Well Beyond Medicine: The Nemours Children's Health Podcast - Nemours Children's Health

Latest Episodes:

Ep. 216: The Emotional Impact of Youth Sports Injuries Oct 05, 2026

Show notes

A sports injury can affect much more than a young athlete’s body. In this episode, Stephanie Pearce, MD, explores the emotional side of being sidelined, including the grief, frustration and loss of identity that can follow an injury. Dr. Pearce is a former Director of Sports Medicine at Nemours Children’s Health and a team physician for the U.S. Olympic Ski and Snowboarding Team. She shares how families, coaches and care teams can support young athletes through recovery, build resilience and help them return to the sports they love.

Watch the episode on YouTube.

Featuring:

Stephanie Pearce, MD, former Director of Sports Medicine, Orthopedic Surgery & Sports Medicine, Nemours Children’s Health, team physician, U.S. Olympic Ski and Snowboarding Team

Host/Producer: Carol Vassar

Views expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the host or management.
Subscribe, review or let your voice be heard at NemoursWellBeyond.org.

Ep. 215: The Science Behind Resilient Kids Sep 28, 2026

Show notes

Childhood adversity can affect health for a lifetime, but it does not have to define a child’s future. Robert Sege, MD, PhD, FAAP, Director, HOPE (Healthy Outcomes From Positive Experiences) National Resource Center, explores how positive experiences and supportive relationships can help children heal and build resilience. From safe, stable environments to emotional growth and a strong sense of belonging, these protective factors can shape healthier outcomes and create the conditions for children to thrive.

Watch the episode on YouTube.

Featuring:
Robert Sege, MD, PhD, FAAP, Director, HOPE National Resource Center

Host/Producer: Carol Vassar

Views expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the host or management.
Subscribe, review or let your voice be heard at NemoursWellBeyond.org.

Ep. 214: Creating the Conditions for Children to Thrive Sep 21, 2026

Show notes

What if the goal of children’s health went beyond treating illness to creating the conditions where every child can thrive? We explore what it means to invest in Whole Child Health and why healthier children require more than what happens in a doctor’s office with guest David Keller, MD, Professor of Pediatrics and Vice Chair for Clinical Strategy and Transformation, Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine and Children's Hospital Colorado, and Chair, Pediatric Policy Council. He discusses the role of families, schools and communities, and why the way we define, measure and pay for children’s health must evolve. Together, we explore how shifting from fixing problems to creating health can build a healthier future for children and their communities.

Watch the episode on YouTube.

Featuring:

David Keller, MD, Professor of Pediatrics and Vice Chair for Clinical Strategy and Transformation, Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine and Children's Hospital Colorado, and Chair, Pediatric Policy Council

Host/Producer: Carol Vassar

Views expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the host or management.
Subscribe, review or let your voice be heard at NemoursWellBeyond.org.

Ep. 213: Youth Suicide and the Lifesaving Power of Connection (Part 2 of 2) Sep 14, 2026

Show notes

What’s driving the alarming rise in suicide deaths among Black youth — and what can we do about it? In part two of our youth suicide prevention series, three experts examine findings from Pain in the Nation 2026 and explore how schools, health care systems, communities, and public policy can work together to create the conditions young people need to thrive.

Watch the episode on YouTube.

Featuring:

J. Nadine Gracia, MD, MSCE, President and CEO, Trust for America’s Health

Sandro Galea, MD, DrPH, Physician, Population Health Scientist, Author, Margaret C. Ryan Dean, Eugene S. and Constance Kahn Distinguished Professor in Public Health, WashU Bursky School of Public Health

Mallory Garnett, PhD, Clinical Psychologist, Nemours Children’s Health

Host/Producer: Carol Vassar

Views expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the host or management.
Subscribe, review or let your voice be heard at NemoursWellBeyond.org.

Ep. 212: Youth Suicide and the Lifesaving Power of Connection (Part 1 of 2) Sep 07, 2026

Show notes

What can we do to better understand and prevent suicide among young people? In part one of our two-part series, Christine Yu Moultier, MD, Chief Medical Officer, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, explores what science tells us about youth suicide risk, including the protective power of belonging, the impact of loneliness and social media, emerging concerns around AI chatbots, and how adults can start a potentially lifesaving conversation.

Watch the episode on YouTube.

Featuring:

Christine Yu Moultier, MD, Chief Medical Officer, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

Host/Producer: Carol Vassar

Views expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the host or management.
Subscribe, review or let your voice be heard at NemoursWellBeyond.org.

Ep. 211: Changing What’s Possible for Children With Cancer Aug 31, 2026

Show notes

What does it take for a child to fight cancer while holding on to the life they love? This Childhood Cancer Awareness Day, we team up with the Philadelphia Phillies to share Alivia Eder's inspiring journey alongside her oncologist, Nicholas Manini, MD, pediatric hematologist-oncologist, Nemours Children's Health. Hear Alivia share what cancer, treatment and finding her way back to everyday life have been like, then join Douglas J. Harrison, MD, MS, Division Chief of Hematology/Oncology/Transplant and Cellular Therapy, Inaugural Lisa Dean Moseley Foundation Presidential Endowed Chair, Nemours Children’s Health, for a look at decades of research and emerging innovations giving children with cancer brighter futures.

Watch the episode on YouTube.

Featuring:

Alivia Eder, student and cancer survivor

Nicholas Manini, MD, pediatric hematologist-oncologist, Nemours Children's Health

Douglas J. Harrison, MD, MS, Division Chief of Hematology/Oncology/Transplant and Cellular Therapy, Inaugural Lisa Dean Moseley Foundation Presidential Endowed Chair, Nemours Children’s Health

Host/Producer: Carol Vassar

Views expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the host or management.
Subscribe, review or let your voice be heard at NemoursWellBeyond.org.

Ep. 210: Making Health Information More Human Aug 24, 2026

Show notes

Trust is at the heart of health care, but misinformation and confusing health information can make it harder for people to know who and what to trust. Lisa Fitzpatrick, MD, MPH, MPA, Founder & CEO, Grapevine Health, explores how plain language, trusted sources and genuine human connection can make health information more accessible and use it to help rebuild trust.

Watch the episode on YouTube.

Featuring:

Lisa Fitzpatrick, MD, MPH, MPA, Founder, Grapevine Health

Host/Producer: Carol Vassar

Views expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the host or management.
Subscribe, review or let your voice be heard at NemoursWellBeyond.org.

Ep. 209: Beyond Fetal Surgery: Caring for Families Before Birth Aug 17, 2026

Show notes

Advances in prenatal diagnosis and fetal surgery are changing what's possible before a child is even born. Three specialists from the Institute for Maternal Fetal Health at Nemours Children’s Health discuss how breakthroughs in fetal care are improving outcomes for babies with complex conditions. They also share how a multidisciplinary team supports families through prenatal diagnoses, difficult decisions and every step of the journey – from pregnancy to delivery and beyond.

Watch the episode on YouTube.

Featuring:

Julie S. Moldenhauer, MD, PMH-C, FACOG, FACMGG, Executive Director, Institute for Maternal Fetal Health, Elizabeth W. Snyder Endowed Chair in Fetal Therapy and Innovation, Nemours Children’s Health
Eric Paul Bergh, MD, Director of Fetal Research and Informatics, Institute for Maternal Fetal Health, Nemours Children's Health
Christina (Nina) Paidas Teefey, MD, PMH-C, Director of Psychosocial Programs, Institute for Maternal Fetal Health, Nemours Children's Health

Host/Producer: Carol Vassar

Views expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the host or management.
Subscribe, review or let your voice be heard at NemoursWellBeyond.org.

Ep. 208: The Father Factor: Why Engaged Dads Make a Difference Aug 10, 2026

Show notes

Fathers have a profound impact on their children's physical, mental and emotional well-being, yet they're often left out of pediatric research. John James "JJ" Parker, MD, Researcher, Attending Physician, Advanced General Pediatrics and Primary Care, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital, Chicago, explores what the science tells us about involved fathers, where critical research gaps remain, and how supporting dads can improve outcomes for children and families alike.

Watch the episode on YouTube.

Featuring:

John James "JJ" Parker, MD, Researcher, Attending Physician, Advanced General Pediatrics and Primary Care, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital, Chicago

Host/Producer: Carol Vassar

Views expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the host or management.
Subscribe, review or let your voice be heard at NemoursWellBeyond.org.

Ep. 207: How Parents' Screen Habits Shape Children's Health Aug 03, 2026

Show notes

What if your child’s digital habits are informed with your own? Meredith Gansner, MD, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Child & Adolescent Services, University of Rochester, explores the growing body of research examining how caregivers' digital behaviors — from excessive screen time and "sharenting" to online health misinformation — can shape children's mental health, development and long-term well-being.

The conversation examines how children model the digital behaviors they observe, why oversharing online can have lasting consequences, how social media algorithms influence parents' health decisions, and practical strategies families can use to build healthier relationships with technology.

Watch the episode on YouTube.

Featuring:

Meredith Gansner, MD, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Child & Adolescent Services, University of Rochester

Host/Producer: Carol Vassar

Views expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the host or management.
Subscribe, review or let your voice be heard at NemoursWellBeyond.org.

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