Read. Talk. Grow.

Mayo Clinic Women's Health
  • 4.8 (43)
  • Medicine

A podcast where we talk about books — especially fiction, memoir and narrative nonfiction — that deal with important health topics. In each episode, host Dr. Denise Millstine invites an author and a medical expert into conversation on subjects like miscarriage, cancer, relationships, mental health and more. In the same way that books can transport us to a different time, place, or culture, Read.Talk.Grow. demonstrates that books can also give a new appreciation for health experiences.

  1. 88. Rom Com Meets Real Life: What Fiction Teaches Us About Type 1 Diabetes

    4d ago

    88. Rom Com Meets Real Life: What Fiction Teaches Us About Type 1 Diabetes

    What happens when a romance novel becomes a doorway into understanding type 1 diabetes? In this warm and insightful episode of Read. Talk. Grow., Dr. Denise Millstine sits down with author Cynthia Timoti and Mayo Clinic nurse practitioner Mary Elizabeth Boyle to explore Salty, Spiced and a Little Bit Nice, a rom‑com inspired by Timoti’s real‑life experience parenting a child with type 1 diabetes. Together, they unpack the novel’s authentic portrayal of diagnosis, daily management, cultural expectations, family dynamics, and the emotional landscape of chronic illness, all while celebrating the resilience, independence, and joy woven through protagonist Ellie Pang’s journey. Blending medical expertise with storytelling, the conversation highlights how fiction can illuminate complex health experiences with empathy, clarity, and heart. This episode was made possible by the generous support of Ken Stevens.  We talked with: Cynthia Timoti is a bilingual, fourth-generation Chinese-Indonesian who was born and raised in Jakarta, Indonesia. She moved to Australia to study when she was seventeen, graduating with a Commerce degree from the University of Melbourne, and spent too many years working in finance - an experience she now gleefully exploits as the bane of her characters’ existence - but her true passion has always been the written word. She writes fun multicultural romcoms with delightfully chaotic characters - there’s usually a feisty heroine and a swoon-worthy hero trying to find their happy endings in her stories. When she’s not writing, Cynthia can probably be found attempting to make a dent in her TBR pile (which seems to mysteriously grow at an alarmingly fast rate), hunting for the perfect cup of bubble tea, and adding to her collection of pretty notebooks that she almost certainly will never use. She lives in Melbourne, the best city in all of Australia (no, she’s not biased) with her non-reader husband and two fantasy-and-dystopian-reader sons, who are both now taller than her.  Cynthia Timoti Author Website Mary Elizabeth Boyle is a nurse practitioner at Mayo Clinic in Arizona, specializing in endocrinology with a focus on diabetes and metabolism. She provides comprehensive care for patients with type one and type two diabetes, including advanced diabetes management and continuous glucose monitoring. She's been an integral member of the Mayo Clinic Diabetes Care Team in Scottsdale for years. American Diabetes Association Breakthrough T1D Purchase Salty Spiced and a Little Bit Nice: From Bookshop.org From Amazon From Barnes & Noble The podcast is for informational purposes only and is not designed to replace the physician’s medical assessment and judgment. Information presented is not intended as medical advice. Please contact a healthcare professional for medical assistance with specific questions pertaining to your own health if needed.

    47 min
  2. 87. Love, Loss, and Rethinking How We Age: A Conversation with Lisa Ridzén

    May 27

    87. Love, Loss, and Rethinking How We Age: A Conversation with Lisa Ridzén

    Aging isn’t just a medical journey - it’s a human one, and this episode brings that truth vividly to life.  In a warm, deeply reflective conversation, Dr. Denise Millstine, novelist Lisa Ridzén, and geriatrician Dr. Erum Jadoon explore “When the Cranes Fly South,” a novel that captures the emotional terrain of growing older through the story of Bo, an elderly Swedish man navigating loneliness, autonomy, caregiving, and the fierce love he holds for his dog, Sixten. Drawing on Ridzén’s real-life discovery of her grandfather’s caregiver notebooks and Jadoon’s clinical expertise, the episode weaves together themes of dignity, companionship, the power of pets, the complexity of family decisions, and the universal desire to maintain agency at the end of life. The result is a tender, thought‑provoking discussion that invites listeners to rethink what it means to age and to care for those who do. This episode was made possible by the generous support of Ken Stevens.  We talked with: Lisa Ridzén is a Swedish novelist and sociologist and whose acclaimed debut novel, When the Cranes Fly South, has become an international bestseller. Inspired by her research on masculinity in rural Sweden and by notes left by her grandfather's care team near the end of his life, her work explores aging, care, love, and human dignity with deep empathy and emotional clarity. Lisa began penning the novel whilst attending Långholmen Writer’s Academy. When the Cranes Fly South was a number one bestseller in Sweden, won the overall Swedish Book of the Year, and the Adlibris prize both for Debut and Fiction of the Year – the first time in the awards’ history that an author won in two categories. Rights have sold in 45 languages around the world. Dr. Erum Jadoon is a geriatrician, an internist, and an assistant professor of medicine at Mayo Clinic in Arizona. She's on faculty with the Academy of Communication and Healthcare and teaches communication to Mayo Clinic faculty, physicians in training, and medical students. Read. Talk. Grow. Podcast Episode 54: Sipsworth Purchase When the Cranes Fly South: From Bookshop.org From Amazon From Barnes & Noble Got feedback? If you've got ideas or book suggestions, email us at readtalkgrow@mayo.edu The podcast is for informational purposes only and is not designed to replace the physician’s medical assessment and judgment. Information presented is not intended as medical advice. Please contact a healthcare professional for medical assistance with specific questions pertaining to your own health if needed.

    49 min
  3. 86. The Remarkable Life of Dr. Sterling Bunnell: A Conversation with Dr. Anthony Smith

    May 20

    86. The Remarkable Life of Dr. Sterling Bunnell: A Conversation with Dr. Anthony Smith

    The Remarkable Life of Dr. Sterling Bunnell: Father of Hand Surgery  Meet the pioneer who shaped an entire field. In this episode, Dr. Denise Millstine and Dr. Anthony Smith dive into the extraordinary life of Dr. Sterling Bunnell — adventurer, innovator, and the founding father of hand surgery. This episode was made possible by the generous support of Ken Stevens.  We talked with: Dr. Anthony Smith, who's a professor of plastic surgery at Mayo Clinic in Arizona. Dr. Smith graduated from the University of Illinois College of Medicine, then volunteered for service in the US Army. He completed general surgery training, then plastic surgery residency at Wayne State University, then a hand surgery fellowship in the Department of Orthopedics at the University of South Florida, and a microsurgery fellowship at the University of Toronto. Dr. Smith joined the Mayo Clinic in Arizona in 1995 as the first full-time hands surgeon. He has served as chief of the Division of Plastic Surgery. He's the founding program director of the Plastic Surgery Residency, and he was the director of selective when the Arizona mayo Medical School was established.  American Society for Surgery of the Hand Read. Talk. Grow. Podcast Episode 61: In My Time of Dying Purchase Dr. Sterling Bunnell: From Son of the Gold Rush to Founding Father of Hand Surgery From AASH From Amazon Got feedback? If you've got ideas or book suggestions, email us at readtalkgrow@mayo.edu The podcast is for informational purposes only and is not designed to replace the physician’s medical assessment and judgment. Information presented is not intended as medical advice. Please contact a healthcare professional for medical assistance with specific questions pertaining to your own health if needed.

    33 min
  4. 85. Restorative Writing as a Healing Tool with Dr. Carolyn Roy Bornstein

    May 13

    85. Restorative Writing as a Healing Tool with Dr. Carolyn Roy Bornstein

    Burnout is real - and writing can help. In this episode, Dr. Denise Millstine talks with Dr. Carolyn Roy‑Bornstein, “A Prescription for Burnout” and Sandra Marinella, “The Story You Need to Tell” about how restorative writing helps clinicians process stress, grief, and emotional exhaustion. A powerful conversation on healing, meaning‑making, and reclaiming your story. This episode was made possible by the generous support of Ken Stevens.  We talked with: Dr. Carolyn Roy-Bornstein is a board-certified pediatrician, author, and nationally recognized voice in narrative medicine and physician well-being. She is the writer- in-residence at a family medicine residency program, where she leads clinicians and reflective and restorative writing. Dr. Roy-Bornstein is the author of several books, including “Crash” and her newest, “A Prescription for Burnout.” Her work has also appeared in “The New York Times,”“The Washington Post,”“JAMA,” and other major publications.  Dr. Carolyn Roy-Bornstein Author Website Brain Injury Association of America Sandy Marinella is an award-winning author, writing teacher, and speaker who is best known for her book “The Story You Need to Tell” which is a widely acclaimed guide to using personal storytelling and expressive writing for healing and resilience. With decades of experience teaching writers and leading workshops for patients, veterans, and health care communities, in addition to high school students, Sandy is the founder of The Story You Need to Tell Project, which explores the transformative power of narrative in times of illness, loss, and change. Sandy Marinella Author Website Read. Talk. Grow. Podcast Episode 32: Writing to Heal Purchase A Prescription for Burnout  From Bookshop.org From Amazon From Barnes & Noble Got feedback? If you've got ideas or book suggestions, email us at readtalkgrow@mayo.edu The podcast is for informational purposes only and is not designed to replace the physician’s medical assessment and judgment. Information presented is not intended as medical advice. Please contact a healthcare professional for medical assistance with specific questions pertaining to your own health if needed.

    44 min
  5. 84. Understanding Epilepsy Through Story: A Conversation with Katherine Center

    May 6

    84. Understanding Epilepsy Through Story: A Conversation with Katherine Center

    This episode was made possible by the generous support of Ken Stevens.  We talked with: Katherine Center is the New York Times bestselling author of twelve novels. She writes deep, nuanced, laugh-and-cry rom-coms that brim with hope and healing.  Her books have made countless best-of lists, including Amazon’s Top 100 Books of the Year, Barnes & Noble’s Best Books of the Year, the Indie Next Great Reads List, Goodreads’ Best Books of the Year, Library Reads Hall of Fame, People Best New Books, and more. Her spring 2026 book is The Shippers - and today we’ll be talking about Hello Stranger. Katherine lives in her hometown of Houston, Texas, with her husband and their fluffy-but-fierce dog. Katherine Center Author Website Katherine Noe, M.D., Ph.D. is an Associate Professor of Neurology and the Chair of the Division of Epilepsy at the Mayo Clinic in Arizona.  Dr. Noe completed fellowship training in clinical neurophysiology and epilepsy at the Mayo Clinic and now her clinical practice involves medical and surgical care of adults with epilepsy with specific interests in improving quality and safety in the care of persons with epilepsy and women’s health. Purchase WHAT YOU WISH FOR: From Bookshop.org From Amazon From Barnes & Noble Got feedback? If you've got ideas or book suggestions, email us at readtalkgrow@mayo.edu The podcast is for informational purposes only and is not designed to replace the physician’s medical assessment and judgment. Information presented is not intended as medical advice. Please contact a healthcare professional for medical assistance with specific questions pertaining to your own health if needed.

    46 min
  6. 83. The Condition No One Talks About: A Conversation with Maya Van Wagenen

    Apr 29

    83. The Condition No One Talks About: A Conversation with Maya Van Wagenen

    Chronically Dolores — Interstitial Cystitis, Invisible Illness & the Power of Storytelling Dr. Denise Millstine is joined by NYT bestselling author Maya Van Wagenen and Mayo Clinic urologist Dr. Aqsa Khan for a conversation about interstitial cystitis — a chronic bladder condition that's widely misunderstood and often dismissed. Maya shares the personal experience behind her award-winning YA novel Chronically Dolores, while Dr. Khan breaks down the medical realities of IC, from diagnosis challenges to treatment options. Together, they explore what it means to live with an invisible illness, the emotional toll of feeling unseen, and why representation in fiction matters for patients of all ages. This episode was made possible by the generous support of Ken Stevens. We talked with: Maya Van Wagenen lives in the Atlanta area with her fiancée and their pets. When she’s not writing, she enjoys quilting, knitting, costume design, reading, and binge-watching detective procedural dramas. At fifteen, Maya became a New York Times bestselling author after Penguin Dutton published her eighth-grade journal, Popular. The book went on to win the American Library Association’s YALSA award for excellence in nonfiction, making her the youngest author and first memoirist to receive this honor. Maya’s second book and first novel, Chronically Dolores, won the American Library Association's Schneider Family Book Award for disability representation in young adult literature. Maya Van Wagenen Author Website Dr. Aqsa Khan is an Assistant Professor of Urology and Consultant in Surgical Urology at Mayo Clinic Arizona, where she specializes in women’s urologic health. In addition to her clinical practice, Dr. Khan is deeply committed to medical education and physician wellbeing. She serves as the Urology Residency Associate Program Director and the Director of Student Wellbeing at the Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine. Her clinical and educational work focuses on benign lower urinary tract conditions in both men and women such as urinary incontinence, prolapse, neurogenic bladder, and complex reconstruction. Urology Care Foundation Purchase Chronically Dolores: From Bookshop.org From Amazon From Barnes & Noble Got feedback? If you've got ideas or book suggestions, email us at readtalkgrow@mayo.edu The podcast is for informational purposes only and is not designed to replace the physician’s medical assessment and judgment. Information presented is not intended as medical advice. Please contact a healthcare professional for medical assistance with specific questions pertaining to your own health if needed.

    49 min
  7. 82. A Conversation with Kathleen Glasgow on Writing the Pain We Hide

    Apr 22

    82. A Conversation with Kathleen Glasgow on Writing the Pain We Hide

    This episode was made possible by the generous support of Ken Stevens.  We talked with: Kathleen Glasgow is the New York Times and internationally bestselling author of Girl in Pieces, The Glass Girl, You'd Be Home Now, and How to Make Friends With the Dark.  Her latest novel, The Glass Girl, is a New York Times bestseller and was named Target's Young Adult Book of the Year. Kathleen Glasgow Author Website Read. Talk. Grow. Podcast Episode 73 Dr. Eric Noble is a board-certified psychiatrist who trained at UCLA. He’s also board-certified in Addiction Medicine. He received his Bachelor’s Degree from Brown University, and his Doctorate of Medicine from Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City. He is a staff physician at the Mayo Clinic in Arizona.     Purchase GIRL IN PIECES: From Bookshop.org From Amazon From Barnes & Noble Got feedback? If you've got ideas or book suggestions, email us at readtalkgrow@mayo.edu The podcast is for informational purposes only and is not designed to replace the physician’s medical assessment and judgment. Information presented is not intended as medical advice. Please contact a healthcare professional for medical assistance with specific questions pertaining to your own health if needed.

    52 min
  8. 81. A Family's Deadly Medical Mystery: Conversation with Lawrence Ingrassia

    Apr 15

    81. A Family's Deadly Medical Mystery: Conversation with Lawrence Ingrassia

    This episode was made possible by the generous support of Ken Stevens.  We talked with: Lawrence Ingrassia is a former award-winning editor at the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and the Los Angeles Times. The coverage he directed won five Pulitzer Prizes in addition to other prestigious awards. A Fatal Inheritance, his second book, was nominated for the National Book Critics Circle Award in Nonfiction, and was named a best nonfiction book of the year by Amazon, NPR and Kirkus. Dr. Aadel Chaudhuri is a Professor of Radiation Oncology and an Associate Professor of Immunology at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. He is a physician-scientist at the forefront of translational cancer genomics and has been recognized as a Distinguished Clinician Researcher. Purchase A FATAL INHERITANCE: From Bookshop.org From Amazon From Barnes & Noble Got feedback? If you've got ideas or book suggestions, email us at readtalkgrow@mayo.edu The podcast is for informational purposes only and is not designed to replace the physician’s medical assessment and judgment. Information presented is not intended as medical advice. Please contact a healthcare professional for medical assistance with specific questions pertaining to your own health if needed.

    52 min
See All (102)

4.8
out of 5
43 Ratings

About

A podcast where we talk about books — especially fiction, memoir and narrative nonfiction — that deal with important health topics. In each episode, host Dr. Denise Millstine invites an author and a medical expert into conversation on subjects like miscarriage, cancer, relationships, mental health and more. In the same way that books can transport us to a different time, place, or culture, Read.Talk.Grow. demonstrates that books can also give a new appreciation for health experiences.

Information

  • Creator
    Mayo Clinic Women's Health
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    102
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2023 Read Talk Grow
  • Show Website
    Read. Talk. Grow.

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