In this episode, we meet three nurses, a helicopter pilot, and a pharmacy technician, all serving in healthcare during COVID19.

We learn about flexibility and teamwork in nursing and what it’s like to fly a helicopter in a time of social distancing. We hear why Christmas music is sometimes the right choice to de-stress from a long day in Healthcare.

Be sure to check out our photography on the Healthcare is Human Facebook page. You will also find more interviews and amazing stories. All photography by Molly Humphreys. 

This podcast is engineered by Kym Mattioli. 

Thanks for visiting Healthcare is Human: Stories from our healthcare ecosystem. Ideas to change our health culture.

Episode Four - Everything is Different

In this episode of Healthcare is Human we hear from Dr. Rebecca Berhanu, a pharmacist at the Berkeley Medical Center. 

Hear how Dr. Berhanu adapts to the challenges of treating a novel virus during a pandemic. As a pharmacist she is on the frontline of therapeutics as COVID-19 fills the ICU of her hospital. 

This episode is produced by Kym Mattioli. 

Check out Healthcare is Human on Facebook and Instagram to see incredible photographs by Molly Humphreys. 

Be sure to visit our companion exhibit “Wild, Wonderful and Brave” at The Museum of the Shenandoah Valley” through June 2023. 

Non-profit and non-political, Healthcare is Human is supported by a grant for the WV Humanities Council and generous donors in our community.

Episode Fourteen - Dr. Rebecca Berhanu

This Thanksgiving we feature Dr. Michael Seem. A native of Martinsburg, WV, who suffered several ankle fractures as a kid, he dreamed of being an orthopedic surgeon one day.

Hear what inspired Dr. Seem to learn world-class skills in joint replacement. Able to go anywhere in the world, hear why Dr. Seem came home and what he hopes to contribute to healthcare is West Virginia. 

“It all started for me in Operating Room #4 at the old City Hospital,” Dr. Seems tells Healthcare is Human. 


This podcast is engineered by Kym Mattioli. Visit Healthcare is Human on Facebook and Instagram to see photography by Molly Humphreys. 

Be sure to visit the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley in Winchester, VA, to see the exhibit based on this series. “Wild, Wonderful and Brave: Fighting the Pandemic in the Eastern Panhandle”  runs through June 2023. 

Exhibit generously supported by WVU Medicine and WVU Health Sciences Eastern Campus. 

Healthcare is Human is supported by the West Virginia Humanities Council and generous donors in our community.

Episode Eighteen - Dr. Michael Seem, World-Class Orthopedics

In this episode we meet Chuck Hydorn. A citizen of Berkeley County, Chuck was deathly sick during the pandemic. He did not have COVID-19, yet every part of his illness was complicated by a global pandemic. Hear how excellent primary care and strong relationships across West Virginia saved his life.

This podcast is engineered by Kym Mattioli. 

Visit Healthcare is Human on Facebook and Instagram to see photography by Molly Humphreys.

Be sure to visit the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley in Winchester, VA, to see the exhibit based on this series. “Wild, Wonderful and Brave: Fighting the Pandemic in the Eastern Panhandle”  runs through June 2023. Exhibition produce by Corwyn Garman. 

Exhibit generously supported by WVU Medicine and WVU Health Sciences Eastern Campus. 

This project is a partner with the WVU Humanities Center. 

Healthcare is Human is supported by the West Virginia Humanities Council and generous donors in our community.

Stay tuned in 2023 for more great stories from our healthcare ecosystem

Episode Nineteen - Chuck Hydorn, The Last Bed in the Hospital

In this episode we meet John Hughes, who receives a bone marrow transplant only to be released from the hospital as a global pandemic begins. Hear how he negotiates these challenges. 

This podcast is engineered by Kym Mattioli. 

Visit Healthcare is Human on Facebook and Instagram to see photography by Molly Humphreys.

Be sure to visit the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley in Winchester, VA, to see the exhibit based on this series. “Wild, Wonderful and Brave: Fighting the Pandemic in the Eastern Panhandle”  runs through June 2023. Exhibition produced by Corwyn Garman. 

Exhibit generously supported by WVU Medicine and WVU Health Sciences Eastern Campus. 

This project is a partner with the WVU Humanities Center. 

Ryan McCarthy will represent Healthcare is Human at TEDxWVU on April 16, 2023, in Morgantown, WV. 

Healthcare is Human is supported by the West Virginia Humanities Council and generous donors in our community.

Stay tuned in 2023 for more great stories from our healthcare ecosystem.

Episode Twenty - John Hughes

In this episode we meet Richard Dennis, consumer advocate for the state Attorney General’s office, representing the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. Learn how West Virginia’s oldest citizens adapted when in-person services were disrupted in the pandemic. Mr. Dennis spoke with Healthcare is Human in September 2022 at the Berkeley 2000 Recreation Center. 

This podcast is engineered by Kym Mattioli. 

Visit Healthcare is Human on Facebook and Instagram to see photography by Molly Humphreys. 

Be sure to visit the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley in Winchester, VA, to see our exhibit “Wild, Wonderful and Brave: Fighting the Pandemic in the Eastern Panhandle”  which runs through June 2023. Exhibition produced and filmed by Corwyn Garman. Exhibit generously supported by WVU Medicine and WVU Health Sciences Eastern Campus. 

Healthcare is Human is a signature program of the WVU Humanities Center. 

Ryan McCarthy represented Healthcare is Human at TEDxWVU in April 2023, in Morgantown, WV.  You can find his talk online. 

Healthcare is Human is supported by the West Virginia Humanities Council and generous donors in our community.

Stay tuned in 2023 for more great stories from our healthcare ecosystem.

Episode Twenty-One - Richard Dennis, Citizen Advocate

In our latest podcast episode, we continue our tour of dedicated women working on the 6th floor of the Berkeley Medical Center in Martinsburg, WV. Cindy Miller, secretary of the oncology unit, graciously posed for photographs and an interview in summer 2023. Cindy shares her perspective of how treating coworkers and patients like family forms the heart of healthcare. 

This podcast episode also features Renée K. Nicholson reading an her original poem, “Tracing Inert Gases on West Virginia Day,” accompanied by Robert Sears, performing an original compistion. 

Healthcare is Human was created by Ryan McCarthy and is a signature program of the Humanities Center at WVU. 

This podcast is engineered by Kym Mattioli. 

Visit Healthcare is Human on Facebook and Instagram to see incredible photography by Molly Humphreys, native of Shepherdstown, WV, whose world-class portfolio can be found by searching for Piccadilly Posh Photography. 

Visit the Pylons Commons at the Robert C. Byrd Health Science Center in Morgantown, WV, to see our latest gallery show, running through June 2024. Forty of the project’s outstanding photographs are featured, alongside poetry by Marc Harshman, Torli Bush, Renée Nicholson, and Randi Ward. 

Accompanying film, “Healthcare is Human,” can  be viewed in William A. Neal Museum, directed by Corwyn Garman and featuring musical score composed by Robert Sears and Jared Sims. Exhibit generously supported by the WVU Foundation and the WVU Health Science Center. 

Healthcare is Human is featured on TED.com. 

Healthcare is Human is supported by the West Virginia Humanities Council, WVU Medicine, and generous donors in our community. 

If you have a great idea for a story, we would love to hear from you! DM on social media to say hello and share your thoughts. 

Stay tuned for more great stories from healthcare. Come participate in our workshop at the 2024 Gold Humanism Summit: The Person in Front of You in Atlanta, GA, in February. 

#healthcareishuman

Episode Twenty-Five - Cindy Miller

In our latest podcast episode, we conclude our tour of amazing women on the 6th floor of the Berkeley Medical Center and meet Adriana Palmer, RN. 

“I was born within the walls of this hospital in 1988 and graduated from Hedgesville High School in 2006. I've been here for 20 years and have worked in several different positions. I am currently the nurse manager on the sixth floor telemetry unit at Berkeley Medical Center,” Adriana tells Healthcare is Human. 

This podcast also features Renée K. Nicholson reading her original poem, “Winter Solstice,” accompanied by Robert Sears and Jared Sims, performing an original composition. 

Healthcare is Human was created by Ryan McCarthy and is a signature program of the Humanities Center at West Virginia University.  

This podcast is engineered by Kym Mattioli. 

Visit Healthcare is Human on Facebook and Instagram to see incredible photography by Molly Humphreys, native of Shepherdstown, WV, whose world-class portfolio can be found by searching for Piccadilly Posh Photography. 

Visit the Pylons Commons at the Robert C. Byrd Health Science Center in Morgantown, WV, to see our latest gallery show, running through June 2024. Forty of the project’s outstanding photographs are featured, alongside poetry by Marc Harshman, Torli Bush, Renée Nicholson, and Randi Ward. 

Accompanying film, “Healthcare is Human,” can  be viewed in William A. Neal Museum, directed by Corwyn Garman and featuring musical score composed by Robert Sears and Jared Sims. Exhibit generously supported by the WVU Foundation and the WVU Health Science Center. 

Healthcare is Human is featured on TED.com. 

Healthcare is Human is supported by the West Virginia Humanities Council, WVU Medicine, and generous donors in our community. 

If you have a great idea for a story, we would love to hear from you! DM on social media to say hello and share your thoughts. 

Stay tuned for more great stories from healthcare. Come participate in our workshop at the 2024 Gold Humanism Summit: The Person in Front of You in Atlanta, GA, in February. 

#healthcareishuman

Episode Twenty-Six - Adriana Palmer Serves Her Hometown

Our latest podcast episode marks the beginning of Healthcare is Human: Recovery Series, an in-depth look at individuals working in substance abuse recovery in Martinsburg, WV. Who are the incredible folks doing this important work? With such a difficult disease, why do they choose to work in recovery? 

We meet Dr. Nikki Arvon, a specialist in addiction at the Crisis Recovery and Support Center on Wilson Street. Working in her hometown, she says, “I feel in love with these people,” in describing community members suffering from addiction.  Hear her full interview and learn how she came to find her passion helping others find hope, often when these same people had given up on themselves. 

This podcast episode also features Renée K. Nicholson reading an original poem, “Boy Killed on the Grafton Road,” and music composed and performed by Robert Sears and Jared Sims. Isaac McCarthy plays the banjo to open and close the show. 

Healthcare is Human was created by Ryan McCarthy and is a signature program of the Humanities Center at WVU. 

This podcast is engineered by Kym Mattioli. 

Visit Healthcare is Human on Facebook and Instagram to see incredible photography by Molly Humphreys, native of Shepherdstown, WV, whose world-class commercial portfolio can be found by searching for Piccadilly Posh Photography. 

Visit the Pylons Commons at the Robert C. Byrd Health Science Center in Morgantown, WV, to see our latest gallery show, running through June 2024. Forty of the project’s outstanding photographs are featured, alongside poetry by Marc Harshman, Torli Bush, Renée Nicholson, and Randi Ward. 

Accompanying film, “Healthcare is Human,” can  be viewed in William A. Neal Museum, directed by Corwyn Garman and featuring musical score composed by Robert Sears and Jared Sims. Exhibit generously supported by the WVU Foundation and the WVU Health Science Center. 

Healthcare is Human is featured on TED.com. 

Healthcare is Human is supported by the West Virginia Humanities Council, WVU Medicine, and generous donors in our community. 

If you have a great idea for a story, we would love to hear from you! DM on social media to say hello and share your thoughts. 

Stay tuned for more great stories from healthcare. Come participate in our workshop at the 2024 Gold Humanism Summit: The Person in Front of You in Atlanta, GA, in February. 

#healthcareishuman

Recovery Series: Nikki Arvon MD

Angie Gray, a public health nurse for life 

Healthcare is Human: Recovery Series continues an in-depth look at individuals working in substance abuse recovery in Martinsburg, WV. Who are the incredible folks doing this important work? With such a difficult disease, why do they choose to work in recovery? 

We meet Angie Gray RN, a public health nurse who says “My goal is to see West Virginia wild, wonderful, and well. We need to be looking at healthcare through a social lens and those social determinants of health, because that's what clogs up the whole system, if they don't have all those other pieces, wraparound services, affordable housing, and all those things.” 

This episode also features Renée K. Nicholson reading her original poem, “Postscript,” and music composed and performed by Robert Sears and Jared Sims. Isaac McCarthy plays the banjo to open and close the show. 

Healthcare is Human was created by Ryan McCarthy and is a signature program of the Internal Medicine Residency at the Berkeley Medical Center. 

This podcast is engineered by Kym Mattioli. 

Visit Healthcare is Human on Facebook and Instagram to see incredible photography by Molly Humphreys, native of Shepherdstown, WV, whose world-class commercial portfolio can be found by searching for Piccadilly Posh Photography. 

Visit the Pylons Commons at the Robert C. Byrd Health Science Center in Morgantown, WV, to see our latest gallery show, running through June 2024. Forty of the project’s outstanding photographs are featured, alongside original poetry by Marc Harshman, Torli Bush, Renée Nicholson, and Randi Ward. 

Accompanying film, HEALTHCARE IS HUMAN, can be viewed in William A. Neal Museum, directed by Corwyn Garman and featuring musical score composed by Robert Sears and Jared Sims. Exhibit generously supported by the WVU Foundation and the WVU Health Science Center. 

Healthcare is Human is featured on TED.com. 

Healthcare is Human is supported by the West Virginia Humanities Council, WVU Medicine, and generous donors in our community. 

Healthcare is Human features at the 2024 Gold Humanism Summit: The Person in Front of You in Atlanta, GA. 

If you have a great idea for a story, we would love to hear from you! DM on social media to say hello and share your thoughts. Stay tuned for more great stories from healthcare. 

#healthcareishuman

Recovery Series: Angie Gray RN

Healthcare is Human: Recovery Series continues an in-depth look at individuals working in substance abuse recovery in Martinsburg, WV. Who are the incredible folks doing this important work? With such a difficult disease, why do they choose to work in recovery? 

We meet Alessia Brand, “Addiction is a brain disease and I try to train and educate our patients to understand their brain gets hijacked. In the beginning, they do have this choice, but, once they're addicted, their brain is after dopamine. That's what they feel like they need to survive. The beauty of the Crisis Support and Recovery Center team is that we all bring different experiences and we have staff who are in recovery themselves. We couldn't do this without them because that fact really resonates with our patients.” 

This episode also features Renée K. Nicholson reading her original poem, “Bury the Lead ,” and music composed and performed by Robert Sears and Jared Sims. Isaac McCarthy plays the banjo to open and close the show. 

Healthcare is Human was created by Ryan McCarthy and is a signature program of the Internal Medicine Residency at the Berkeley Medical Center in Martinsburg, WV. 

This podcast is engineered by Kym Mattioli. 

Visit Healthcare is Human on Facebook and Instagram to see incredible photography by Molly Humphreys, native of Shepherdstown, WV, whose world-class commercial portfolio can be found by searching for Piccadilly Posh Photography. 

Visit the Pylons Commons at the Robert C. Byrd Health Science Center in Morgantown, WV, to see our latest gallery show, running through June 2024. Original poetry by Marc Harshman, Torli Bush, Renée Nicholson, and Randi Ward. 

Accompanying film, HEALTHCARE IS HUMAN, can be viewed in William A. Neal Museum, directed by Corwyn Garman and featuring musical score composed by Robert Sears and Jared Sims. Exhibit generously supported by the WVU Foundation and the WVU Health Science Center. 

Healthcare is Human is featured on TED.com.

Recovery Series: Alesia Brand

Kimberly Craig RN

Healthcare is Human: Recovery Series continues an in-depth look at individuals working in substance abuse recovery in Martinsburg, WV. Who are the incredible folks doing this important work? With such a difficult disease, why do they choose to work in recovery? 

We meet Kimberly Craig RN, who says, “Each patient who comes through here (the crisis center) is human,  just like myself or anybody in this room. They're humans and they make  mistakes. And sometimes those mistakes are drug and alcohol use. That does not make them any less of a person.”  

“When you present someone with care, love, hope, that could be the deciding factor on whether or not they continue to abuse drugs, or not.”  

Healthcare is Human was created by Ryan McCarthy and is a signature program of the Internal Medicine Residency at the Berkeley Medical Center. Writer and poet Renée K. Nicholson co-hosts the podcast. 

This podcast is engineered by Kym Mattioli. Isaac McCarthy plays the banjo to open and close the show. 

Visit Healthcare is Human on Facebook and Instagram to see incredible photography by Molly Humphreys, native of Shepherdstown, WV, whose world-class commercial portfolio can be found by searching for Piccadilly Posh Photography. 

The film, HEALTHCARE IS HUMAN, can be viewed in the William A. Neal Museum, directed by Corwyn Garman and features a musical score composed by Robert Sears and Jared Sims. Exhibit generously supported by the WVU Foundation; WVU Health Science Center; the James M. Shumway & Lizbeth A. Pyle Health Humanities Fund; Phalunas Family Health Sciences Museum Endowment; and the Betty Lou Ramsey and Effie Lucille Ramsey Fund.

Healthcare is Human is featured on TED.com. 

Healthcare is Human is supported by the West Virginia Humanities Council, WVU Medicine, and generous donors across the Mountain State. 

If you have a great idea for a story, we would love to hear from you! Stay tuned for more great stories from healthcare. 

#healthcareishuman

Recovery Series: Kimberly Craig RN

Healthcare is Human: Recovery Series continues an in-depth look at individuals working in substance abuse recovery in Martinsburg, WV. Who are the incredible folks doing this important work? With such a difficult disease, why do they choose to work in recovery? 

We meet Rebecca Bingaman, a peer recovery counselor, who describes her approach to reaching people suffering from substance abuse disorder (SUD). “Meeting somebody where they are, it starts with not being judgmental–a smile, looking them in the eye, how I'm sitting, it's the simple stuff.” 

“Being able to actually actively listen and hear what they need. Maybe it is a person to watch their cat, which might be the only thing that's keeping them alive at this moment. Meeting people in language, talking about a shooting gallery, a get-off house, and knowing what that is, and not using it in a condescending manner. And not being shocked when they tell me this horrible thing that either happened to them, or they’ve done to somebody, to further their disorder, 


“What do you want to address today? Is that what we're here for? Are we addressing another part? And knowing that they're not going to be criticized. We're living life with a disorder. It's the same as me having diabetes–nobody criticizes me for that. But tell them that you have a substance use disorder, and then get frowned upon at the pharmacy after having surgery and are in need of pain medication.” 


“I can pick you out of a room every time. It's not tattooed on our foreheads or anything like that. I just know, and I don't know how to explain it. I've been in the room where I've been judged by people like me. And I've also been in the room where I've been accepted and been loved. And it's just how I present myself: being open.”

Healthcare is Human was created by Ryan McCarthy and is a signature program of the Internal Medicine Residency at the Berkeley Medical Center. 

This podcast is engineered by Kym Mattioli. 

Visit Healthcare is Human on Facebook and Instagram to see incredible photography by Molly Humphreys, native of Shepherdstown, WV, whose world-class portfolio can be found by searching for Piccadilly Posh Photography. 

Healthcare is Human is supported by the West Virginia Humanities Council, WVU Medicine, and generous donors in our community. 

Isaac McCarthy plays the banjo to open and close the show. 

Healthcare is Human is featured on TED.com, KevinMD, Narrative Mindworks, and 100 Days in Appalachia. 

If you have a great idea for a story, we would love to hear from you! 

And remember, the next time you go to a hospital or clinic, “healthcare is human.” 

#healthcareishuman

Recovery Series: Rebecca Bingaman

Mountain Metabolics is in-depth look at individuals treating obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and related conditions in Martinsburg, WV. Who are the folks doing this important work, and what motivates them? 

We meet Jade Hill RN, a telemetry nurse on the 6the floor of the Berkeley Medical Center. “Patients often come in for chest pain, but they also might have a UTI, and because their blood sugar is high. They require more insulin because of their elevated sugars, and we work on a bunch of different angles.”

“I don't know how many times I've had a patient come out of a heart catheterization and their family immediately brings them fast food! You have to find that middle ground where you’re not too harsh. You have to say, ‘You know, maybe we could eat this and not that,’ trying to make it a slow transition, instead of, ‘You're cutting everything off.’”

Healthcare is Human was created by Ryan McCarthy and is a signature program of the Internal Medicine Residency at the Berkeley Medical Center.

This podcast is engineered by Kym Mattioli and co-hosted by Renée K. Nicholson. 

Visit Healthcare is Human on Facebook and Instagram to see incredible photography by Molly Humphreys, native of Shepherdstown, WV, whose world-class portfolio can be found by searching for Piccadilly Posh Photography.

Healthcare is Human is supported by the West Virginia Humanities Council, WVU Medicine, and generous donors in our community. 

Isaac McCarthy plays the banjo to open and close the show.

Healthcare is Human is featured on TED.com, KevinMD, Narrative Mindworks, Synapsis, and 100 Days in Appalachia.

If you have a great idea for a story, we would love to hear from you!

#healthcareishuman
Be sure to visit Healthcare is Human on Facebook and Instagram. If you have a great idea for a podcast, we would love to hear from you.

Mountain Metabolics: Jade Hill RN

Healthcare is Human: Mountain Metabolics series continues an in-depth look at individuals working in obesity, diabetes, and metabolic healthcare in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. We meet Amanda Staubs PharmD, who tells Healthcare is Human:  

“Being a pharmacist here at the Berkeley Medical Center is really important to me. I grew up in Charles Town, West Virginia, and then left for college. I came back because I wanted to give back to the community where I grew up, and have worked as a pharmacist since 2011. I did my residency at the Martinsburg VA Medical Center and then I worked in Maryland for a while. I have been at Berkeley Medical Center since 2015, with most of my career predominantly as an ICU pharmacist. 

As a pharmacist you're not the star of the show, and people don't think about you, but I treat patients who are septic in the ICU. And, while I don't talk to a lot of patients, I see them. I hear them and I root for them to have a better life and get out of the hospital.

Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro have been a revolution in diabetes and obesity care. They have been a game-changer for those patients who have had a hard time losing weight. These medications help increase insulin when you eat and also decrease gastric emptying, providing a sense of feeling full and eating less. Some data shows activity in our brains which decreases hunger and we are seeing these medications have reduced obesity-related cancers. This is a huge chance to reduce cardiovascular complications like strokes and heart attacks.”

Healthcare is Human was created by Ryan McCarthy and is a signature program of the Internal Medicine Residency at the Berkeley Medical Center. 

Original Poem, “Diagnosis Color by Number,” is read by its author, Renée K.Nicholson.

This podcast is engineered by Kym Mattioli.

Visit Healthcare is Human on Facebook and Instagram to see incredible photography by Molly Humphreys, native of Shepherdstown, WV, whose world-class portfolio can be found by searching for Piccadilly Posh Photography. 

Healthcare is Human is supported by the West Virginia Humanities Council, WVU Medicine, and generous donors in our community.

Isaac McCarthy plays the banjo to open and close the show.

Healthcare is Human is featured on TED.com, KevinMD, Synapsis, Narrative Mindworks, and 100 Days in Appalachia.

#healthcareishuman
Be sure to visit Healthcare is Human on Facebook and Instagram. If you have a great idea for a podcast, we would love to hear from you.

Mountain Metabolics - Amanda Staubs, PharmD

Healthcare is Human: Mountain Metabolics continues an in-depth look at individuals working in obesity, diabetes, and metabolic healthcare in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. We meet Pam Gesford who shares her more than forty years of experience working in diabetic education. 

This episode includes the original poem, "Upon Watching North by Northwest, I am No Longer Young,"  read by its author, Renée K.Nicholson. Music written and performed by Jared Sims. 

Healthcare is Human was created by Ryan McCarthy and is a signature program of the Internal Medicine Residency at the Berkeley Medical Center in Martinsburg, WV. 

This podcast is engineered by Kym Mattioli.

Photography by Molly Humphreys, native of Shepherdstown, WV, whose world-class portfolio can be found by searching for Piccadilly Posh Photography. 

Healthcare is Human is supported by the West Virginia Humanities Council, WVU Medicine, and generous donors in our community.

Isaac McCarthy plays the banjo to open and close the show.

Healthcare is Human is featured on TED.com, KevinMD, Synapsis, Narrative Mindworks, and 100 Days in Appalachia.

#healthcareishuman
Be sure to visit Healthcare is Human on Facebook and Instagram. If you have a great idea for a podcast, we would love to hear from you.

Mountain Metabolics - Pam Gesford

Healthcare is Human: Mountain Metabolics continues an in-depth look at individuals working in obesity, diabetes, and metabolic healthcare in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. We meet Tabitha Physioc, a hospital-based social worker, who tells Healthcare is Human, “Hospital social work is all about empowerment, giving people the opportunity to make their voices heard.” 

“I remember twenty years ago when I wouldn’t see churches involved, but I know many churches in the community who have health-related ministries. Or, they have a nurse or a social worker and their church is a hub for filling out documents like advanced directives. And I remember when that felt strange to me, but that is a piece of the healthcare system that has moved into the faith space.” 

“Insurance and transportation are two of the hardest issues that we have in our community. And, with chronic conditions… like diabetes, it is very hard with insulin because many folks in West Virginia struggle with insurance, and diabetic drugs are so expensive.” 

This episode includes the original poem, Reviewer’s Notes,  read by its author, Renée K.Nicholson. Music written and performed by Robert Sears. 

Healthcare is Human was created by Ryan McCarthy and is a signature program of the Internal Medicine Residency at the Berkeley Medical Center in Martinsburg, WV. 

This podcast is engineered by Kym Mattioli.

Photography by Molly Humphreys, native of Shepherdstown, WV, whose world-class portfolio can be found by searching for Piccadilly Posh Photography. 

Healthcare is Human is supported by the West Virginia Humanities Council, WVU Medicine, and generous donors in our community.

Isaac McCarthy plays the banjo to open and close the show.

Healthcare is Human is featured on TED.com, KevinMD, Synapsis, Narrative Mindworks, and 100 Days in Appalachia.

#healthcareishuman
Be sure to visit Healthcare is Human on Facebook and Instagram. If you have a great idea for a podcast, we would love to hear from you.

Mountain Metabolics: Tabitha Physioc

The introductory episode to the Healthcare is Human project, series creator Ryan McCarthy and podcast co-host Shruthi Sreekumar explain the genesis of this project during the coronavirus pandemic. 

We hear from a diverse group of healthcare workers - a security guard, housekeeper, and nurses - who provide first-person accounts of working during the early days of COVID19.

Be sure to visit the Healthcare is Human Facebook and Instagram pages to see photographs of these individuals. All photography by Molly Humphreys. 

This podcast is engineered by Kym Mattioli.

Thanks for visiting Healthcare is Human: Stories from our healthcare ecosystem. Ideas to change our health culture

Episode One - Healthcare is Human

Healthcare is Human (HIH), authentic storytelling in healthcare.

Inspired by the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Ryan McCarthy created Healthcare is Human in Martinsburg, WV, to tell the stories of healthcare workers, many of whom were underrepresented in media coverage in 2020. 

Since then, the project has grown exponentially and now includes several films, museum exhibits, workshops, curricula, poetry and other creative endeavors. HIH is a signature program of the Internal Medicine Residency at the Berkeley Medical Center. 

Molly Humphreys, native of Shepherdstown, WV, takes candid photographs of healthcare workers during their workday. These stunning photographs are on Facebook, Instagram, and featured in the exhibit  "Wild, Wonderful and Brave" at The Museum of the Shenandoah Valley in Winchester, VA, June 2022-2023, which included an original jazz score composed and performed by Robert Sears and Jared Sims. 

Kym Mattioli produces the podcast, which is hosted by Ryan McCarthy and Renée K. Nicholson.

Find us on TED.com to learn our origin story: 
https://www.ted.com/talks/ryan_mccarthy_healthcare_is_human_from_pandemic_pain_stories_of_beauty_and_light

Healthcare is Human has been featured in 100 Days in Appalachia, West Virginia Public Broadcasting, KevinMD, Gold Foundation, Synapsis, INSider, and is supported by a grant from the West Virginia Humanities Council and generous individuals in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia.

Our latest gallery show is at the Willam A. Neal Museum in Morgantown, WV, featuring dozens of photographs and poetry from several notable West Virginia poets, including Marc Harshman, Randi Ward, Torli Bush, and Renée K. Nicholson.

HIH has presented at academic conferences in Missouri, Texas, Ohio, Atlanta, and elsewhere. 

Have a great idea for a podcast? We would love to hear from you.
#healthcareishuman

Healthcare is Human

Popular tracks