Inspire Global Radio

Dr. Lopa Basu and Dr. Ashley Ono
  • 5.0 (8)
  • MEDICINE

Dr. Lopa Basu and Dr. Ashley Ono host a podcast dedicated to stories of hope and inspiration through the lens of global health.

Episodes

  1. APR 16

    Curiosity over control: sitting with grief and embracing change

    Send us Fan Mail Ashley and Lopa return to begin a new season with no script—just honest conversation. They dive into the realities of grief, the challenges of redefining identity in medicine, and the tension between productivity and presence in today’s world. From hospice care to AI in healthcare, this episode explores how we can remain grounded, compassionate, and connected—even as everything around us rapidly changes.

    49 min

  2. 09/11/2025

    Caring for the Second Victim: A Conversation with Dr. Albert Wu

    Send us Fan Mail Dr. Albert Wu joins Inspire Global Radio to talk story about what it means to care for the people who care for others. He shares how the concept of the “second victim” came to be—and how it grew into the RISE program at Johns Hopkins, a peer support model for healthcare workers after unexpected patient outcomes. We also explore his community work in Baltimore through Project Connect, bridging hospitals and frontline voices. This conversation touches on medical error, grief, honesty, apology, and the healing power of simply being seen and heard.

    47 min

  3. 08/21/2025

    When Aid Ends: Honoring the Voices of USAID's Local Staff

    Send us Fan Mail When USAID was dismantled this year, more than 4,000 people around the world lost their jobs. But what was truly lost goes far beyond positions and programs—it was the dedication, wisdom, and humanity of those who poured their lives into building healthier, more equitable communities. In this episode, we honor and thank four extraordinary local staff—K’voi (Vietnam), Ferreira Ferreira (Mozambique), Dra. Argentina Wate (Mozambique), and Thanh Pham (Vietnam)—for their years of service. Their stories remind us that true aid is never just about institutions. It’s about humility, resilience, and love lived out in relationships, community, and the courage to serve. To K’voi, Ferreira Ferreira, Dra. Argentina Wate, and Thanh Pham—we offer our deepest gratitude for your service, and for teaching us what aid really looks like at the human level. #Resilience #GlobalHealth #InspireGlobalRadio #USAID #ThankYou

    1 hr

  4. 08/07/2025

    What Matters Most: Life After the Lahaina Wildfires

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Inspire Global Radio, we sit down with Christine, a retired teacher and survivor of the 2023 Lahaina wildfires. She shares her experience of escaping the fire, healing from burn injuries, and adjusting to life in a new city after losing her home. With honesty and perspective, Christine reflects on what it means to start over later in life, the importance of community support, and how her values shaped her path through recovery. This conversation explores resilience, dignity, and the quiet strength it takes to begin again—offering insight not only into one person’s journey, but into what it means to care for ourselves and each other in times of crisis.

    38 min

  5. 07/03/2025

    ʻĀina-Based Education with Kuʻuleianuhea Awo-Chun

    Send us Fan Mail Kuʻuleianuhea Awo‑Chun, Director of Education and Culture‑Based Learning at the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, joins us to talk story about ʻāina‑based education, identity, and healing. Drawing from her decades in Hawaiian‑focused charter schools, she reflects on how land teaches reciprocity, how to center children's potential, and why belonging matters in education and healthcare. A grounding conversation on kuleana, community, and remembering who we are.

    55 min

  6. 06/12/2025

    Aloha as Practice

    Send us Fan Mail Ashley and Lopa explore the deeper meaning of Aloha as a lived practice. They discuss how mindfulness became a pathway back to cultural values, breaking down the word ALOHA through the teachings of Auntie Pilahi Paki and Pono Shim: Akahai, Lokahi, ʻOluʻolu, Haʻahaʻa, and Ahonui. They reflect on how these values show up in medicine, identity, and daily life—touching on presence, humility, and the power of gentle strength. Referenced in this episode: “Aloha and Mindfulness” article, https://journalhosting.ucalgary.ca/index.php/jisd/article/view/63056/47001Long Story Short interview with Pono Shim (PBS Hawaiʻi): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCB_8FwSm9s

    59 min

  7. 05/22/2025

    Staying Wild in Medicine: Dr. Wendy Lau on GRACE, Moral Resilience & Self-Stewardship

    Send us Fan Mail What does it mean to stay tender-hearted—and even a little wild—while working in modern medicine? Dr. Wendy Lau, an emergency physician and Zen practitioner, shares the GRACE approach (Gather, Recall, Attune, Consider, Engage/End) that helps clinicians meet patients with genuine compassion, even on the busiest shifts. She explains how naming moral residue and moral injury can lift hidden weight off our shoulders and introduces self-stewardship as a practical way to set healthy limits so we can keep serving over the long haul. Along the way, Wendy reflects on community, creativity, and finding hope in the simple truth that everything changes—one breath and one patient at a time. Resources mentioned Upaya Zen Center GRACE Framework – developed by Roshi Joan HalifaxCynda Rushton, PhD, RN – research on moral residue and self-stewardshipThe Inner Practice of Medicine – book by Dr. Wendy LauIf the episode resonates, share it with a friend or send us your reflections—each voice helps broaden our circle of compassionate care.

    59 min

  8. 05/08/2025

    Peace Seekers - Reimagining Belonging

    Send us Fan Mail What does it mean to be well—not just physically, but emotionally, culturally, and in community? In this episode, we talk with Saul Ferolus, a Haitian peace seeker, father, husband and community advocate, who shares his lived experience as a Haitian navigating life after the 2010 earthquake, migration, and the challenges of being misunderstood in a new country. His story invites us to consider how well-being is shaped not only by access to care, but by the narratives we tell about each other. We explore how the effects of othering—especially through fear-based media portrayals—can undermine health at both individual and collective levels. And we reflect on what it means to belong, to be seen with dignity, and to stay connected to community, even across distance and disruption. This is a conversation about resilience, relational health, and the quiet power of being held in community. Lepspwa fe viv! Hope gives life!

    30 min

  9. 04/24/2025

    The Engine of the Heart: Compassionate Global Health with Dr. Shams Syed

    Send us Fan Mail What does it mean to lead with compassion in global health—and why does it matter now more than ever? In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Shams Syed to explore how compassion, partnership, and service are not just values—but strategies for systems change. From his early work designing bi-directional hospital partnerships across continents to his reflections on faith, identity, and burnout, Shams shares hard-won insights from decades of work in the field. We talk about: Reimagining quality improvement through a human-centered lensThe role of compassion in leadership, policymaking, and health equityWhat it means to create safe systems for transformationHow faith, curiosity, and lived experience shape global health workThe difference between empathy and compassion—and why action mattersAlongside co-hosts Dr. Ashley Ono and Dr. Lopa Basu, this conversation weaves the technical with the spiritual, exploring how love, service, and deep listening can shift not just outcomes—but the very way we move through the world.  "Improvement cycles are driven by an engine—and that’s the engine of the heart." — Dr. Shams Syed Resources & Mentions: WHO’s Global Compassion RoundsDr. Rana Awdish, In ShockRumi quote: “Listen with ears of tolerance…”The compassion equation: awareness → empathy → action Tune in and subscribe to Inspire Global Radio for more conversations that explore healing, leadership, and the courage to care.

    57 min

  10. 04/10/2025

    Passion & Purpose: Transforming Rural Healthcare in Africa

    Send us Fan Mail If you would like to donate to Kiwoko hospital please visit: https://www.adaragroup.org/development/get-involved/donate/ 100% of proceeds go to global health programming. We're excited to share this episode featuring Dr. James, a leader who's transforming rural healthcare in Uganda with unwavering commitment and care. In our conversation, he walks us through his remarkable journey to making a real impact in healthcare delivery. His story is full of passion and resourcefulness, offering lessons that can inspire anyone dedicated to making a difference in healthcare. This episode is dedicated to global healthcare workers in transition—especially those navigating unexpected professional changes. We hope Dr. James' insights and experiences inspire you as you forge a new path forward. What You'll Hear: • Humble Beginnings: Dr. James explains how he transitioned from engineering to medicine to confront pressing health challenges head-on. • Community Innovation: Discover how he's creating affordable, sustainable care in underserved areas—and consider how this innovative mindset can spark fresh ideas no matter where you practice. • Scaling with Purpose: Gain practical insights into building initiatives that grow sustainably over time. • A Moment to Reflect: “How does your sense of purpose shape the way you approach healthcare challenges?” Tune in for a genuine conversation that blends global insights with real-world impact. We hope you find Dr. James' journey as inspiring and thought-provoking as we did.

    1h 1m

  11. 03/26/2025

    “Authentic Healing & Narrative Medicine” with Dr. Rana Awdish

    Send us Fan Mail Dr. Rana Awdish is a critical care physician, best-selling author, physician advocate, and public speaker whose book In Shock: My Journey from Death to Recovery and the Redemptive Power of Hope has sparked profound conversations across the world of medicine. In this episode, we explore the question: What happens when a physician becomes the patient? Rana shares how her own critical illness transformed not only her understanding of healing, but also her identity as a doctor, advocate, mother, artist—and human being. We talk story about: Reclaiming embodiment and identity in medicineGrieving the loss of control and performative rolesThe difference between empathy and compassionUsing storytelling, art, and somatic practices to make meaningRedefining "efficiency" through relationship-centered careWhat today's physicians need—not more, but less—to thriveRana offers us a gentle, powerful lens for seeing medicine as a healing art—and reminds us that belonging, presence, and vulnerability are essential to sustaining ourselves and each other in this work.  Resources Mentioned: In Shock by Dr. Rana Awdish | God’s Hotel by Victoria Sweet | Cherished Belonging by Fr. Greg Boyle | CHEST Journal’s Exhalations (Narrative Medicine section) Follow us @InspireGlobalRadio and join us in raising the vibration with stories that heal.

    55 min

  12. 03/26/2025

    More Than Medicine: Redefining Healing

    Send us Fan Mail What does it mean to truly heal—and who are we beyond our white coats? In this first episode of Inspire Global Radio, co-hosts Dr. Lopa Basu and Dr. Ashley Ono, two women physicians practicing in Hawai‘i, interview one another to unpack how their personal healing journeys have reshaped their understanding of medicine, identity, and care. They explore:  Self-care vs. self-stewardship  Introducing yourself through place, not title  Listening to your body’s signals  Finding presence when nothing else can be done  The wisdom of practicing medicine at the margins This is a conversation about connection—to land, to others, and to the parts of ourselves that often get buried beneath credentials and expectations. Listen now and join us on the journey. #InspireGlobalRadio #HealingInMedicine #WomenInMedicine #SelfStewardship #AlohaInPractice #PodcastLaunch

    46 min
  • 12 Episodes

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
8 Ratings

About

Dr. Lopa Basu and Dr. Ashley Ono host a podcast dedicated to stories of hope and inspiration through the lens of global health.

Information

  • Creator
    Dr. Lopa Basu and Dr. Ashley Ono
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    12
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Inspire Global Radio
  • Show Website
    Inspire Global Radio