The Mighty Podcast

Advocacy, Education, and Managing a Rare Blood Cancer

Donna, a retired speech-language pathologist and public-speaking teacher who has been living with polycythemia vera (PV), a rare, chronic blood cancer known as a myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN), joins Peg Squier, M.D., Ph.D., Group Vice President, U.S. Medical Affairs at Incyte, to discuss Donna’s journey with PV since diagnosis. Tune in as they share advice for patients who are looking for new options to help manage their MPN and the importance of being an advocate. This episode of The Mighty Podcast is sponsored by Incyte. Episode Transcript: https://bit.ly/3y3LQYO

Should I Enroll In a Mental Health Clinical Trial?

Let’s talk clinical trials, shall we? (Spoiler alert: One of our guests on this episode has been enrolled in one for 33 years! 🤯) In this episode of The Mighty Podcast, host Ashley is joined by Jackie Scott and Peter J. Franz, Ph.D. to explore the world of mental health clinical trials. Jackie is a speaker with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, creator of the PS Project, and mental health advocate living with depression. Pete is an assistant professor at Yeshiva University and Albert Einstein College of Medicine. He conducts research on depression, suicide, and other topics related to mental health. Together, the trio discusses Jackie’s involvement in her longstanding clinical trial for her depression related to her lack of serotonin, Pete shares his experience as a researcher — including some of his work on suicide reduction — where he tested whether reading other people's lived experiences could be used as a therapeutic resource, and both share their wisdom for anyone considering if a clinical trial is the right fit for their mental health journey. This episode touches on suicide and suicidal ideation. If this is triggering, be sure to avoid these sections of the episode: 6:17-8:21 and 20:25-20:47. If you live with depression, take this pre-screener to see if you’re eligible to participate in the Juniper study: https://bit.ly/3sdrCsx A transcript (and more!) can be found on The Mighty: https://bit.ly/40OB4j8 This episode is sponsored by Otsuka.

Period Pain Points

Do you ever feel like riding a horse while on your period? Neither do we, but apparently period product commercials believe we do (and we have #opinions!). In this episode of The Mighty Podcast, host Ashley is joined by Camara, Shruti, and Skye to talk about the “taboo” experience that is having a period. They discuss societal “norms,” what doctors do – and specifically don’t – know, and just wait to hear some of the go-to euphemisms we use when it’s that time of the month.

Going More Than Skin Deep

For being the body’s largest organ, skin conditions sure do have a mixed reputation. (Insert joke here about them being flaky.) In this episode of The Mighty Podcast, host Ashley gets under the skin (well, metaphorically) of guests Camara Rauen, Shruti Shivaramakrishnan, Skye Gailing, and Katia Budak to talk about their respective skin conditions. While they do discuss the physical symptoms of their diagnoses — eczema, rosacea, acne, and keratosis pilaris — they also dive into how those conditions impact their mental health as well as their relationships with the skin they’re in. Come for the validation, stay for Shruti and Katia's incredibly detailed masterclass in skin care 101. A transcript of the episode is available here: https://bit.ly/3EhYkLV

The Light and Dark of Life With Migraine

Why have one podcast host when you can have three? In this episode, Mighty host Ashley talks with Kat and Skye, the co-hosts of our new sister podcast Health & (un)Wellness, about their experience living with migraine. Learn more about each of their migraine stories as well as what the neurological disease has stolen from (and given to) them. They will also give an inside scoop about the first season of Health & (un)Wellness, which centers an unfiltered deep dive on what it means to live with migraine; from work to home, mental health to misconceptions. Get a preview of the season’s incredible roster of guests, and find out what oddities Kat and Skye each have stashed in their purses right now! Listen to Health & (un)Wellness: https://bit.ly/46msVVg