Talk! with Audrey

Many of us may likely know someone living with Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) and not even realize it. In fact, a genetic, progressive form of PKD, known as auto-somal polycystic kidney disease, or ADPKD, is the most common inherited kidney disorder you’ve likely never heard of. Joining me today in honor of PKD Awareness Day, is Dr. Meyeon Park, a leading nephrologist with the University of California San Francisco.

This year, more than 175,000 people in the U.S. will be diagnosed with a blood cancer, such as lymphoma, leukemia, or myeloma. Dr. Caron Jacobson, Medical Director, Immune Effector Cell Therapy Program at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, joins me to discuss potentially life-saving therapy treatment options for patients with certain difficult-to-treat or advanced blood cancers.

Equifax, one of the leading credit reporting agencies, was recently sued in federal court in Virginia for including false information on credit reports.  That court - the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia - approved a nationwide Settlement with Equifax related to claims that it included inaccurate information on its credit reports tax liens and civil judgments, including how they were disposed (or described) or that did not belong on the credit reports. Consumer law attorney, Jim Francis joins me  to discuss the recent settlement, consumers rights, and how and why to check your credit report.

Up to 11% of new breast cancer cases are initially stage IV or metastatic. While there have been many advances in treatment, metastatic breast cancer remains incurable. Despite treatment advancements, metastatic breast cancer continues to take the lives of approximately 113 people in the US every day. Dr. Denise Yardley Senior Investigator, Breast Cancer Research Program, Sarah Cannon Research Institute at Tennessee Oncology has some positive news for advanced breast cancer patients.

As homes have become school for millions of children, parents across the country are caring for families in new ways. With the extra time at home comes extra time to involve kids in the day-to-day chore responsibilities, To find out why today’s parents are struggling to engage their children in household chores, Whirlpool enlisted the help of a developmental psychologist and a child development expert  joining me  with the results of the research paper and some help, lifestyle expert and mom Brooke Parkhurst.

With the current state of school closures, families in communities throughout the US who rely on schools for their children’s meals are at risk of experiencing food insecurity. As a result, food agencies have experienced a growing need to provide food for children who have been released from annual school schedules due to COVID-19. This has resulted in record lows for food bank inventories across the country. Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communication at Grocery Outlet Layla Kasha, joins me with information about the current state of food banks across the country, and details about Grocery Outlet’s 10th Annual Independence from Hunger (IFH) National Food Drive Campaign.

The College Board has launched College Board Opportunity Scholarships with 5 million dollars of scholarships each year. It started with the class of 2020 and is open now for the class of 2021. This isn’t your typical scholarship program! Lacey Allen, Associate Director of Scholarships Strategy at the College Board has the details.

As millions of Americans continue to spend unprecedented amounts of time at home, it also means spending more time with their pets – including cat owners with cat allergen sensitivities. A team of innovative scientists has developed a new way to manage allergens through cat food. Dr. Kurt Venator, Chief Veterinary Officer, Purina  joins me to talk about the science behind this breakthrough and he has some tips for bonding with your cat while managing cat allergens at home.

Approximately 44 million Americans are uninsured, making it nearly impossible for them to regularly fill their prescription medications and get regular access to healthcare. Even many of those with health insurance – more than 40% - still find that it doesn’t always cover every type of medication or healthcare service. This often results in people making the difficult decision to forego medically necessary medications and skip doctor visits due to cost. Tori Marsh MPH, public health expert and Health Insights Analyst for GoodRx joins me to talk about what Americans can do when health insurance doesn’t cover your healthcare needs.

Prior to the pandemic, the disability community advocated to work from home, as a reasonable accommodation, and was often denied.  Ongoing stay-at-home orders in many U.S. states and cities have normalized working from home and modified work schedules. Managers are seeing that being in the office is not the only path to collaboration and creativity. The new workplace environment is a ‘silver lining’ that may create employment opportunities for people with disabilities. My guests are David Shurna, No Barriers USA executive director and Kathy Martinez, Disability and Accessibility Strategy for Wells  Fargo.

Every year, close to 800,000 Americans have a stroke. Even during a pandemic, stroke is a life-threatening medical emergency and health officials and medical groups across the country, including the American Heart Association, are urging people to seek immediate medical attention. Joining me with the signs and symptoms, world-renowned stroke expert Dr. Patrick Lyden, Professor of Neurology at Cedars-Sinai – Los Angeles.

The ESSENCE Festival, is an unprecedented weekend of cultural celebrations, empowerment seminars and nightly musical performances by top tier artists is regarded as the event of the year for black talent and culture.  For the first time ESSENCE Festival 2020 is going to be virtual. Head of Brand Strategy and Growth Audience Marketing at Ford Motor Company, Raj Register joins me to talk about their commitment to African American women, their presence at ESSENCE Festival and what we can expect to see from the panel discussions.

Patients with autoimmune diseases are at higher risk for severe complications of COVID-19 which means that social distancing guidelines may be in place for autoimmune patients longer than the general public, joining me with information about a new online platform to offer personalized resources and unite patients with Myasthenia Gravis in a time of social distancing,  Dr. Ericka Greene, Program Director, Neurology Residency and Neuromuscular Medicine Residence, Houston Methodist Hospital in Houston, Texas and Rachel Higgins, patient and Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America Community Leader, from Austin, Texas.

We all love our pets and want to keep them healthy. Merck Animal Health created the BRAVECTO Cares program, which focuses on the wellness of family pets and also supports National Education for Assistance Dog Services, NEADS® – an organization that trains service dogs. Joining me to discuss the program and share some pet wellness tips are veterinarian and U.S. Army Major with the Veterinary Corps, Dr. Mark Pelham, and NEADS® service dog trainer, Becca Hill.

It’s no secret that loneliness among our older adult population was at an all-time high even before COVID-19.  With orders to stay at home blanketing the nation, the issue of isolation and loneliness was magnified. Cox Communications addressed this issue head-on with their One Call a Day volunteer program. To tell us all about it, Cox Broadcasting Order Management, San Diego volunteer and mom of 4, Cynthia Fletes and her friend Lucy, 82 years young and grandma to 19.  We talk about how the program has made a positive impact on their lives.

Businesses across the country are preparing to reopen their offices, and with that, health and safety has become the number one priority. Workplace solutions expert and Vice President, Members and Brand at The HON Company, Jennifer Petersen joins me has insight into what the traditional office setting will likely look when employees return to work.

Dr. Cherian Karunapuzha discusses the impact of Tardive Dyskinesia (TD) and how it can cause physical changes that may lead to functional and emotional changes.

Dr. Jay Shubrook, is a board certified Family Physician and a Fellowship Trained Diabetologist.He provides clinical care at Solano County Family Health Services and NorthBay Diabetes and Endocrine Center and Director of Clinical Research and Diabetes Services, Touro University California, College of Osteopathic Medicine. We talk about COVID, diabetes and testing.

The current pandemic has upended so many aspects of everyday life, but for people considering pregnancy or already pregnant, those changes can feel even more overwhelming. Women’s health expert and genetic counsellor Julia Wilkinson has some specific steps you and your partner can do during this time while you’re at home to make sure you’re ready for your next appointment – either via telemedicine or in person.

Have you packed on a few pounds recently and want to shed a few pounds? Conventional diet wisdom tells us we should avoid carbs, have an early dinner, and never eat before bedtime. My guest is fitness expert, nutritionist, and BioTrust Co-Founder, Joel Marion. He's authored the book Always Eat After 7 PM: The Revolutionary Rule-Breaking Diet That Lets You Enjoy Huge Dinners, Desserts, and Indulgent Snacks—While Burning Fat Overnight and he tells us all about it.