The Heart of Innovation with Kym McNicholas

Kym McNicholas
  • 5.0 (24)
  • Medicine
  • Updated Weekly

All of us have the power to create change. The advances in technology are now such that if you have an idea, it's easier than ever to execute on it. "Kym McNicholas On Innovation" shares the journeys of successful entrepreneurs, innovators, and investors from around the world who will inspire you to create your own financial independence. The show also features some of the most advanced technologies you've never heard of that could be have an impact on your life, your business, and your career. Regular featured segments include "The Edge" which highlights businesses that are game-changing in the enterprise. Plus, each week in "HealthTech", you'll hear about a company that's creating better, safer, faster, and cheaper technologies that will improve patient care and lower costs. And in our "Female Seeking Startup" series hear the success stories of some of the most powerful women who are creating game-changing technologies. Produced and Published by The Innovators Network (http://TheInnovators.Network)

  1. 2d ago

    How I Built My Own PAD Training Plan

    What do you do when your doctors tell you to "just lose weight and walk"… but don't tell you how? In this episode of The Heart of Innovation, Dr. John Phillips and I welcome Larry Dewdad, a lifelong entertainer, comedian, trade show speaker, and television personality, who found himself facing a challenge millions living with Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) know all too well. Leg pain. Cramping. Poor circulation. Neuropathy. Cold feet. Walking that became harder every single week. At one point, it took Larry 16 minutes just to walk around his block. Instead of giving up, he developed his own personal training program. What makes his story so fascinating is that, without realizing it, much of what he figured out aligns with today's supervised exercise therapy (SET) and PAD walking guidelines designed to stimulate the growth of natural bypass arteries, known as collateral circulation. Today, Larry is walking farther, walking faster, and has lost weight along the way. In this conversation, we discuss: ✔ How Larry built his walking program from scratch ✔ Why pushing through claudication pain (safely) matters for many PAD patients ✔ How the body can develop natural bypass arteries through collateral circulation ✔ The role of weight loss in improving mobility and overall health ✔ Why consistency beats intensity ✔ Practical tips anyone with PAD can begin discussing with their healthcare team If you've been told there's "nothing else you can do," or you've wondered whether exercise can really improve circulation, Larry's story may change the way you think about living with Peripheral Artery Disease. If you or someone you love has PAD, don't face it alone. ☎ Call the Global PAD Association's Leg Saver Hotline for education, support, and help finding specialists: 1-833-PAD-LEGS (1-833-723-5347) 🔬 Looking for the latest clinical trials? Visit: https://www.padtrials.org 🚶 Ready to start a structured PAD walking program? Join the Global PAD Association's free PAD Walking Program: https://www.thewaytomyheart.org/pad-walking-program ❤️ Subscribe for more conversations with the innovators, physicians, researchers, and patients changing the future of cardiovascular care: https://www.youtube.com/@TheWayToMyHeart If Larry's journey inspired you, please: 👍 Like this video 💬 Share your experience in the comments 📤 Share this episode with someone struggling to walk because of PAD 🔔 Subscribe and turn on notifications so you never miss a new episode. #PeripheralArteryDisease #PAD #LegPain #PoorCirculation #WalkingProgram #PADAwareness #CollateralCirculation #HeartHealth #PeripheralArterialDisease #VascularHealth #Claudication #ExerciseMedicine #WeightLoss #HeartOfInnovation #TheWayToMyHeart

  2. Sep 26

    Miguel Manzur and Kymberlie McNicholas

    One of the hardest sentences a patient can hear is, "There are no more options." Every week through the Global PAD Association's Leg Saver Hotline, I hear from people living with Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) and Chronic Limb-Threatening Ischemia (CLTI) who have been told amputation may be their only path forward. Those conversations are exactly why we created the Global PAD Impact Awards. These awards recognize physicians, researchers, healthcare teams, innovators, and advocates whose impact is measured not only by what they accomplish in medicine, but by the hope they bring to patients and families facing some of life's most difficult moments. It is my honor to recognize Dr. Miguel Manzur as the recipient of the inaugural America's Vascular Surgeon of the Year Award. Patients consistently describe Dr. Manzur as a physician who combines extraordinary technical skill with humility, compassion, and a willingness to explore every appropriate option before accepting defeat. In our conversation, we discuss complex limb salvage, Peripheral Artery Disease, Chronic Limb-Threatening Ischemia, vascular surgery, and what every patient should know when they're told there are no more treatment options. My hope is that this conversation not only celebrates Dr. Manzur, but helps patients better understand their disease, ask better questions, and recognize that every case deserves thoughtful evaluation. If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD), don't ignore symptoms like leg pain while walking, non-healing wounds, or changes in the color or temperature of your feet. Early diagnosis and treatment can help save limbs and save lives. Subscribe for future Global PAD Impact Awards and conversations dedicated to improving care for patients around the world. Disclaimer The Global PAD Impact Awards are based on patient nominations and the experiences shared with the Global PAD Association. They are intended to recognize contributions to PAD care and should not be considered an endorsement of any physician, healthcare organization, product, device, or therapy. Every patient's medical situation is unique, and outcomes can vary. Always discuss your individual condition and treatment options with your own healthcare team. If you'd like help understanding your diagnosis or exploring whether a second opinion may be appropriate for your specific presentation of Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD), contact the Global PAD Association's free Leg Saver Hotline at 1-833-PAD-LEGS. Topics covered: Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD), Chronic Limb-Threatening Ischemia (CLTI), vascular surgery, women in vascular medicine, limb preservation, limb salvage, patient-centered care, multidisciplinary care, medical leadership, patient advocacy, second opinions, Venita Chandra, Global PAD Association, Global PAD Impact Awards. 🎙️ JOIN THE CONVERSATION We want to hear from you! To join our live studio audience and speak with Kym and Douglas: 📧 Email: info@padhelp.org for the link. 🆘 THE LEG SAVER HOTLINE Need immediate support or want to join our FREE Walking Program? 📞 Call: 1-833-PAD-LEGS (1-833-723-5347) 🌐 THE PAD RESOURCE HUB Official Website: padhelp.org Latest Clinical Trials: padtrials.org Private Facebook Group: padsupportgroup.org #PeripheralArteryDisease #PAD #CLTI #VascularSurgery #LimbSalvage #MiguelManzur #GlobalPADImpactAwards #PatientAdvocacy #AmputationPrevention #CriticalLimbIschemia

  3. Sep 19

    The Deadlier Disease You've Never Heard Of: Launching the PAD Patient Registry

    Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) is more prevalent and deadlier than most cancers combined, yet over 30% of Americans have never heard of it. Why? Textbook symptoms like leg pain, cramping, and slowed walking are routinely misdiagnosed as normal aging or joint issues. On this edition of The Heart of Innovation on KDOW, we partner with CPC Clinical Research to announce the full launch of the PAD Patient Registry. Learn how pilot data revealed critical gaps in care and how this living, real-time registry allows patients to document their real-time journey to shape the future of vascular medicine. Take Action: 🩸 Join the Registry: Document your journey at padpatientregistry.org 📞 Get Help / Learn More: Call the Leg Saver Hotline at 1-833-PAD-LEGS (1-833-723-5347) 🫂 Join our PAD Facebook Group www.PADsupportGroup.org   #legpain #legcramps #peripheralarterydisease #padsupportgroup #padawareness

  4. Sep 11

    Why Walking 22 Minutes More With Your Dog Matters

    Join hosts Dr. John Phillips and Global PAD Association CEO Kym McNicholas on The Heart of Innovation as they broadcast live with Dr. Christopher Stout from Ozark Vein & Vascular's 3rd annual PAWS For PAD event. Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) causes poor circulation in the legs and affects 1 in 5 Americans over 60, yet 70% of adults don't know what it is—despite being more prevalent and deadlier than most cancers combined. In this episode, Dr. Stout shares his patient-centered approach to vascular health, the role of walking and pets in improving leg circulation, and practical tips for smoking cessation. Key Resources & Calls to Action: Questions About PAD? Visit padhelp.org or call the Leg Saver Hotline at 1-833-PAD-LEGS Find a Nearby Testing Site: Visit padtest.org Join the Walking Challenge: Help navigate the 60,000 miles of the human superhighway at thegreatcirculationchallenge.org #walkingchallenge #walkingforhealth #padwalk #padawareness #globalpadassociation #padcharity #padfoundation #heartdisease #theheartofinnovation #legpain #sorelegs @legcramps

  5. Sep 5

    PAD Walking Before AND After a Stent? | Dr. Jonathan Myers & PREPARE-IT

    It is my honor to recognize Dr. Jonathan Myers, PhD and the PREPARE-IT research team with the 2026 Best Walking Initiative of the Year Award through the patient-nominated Global PAD Impact Awards. Dr. Myers, Director of Cardiopulmonary Research at the VA Palo Alto Health Care System and Clinical Professor at Stanford University, is the principal investigator of PREPARE-IT: Prehabilitation and Rehabilitation in PAD, a randomized trial studying exercise therapy and cardiovascular risk management in patients with symptomatic PAD undergoing femoral-popliteal stenting. (PubMed) And I love the question this research is asking. PREPARE-IT plans to study 300 patients with symptomatic claudication and compare three approaches: a six-week exercise and risk-management program before their procedure, rehabilitation after their procedure, or a combination of both before and after. Researchers will look at outcomes including time to claudication symptoms, six-minute walk performance, exercise capacity, strength, vascular function, biomarkers and quality of life. (PubMed) Think about what that could mean for PAD care. We spend tremendous time and resources restoring blood flow. But opening an artery doesn't automatically restore someone's strength, endurance, confidence or ability to walk. What happens if we begin preparing the patient before we ever open the artery? And what happens if we don't stop when the procedure is over? That's the bigger conversation I want to have with Dr. Myers. We'll talk about why walking remains such a powerful therapy for PAD, why structured exercise continues to be underused, what decades of exercise research have taught us about intermittent claudication, and whether prehabilitation + revascularization + rehabilitation could eventually change the way we think about the entire PAD treatment journey. PREPARE-IT is also particularly meaningful to us because patients and patient advocates are involved alongside clinicians, caregivers, payers and health-system leaders in the research. (PCORI) Because ultimately, success shouldn't simply be: Did we open the artery? It should also be: Can the patient walk farther? Can they function better? Can they get back to living their life? That's why Dr. Jonathan Myers and PREPARE-IT are receiving our 2026 Best Walking Initiative of the Year Award. The purpose of the Global PAD Impact Awards is simple: to celebrate excellence, elevate education, and help patients everywhere find hope through knowledge. FOLLOW US! Subscribe to our channel: YouTube.com/@thewaytomyheart JOIN THE CONVERSATION Want to join our live studio audience? Email: info@padhelp.org for the link. THE LEG SAVER HOTLINE Need help understanding your PAD diagnosis, finding a PAD specialist, discussing another opinion, or joining our FREE PAD Walking Program? Call 1-833-PAD-LEGS (1-833-723-5347) THE PAD RESOURCE HUB Official Website: PADhelp.org Find PAD Clinical Trials: PADtrials.org Private PAD Support Community: PADsupportgroup.org Join The Great Circulation Challenge During PAD Awareness Month, we're challenging patients, physicians, healthcare professionals, families and friends around the world to help us collectively walk the 60,000 miles of the human circulatory system while learning how movement supports vascular health. TheGreatCirculationChallenge.org Disclaimer The Global PAD Impact Awards are based on patient nominations and experiences shared with the Global PAD Association. The awards recognize contributions to PAD care and are not an endorsement of any physician, healthcare organization, product, device, treatment or therapy. Exercise recommendations are individualized. People with PAD should talk with their healthcare team about what type and intensity of exercise are appropriate for their medical condition. Topics covered: Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD), intermittent claudication, walking for PAD, walking as medicine, supervised exercise therapy, PAD exercise, prehabilitation, rehabilitation, peripheral artery stenting, PREPARE-IT trial, Jonathan Myers PhD, six-minute walk test, PAD research, vascular rehabilitation, Global PAD Impact Awards. #PeripheralArteryDisease #PAD #WalkingAsMedicine #JonathanMyers #PREPAREIT #IntermittentClaudication #PADWalking #SupervisedExerciseTherapy #VascularRehabilitation #PADResearch #GlobalPADImpactAwards

  6. Aug 29

    Treating Arthritis With Embolization From Your Shoulders To Your Feet

    New minimally invasive treatments for arthritis and chronic joint pain are giving some patients options beyond medications, injections and more invasive surgery. Vascular surgeon Dr. Daniel Nathanson explains Genicular Artery Embolization (GAE), MSK embolization and how image-guided vascular techniques are being used to target inflammation and pain. Dr. John Phillips and I welcome Dr. Daniel Nathanson of the San Francisco Vein & Vascular Institute in San Francisco, California, for a fascinating look at how tools traditionally associated with vascular intervention are expanding into the treatment of musculoskeletal pain. Dr. Nathanson is a board-certified vascular and endovascular surgeon who specializes in minimally invasive, image-guided treatments. His work includes Genicular Artery Embolization (GAE) for knee osteoarthritis as well as musculoskeletal or MSK embolization for chronic pain involving areas such as the shoulder, hip and other joints. So how does embolization help arthritis pain? Rather than replacing a joint, these procedures use a tiny catheter to reach abnormal blood vessels associated with inflammation. The goal is to reduce that inflammatory blood flow and, in appropriately selected patients, reduce pain and improve function. For knee osteoarthritis, GAE is being explored as a minimally invasive option for patients who continue to have pain despite conservative treatment and are looking for alternatives to knee replacement. We also explore how this concept is moving beyond the knee. Dr. Nathanson discusses emerging applications of MSK embolization for chronic joint and tendon pain involving the shoulder, hand and wrist, hip, knee, Achilles tendon, plantar fascia and more. If you are dealing with osteoarthritis, chronic knee pain or persistent joint pain, this conversation will help you understand where these newer minimally invasive treatments may fit, who may be a candidate, and why vascular specialists are becoming part of a rapidly evolving area of arthritis care. Learn more about Dr. Daniel Nathanson and San Francisco Vein & Vascular Institute: San Francisco, California Search: San Francisco Vein & Vascular Institute / Dr. Daniel Nathanson Need help with Peripheral Artery Disease or another opinion before an amputation? Call the Global PAD Association Leg Saver Hotline: 1-833-PAD-LEGS Find PAD clinical trials and research opportunities: PADTrials.org Join The Great Circulation Challenge Help us walk the 60,000 miles of the human circulatory system together. SIGN UP: www.TheGreatCirculationChallenge.org Subscribe to @TheWayToMyHeart for more conversations on new treatments, vascular disease, circulation, PAD, limb salvage and medical innovation. Please LIKE, COMMENT, SUBSCRIBE & SHARE. If you know someone living with arthritis or chronic joint pain who is looking for treatment options, send them this conversation. #Arthritis #Osteoarthritis #KneePain #GenicularArteryEmbolization #GAE #MSKEmbolization #ArthritisTreatment #JointPain #MinimallyInvasive #KneeArthritis #ChronicPain #VascularSurgery #DrDanielNathanson #MedicalInnovation

  7. Aug 22

    New Woundcare Treatments and New Music With Vascular Surgeon Dr. Robert McLafferty

    What does it take to heal a wound when poor blood flow is working against you? Dr. Robert McLafferty has spent his career as a vascular surgeon working to save life and limb. But there's another side to him that we first introduced you to several months ago: he's also a songwriter and musician. Now both worlds are coming together. Dr. McLafferty is back on The Heart of Innovation as he prepares for Modern Wound Care Management (MWCM) in Washington, an interdisciplinary conference bringing wound care experts together to discuss real-world cases, treatment strategies and ways to improve outcomes for patients with difficult-to-heal wounds. He'll be joined by other speakers from the conference as we talk about what's changing in wound care and some of the latest strategies being used to help wounds heal. This conversation is especially important for people living with advanced peripheral artery disease known as chronic limb-threatening ischemia, or CLTI. When a patient with severely reduced blood flow develops a wound on the foot or leg, healing can become incredibly difficult. These are the patients at greatest risk for infection, tissue loss and amputation, and wound care cannot be separated from the underlying circulation problem. We'll talk about: • What's new in treating complex wounds • Why some wounds simply won't heal • The connection between blood flow and wound healing • What patients with PAD and CLTI need to understand about their wounds • The importance of interdisciplinary care in preventing amputations • Real-world cases and treatment strategies being discussed at MWCM • What patients and caregivers should be asking when a wound isn't getting better And then we're changing gears. Dr. McLafferty has officially released his first album! When we last talked with him, music was the passion he pursued outside the operating room. Now he's taken that passion all the way to releasing an album while continuing his work to save life and limb. We're going to hear how it happened, what inspired the music and what it feels like to finally put something so personal out into the world. Saving limbs and making music. I can't think of many people who can say they're doing both. If you or someone you love has PAD and a wound that isn't healing, rest pain, gangrene, or you've been told amputation may be necessary, call the Global PAD Association Leg Saver Hotline: 1-833-PAD-LEGS We can help you understand your options, prepare questions for your doctors and identify resources for another evaluation when appropriate. Subscribe to @TheWayToMyHeart for more conversations with physicians, innovators and patients working to change the course of peripheral artery disease and prevent unnecessary amputations. The Heart of Innovation is hosted by Kym McNicholas. This program is for educational purposes and is not a substitute for individualized medical advice. Wound treatment and revascularization decisions depend on the individual patient and should be discussed with the treating medical team. #WoundCare #PeripheralArteryDisease #PAD #CLTI #LimbSalvage #AmputationPrevention #VascularSurgery #ChronicWounds #WoundHealing #TheHeartOfInnovation

  8. Aug 15

    She Was Offered Stents. A Second Opinion & Walking Changed Her Life

    For years, Ginger had leg pain without knowing she had peripheral artery disease (PAD). She was active, but the pain kept getting worse. Four years ago, it became so severe that she went to the emergency room. She was admitted, given anti-inflammatory medication and eventually referred for an orthopedic evaluation for a possible hip replacement. That orthopedic surgeon changed the direction of her care. While Ginger did have some arthritis, he told her the symptoms she was describing might be vascular. An ABI test followed. Ginger learned she had about 50% blood flow in one leg and 60% in the other. The first vascular surgeon she saw was prepared to move forward with an angiogram and potentially balloons and stents. Then Ginger got a second opinion. That vascular surgeon offered her another option to consider first: a three-month walking program. When Ginger started, she could barely make it to the mailbox without debilitating leg pain. She describes it as feeling like someone was squeezing the life out of her leg. Walking around her block took 37 minutes. She kept walking. Today, Ginger is hiking, active and living her life. Her PAD hasn't disappeared. She can still have discomfort. But her symptoms are no longer lifestyle limiting. I wanted Ginger to share her story on The Heart of Innovation because there are several lessons here that I think every person with PAD should hear. Leg pain isn't always orthopedic. Getting the right diagnosis matters. A second opinion can change the course of your care. And for appropriate patients with intermittent claudication, a structured walking program isn't simply advice to "walk more." Exercise therapy is an important part of PAD treatment that deserves a real conversation before deciding what comes next. Ginger's story also isn't an argument against angiograms, balloons, stents or other procedures when they're medically appropriate. It's a reminder that PAD treatment should be individualized, and patients should understand their options. If you have leg pain when you walk that gets better when you stop, don't assume it's simply aging, arthritis, your hip or your back. Ask whether your circulation should be checked. And if you have PAD and have been told you need a procedure or are facing a possible amputation, you can call the Global PAD Association Leg Saver Hotline at: 1-833-PAD-LEGS We help patients better understand their diagnosis, prepare questions for their physicians and explore options for additional evaluation when appropriate. PAD Walking Program: thewaytomyheart.org/pad-walking-program Join The Great Circulation Challenge to get started walking as well during PAD Awareness Month in September: TheGreatCirculationChallenge.org Subscribe to @TheWayToMyHeart for more patient stories and conversations about peripheral artery disease, circulation, limb salvage and cardiovascular health. DISCLAIMER: This program is for educational purposes and is not a substitute for individualized medical advice. Not everyone with PAD is an appropriate candidate for the same exercise or treatment strategy. Talk with your healthcare team about what is appropriate for your condition. #PeripheralArteryDisease #PAD #Walking #IntermittentClaudication #PADAwareness #VascularDisease #SecondOpinion #ExerciseTherapy #Circulation #TheHeartOfInnovation

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All of us have the power to create change. The advances in technology are now such that if you have an idea, it's easier than ever to execute on it. "Kym McNicholas On Innovation" shares the journeys of successful entrepreneurs, innovators, and investors from around the world who will inspire you to create your own financial independence. The show also features some of the most advanced technologies you've never heard of that could be have an impact on your life, your business, and your career. Regular featured segments include "The Edge" which highlights businesses that are game-changing in the enterprise. Plus, each week in "HealthTech", you'll hear about a company that's creating better, safer, faster, and cheaper technologies that will improve patient care and lower costs. And in our "Female Seeking Startup" series hear the success stories of some of the most powerful women who are creating game-changing technologies. Produced and Published by The Innovators Network (http://TheInnovators.Network)

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