Inspired
Marking Time and Moving Forward
What an honor and joy to interview Bernadeia Johnson, the former superintendent of the Minneapolis Public Schools. Her leadership and resolve inspire me in so many ways, as she works relentlessly for change. You can read the piece I wrote about her here! Happy Tuesday, every one!
Read MoreThe Joy of “Normal”
When I interviewed Mary Roethler about her remarkable claim to fame—a kidney transplant recipient celebrating 42 healthy years compliments of her sister, Ruth—her zest for life burst through our phone connection. All the normalcy she’d enjoyed since the age of fifteen (when she received her sister’s life-saving gift), seemed a miracle. Freedom from a dialysis…
Read MoreA Family Chain that Keeps on Giving
I first met Jeremiah Bartel through the National Kidney Foundation. After writing about him for an NKF Newsletter, my fondness for his entire family continued. So I pitched their remarkable solidarity to Gail Rosenblum at the Star Tribune. Well, she loves their story too (no surprise) and hired me to write it up for the…
Read MoreAll in the Family
What an honor to write stories about remarkable people for The National Kidney Foundation Newsletter. I’ve just finished a feature on a cheerful, generous man named Jeremiah Bartel. His story (his whole family’s story) is inspiring. Talk about solidarity. Talk about good karma in action. And who could have guessed that after our second interview……
Read MoreSharing a Mission and Shining a Light
As part of my work with the National Kidney Foundation, I have the privilege of interviewing and writing about people connected to this cause. And I say privilege, because I meet some darn impressive people. Case in point, two go-getter medical students, Saumith and Pavan (20 and 19 years old respectively). This dynamic duo is…
Read MoreWhere there are Helpers, There is Hope
How lucky is this? The National Kidney Foundation MN Blog has asked me to interview amazing people and write their stories. And this story? It’s incredibly heart warming. Especially now, when we are all ready to chuck 2020—the connection between Taylor Pikkarainen and sweet Bodie Hall is an uplifting reminder that good things happen in…
Read MoreCircling Back to the Bright Side
Last month, as the COVID crisis separated us from our people and places, I wrote to find the bright side. But now, in the aftermath of George Floyd’s tragic death, a heavy haze of pain and sadness circulates through the air. Writing to find the bright side? My words ran dry. Then I consulted my daughter, Liza,…
Read MoreThe List that Changed My Life
I recently heard Cheryl Strayed, an author I admire (best known for her memoir Wild) tell this story, and it stuck with me. She was riding in the car with her ex-husband years ago. On an icy patch of a Wisconsin highway, the car started to slip and slide. As he tightly gripped the wheel,…
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