Category Archives: Medical Event

72: Kate White on seriously listening to her body

March 15, 2022 by angelansantillo

In 2016, Kate White was having a lot of pain but at the time she didn’t think it was a lot. What happened a few months later made her realize she needed to take her pain seriously and that’s when everything shifted. In the presence of her purring cat Penny, we talk about women’s health, women’s bodies, and how a series of diagnoses finally allowed Kate to understand herself. Connect with Kate on Instagram

Categories: Illness, Medical Event, Mental Health, Parenthood, Trauma, Women's Issues

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68: Lorna Rose on her unexpected pregnancy

January 19, 2022 by angelansantillo

After genetic testing early in her second pregnancy, Lorna Rose learned her baby screened positive for a serious genetic disorder. When told she didn’t have to carry the baby, Lorna’s reaction to that statement changed her outlook and beliefs. We talk about guilt, high risk pregnancy, and the complexities of motherhood. Lorna Rose is a Pacific Northwest writer and speaker. Her narrative nonfiction and poetry have been recognized by Pacific Northwest Writers Association and the Oregon Poetry Association, and have appeared […]

Categories: Family, Love, Medical Event, Parenthood, Women's Issues, Writing

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62: Welcome to Season Three, let’s chat shall we?

November 9, 2021 by angelansantillo

Welcome to Season Three! It’s been a while since I’ve released an episode and there’s a reason for that. So let’s catch up and kick off the season with where I’ve been. It’s a story about mental health, long recoveries, and a bit about my audio destroying cat. Additional Resources Episode 1: Angela Santillo on changing stories and making a podcastEpisode 33: Kate Wallinga on being one in four million Want to be a guest? Submit your info. Follow And […]

Categories: Medical Event, Mental Health, Podcasting, The Mind, Trauma

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Season Two: Ending with a thank you

May 19, 2020 by angelansantillo

Thirty episodes with guests from around the country and the world, Season Two has been quite the ride. A quick look back at the unexpected moments and a big thank you to the people who shared their stories, the listeners who tuned in, and to the incredible leadership at Voice for partnering with the show for And Then Suddenly; Rising Voices. And the season ends with a huge thank you to the healthcare workers who impact our lives, with special […]

Categories: And Then Suddenly; Rising Voice(s), Medical Event, Podcasting

60: Elizabeth Howard Phillips & Kenneth Phillips on their bright light

April 22, 2020 by angelansantillo

After learning the fifth round of IVF didn’t work out, Elizabeth Howard Phillips realized she couldn’t keep putting her body through treatments. Less than two years later, Kenneth Phillips found himself nervously driving Elizabeth and their adopted baby away from the hospital. From their hotel room in Florida, we talk about their journey through infertility, the craziness that comes with adopting a baby during a pandemic, and their new bright light Eleanor. Additional Resources Connect with Elizabeth Howard Phillips Instagram […]

Categories: Family, Grief & Loss, Love, Medical Event, Most Listened To, Parenthood, Trauma, Women's Issues

58: Katherine Cooper on the slow burn of 2020

April 6, 2020 by angelansantillo

From her grandfather’s passing on January 2nd to a friend’s death in February to a global pandemic in March, the year 2020 has been a slow moving fire for Katherine Cooper. We talk about how she is navigating this collection of sudden moments during an unprecedented time and what it means to grieve “the right way.” Additional Resources Harvard Business Review: “That Discomfort You’re Feeling is Grief” Katherine Cooper on Instagram

Categories: Family, Grief & Loss, Medical Event

52: Stacy Walsh on finding the good

January 22, 2020 by angelansantillo

In May 2017, Stacy Walsh (& then write podcast) was home sick on the couch when her Dad called to say her Mom felt like her legs weren’t working in the shower. Later that day her Mom was diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumor and things rapidly changed. We talk about how her Mom became a different person, the stress of dealing with stage 4 glioblastoma, and how Stacy has worked to see the good in a bad situation. […]

Categories: Family, Grief & Loss, Illness, Medical Event, Parenthood, Trauma, Writing

51: Hellen Beyioku-Alase on using her voice to help Deaf women in Nigeria

January 7, 2020 by angelansantillo

As a Deaf woman in Nigeria, Hellen Beyioku-Alase heard stories about the discrimination in hospitals towards the Deaf community but it wasn’t until her first pregnancy that she experienced how bad the problem was. After being ignored in the waiting room and a difficult birth, she decided to advocate for Deaf women and girls. We talk about her work to get sign language interpreters into hospitals and what she is doing so all Deaf women know their rights. *This interview […]

Categories: Activism, And Then Suddenly; Rising Voice(s), Disability Rights, Family, Medical Event, Parenthood, Women's Issues

48: Maureen Ava Mata on finding power in disability in the Philippines

December 3, 2019 by angelansantillo

This episode is part of a special series: And Then Suddenly; Rising Voice(s) Maureen Ava Mata was eighteen when she was diagnosed with bone cancer and had to have her leg amputated. Her new life as a disabled woman changed her outlook, her family, and the views of her community. Now a cancer survivor, we talk about her mission to challenge misperceptions and advocate for fellow disabled persons in the Philippines. This episode is in honor of International Day of Persons […]

Categories: Activism, And Then Suddenly; Rising Voice(s), Career, Disability Rights, Family, Illness, Medical Event

46: Mohamed Magassa on representing

November 6, 2019 by angelansantillo

Mohamed Magassa was in 7th grade when he got a STEM magazine that showed a picture of a white surgeon. Without a second thought, he closed the page. Years later, when he was considering a career in medicine, he thought back to that moment. Now studying to be a surgeon, we talk about why representation matters and his mission to inspire others in his Bronx community through H.O.O.D. Productions. Additional Resources H.O.O.D. Productions on Instagram February-May 2020: H.O.O.D. workshops and […]

Categories: Activism, Career, Medical Event, Race

45: Amelia Kent on talking about the hard road

October 29, 2019 by angelansantillo

At twenty-three weeks, Amelia Kent had a miscarriage and she was faced with an experience and grief people don’t know how to talk about. Wanting to bring a common experience into the open, she shares how the event impacted her relationships, her farm, and why it’s important in today’s economy to be a farmer talking about personal issues. Additional resources Amelia Levin Kent Kent Farms on Facebook Louisiana Farm Life: Amelia Kent – Ivy League Farmer Discusses Mental Health

Categories: Career, Family, Grief & Loss, Love, Medical Event, Parenthood, Women's Issues

41: Ou Vanda & Rizal Balatbat on helping older people in Cambodia and the Philippines

October 1, 2019 by angelansantillo

This episode is part of a special series: And Then Suddenly; Rising Voice(s) READ THE TRANSCRIPT FOR EPISODE 41 In celebration of International Day of Older Persons, I talk with two guests who are using their retirement to help fellow senior citizens. After a career working in Cambodian hospitals, Ou Vanda was painfully aware of the health issues facing older people in her country. Upon his return to the Philippines, former educator Rizal Balatbat found himself learning about senior issues and […]

Categories: Activism, And Then Suddenly; Rising Voice(s), Career, Family, Grief & Loss, Illness, Medical Event, Podcasting, Politics

39: Mary Jo McConnell on finding her voice

September 18, 2019 by angelansantillo

In October 2014, Mary Jo McConnell was walking across the street when she was hit by a car. After having surgery on her broken leg, she was left to navigate New York City on crutches and had to figure how to manage her professional acting career during her recovery. An army veteran and former nurse, for the first time she felt powerless. We talk about the series of events that led her to different theaters, new experiences, and the inspiration […]

Categories: Career, Medical Event, Military Veteran, The Arts

33: Kate Wallinga on being one in four million

August 6, 2019 by angelansantillo

In 2010, Kate Wallinga (Ignorance Was Bliss podcast) gave birth to her third child and didn’t feel right. After being dismissed by her doctors, she learned she had a serious infection from being exposed to strep in the delivery room. Out of the four million women who give birth every year, only 100 get this kind of complication and only one of those women survive. We talk about the medical emergency that changed her mind, her life, and the new […]

Categories: Illness, Medical Event, Parenthood, Podcasting, The Mind, Trauma, Women's Issues

27: Uyen Trinh on stopping an autopilot life

April 2, 2019 by angelansantillo

Two years ago, Uyen Trinh was diagnosed with type 2 Diabetes and it forced her to reconsider her relationship with her body and every relationship in her life. As a refugee from Vietnam and growing up in foster care, she realized she had become the ultimate caregiver at the sacrifice of herself. We talk about self-care, what it takes to advocate for yourself, and how she reversed her diagnosis through a ketogenic diet.

Categories: Family, Illness, Immigration, Love, Medical Event, Trauma

26: Paul Griffin on instant change

March 20, 2019 by angelansantillo

In 1993, Paul Griffin unexpectedly lost his father and instantly everything changed. While dealing with grief for the first time, he began to do the work that would later become his theater organization, The Possibility Project. We talk about fathers, love and loss, and what it takes to be wise. Additional Resources The Possibility Project Website Instagram Facebook

Categories: Family, Grief & Loss, Medical Event, The Arts

25: Julie Dombo on surviving

March 5, 2019 by angelansantillo

Julie Dombo was at an AT&T store in Derby, Kansas when she was shot during a robbery. That event on August 11, 2015 led to an extensive hospitalization and left Julie as a quadruple amputee. We talk about her totally changed life, the optimism needed to carry on, her mission to share her story, and America’s relationship with guns. Additional Resources Wichita Public Schools (video): Julie Dombo at Heights High School – March 13, 2018 The Wichita Eagle: Julie Dombo […]

Categories: Activism, Family, Medical Event, Politics, Trauma

19: Susan Fritz on life ten years later

January 21, 2019 by angelansantillo

On her 30th birthday, Susan Fritz said something to her husband that changed everything. A week later, Dan passed away from cancer and her life as a nomad began to take shape. Ten years has passed and she has been all over the world. We talk about the useless cliches around illness, how time offers new perspective, and why she is so excited to turn 40. Additional Resources The Telegraph: “Happy Birthday song and its strange past”

Categories: Career, Family, Grief & Loss, Illness, Love, Medical Event, Most Listened To, Trauma, Travel

15: Chris Tatem on listening to the political divide

December 10, 2018 by angelansantillo

In September 2016, Chris Tatem (Cross Examined Life podcast) was in a hospital waiting room when the sound of the television became incredibly loud and all he could focus on was the two political pundits on the screen. As he watched them personally attack each other, he wondered if there is a better way we can disagree. We talk the current political divide, how the language we use gives us permission to do extreme things, and what it takes to […]

Categories: Activism, Career, Family, Love, Medical Event, Podcasting, Politics

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14: Becky Curran on changing the world with her story

December 4, 2018 by angelansantillo

While sailing in August of 1999, disability advocate Becky Curran felt numbness in her legs. It was the first sign of a progressive condition that could take away her ability to walk. After a successful back surgery, she encountered social changes as her friends in high school started excluding her because of her size. We talk about her life as a little person, misconceptions about the disabled community, and her mission to change the world for the next generation through […]

Categories: Activism, Disability Rights, Medical Event, Trauma

10: Bill Monroe on getting better (and not getting best)

November 6, 2018 by angelansantillo

READ THE TRANSCRIPT FOR EPISODE 10 Bill Monroe (Strokecast podcast) is a Generation X stroke survivor. He talks about what on June 4, 2017, his ongoing recovery, and how he has become a marketing guy who knows way too much about neurology and neuroplasticity. Part One of my special Brain Double Header. Listen to Part Two: Stephan Wolfert on rewiring the brain with Shakespeare and science Additional Resources Bill Monroe: Strokecast Strokecast Episode 28: The Slow Road to Better Ted Talk: Jill Bolte Taylor, […]

Categories: Career, Disability Rights, Illness, Medical Event, Mental Health, Podcasting, Science, The Mind, Trauma

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08: Duncan Payne on being in the belly of the whale

October 23, 2018 by angelansantillo

Thirteen years ago, former teacher and lawyer Duncan Payne had a heart attack. We talk about strange responses to emergencies, how things forever change, and the fears that emerge and vanish after being in the belly of the whale. Additional Resources The Poetry Society: Jonah’s prayer by Aviva Dautch Smithsonian Magazine: “Could a Whale Accidentally Swallow You? It Is Possible” Joseph Campbell: A Hero with a Thousand Faces

Categories: Career, Family, Illness, Medical Event, Trauma

01: Angela Santillo on changing stories and making a podcast

September 17, 2018 by angelansantillo

Meet your host as she introduces the show’s content and format. A writer and produced playwright, she talks about the moment a serious medical emergency disrupted her life and led her to pursue a different kind of story.

Categories: Career, Illness, Medical Event, Podcasting, The Arts, Trauma, Writing

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