Taking a Breath: A Stop the Clot Podcast

Peak Athleticism is not easy to come by. It takes years of consistent and often grueling determination, will, skill and a drive that few possess. Even in the most ideal physical circumstances where health and bodily consideration is paramount, blood clots have a habit of finding their way through. On this episode of Taking A Breath we are joined by Professional Road and Track Cyclist Michael Matth...

Blood clots are unexpected. They arrive and shift your life down the path of the unimaginable. As parents, we do everything within our power to protect our children. When it comes to an unexpected clotting event, how do you navigate being there for your loved one? How do you reconcile with the sudden and immediate loss of a child?  In this episode of Taking a Breath, we’re joined by Sara Wassenaar...

Season 3 Episode 8 Life changes in ways you rarely expect and in the wake of these changes we try our best to take it all in and breath it all out. On the forever elusive path we find ourselves, even when the light is the furthest away, we can still find a spark of joy and laughter and know that no matter what’s to come, we can experience this moment, joyously.   In this episode of Taking a Breath...

Season 3 Episode 7 How do you endure the unimaginable experience of losing a child? Though the grief stays with you forever, knowing that your advocacy is shaping the landscape of blood clot prevention and saving countless lives the world over can at least shine some joy through the pain. In the memory of a beautiful life cut short, we can shine a light on what needs to be done and give others the...

How do you endure the unimaginable experience of losing a child? Though the grief stays with you forever, knowing that your advocacy is shaping the landscape of blood clot prevention and saving countless lives the world over can at least shine some joy through the pain. In the memory of a beautiful life cut short, we can shine a light on what needs to be done and give others the chance to live. 

Season 3 Episode 6 When experiencing the splendor and the intrigue of culture and communities halfway across the world, we’re reminded of the complex yet similar life experiences we all share. When it comes to blood clots, it takes a singular event to bring these miraculous journeys to a close. How do we protect ourselves from  the covert and dangerous experience of a clotting event?  In this epis...

Season 3 Episode 5 Who do you fight for? When instilling good in the world day after day, who gives you the strength to keep going? In this episode of Taking a Breath, Florida State Senator Shevrin Jones shares his journey as a multiple blood clot survivor as well as the tragic passing of his Brother to a blood clot in 2017. Alongside NBCA President Leslie Lake and NBCA Patient Liaison Todd Robert...

Season 3 Episode 4    Sometimes you are called to become the very guide you once needed. To take the devastation of a near-fatal blood clot and turn it into a roadmap that helps someone else get help sooner, heal stronger, or feel less alone.   In this episode of Taking a Breath , NBCA Board Member and clot prevention advocate Dan Walsh shares the story that changed his life — and how he learned t...

Season 3 Episode 3  Nothing resets the way you view the world like a close call or a brush with devastation. On this episode of Taking a Breath, we are joined by Newscaster, Father and Advocate, the exceptional Chris Gailus to discuss his experience with a complex clotting event, the reality of an unbelievably close call and what it means to be a an advocate as a survivor. With National Blood Alli...

Season 3 Episode 2 As we gain more insight into the realities of blood clots and examine the scientific truths behind these silent killers, we are able to adjust and explore the future of clot removal and lifesaving technologies. Even those of us who feel healthy cannot guarantee their exemption from this dark reality that presents itself to so many, day after day. On this episode of Taking a Brea...

Season 3 Episode 1  In a moment of crisis, we rely on our instinct, mobility and autonomy to parse and navigate split second decision making. In a moment when all you can do is wait for help to find you, how to you process the reality of an impossible situation? On this episode of Taking a Breath, we are joined by the exquisite Rebekah Bradford to discuss her journey from Olympic Hero to Blood Clo...

We talk a great deal about signs, symptoms and awareness in hopes of preventing blood clots. Even when armed with the knowledge and the skills, what happens when the suggestion of medical experts leads to the unexpected loss of a loved one? On this episode of Taking a Breath, we are joined by the exceptional Omari Maynard to discuss the life and legacy of Shamony Gibson and what advocacy looks lik...

What does it mean to be a leader? Though the ability to empower those around you through personal action and creative celebration is a gift few people get to share, how do you maintain that light through some of the most difficult days of your life? On this episode of Taking a Breath, we are joined by creative powerhouse Jevon Dewand to discuss his experience as a blood clot survivor  and what it...

What do you do when the moment of creative actualization is jeopardized by the silent and unceremonious rumblings of a clotting event? On this episode of Taking a Breath, we are joined by Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader, Dancer and Star of America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders , Charly Barby and her experience as a blood clot survivor . With National Blood Alliance President Leslie Lake an...

Going for Gold with Lauren Brzozowski : A Conversation on Persistence and Survival The road to an olympic medal is a road of diligence, consistency and sometimes heartbreak. How do you adjust from a moment of survival into a pillar of inspiration on the bob run and off. On this episode of Taking a Breath, we are joined by Team USA Bobsled Olympic Hopeful Lauren Brzozowski to discuss her experience...

Surviving the Impossible with Aaliyah Walker and Brady Arnold : A Conversation on Survival and Partnership When the odds are stacked against you, how do you navigate a future you were statistically not supposed to experience? How do you navigate the impossibility of a worst-case scenario when survivability fluctuates drastically from one minute to the next? On this episode of Taking a Breath, we a...

Traversing the Summit with Sage Canaday : A Conversation on Overcoming the Unexpected Like most professional athletes, knowing your body and its idiosyncratic tendencies is key. The built resilience and scaling effort comes down to knowing precisely the inner and outer workings of your own body. What happens when you're faced with the unfamiliar? What happens when it's life threatening? On this ep...

Finding Your Sunny Side with Loren Ridinger : A Conversation on Life After Loss    Where do you begin when starting over? How do you find the resilience to move forward when life as you know it is irrevocably changed?  On this episode of Taking a Breath, we are joined by Loren Ridinger to discuss the life and legacy of her late husband JR Ridinger as well as the launch of her new book Scrambled or...

A Second Act with Dave Hall : A Conversation on Survival   Clotting events are sudden. They can feel like something as mundane as a slight cough or a sore leg. When the symptoms begin, its only a matter of time before its too late.  On this episode of Taking a Breath, we are joined by News Anchor Dave Hall to discuss his experience of having a clotting event life on air and his journey post clot a...

Demanding Change with Teri Stanfield : A Conversation Grief and Advocacy  No parent should endure the guttural horror of losing a child. When all that you've lived for has been taken away, how do you find the strength and purpose on the road ahead?  On this episode of Taking a Breath, we are joined by Teri Stanfield to discuss the life and legacy of her late son Bryce Taggart Stanfield and what it...

Expecting the Unexpected with Michael Philbin : A Conversation on Resilience  On this episode of Taking a Breath, we are joined by Dr. Michael Phiblin to discuss his experience as a blood clot survivor in the wake of cancer survival. With National Blood Alliance President Leslie Lake and National Blood Clot Alliance Patient Liaison Todd Robertson alongside listeners like you, we will continue work...

A Legacy Honored with Deveraux and Kristie Hubbard: A Conversation on Remembrance and Community. The loss of a child is unimaginable. When faced with the impossible reality, how do you find strength to keep going? On this episode of Taking a Breath, we are joined by founders of The Second Foundation for blood clot awareness Deveraux and Kristie Hubbard to discuss the legacy and life of their late...

A Future Unknown with Todd Robertson : A Reprisal Conversation on Tedious Outcomes and Diagnosis Even when things feel stable and comfortable, tides still have the capacity to shift. How do you allow yourself to grieve, to be angry and to maintain hope in the face of the severe and unexpected? On this Season Two Premiere, we are once again joined by the host of this very podcast and National Blood...

In a world full of sporadic heartbreak and devastating happenstance, how to do we make the world a littleeasier on one another? Through community we, in turn, make life a little easier on ourselves. On thisSeason One Finale, we are joined by, as always,host of this very podcast and National Blood ClotAlliance’s Patient Liaison, Todd Robertson to share his story as a survivor and as a resource to t...