Living Healthy Together

What really happens during a mammogram? What does it mean to be called back for additional imaging? And does breast density really matter? 

Dr. Lucy Lane, a radiologist and public health expert specializing in breast imaging, tackles these questions and more while discussing risk factors, screening guidelines and the realities of modern mammography. Along the way, she debunks common misconceptions about breast cancer, including the belief that family history is your primary risk factor, and explains why screening can reduce the risk of dying from the disease by up to 40% 

Whether you’re prepa...

Breast Cancer is the most common cancer among women in Vermont, yet fewer women are getting screened. 

Join cancer researcher Sarah Nowak of University of Vermont Cancer Center to discuss troubling new research that highlights declining mammography rates across Vermont – and what those trends could mean for women’s health. 

We explore how shifts in national screening guidelines, changing perceptions of risk, personal experiences and broader health care trends may be influencing women’s decisions about breast cancer screening. The conversation also examines the lasting effects of guideline changes made more than a decade ago and what...

You’ve recognized the symptoms. Now what actually helps? 

Continue the conversation on perimenopause with Colleen Horan, MD; Kirsten Berggren, NP; and Karin Ward. Together they explore treatment options, lifestyle changes and the importance of making self-care a priority rather than an afterthought. 

Whether you’re considering hormone therapy, looking for help feeling more like yourself again, or simply wondering what options exist, this candid conversation blends medical expertise and personal experience to offer practical strategies that can make a difference. 

What if, at a time when the world expects you to be at the top of your game, you suddenly stopped feeling like yourself, but couldn’t figure out why? 

Join us for the first of a two-part series exploring Perimenopause and the often-overlooked challenges that come with it. Obstetrician and Gynecologist Colleen Horan, MD, and nurse practitioner Kirsten Berggren, NP – both certified menopause providers – and educator Karen Ward lead an honest conversation exploring a transition that millions of women begin every year, but is rarely discussed with the same openness as puberty or pregnancy. 

Through...

Infectious disease physician and researcher Peter Hyson, MD, is looking for new treatments to one of the fastest-growing tick-borne diseases in the northeast: babesiosis. 

Caused by a parasite that infects red blood cells, babesiosis shares similarities with malaria and is becoming increasingly common across Vermont and northern New York. 

Dr. Hyson explains why cases are rising, how changes in tick populations are reshaping disease risk, and what scientists are learning about the environmental and public health factors driving these trends. He also explores the current challenges of treatment, why some patients experience more severe illness an...

Could a tick bite make you allergic to red meat? 

Lyme disease is just one of several tick-borne health threats emerging across the Northeast. Continue the conversation as Natalie Kwit and Patti Casey take a closer look at the diseases ticks carry and the growing public health challenges they present. 

Natalie and Patti explore Lyme disease, babesiosis, ehrlichiosis, alpha-gal syndrome and other emerging health concerns linked to tick bites. You’ll learn why Vermont remains one of the nation’s highest-incidence states for several tick-borne diseases, how changing environmental conditions may be influencing disease patterns, and wh...

Ticks are a growing public health concern across Vermont and the Northeast, but many don’t understand how they live, spread and transmit disease. 

Natalie Kwit, Vermont Public Health Veterinarian, and Patti Casey, Vermont Agency of Agriculture Environmental Surveillance Program Director, explain the fascinating and often misunderstood world of ticks. From their unique life cycle and feeding behavior to the role wildlife plays in spreading tick-borne pathogens, this conversation offers a behind-the-scenes look at the tiny arachnids that are reshaping public health across the region. 

You’ll learn how ticks move through the environment, why some s...

E-bikes are changing the way people get around: offering new opportunities for transportation, recreation and independence. But as their popularity grows, so do questions about safety, especially for children and teenagers. 

Living Healthy Together sits down with pediatric critical care physician Dr. Rebecca Bell, MD, MPH, and injury prevention specialist Stephanie Busch, AEMT, CPSTI, to explore this growing conversation. Together, they discuss what e-bikes are, how they differ from traditional pedal bicycles, why injuries are increasing nationwide, and what parents need to know before purchasing one for their child. 

The conversation covers rider readiness, age re...

What happens when your body’s built-in cooling system can’t keep up? 

Emergency medicine physician Dr. Robert Inglis joins Living Healthy Together to explain how the human body regulates temperature, why extreme heat can become dangerous, and what happens when that delicate balance begins to fail. From dehydration and heat exhaustion to serious cardiovascular stress, heat-related illness affects far more than comfort. 

You’ll learn how heat impacts your heart, kidneys and other vital organs, why humidity can be just as important as temperature, and how medications, chronic health conditions and age can increase your vul...

Wildfire smoke is no longer just a problem for the western United States. 

Join University of Vermont researcher Christina Barsky and Moms Clean Air Force public health manager Elizabeth Bechard as they explore the growing impacts of wildfire smoke on our region and discuss the heightened risks facing children, pregnant people, older adults, outdoor workers and individuals with chronic conditions. 

Learn what emerging research reveals about respiratory illness, cardiovascular health, pregnancy outcomes and long-term health effects – and how wildfire smoke and extreme heat can combine to create especially dangerous conditions. 

Christina and Elizabeth also...

Heat isn’t just uncomfortable. It can be dangerous. 

Join University of Vermont researcher Elizabeth Doran to explore how heat and humidity affect communities and daily life across Vermont and the Northeast. From heat stress and heat stroke to the challenges faced by older adults, renters, outdoor workers and people with chronic health conditions, we examine why the emergence of extreme heat is one of the most important public health issues of our time. 

You’ll learn why the first major heat wave of the year can be especially dangerous and how local research is helpin...

Migraine affects far more than your head. 

In the third part of our migraine series, headache specialist Adam Sprouse-Blum, MD, and Katie MacDonald, executive director of Miles for Migraine, explore what life is like with migraine and how treatment has evolved dramatically in recent years. 

From brain fog, sensory overload, nausea, facial pain and aura to the invisible burden of chronic migraine, this conversation reveals why migraine is one of the most misunderstood neurological diseases in the world. You’ll learn how migraine is diagnosed, when to seek help, why some patients go years without rece...

What happens when a disorder often dismissed as “just a bad headache” begins to shape every aspect of your life? 

In part two of our series on migraine, we sit down with Katie MacDonald, executive director of Miles for Migraine and a longtime migraine patient, to explore the realities of living with a chronic neurovascular disorder. 

Diagnosed as a teenager, Katie shares how migraine progressed from occasional attacks to daily symptoms that ultimately changed her career path, her routines and her outlook on life. 

We discuss the challenges of living with an invisible illness...

Migraine affects more than one billion people worldwide, yet it remains one of the most misunderstood neurological disorders in medicine. Migraine is often dismissed as “just a headache,” but it is a complex brain disease that can impact vision, thinking, sensory processing, daily functioning and quality of life. 

Neurologist and headache specialist Rebecca Burch, MD, explains what migraine really is, why it affects women at disproportionately high rates, and how decades of stigma have shaped public understanding of the world’s most common neurological disorder. 

You’ll learn about visual aura, the latest research exploring how migrai...

Can music improve your health? Decades of research suggests the answer is ‘Yes’. 

Explore the growing field of music therapy and the remarkable ways music is being used as a clinical tool to support healing, reduce anxiety, manage pain and improve quality of life. Board-certified music therapists Maggie Connors, MT-BC, and Danica Cunningham, MT-BC, of Golisano Children’s Hospital at UVM Health explain how evidence-based music interventions are helping pediatric patients navigate medical procedures, cope with hospitalization, regulate emotions and reconnect with a sense of normalcy during some of life’s most challenging moments. 

You’ll learn how...

What does it take to remain grateful during a lifetime of hardship? 

We sit down with Francisco Herrera of University of Vermont Medical Center as he shares his remarkable life’s journey defined by perseverance, family, and gratitude: From growing up in the Dominican Republic, helping to support his family as a child and surviving life-threatening challenges to building a career as a firefighter, investigator, health care worker, mentor and community member. 

Through hunger, personal loss and professional disappointments, Francisco chose hope over anger or bitterness. His story is a powerful reminder that gratitude isn’t rese...

What if your health choices aren’t really your own? 

Join us as we explore the powerful ways for-profit interests work to shape what we eat, drink and believe through product design, marketing and public policy influence. From tobacco to ultra-processed foods, industries have long leveraged science, psychology and messaging to drive consumption and decision-making, often at the expense of public health. 

Eva Zaret, MPH, of Central Vermont Medical Center breaks down the development and evolution of these profit-driven systems: from sugar research funded by corporate interests that reshaped nutrition science, to engi...

How far can your body and mind really go? 

Explore the world of extreme endurance running with clinical dieticians Amanda Gibbs of University of Vermont – Alice Hyde Medical Center and Joni Gerken, RD, of Adirondack Health. 

Lifelong runners and endurance athletes, Amanda and Joni share their journey from traditional races to ultramarathons, events that push athletes far beyond the 26.2 miles that make up a classic marathon. Learn what it takes to train for these extreme events, including the balance of physical preparation, mental resilience, and foundational nutrition. 

From running mountain trails to tackling 100-kilo...

High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, affects millions of people. Managing it takes more than monitoring your blood pressure readings. Clinical care, nutrition, lifestyle changes and every day challenges all play a role. 

Alison Hobart, FNP, a primary care provider, and Rachel Lorek, RD, a clinical nutritionist and director of Food and Nutrition Services at Central Vermont Medical Center, explain why high blood pressure is one of the most common (and preventable) chronic conditions. They break down how lifestyle changes, medication and food choices can work together to reduce a person’s risk – and how small chang...

Hospice Care is often misunderstood, feared or delayed – and the cost of waiting is measured in missed moments. In this episode of Living Healthy Together, explore hospice through the deeply personal stories of families and caregivers, and the insights of professionals who guide families and individuals through some of life’s most intimate and ubiquitous experiences. 

Leendert Huisman, whose wife Johanna passed away at McClure Miller Respite House after a long battle with cancer, reflects on his wife’s end-of-life journey. He shares how hospice care brought calm, clarity and dignity along with skilled medical care, emotional reassur...

A stroke is a medical emergency in which every second matters. This week on Living Healthy Together, we explore how awareness, rapid treatment and coordinated care and clinical support can change everything. 

Genie Denton of Central Vermont Medical Center shares her powerful personal experience surviving multiple strokes, joined by her husband, Steven Harnois, a firefighter and longtime EMT. Genie recounts the subtle and often confusing symptoms that nearly went unnoticed, and how quick action and timely treatment made a life-changing difference for her. 

Christopher Commichau, MD, director of Cerebrovascular Disease, Neurocritical care and the Stroke Ce...

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is unpredictable, often invisible and lifelong. For those living with this spectrum of conditions, every day can be shaped by pain, uncertainty and the need to constantly adapt. 

We explore the realities of IBD through the decades-long medical journey of Joshua Peets, a North Country resident and Crohn’s disease patient, and the clinical expertise of members of the care team at the Chron’s & Colitis Center at UVM Medical Center. 

Shruti Khurana, MD, a gastroenterologist and the founder/director of the Center, and Jeremy Dressler, MD, a colon and rectal surgeon, describe how IBD ca...

What does it take to build a medical practice that lasts not just decades, but generations? Join us as we visit Green Mountain Family Practice in Northfield, Vermont, and explore the human connections and experiences that form the core of family medicine for the Sullivan family, over the course of a hundred years. 

Craig Sullivan, MD, began caring for families in Northfield in 1983, practicing medicine in a small town where care extends beyond clinic walls and trust and lifelong relationships with patients defined family medicine. Dr. Sullivan shares stories and insights drawn from a career shaped by house calls, h...

Health information is everywhere: online resources, third-party apps on your smartphone, artificial intelligence-driven chatbots; even the patient portal to your electronic health record. 

So why does understanding and using health information remain a challenge for millions of Americans? And how does communication, trust and misinformation shape health care experiences for patients and providers alike? 

Join Chrissy Keating, health literacy specialist at UVM Medical Center, as we explore why nearly nine in 10 adults struggle with health information; hear volunteer patient and family advisor Susanna Stinnett and patient engagement partner Vicki Mascareno-Nelson discuss how lived experiences improve patient-provider communi...

Preventing child maltreatment is complex, and everyone has a role to play. Child abuse and neglect affect every community. In this episode of Living Healthy Together, we mark Child Abuse Awareness Month by bringing together medical experts, foster parents, forensic specialists and community leaders to explore how we can keep children safe and how prevention truly works. 

James Metz, MD, a pediatrician, division chief of child abuse medicine and director of the Child Safe Program at Golisano Children’s Hospital, explains why child maltreatment is more common than many childhood illnesses; the role of pediatricians and how multidisciplinary...

Occupational Therapy helps people do the everyday things that make life meaningful, from getting dressing and preparing meals to returning to work, driving and caring for family. 

On this episode of Living Healthy Together, we celebrate the impact occupational therapists have on lives across our region, and explore how this collaborative, relationship-focused approach to rehabilitation made a difference for three patients dealing with vastly different challenges. Together, these stories reveal how occupational therapy goes beyond rehabilitation, helping people reconnect to purpose, preserve dignity, and take control of their everyday lives. 

Vermonter Brian Stevens shares his journey of...

Alcohol is deeply woven into American culture and its health risks often go unrecognized or minimized. Join us as we explore alcohol use disorder as a major public health issue impacting our region. 

You’ll hear from clinicians, public health experts, recovery professionals and a Vermonter who shares his lived experience on how alcohol affects individuals, families and communities across Vermont and northern New York. 

Peter Jackson, MD, director of the Addiction Treatment Center at UVM Medical Center, and Mallory Richardson, a certified recovery roach with Turning Point of Central Vermont who works in the emergency departmen...

Bone issues and injuries affect millions of Americans, often without warning. Join us as Living Health Together hosts a wide-ranging conversation about osteoporosis, low bone mass, and why bone health is a critical but often overlooked part of lifelong wellness. 

Hear from experts in orthopedics, physical therapy, nutrition, primary care and gynecolocy about how bones grow, weaken and respond to stress; what puts you most at-risk for fractures and bone health issues; and what you can do to build and protect strong bones at every stage of life. 

Orthopedic nurse practitioner Deborah Brown, FNP, explores how bone healt...

What happens when personal loss sparks not just grief, but the desire to ensure no one dies alone? In this episode of Living Healthy Together, sit down with Louella Richer, manager of palliative care support services at University of Vermont Health - Porter Medical Center, and explore her deeply personal journey through caregiving, grief and healing. 

After caring for both parents through terminal illness, and losing them both in 2009, Louella transformed trauma into purpose through creative expression, memoir writing, yoga and ultimately a career in palliative care. She now leads a team of more than 100 volunteers who provide c...

Each year since 2022, University of Vermont Healthy and the University of Vermont bring together clinicians, students, community leaders, educators, artists and advocates for the annual Health Equity Summit – a gathering focused on advancing equitable, person-centered care across Vermont and northern New York. 

In this episode we explore what health equity truly means, why it matters, and how it shows up in homes, hospitals, classrooms and communities. Hear from Summit organizers Taylor Small of UVM Medical Center and Hajar Anvar of UVM Health - Home Health and Hospice about the summit’s evolving vision and the growing role of community vo...

Artificial intelligence is reshaping medicine: Ambient documentation tools free clinicians to be fully present with patients; AI trained to read medical images helps speed diagnoses in critical moments; chatbots connect patients with clear and prompt information through messages via their electronic medical record. 

Medical artificial intelligence tools are reducing burnout, improving clinical workflows and raising important questions about trust, privacy and the future of care. In this episode of Living Healthy Together, UVM Health physicians discuss how artificial intelligence is tested, vetted and used across Vermont and northern New York. 

Join Dr. Justin Stinnett-Donnelly, Dr. Tim Lahey, Dr. Dan...

Advanced Practice Providers (APPs) – nurse practitioners, physician assistants, midwives, CRNAs and others – are reshaping how health care is delivered. In this episode, we sit down with APPs leaders and clinicians from across University of Vermont Health, to learn how these practitioners are impacting everything from the state and national policies that define APP clinical practice, to the team-based care models driving health care delivery. 

You’ll hear stories from practitioners across Vermont and northern New York who are advancing education, policy, mentoring emerging providers and redefining what modern, team-based health care looks like. From midwifery expansion serving rural communit...

Explore the rapidly evolving world of structural cardiology through the story of Dorsey Naylor of Jericho, Vermont. An avid cross-country skier, hiker and lifelong outdoor enthusiast, Dorsey’s life changed dramatically in 2023 when she was diagnosed with severe mitral and tricuspid valve regurgitation. Groundbreaking minimally invasive valve therapies helped Dorsey recover much of her heart function and mobility, ensuring she can continue to do the things that nourish her body and spirit. 

Structural cardiologists Harold Dauerman, MD, Tanush Gupta, MD, and Rony Lahoud, MD, share insight and expertise on two decades of innovation that have transformed treatment for o...

Even if you don’t have a rare cardiovascular condition or need specialized cardiac care, heart health impacts almost every aspect of your life. 

Join us for Heart Health on Living Healthy Together, as we sit down with experts in cardiovascular research, heart rehabilitation and prevention, exercise and nutrition related to cardiac health. As we celebrate Heart Month 2026, you’ll learn: 

Gabby Makatura remembers when her life reached a breaking point. After leaving a high-stress job for what was supposed to be a period of reflection and transition, anxiety and uncertainty took hold, leaving Gabby numb and disconnected. A series of escalating panic attacks left Gabby seeking care and support in the emergency department at UVM Medical Center; she was soon back at home and facing the same challenges. 

It wasn’t until Gabby’s mother, visiting from out of state, learned about Howard Center’s Mental Health Urgent Care Center in Burlington and convinced her to visit, that she foun...

In mid-2025, Jayme Richland of Burlington was facing multiple crises: a serious medical condition left neglected for too long had put his health – and his foot – at risk; years of living with substance use disorder had left him isolated and struggling to ensure his basic needs were met; and the sudden and looming threat of eviction while he was in the hospital recovering from surgery had put in jeopardy Jayme’s ability to continue getting the care and treatment he needed. 

Join us as Jayme shares his remarkable story of recovery and healing, and how after eviction he foun...

At 14 years old, Kian Ruid’s life was suddenly turned upside down by debilitating headaches so powerful he couldn’t even stand upright.  An MRI revealed the reason: a rare abnormality in Kian’s brain known as an AVM – a dangerous tangle of blood vessels that causes headaches, pain, vision problems and more, as well as posing serious risks for internal bleeding resulting in seizures, stroke-like symptoms, cognitive difficulties, movement problems and other life-changing impacts. 

Once doctors found the AVM entangled with the motor center of Kian’s brain, surgery quickly became an imperative, though it came with potential...

Our relationship with food is always changing. But one thing that doesn’t is its powerful impact on our health and wellness. Join us as we dive into the concept of Culinary Medicine, a paradigm-shifting approach to food and wellness at University of Vermont Medical Center that includes everything from the hospital’s nutritional services department, to specialty programs that support cancer patients, members of the community, individuals struggling with chronic pain and much more. 

Leah Pryor, Culinary Medicine manager at UVM Medical Center, breaks down how the program has grown and developed through the years, as well as...

Alexa Valyou has faced more health care challenges in her 8 years than most people do in a lifetime. She underwent her first heart procedure less than 24 hours after being born and her first open heart surgery when she was less than a month old. Since then, Alexa has had four more – along with 17 other heart procedures, near fatal brain bleeds, emergency brain surgery and more. 

Despite Alexa’s resilience and courage, routine medical appointments like blood draws and other diagnostic procedures often tested her resolve – until Alexa and her mother, Brittany, discovered The Comfort Zone at Golisano Childre...

Across America, heart disease causes nearly 1 million deaths each year. In Vermont and northern New York, tens of thousands are impacted annually. At UVM Medical Center, a small but mighty team of heart specialists has spent decades advancing cardiac care for patients and our understanding of the complex factors that impact heart health.

Join us to learn more about the paradigm-shifting work of the Cardiology team at our region’s only academic medical center. You’ll hear about a new biomarker test that gives physicians prescribing blood thinning medications more information than ever before, new treatments for the...