Black Blood Heals
The Black Blood Heals Podcast explores the stories of heroic Black donors who have saved lives and Black patients in need of life-saving stem cell and bone marrow transplants. Hear from Black doctors about disparities in healthcare affecting the Black community and learn how you can take action to save a life and change outcomes for patients battling blood cancer, sickle cell disease and other life-threatening diseases.
Episodes
35 episodes
From blood stem cell donor to employee: Altonet’s full-circle story
Altonet joined the donor registry as a university student and years later received the call that would change her life. She was a blood stem cell donor match for someone in need of transplant. In this episode, Altonet shares her don...
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Season 5
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Episode 4
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18:26
“I can thrive now”: Meet 12-year-old Kelsey and her mother
Life wasn’t always easy for 12-year-old Kelsey. Born with sickle cell disease, she had her first sickle cell crisis when she was just 11 months old. Throughout her childhood she had more than 35 hospital stays and approximately 25 blood transfu...
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Season 5
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Episode 3
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24:40
How Donna is embracing life after blood cancer
On this episode of Black Blood Heals, we’re bringing back one of our all-time favorite guests, Donna! Donna is a blood stem cell transplant recipient who we featured on an episode last year with her blood stem cell donor, Tiana. Tod...
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Season 5
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Episode 2
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20:46
First no, then yes: One man’s story of regret and redemption as a blood stem cell donor
Why would someone refuse to donate blood stem cells once, but then accept to become a donor later? On this episode of Black Blood Heals, we talk to Jeremiah who turned down the first request he got to become a donor. In a full circle moment, he...
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Season 5
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Episode 1
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21:47
From Donor to Recipient: The Critical Social Science of Stem Cell Matches
Welcome to "Black Blood Heals," the podcast that delves deep into the revolutionary world of blood stem cell therapy. Today's episode, brought to you by NMDP, explores the profound intricacies of donor-recipient matching with a special focus on...
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Season 4
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Episode 3
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30:08
Black Blood Heels: Season Four Recap and Future of Stem Cell Donor Registry
Welcome to the Season Close Out of Black Blood Heals. In today's episode, our host, Tamara Weston, reflects on the impactful conversations and insights shared this season. She highlights the diverse range of guests, from physicians discussing t...
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Season 4
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Episode 10
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14:39
Inside the Life of a Stem Cell Donor: Eboni Nash's Story
Welcome to Black Blood Heals, where we highlight the impactful stories of blood stem cell donors. In today's episode, our host, Tamara Weston, sits down with Eboni Nash, a recent donor, to walk us through her donor journey and share...
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Season 4
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Episode 9
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26:37
The Pediatric Perspective: Gene Therapy's Promising Path with Dr. Arnold
Welcome to "Black Blood Heals," the podcast spotlighting the cutting-edge advancements in treatments for inherited blood disorders. In today's pediatric-focused episode, we are honored to have Dr. Staci Arnold, a pediatric hematologist and onco...
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Season 4
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Episode 8
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30:24
Exploring Ethnicity's Influence on Stem Cell Transplants
Welcome to "Black Blood Heals," where we explore the groundbreaking world of blood stem cell therapy. In today's episode, brought to you by NMDP, we are joined by Dr. Edward Ziga, an esteemed pediatric specialist in blood marrow transplant and ...
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Season 4
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Episode 7
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24:31
Unpacking Health Equity in Transplant Access
Welcome to another engaging episode of Black Blood Heals. Today, our host, Tamara Weston, is joined by Karla Dawson, the program manager on the health equity team at NMDP. They delve into the crucial topic of access to transplants and the servi...
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Season 4
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Episode 6
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23:37
Mobilizing the Youth: Empowering College Students to Make a Difference through NMDP Registry
Welcome to another episode of Black Blood Heals. In today's show, we delve into the important work of engaging young people in joining the blood stem cell donor registry. Our host, Tamara Weston, sits down with Armani Oliver, a soph...
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Season 4
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Episode 5
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25:18
Increasing Diversity in Stem Cell Donor Registry: The Role of African American Men
Welcome to Black Blood Heals, a groundbreaking podcast exploring the world of blood stem cell therapy. In today's episode, sponsored by NMDP, we shine a spotlight on the pressing need for African American men to join the donor registry. Joining...
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Season 4
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Episode 4
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26:02
A Match for Life: The Critical Need for Diversity in Stem Cell Donor Pools
Welcome back to "Black Blood Heals." with host Tamara Weston. In today's episode, we dive into the critical world of stem cell donation and transplantation. Our esteemed guest, Dr. Brandon Blue, a hematologist-oncologist, brings his inval...
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Season 4
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Episode 2
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30:08
The Gift of Life: Donna and Tiana's Unforgettable Encounter
Welcome back to Black Blood Heals. This week your host Tamara Weston explores the inspiring story of Donna and Tiana. Tiana, a selfless stem cell donor from Ohio, shares her journey of joining the registry and becoming the life-saving match for...
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Season 4
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Episode 1
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30:42
Providing Emotional Support to Stem Cell & Bone Marrow Donors
In today’s episode you’ll be joining Tamara Weston as she discusses the mental preparation required to become a member of the stem cell registry and the potential consequences of choosing not to go forward with a stem cell transplant when you a...
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Season 3
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Episode 11
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39:31
It Takes a Village to Raise a Child with Sickle Cell Disease
Imagine being the mother of three children with a life threatening disease. A disease that doesn’t care about age, time or place. How do you bottle the strength, the faith and the will to beat a disease that doesn’t fight fair? Today Tamara Wes...
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Season 3
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Episode 10
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37:16
How a Bone Marrow Transplant Gave Jermaine Reid a Second Chance at Life
Welcome back to Black Blood Heals. This week your host Tamara Weston is joined by Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) survivor and Be The Match advocate, Jermaine Reid. It’s been 13 years since Jermaine was diagnosed with AML and treated with a bone m...
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Season 3
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Episode 9
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43:16
How HLA Typing is Used to Identify a Stem Cell Match
Welcome back to Black Blood Heals by Be The Match. This week, your host Tamara Weston is joined by Stephanie Lerach, senior immunogenic specialist at Be The Match. Stephanie and her team work with Be The ...
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Season 3
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Episode 8
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40:21
Advocacy for Stem Cell Research with Be The Match
Welcome back to Black Blood Heals with your host, Tamara Weston. This week Tamara is joined by Jocelyn Thompson, an advocacy specialist with Be The Match. In this episode you’ll get a chance to learn more about the government relationships that...
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Season 3
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Episode 7
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31:38
Beating Sickle Cell: Winning With Faith and a Bone Marrow Transplant
This week on Black Blood Heals, Tamara Weston is joined by Constance Benson 10 years after the bone marrow transplant that saved her life and cured her of sickle cell anemia. Choosing to receive the bone marrow transplant wasn’t an easy decisio...
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Season 3
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Episode 6
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35:06
From Swab to Biorepository: How Does Be The Match search for a Match.
Welcome back to Black Blood Heals. This week Tamara Weston is joined by Jessica Henry, manager of the Biorepository Services at Be the Match. Today they are talking about what happens once you swab and send your sample back to Be the Match.
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Season 3
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Episode 5
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18:48
Donating Stem Cells and Bone Marrow: Risks and Myths
Welcome back to Black Blood Heals, this week your host Tamara Weston is joined by Dr. Elizabeth Stenger, a pediatrician with further training in hematology-oncology (blood cancer and blood and marrow transplants). Dr. Stenger is also an assista...
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Season 3
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Episode 4
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40:04
The Process of Bone Marrow Donation with Antonio Russell
Welcome back to Black Blood Heals. This week Tamara Weston is joined by Antonio Russell, a recent donor who’s here to tell his story from the day he joined the registry to the day he donated 26 years later. Tamara and Antonio are going to bust ...
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Season 3
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Episode 3
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32:23
Here to Listen: How Be The Match is Showing up for African American Communities
Welcome back to Black Blood Heals. This week, your host Tamara Weston is joined by Chelsy Shoger, marketing research manager at Be The Match. Learn how Chelsy and her team work specifically to engage the community and encourage them to op...
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Season 3
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Episode 2
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34:31