caused significant relapses that re...

Warrior: Ali Roberts AI: Multiple Sclerosis HSCT: 11/6/17 Superpower: Gratitude Our season openers would not be the same without checking in with Ali Strong about her experiences post-HSCT with diet and nutrition, exercise, mindset, wellness, and personal challenges to continue promoting wellness, health and longevity. Check in with Ali to reflect on all that has changed during her experience with...

As we near the launch of our sixth season, revisit this special episode with our hostess zen Jen and her lifelong friend Jessica of Radically Rooted Yoga and Lifestyle Center in a guided meditation practice to extend gratitude and loving kindness to healthcare professionals and others on the front lines of the covid-19 pandemic. Founder of Radically Rooted, Jessica Lichaa started exploring the int...

Warrior: Kevin Keplinger Snowflake: RRMS HSCT: February 23, 2017, Northwestern Memorial Hospital Superpower: Novena to St. Jude When facing the unknown, are you curious about possibilities or do you fear uncertainties? What is the part of your journey that has become too familiar? How can we support each other to mobilize for different outcomes? If you’ve ever been curious to know more about poten...

zWarriors: 'Zen' Jen & Sara Leah Snowflake: RRMS HSCT: October 18, 2017, Northwestern Memorial Hospital Superpower: Zen Do you embrace life’s challenges with open arms? One step at a time? As you find your way along your journey, do you pause to reflect in the moment and express gratitude for those who are along with you? Learn more about the journey of our very own “Zen” Jen, as she shares the mi...

Snowflake: RRMS HSCT: July 11, 2018, Northwestern Memorial Hospital Superpower: Connections How positive is your outlook? How empowered do you feel by your faith and innate resilience? When life seems scattered like a puzzle, how do your pieces fit together? Tune in to learn more about how Cecilia embraces a positive mindset, regular mantras, and her lens of love to face any challenge that present...

Warrior: Anna Wise Snowflake: RRMS HSCT: 2/23/17 at Northwestern Memorial Hospital Superpower: Running How bright is the light you shine on your present situation? What are you committed to, without any doubts or hesitation, to achieve your “next best life”? After hearing a “no” from her first attempt at HSCT, Anna remained open to try anything (including experimenting with mesenchymal stem cell t...

Warrior: Julie Eberhardt Snowflake: RRMS HSCT: February 19, 2018, Northwestern Memorial Superpowers: Empathy and ability to “not sweat the small stuff” Are you a goal-oriented person who likes to create plans and back-up plans to the plans for every aspect of life? Have your plans been significantly detoured by your experience with autoimmune disease? As a young warrior with brilliant energy, Juli...

Warrior: Karin Snowflake: Systemic Lupus HSCT: December 10, 2015, Northwestern Memorial Superpower: Empathy Do you tend to put yourself last on your to-do list? Have you ever been at the point in your life when you realize, “This is for the birds!” or feel ready to get on with it [life] already? Karin’s experience with Systemic Lupus left her bandaged and barely recognizable. Failed medication aft...

Warrior: Ron Gabrielli Snowflake: RRMS HSCT: May 6, 2017, Puebla, Mexico Superpower: Advocacy for HSCT Have you ever learned something that left you at a loss for words? Found yourself tied to the railroad tracks looking for a way to stop the oncoming train? Meet Ron, a warrior who invested in the “short term pain for long term gain” of HSCT and found courage to face his fears, doubts, and misconc...