On our first episode of this season, Tracey shares the story of her son Mac who lost his life to the opioids. Despite years of creating laws and regulations, we haven't been able to stop the destruction. Biology is partly to blame. I’m joined by Lee Baugh, Associate Professor at the University of South Dakota and neuroscientist and researcher Jamie Bushman (also from the University of South Dakota) to explore the biology of addiction and how opioids hijack our biology and better understand why we still fail to control these drugs.

Our name has changed and new episodes are coming! I'm excited to bring you a new season, starting soon!

“I will tell you something about stories. They aren't just entertainment. They are all we have to fight off illness and death. You don't have anything if you don't have stories.” ― Leslie Marmon Silko

The story of Scott Jerome Parks captivated me and the filled headlines in 2010. His story led me to connect with people around the US and world and, ultimately, to Dr. Joel Carter, a palliative care physician. While treating patients, Joel discovered that stories alone provided relief from pain and improved the well being of patients suffering in the end stages of cancer.

In this episode, Joel tells us the story which led him to this discovery. Deb Murphy and Pam McKenney also share their stories on overcoming cancer and how radiation treatment was a component in that fight. This podcast is all about sharing stories to encourage and educate those working to improve lives --let's continue our work of helping others make many more stories.

To learn more about Dr. Joel Carter, visit his website here: https://joelcartermd.com/