The Heart of Innovation

Join us for a powerful PAD Awareness Day conversation with Michael Lepp, a globally respected human performance and cardiovascular physiology expert whose work spans elite athletics, endurance cycling, and high-pressure team dynamics.

Michael has spent over 40 years coaching, consulting, and advising athletes and teams — from world-class endurance cyclists and cycling culture discussions to training pit crews for NASCAR Cup winners and serving as senior athletic advisor to Joe Gibbs Racing. His perspective blends physiology, performance science, and real-world human resilience.

In this discussion, we explore:

How elite performance principles from cycling and high-stress teams can inform PAD recovery and mobility

Lessons from cardiovascular training and heart health in endurance athletes

Practical movement, rehabilitation, and resilience strategies for people living with PAD

Michael's experience shaping early PAD and cardiac rehab approaches in Charlotte, NC

Whether you're living with PAD, caring for someone who is, or interested in human performance across sport and health, this interview delivers evidence-based insight rooted in decades of experience.

👉 Don't miss this unique blend of sports science, heart health expertise, and real-world PAD awareness work.

#PADAwareness #PeripheralArteryDisease #MichaelLepp #HumanPerformance #Cycling #NASCAR #CardioRehab

🔴 TUNE IN SATURDAY | 11:06 AM PT | 2:06 PM ETThe Heart of Innovation — Live on the #1 Healthcare Radio Show in the SF Bay Area

🏆 Named by Feedspot 2025: #1 Women in Innovation Podcast in the NationNearly half of all American adults have high blood pressure and only 1 in 4 have it under control.

For millions, the pills aren't working. But there's a procedure most doctors AND patients have never heard of. And it's been FDA-approved.

This Saturday, host Kym McNicholas, CEO of the Global PAD Association, and interventional cardiologist Dr. John Phillips sit down with two of the people who refused to give up on it:

👩‍🔬 Julie Trudel, PhD: Senior Director, R&D, Coronary & Renal Denervation, Medtronic 🧬 Jason Fontana, PhD: VP of Global Marketing & Renal Denervation General Manager, MedtronicRenal denervation is a minimally invasive procedure that targets overactive nerves near the kidneys, nerves that can silently drive blood pressure up no matter how many medications you take.

It's not a pill. It's not surgery. It's a one-time catheter-based procedure that disrupts the signals causing the problem at the source.

The road to get here?

Anything but smooth.

Early trials failed.

The medical community walked away. Other companies exited the space entirely. But Medtronic kept going, redesigning the technology, running new trials, and fighting for FDA approval that finally came in 2023.

Medicare coverage followed in late 2025.So why don't more patients know about it?

Why aren't more physicians offering it?That's exactly what we're asking this Saturday.If you or someone you love has been told their blood pressure is "uncontrollable, " this episode is for you.

📻 Watch live via the link in our stream.

Set your reminder now.

If you have questions about circulation issues in your legs, which is typical for patients with long time high blood pressure, call the Global PAD Association's Leg Saver Hotline at 1-833-PAD-LEGS or go to PADhelp.org

#HeartOfInnovation #RenalDenervation #Hypertension #UncontrolledBloodPressure #WomenInInnovation #CardiovascularHealth #Medtronic #PatientAdvocacy #HeartHealth #BloodPressure #GlobalPADAssociation #MedTech #Innovation

Are leg arteries ever "too small to treat"? Around the world, many patients with Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD), especially those with below-the-knee and small vessel disease, are told their arteries are "too small" or "too distal" for intervention. In this episode of The Heart of Innovation, hosts Kym McNicholas and Dr. John Phillips interview Dr. Naoki Hayakawa, Chief and Director of Endovascular Therapy at Asahi General Hospital in Japan.Dr. Hayakawa is internationally recognized for tackling the most complex chronic total occlusions (CTOs), including small-caliber below-the-knee vessels that others may consider untreatable. He has served as a live demonstration operator at major international meetings including JET, CCT Peripheral, Kokura Live, and Peripheral CTO Seminars, and has published extensively on: • IVUS-guided wiring techniques • Below-the-knee chronic total occlusions • Drug-coated balloon therapy • Transradial approaches for complex PAD • Advanced re-entry and retrograde access techniques His work challenges outdated assumptions about what is and isn't possible in limb salvage.In this conversation, Dr. Hayakawa sets the record straight on: • What can truly be treated in small vessel PAD • When vessels are actually too small • The importance of imaging and IVUS guidance • Why patients must seek experienced operators for complex disease • What global standards of care should look like If you or someone you love has been told "nothing more can be done," this episode is essential viewing. - Concerned about leg circulation or told your vessels are too small?Call the Leg Saver Hotline: 1-833-PAD-LEGSBecause "too small to treat" should never be the final answer without expert evaluation. Subscribe to The Heart of Innovation for global leaders in vascular innovation, limb salvage, and PAD care. #PeripheralArteryDisease#PAD#LimbSalvage#BelowTheKnee#ChronicTotalOcclusion#EndovascularTherapy#IVUS#CriticalLimbIschemia

Sleep isn't just about feeling rested.

It's about your heart.

To close out American Heart Month, we're diving into one of the most overlooked drivers of cardiovascular disease: poor sleep.

On this episode of The Heart of Innovation, hosts Kym McNicholas and Dr. John Phillips explore:

• Why sleep deprivation increases your risk of heart attack and stroke • The connection between sleep, vascular inflammation, and blood pressure • How disrupted sleep affects circulation and long-term cardiovascular health

And then we introduce you to one of the most fascinating innovators in health tech today.

Meredith Perry, Founder & CEO of Elemind, has developed a groundbreaking, non-pharmaceutical approach designed to help you fall asleep faster by interacting directly with brainwave activity. Instead of pills, sedation, or habit-forming medications, her technology aims to gently guide your brain into sleep.

She's even tested it publicly through her bold "Sleeping with the CEO" campaign — putting strangers to sleep on the streets of New York, on trains, and even on planes.

This isn't a gimmick. It's a conversation about the future of sleep, brain science, and cardiovascular prevention.

If you struggle with: • Insomnia • Racing thoughts at night • High blood pressure • Stress-related sleep issues • Cardiovascular risk factors

This episode is for you.

Because heart health doesn't start in the cath lab.

It starts at night.

Subscribe to our channel for conversations at the intersection of innovation and cardiovascular care.

Have questions about vascular or cardiovascular health? Call the Global PAD Association Leg Saver Hotline: 1-833-PAD-LEGS.

Early detection saves lives. And limbs.

Let's rethink sleep. Let's rethink heart health. Let's innovate.

#SleepScience #HeartHealth #AmericanHeartMonth #CardiovascularHealth #InsomniaSolutions #MedTechInnovation #PeripheralArteryDisease #VascularHealth #Elemind #BrainHealth

Peripheral Artery Disease is more prevalent than most cancers — and often deadlier when missed. Yet it is still underdiagnosed, misunderstood, and too often treated in silos.

On this episode of The Heart of Innovation, hosts Kym McNicholas and Dr. John Phillips, Interventional Cardiologist, sit down with Dr. David Dexter, Vascular Surgeon at Sentara Health, who was named the Global PAD Association's Multidisciplinary Team Leader of the Year through the Global PAD Impact Awards.

This PAD Awareness Day — observed the third Saturday of every February during American Heart Month — we are talking about why leg health is heart health.

PAD is not just a leg problem. Blocked leg arteries are a warning sign for heart attack and stroke. And patients deserve a coordinated vascular care team — not fragmented care.

In this conversation, we break down:

• Why PAD is more common than many cancers — yet still diagnosed too late • The danger of treating patients in silos • What a true multidisciplinary vascular care team looks like • How cardiology, vascular surgery, podiatry, wound care, and primary care must work together • Why "Sock It to PAD" and Red Sock Day matter during American Heart Month • What patients should demand from their care teams

Too many amputations are preventable. Too many heart attacks have warning signs in the legs first.

It is time to connect the dots.

If you or someone you love has leg pain when walking, numbness, wounds that won't heal, diabetes, kidney disease, or a history of smoking — this conversation could save a limb and a life.

📞 Call the Global PAD Association Leg Saver Hotline with questions about PAD.1-833-PAD-LEGS 🔔 Subscribe to @TheWayToMyHeart for more conversations that challenge the status quo in cardiovascular care. 👍 Like, comment, and share to raise awareness this PAD Awareness Day.

Because saving legs saves lives.

#PADAwarenessDay #SockItToPAD #PeripheralArteryDisease #VascularCare #HeartHealth #AmericanHeartMonth #PreventAmputation #LegHealthIsHeartHealth #PAD

Peripheral Artery Disease impacts 10M+ Americans — and nearly 70% don't know they have it.

Congress has relaunched the PAD Caucus to address preventable amputations and gaps in screening and care.

On The Heart of Innovation, Dr. John Phillips and I debrief with Dr. Bob Tahara, Dr. Andrew Klein, Dr. David Alper, patient advocate Dawn-Marie Hernandez, and Harlem Globetrotter Larry "Shorty" Coleman, who lost a leg to PAD.

PAD is the leading cause of preventable limb loss and a major predictor of heart attack and stroke.

Early detection saves limbs — and lives.

#PeripheralArteryDisease #PAD #AmputationPrevention #HealthPolicy #HeartHealth

In this episode of The Heart of Innovation, cohosts Kym McNicholas and Dr. John Phillips feature multiple patients courageously sharing their lived experiences with Peripheral Artery Disease, including rare and often misunderstood cases that challenge what patients are told is "possible."

Pamela's story highlights a critical gap in PAD care. After being told by a large hospital system that amputation was inevitable, she reached out to the Global PAD Association's Leg Saver Hotline. Through patient advocacy and care coordination, the underlying contributors to her disease were identified, including the role climate played in worsening her symptoms. Her decision to relocate to a warmer environment helped stabilize her condition and avoid limb loss, proving that earlier intervention and individualized care matter.

Francine's journey offers another rare perspective. Diagnosed at just 48 despite being a runner, personal trainer, and fitness instructor, she was found to have a full occlusion in her left leg and intermittent blockages in her right. After undergoing a femoral-popliteal bypass, multiple stents, and angioplasty procedures, Francine transformed her lifestyle through the Dean Ornish program and a low-fat vegan diet. She has since completed four half marathons and continues teaching group fitness, yoga, and Reiki.

Theresa's story exposes how often PAD is dismissed, even when the warning signs are clear. With a family history of PAD, Theresa recognized the symptoms early. At 46, she sought help after developing walking pain, only to be told repeatedly that it was a back problem and that she was "too young" to have PAD. A Doppler study was performed but interpreted as normal. For five years, as her symptoms worsened and her walking distance shrank to less than ten metres, she continued to advocate for herself before finally insisting on a vascular referral.

Within minutes of meeting a vascular consultant, Theresa was diagnosed with severe PAD. Imaging revealed a 100 percent blockage in her right leg and 80 percent in her left. Angioplasty provided temporary relief, but restenosis occurred quickly. A second procedure resulted in arterial injury, requiring placement of a 30-centimetre stent in her right thigh. Despite ongoing pain, Theresa developed remarkable collateral circulation, so robust that it complicated intervention attempts. Today, she remains closely monitored by a responsive vascular specialist and manages her condition with vigilance, pacing, and rest. She also notes a meaningful improvement in walking pain after starting Wegovy, an observation she continues to discuss with her care team.

Equally important, Theresa speaks candidly about the emotional toll of PAD. A special education teacher who loves to travel, she feared the disease would take away the life she loved, as it had for her father. After a period of isolation, she made a conscious decision that PAD would be part of her story, but not the author of it. She now works full time, travels when she can, adapts when needed, and lives by a powerful truth: she controls PAD, not the other way around.

Together, these stories reinforce a message too many patients never hear in time: Leg pain, cramping, and difficulty walking are not normal aging. They are warnings.

📞 In the U.S.? Call the Leg Saver Hotline: 1-833-PAD-LEGS to talk with someone about possible circulation issues in your legs.

🌐 Learn more about PAD and conservative treatment options Visit padhelp.org to understand PAD, early symptoms, and access our free proprietary structured walking program, available to everyone.

👥 Join our PAD Facebook Support Community Connect with patients and caregivers at padsupportgroup.org.

👍 Support the show Like, subscribe, and turn on notifications at youtube.com/@thewaytomyheart so you never miss an episode.

#PeripheralArteryDisease #PADawareness #HeartHealth #AmericanHeartMonth #LegPainIsNotNormal #CirculationMatters #VascularHealth #StructuredWalking #PatientStories #PreventAmputation #StrokePrevention #HeartDiseaseAwareness #TheHeartOfInnovation #TheWayToMyHeart

A major Medicare billing issue is emerging across 24 states, and vascular specialists are warning it could delay—or deny—time-sensitive, limb-saving care for patients with Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD).

On this episode of The Heart of Innovation, we are joined by two leading voices on the front lines:

🔹 Dr. Elliot Adams, Vascular Surgeon, whose office-based lab (OBL) is directly impacted by the denials

🔹 Dr. Bob Tahara, Vascular Surgeon and Past President of the OEIS (Outpatient Endovascular and Interventional Society)

Physicians are reporting that new Medicare CPT codes for modern PAD revascularization procedures—codes that replaced deleted legacy codes—are being denied by Medicare contractors Noridian and Novitas, despite being billed correctly. These denials affect procedures that often mean the difference between saving a leg or losing it.

If not clarified and corrected quickly, this issue could: • Block reimbursement for limb-salvage procedures in office-based labs • Delay urgent care for PAD patients • Increase preventable amputations and suffering

At the same time, patients are already calling our Leg Saver Hotline nightly due to delays and denials through Medicare Advantage plans—often in severe pain, afraid they're running out of time. This Medicare CPT issue risks compounding that crisis.

🚨 We need clinicians and patients to hear this—and to speak up.

👉 If you are a physician, clinician, or billing professional seeing these denials

👉 If you are a patient who has received a Medicare denial or delay for PAD care

👉 If you've been told a limb-saving procedure won't be covered

Please tune in. Your experience matters.

You can also email [email protected] for info on joining the LIVE in studio discussion!

📞 NEED HELP OR SUPPORT?

Leg Saver Hotline: 1-833-PAD-LEGS

If you've received a denial letter or are facing delays, call us. You are not alone.

#peripheralarterydisease #padsupport #medicare #medicaredbilling #medicaredenials

Hemorrhoids are far more common than most people realize — affecting more than half of adults at some point in their lives — yet many suffer in silence or believe surgery is their only option.

In today's LIVE episode, we bring together gastroenterology and interventional radiology to discuss the newest minimally invasive treatment: hemorrhoidal artery embolization.

Today's Experts

• Misha Ginsburg — Interventional Radiologist

• Zuhair Yaseen

🎙️ Hosted by Kymberlie McNicholas

⚕️ Co-host John Phillips is off today — on call saving legs and lives.

What We're Discussing LIVE

• How common hemorrhoids really are — and why they're under-reported

• When hemorrhoids move from inconvenient to clinically significant

• What hemorrhoidal artery embolization is and how it works

• Indications for embolization vs. traditional treatments

• How GI physicians and interventional radiologists collaborate to improve outcomes

This is an honest, stigma-free conversation focused on education, options, and empowering patients to ask better questions.

On this episode of The Heart of Innovation, we sit down with Dr. Jean Chen, a diabetes educator and retired podiatrist whose lifelong commitment to medicine was shaped by service, resilience, and lived experience.

Dr. Chen knew she wanted to be a doctor by the age of five. Raised in Taiwan by a pediatrician father and a nurse mother who often cared for patients unable to pay, she learned early that medicine was about people first. After immigrating to the United States, growing up in Ohio, and studying at Cornell, her career took her through oncology before she found her calling in limb preservation through podiatry.

Then her own path changed.

Following a serious car accident, spinal cord injury, and surgical delays during COVID, Dr. Chen was left partially paralyzed, bringing her career as a practicing podiatrist to an unexpected end. At the same time, she was navigating her own journey with type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and a heart catheterization.

Rather than stepping away from care, Dr. Chen changed how she serves. With the encouragement of her endocrinologist, Dr. Manasses, she retrained as a certified diabetes educator, bringing together clinical training and lived experience to help patients better understand how daily choices impact circulation, wound healing, and long-term health.

Today, Dr. Chen works with people living with diabetes and peripheral artery disease, and she also contributes to national efforts through the American Heart Association PAD Collaborative, supporting initiatives to improve PAD awareness, diagnosis, and care across the country.

This conversation explores what happens when medicine becomes personal, how purpose can evolve without being lost, and why early recognition of PAD and diabetes complications is critical to preventing limb loss.

If you or someone you love has diabetes, leg pain, wounds, or trouble walking, don't wait.

PAD Leg Saver Hotline: 1-833-PAD-LEGS Learn more: https://www.PADhelp.org Join the PAD Facebook Support Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/peripheralarterydisease

Early action saves limbs and lives.

What if the most powerful New Year's resolution for your heart and leg health wasn't extreme—just consistent?

On this episode of The Heart of Innovation, Interventional Cardiologist Dr. John Phillips and Global PAD Association CEO Kym McNicholas talk about simple, realistic daily habits that can add up to meaningful improvements in circulation, vascular health, and quality of life, especially for people living with or at risk for Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) and heart disease.

We focus on habits that are accessible, repeatable, and evidence-informed—not perfection.

In this conversation, we discuss:

• Setting aside 30 minutes a day for walking—even if it's broken into three 10-minute sessions, and why gently pushing through leg discomfort can help improve circulation over time

• Easy dietary additions like chia seeds soaked overnight, fermented foods, and fiber support such as psyllium husk

• The role of plant sterols and gut health in overall cardiovascular wellness

• How 10 minutes of guided self-hypnosis or positive self-affirmations can help reinforce consistency and mindset

• Why patients should feel empowered to ask their primary care doctors to help raise awareness about PAD—because early recognition saves limbs and lives

This episode is about progress, not pressure. Small daily actions—done consistently—can create real change in vascular and heart health.

📞 PAD Leg Saver Hotline: 1-833-PAD-LEGS 🌐 Patient education & support: https://www.PADhelp.org 🌐 Nonprofit advocacy & resources: https://www.TheWayToMyHeart.org

What happens when living with chronic disease leads you to an unexpected calling?

On this episode of The Heart of Innovation, cohosts Kym McNicholas and Dr. John Phillips sit down with Rob, founder of PAD Life Outdoors, who shares his powerful and deeply human journey of living with Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) — a condition caused by poor circulation in the legs — while also navigating life after aortic stenting for an abdominal aortic aneurysm.

Along the way, Rob discovered something surprising.

As his beard grew, a pair of spectacles appeared, and strangers began calling him Santa — he realized that spreading joy, hope, and holiday cheer gave him something medicine alone never could. This spring, Rob is taking that calling one step further by enrolling in Santa Claus School to become fully certified.

In this heartfelt conversation, Rob opens up about:

• Living with the physical and emotional weight of PAD

• Recovering from major vascular disease and intervention

• How purpose and joy can help quiet the daily burden of chronic illness

• Why becoming Santa has helped him focus on what he can do — not what PAD has taken away

This episode is a reminder that even in the face of debilitating disease, meaning, connection, and joy still matter — and they can be powerful medicine.

📞 Need support or guidance right now? PAD Leg Saver Hotline: 1-833-PAD-LEGS

🌐 Trusted patient resources:

• https://padhelp.org

• https://thewaytomyheart.org

👥 Join our patient community:

• https://padsupportgroup.org (Facebook Support Group)

#TheHeartOfInnovation #PeripheralArteryDisease #PAD #PADLife #VascularHealth #ChronicIllness #PatientStories #SantaClaus #HolidayJoy #FindingPurpose #AorticAneurysm #HeartHealth #LivingWithPAD #PatientAdvocacy #HealthPodcast #HopeAndHealing

Travel should be memorable for the right reasons — not stressful health surprises.

In this upcoming episode of The Heart of Innovation, cohosts Kym McNicholas and Dr. John Phillips dive into why planning ahead is critical when you're traveling with Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD), cardiovascular disease, mobility challenges, or strict dietary needs.

📍 Broadcasting live from a Princess Cruise ship in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, Kym shares firsthand how Princess Cruises goes above and beyond to accommodate her and her father's gluten-free, dairy-free, low-salt, low-sugar diet, while still making it possible to stay active and keep daily steps moving — even at sea.

Dr. Phillips breaks down essential medical travel prep, including:

• How to organize and pack medications properly

• Why you should identify pharmacies and urgent care locations before you arrive

• The importance of carrying physician documentation and imaging CDs

• What to have ready in case of a medical emergency away from home

Whether you love cruising, traveling internationally, or just planning a weekend getaway, this episode offers practical, real-world guidance to help you travel smarter, safer, and with confidence.

📞 Need help right now? PAD Leg Saver Hotline: 1-833-PAD-LEGS

🌐 Trusted resources:

• https://padhelp.org

• https://padsupportgroup.org (Facebook Support Group)

Plan ahead. Protect your legs. And don't let PAD stop you from seeing the world.

🎶 What happens when a vascular surgeon decides to walk away from practice… to pursue music? This week on The Heart of Innovation, Dr. John Phillips and I sit down with a surgeon whose passion for rhythm has always been intertwined with healing — and now he's daring to follow that rhythm into a whole new career.

Our guest is not just a gifted clinician. He's a songwriter, producer, and vascular surgeon at Oregon Health & Science University, currently earning his Master's in Songwriting at Berklee College of Music. And yes — he's officially taking the leap into music full-time.

Why now? What did he discover in the OR, at the bedside, and in his own creative process that made this moment the right one?

He shares: 🎵 How music unexpectedly deepened his relationships with patients 🎵 Why rhythm matters more in vascular care than you might think 🎵 The parallels between restoring blood flow… and writing a song that moves people 🎵 What he's learned about courage, identity, and choosing a path that truly aligns with your purpose

This episode is heartfelt, surprising, and full of wisdom for anyone standing at a crossroads — in medicine, in creativity, or in life.

👉 Don't miss this one. It's a rare look at what it really means to heal… and be human.

Listen on KDOW, our podcast platforms, or watch the full episode on YouTube. Leg Saver Hotline: 1-877-FIX-LEGZ Learn more: PADHelp.org | TheWayToMyHeart.org

#TheHeartOfInnovation #VascularSurgery #PeripheralArteryDisease #PADAwareness #MusicHeals #Songwriting #BerkleeCollegeOfMusic #CareerJourney #PhysicianStories #HealingThroughMusic #InnovationInMedicine #LegSaverHotline #KymMcNicholas #DrJohnPhillips

This week on The Heart of Innovation, hosts Kym McNicholas and Dr. John Phillips sit down for a powerful, patient-driven holiday special—one that reveals what people living with Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) truly wish for this season.

PAD is more common than prostate, breast, and colon cancer combined, yet still misunderstood. Our in-studio audience opened up about the physical and emotional toll of this disease—leg pain, cramps, burning, neuropathy, and wounds that won't heal—and the everyday battles most people never see.

Their holiday wish list was honest, raw, and deeply human:

• More doctors trained in advanced limb-saving tools and techniques

• Fewer preventable amputations related to PAD and diabetes

• A world where fewer people smoke or vape, as nicotine and cannabis use fuel earlier, more aggressive PAD

• And a collective wish for patients themselves to enter the new year committed to realistic goals, healthier habits, and becoming active partners in their own care

This conversation is heartfelt, unfiltered, and filled with the courage of people who refuse to give up hope. If you or someone you love is living with PAD, you won't want to miss this episode. To learn more about PAD and advanced limb saving treatment options, call the Global PAD Association's Leg Saver Hotline at 1-833-PAD-LEGS.

#PeripheralArteryDisease #PADAwareness #TheHeartOfInnovation #LimbSalvage #AmputationPrevention #VascularHealth #PatientStories #ChronicPainCommunity #HolidayHealth #CirculationMatters #PADWarriors #DiabeticFoot #NeuropathySupport #StopSmokingSaveLimbs #HealthEquity

Every leg saved has a story behind it — and this week on The Heart of Innovation, you'll meet the nurse practitioners who live those stories every day.

Kym McNicholas and Dr. John Phillips chat with four remarkable OhioHealth NPs — Chelsea Jones, Elizabeth Murray, Brittany Byce, and Rebecca Lawler — to share what it's really like to help patients fight peripheral artery disease (PAD) and critical limb ischemia inside a large hospital system.

They open up about:

• The split-second decisions that can mean the difference between amputation and recovery

• The emotional moments that stay with them long after a shift ends

• The gaps in care they're constantly trying to close for PAD patients

• And yes… the hilarious "Nonsense Board" where they log the wild moments that keep them sane

It's raw. It's real. It's the life of a limb-saving NP — equal parts heart, grit, urgency, and humor.

If you or someone you love is living with PAD, struggling to navigate the system, or wondering what limb-saving care actually looks like behind the scenes, this episode will give you clarity, encouragement, and a whole new appreciation for the clinicians fighting for patients every single day.

#TheHeartOfInnovation #PAD #LimbSavingCare #PeripheralArteryDisease #NursePractitioner #OhioHealth #VascularHealth #AmputationPrevention #LifeAndLimb #KymMcNicholas #DrJohnPhillips #PatientAdvocacy #ChronicDiseaseCare #FrontlineMedicine #HealthcareHeroes

This week on The Heart of Innovation, we bring you a true story of grit, muscle, and unwavering determination.

Meet Deputy John Dent—20 years on the road in West Virginia law enforcement, a body built for durability, and a diagnosis that threatened it all: peripheral artery disease (PAD).

He was the guy who'd outrun everyone in the academy at 275 lbs. He was the guy strides ahead of his peers. Then one day his leg seized up in the cruiser. What seemed like a cramp became a blood-clot. A fasciotomy followed. Then the vascular surgeon told him they might have to amputate. "I said, my leg don't need to be cut off," John says.

Instead, he dug in. He changed his life. He stayed active. For over a decade, no further surgery. Just gym work, collateral circulation, and refusal to back down.

And here's a twist you'll love: during our conversation, John mentions his work intersecting with a West Virginia documentary spotlighting Appalachian realities. (Think Netflix-style rural exposure.) It's a moment where his law-enforcement role met a culture-industry moment—and you'll hear how he processed it.

Host Kym McNicholas and Dr. John Phillips walk John through his story—how PAD could've ended his career, his identity, his leg. Instead, it became a mission.

Tune in.

This week, we're featuring someone whose impact on veterans' health spans nearly two decades — John Wordin, a visionary who has transformed how our nation supports wounded warriors, trauma survivors, and veterans living with diabetes, PTSD, and mobility challenges.

Wordin's work has been nothing short of groundbreaking. He created Ride 2 Recovery (now Project Hero), helped build more than 300 custom adaptive bikes for injured servicemembers, designed the DoD's Warrior Games, and has personally supported tens of thousands of veterans in their journeys toward physical and emotional recovery. His programs have consistently shown something too often overlooked in traditional care: movement, community, and purpose can change the trajectory of chronic disease, including diabetes — with many veterans reducing or even coming off insulin through structured support and lifestyle change.

Recently recognized with the American Exceptionalism Award, Wordin brings a rare combination of innovation, grit, and humanity that has shaped national conversation around veteran wellness.

Hosted by Emmy Award–winning journalist and Global PAD Association CEO Kym McNicholas and interventional cardiologist Dr. John Phillips, this episode dives into the real stories behind Wordin's work — from the creation of the Warrior Games to the mental-health breakthroughs emerging from his long-running programs.

If you care about veterans, chronic disease reversal, or the power of community-driven health transformation, this is an episode you won't want to miss.

#peripheralarterydisease #padsupport #padgroup #VeteransHealth #JohnWordin #Ride2Recovery #ProjectHero #NoVetAlone #DiabetesReversal #InsulinReduction #PTSDRecovery #WarriorGames #AdaptiveCycling #VeteranResilience #ChronicDiseaseReversal #LifestyleMedicine #VeteranMentalHealth

In this week's episode, hosts Kym McNicholas and Interventional Cardiologist present Jimontanae "Jae" McBride with the Global PAD Association's PAD Family Advocate of the Year Award through the Global PAD Impact Awards.

This award recognizes Jae's exceptional advocacy journey that began with saving her mother's limbs from amputation. When faced with limited options for her mother's PAD wound care, Jae didn't just accept the status quo—she invented a solution to fill the critical gap in care that threatened her mother's limbs.

Her determination led her to contact the Leg Saver Hotline (1-833-PAD-LEGS), pursue multiple medical opinions, and navigate complex healthcare systems with remarkable persistence. Jae's self-education about PAD treatment options enabled her to become an informed, effective advocate who could communicate confidently with healthcare providers.