The Game On Glio Podcast

Cancer doesn't happen to just one person. It enters a marriage, settles into the quiet spaces, changes the conversations, and asks both people to become versions of themselves they never expected to meet. In this deeply personal conversation, guest Melissa Coulier opens the door to the side of cancer that often remains just outside the spotlight—the caregiving, the uncertainty, the fierce love, and the moments when simply putting one foot in front of the other becomes an act of courage.

Wife of actor Dave Coulier (best known for his character Joey on Full House), Melissa shares a glimpse into what it means to stand beside someone you love through a cancer battle while navigating everything that comes with it. Melissa, who grew up in nature, discusses how nature and movement have given her strength so she can continue be a strength for her husband, while also learning what it means to "wear many hats" as a caregiver. Her work in wellness (she is ACE certified pain free movement specialist) and owner of Recess Club gave her building blocks as a foundation to draw from-though she never knew how necessary movement would be until cancer entered her life.

Watch on our YouTube channel or listen anywhere you get your podcasts.

If you or a loved is impacted by brain cancer and you would like to see if you qualify for a clinical trial, please review the resource list on gameongliopodcast.com-or reach out to us via Instagram DM (@writelifestories).

If you like our show, please help us continue to grow and reach new listeners. Share our podcast with others and consider giving us a review on Apple and Spotify! And, please follow us on YouTube.

 

This season is sponsored by:

GammaTile Therapy (gammatile.com)

Curtana Pharmaceuticals (curtanapharma.com)

 

 

In this inspiring episode of Game On Glio, actress and pediatric cancer survivor Grace Wethor shares her remarkable journey of resilience, purpose, and hope after a life-changing diagnosis. Grace opens up about what it was like to be diagnosed with cancer at a young age, how she continues to navigate the uncertainty that comes with survivorship, and why she made the intentional choice to embrace life instead of living in fear.Together, we explore the emotional reality of living with the "not knowing."

Whether you're a cancer survivor, caregiver, advocate, or someone searching for hope in the midst of uncertainty, this conversation offers an honest and uplifting perspective on resilience, courage, and rewriting the script when life doesn't go according to plan. If you're looking for inspiration, meaningful conversations, or stories that remind you to live fully despite the unknown, this is an episode you won't want to miss.

 

Watch the video episode on our YouTube channel.

Follow us on IG: @writelifestories

 

Season Sponsors:

Curtana Pharmaceuticals (curtanapharma.com)

GammaTile Therapy (gammatile.com)

 

Do you know what insecure attachment styles are? What is the difference between secure and surviving? As someone with a graduate degree and years in the social work field, I didn't even know the answer to these.

So, I decided to find answers. It led me to a host of discoveries about what it means to have a childhood upbringing in a secure environment and how that leads to secure attachments in adulthood. But, more importantly, it led me to the realization that even if you grow up securely attached, trauma in adulthood can lead to issues with insecure attachment. Traumas like the death of a spouse.

Our guest today, Dr. Maika Steinborn, is a clinical and educational psychologist passionate about sharing uplifting and practical insights from psychology to help empower people to do what’s important  on the deepest level of their heart. With a deep understanding the nuances and complications of how lard life can be, she supports people in making sense of themselves and connecting with, unleashing and guiding their inner power. Her approach is based on the idea that with the right mindset, knowledge and skills, humans are much more capable of growth and happiness than we often assume.

 

She breaks all this down for us in today's episode and how we can move into secure attachments in all relationships and how to navigate healing over surviving.

Watch on YouTube or listen anywhere you get your podcasts.

 

This season is sponsored by:

GammaTile Therapy (gammatile.com)

Curtana Pharmaceuticals (curtana pharma.com)

 

This episode is supported by:

Highmark BlueCross Blueshield

Alpheus Medical

When Diane Pathieu first sat down with us, it was alongside her husband Nick. we talked about life, challenges, and everything in between. Since then, life has handed her a chapter she never asked to write—the loss of her husband.

This past year, Nick Adamski lost his battle with brain cancer. He fought his battle with courage, joy, humility, and honesty.

In this powerful return appearance, Diane joins us to talk candidly about widowhood, grief, love that doesn't end when a life does, and how we find our footing when the world shifts beneath us. It's heartbreaking, hopeful, and profoundly human.

Some stories deserve a sequel--we're incredibly grateful Diane chose to share her story with us. This is what life looks like after goodbye......

 

This episode is supported by our Premier Sponsors:

GammaTile Therapy

Curtana Pharmaceuticals

 

Our episode sponsors:

Highmark Bluecross BlueShield of WNY

Alpheus Medical

When you think of ultrasounds, you probably think of sonograms, pregnancy, mammograms, and gynecology. At least I do!

I never would have associated ultrasound with brain cancer-until now. Our guest today, Dr. Vijay Agarwal, CEO of Alpheus Medical, has developed an investigational therapy that pairs a tumor-accumulating drug with low-intensity ultrasound to achieve localized activation inside the brain — an approach sometimes referred to as sonodynamic therapy (SDT).

After the drug has accumulated, the Alpheus LIDU® system delivers low-intensity, diffuse ultrasound across the affected brain hemisphere.

Dr. Agarwal discusses with me why this technology pairs so well with treating brain cancer. He stresses the importance for more innovative ways to treat brain cancer, and why funding is so crucial to work of many companies like his. More importantly, he sheds light on his passion for this work and his hope for the future.

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Watch the video of this episode on our YouTube channel.

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Premier sponsors:

GammaTile Therapy

Curtana Pharmaceuticals

That Brainy Blonde! That's right, our guest today is That Brainy Blonde-Rebecca Devine.

How else would we kick off season 6 and brain cancer awareness month than with an eight year survivor of glioblastoma.

Rebecca's story is inspiring in so many ways, not least of which, her determination to find innovative ways to keep this cancer at bay. Rebecca's story is one of hope and resilience.

We have an intimate discussion around the clinical trial she did that has gotten her to where she is today. We also discuss her daily habits and how she views life from this different lens.

 

If you are looking for clinical trials our resource information-visit thegameongliopodcast.com

If you would like to work with us-visit writelifemediallc.com

 

Our premier sponsors for this season include:

GammaTile Therapy

Curtana Pharmaceuticals

 

Episode sponsors:

Alpheus Medical

Tactical Therapeutics

Highmark BCBS of WNY

It's fitting to end our 5th season with this interview. Every once in a while you come across a story that reminds you miracles do happen in this world. In covering such hard stories, it's easy to lose sight of the bigger picture.

I've learned from my own experience, and through others stories, that when we see or are faced with death up close, it has the tendency to shine a light on what we truly need to put our energy into. It brings the present moment into focus, and all other problems or future worries fade away. But, it does something else too- it reminds us we don't have control over everything that happens in our life, no matter how much we might want to believe we do.

That's what today's story is about. From aspiring high school baseball player with a potential for a future professional career, to brain cancer patient fighting for his life. Bryce Newman never expected his life would be put into hyper-focus, with only one single motivation-to live. By all accounts, fighting medulablastoma, one of the most aggressive pediatric brain cancers there is, takes the life within a couple of years. Not Bryce, not this patient, not this life. Nearly eight years on, and working towards his Master's degree in sports management, Bryce says, "The minute I was diagnosed, I put it in God's hands." He says he was calm, he trusted God. But he wasn't the only one. His entire school did too.

And from that one act, his life was seemingly spared. The movie "Miracle at Manchester", starring Eddie McClintock was then made Bryce found renewed purpose, founding Miracle Children's  Foundation.

Listen now or watch on YouTube.

 

Season Sponsors:

GammaTile (gammatile.com)

Imvax (imvax.com)

 

episode sponsors:

Highmark BCBS of WNY

Curtana Pharmaceuticals

Cypris Therapeutics

We all know how hard it is to feel out of place. To not know where we belong. Being part of a community, a tribe, is not only important for our physical well being but it's vitally important for our brain health and mental wellness!

Why am I talking about tribes and communities here on Game On Glio? Because-my friend, you are part of our tribe! You are never alone. You are part of this community. Seth Godin talks about tribes as being essential for growth and leadership. He also explains that in order to pursue something passionately one must have "Faith that leads to HOPE, and it overcomes FEAR. Faith is critical to ALL innovation.” This is important because it's this type of thinking and leadership that has led to some of the most innovative clinical trials out right now. One of those trials is the ReSPECT-gbm trial.

Today we sit down with Andrew Brenner, MD, PhD; a professor of medicine in the Division of Hematology and Oncology at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. A tumor biologist and oncologist, his focus is in drug development for the management of primary brain tumors and breast neoplasms. Dr. Brenner’s academic work focuses on both clinical cancer management and the development of novel therapies to treat breast and central nervous system tumors. 

And, Dr. Toral Patel who is an Associate Professor and neurosurgeon at the UT Southwestern Medical Center, specializing in brain tumor surgery, including malignant and benign tumors. Her expertise includes advanced surgical techniques like laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT) and she also holds a patent for nano-carrier research for central nervous system diseases.

Together, they discuss the importance of clincial trials and the why and how of ReSPECT-GBM and ReSPECT-LM trials.

If you like our show, please help us continue to grow and reach new listeners. Share our podcast with others and consider giving us a review on Apple and Spotify!

 

Season Premier Sponsors:

Imvax Inc. (imvax.com)

GammaTile (gammatile.com)

 

Episode Sponsors:

Cypris Therapeutics

Curtana Pharmaceuticals

Brockport Custom Carpets

 

What do you do when your partner is diagnosed with glioblastoma? In caregiver, Robert Marx's case, he and his wife made the most of the time they had. 

As a caregiver, Robert decided to approach care-giving in a very methodical, communicative, compassionate way. His advice- "Don't neglect your own well-being. Don't become patient B."

In this episode, we sit down with Robert, who hails from Germany and joined us from London UK, to discuss his late wife and how he has approached his grief and healing since her death.

 

We have a new recipe for you as we enter fall. Check it out on our YouTube channel at the end of this episode. Listen or watch on all our channels, Spotify, Apple, Audible, YouTube, iHeart Radio.

 

Premier Sponsors:

GammaTile Therapy

Imvax inc.

 

Episode Sponsors:

Plus Therapeutics 

Cypris Therapeutics

Chris Schuler is a fierce advocate for the brain cancer community, a journey that found him due to his experience losing his father to glioblastoma.

My take away from my interview with Chris is his perspective on his anticipatory grief compared to his mother's traumatic grief after his dad's death. The way Chris views the gift he was given during his dad's illness is an eye-opening take away.

A child of adoption, Chris feels he was meant to be adopted by the Schuler's, just as he was meant to help his mom care for his dad. His story on care-giving is beautifully told.

 

Season Sponsors:

GammaTile (gammatile.com)

Imvax Inc. (imvax.com)

 

Episode Sponsor:

Carthera Therapy