For Jordan Dennison, helping others in recovery is more than just a job—it’s personal. As a peer recovery specialist and part of Charleston’s Quick Response Team (QRT), Jordan draws on his own experience with addiction and homelessness to offer crucial, hands-on support.

Sally Adams is claustrophobic. Yet, every day, she helps patients navigate the small, enclosed space of an MRI machine. As an MRI technologist, her own fears have made her especially empathetic to those she works with.

Dr. Tom Takubo is not only a pulmonary critical care physician but also a state senator, fighting to improve healthcare across West Virginia. Inspired by his father’s struggle with black lung disease, Dr. Takubo’s commitment to his patients extends far beyond the hospital.

Julie Osborne Young works at the intersection of life and death. As Director of Social Services at HospiceCare in Charleston, she offers more than just practical support. Julie helps patients navigate deep emotional and spiritual challenges during their final stages of life.

Get ready for another season of Appalachian Care Chronicles! Host Aryana Misaghi invites you to delve into the intricate world of West Virginia’s healthcare system, where each episode uncovers inspiring stories of dedicated individuals making a difference.

In this episode, Greta shares firsthand experiences from her decade-long journey, highlighting the challenges and triumphs of providing comprehensive dental services to underserved areas like rural West Virginia. Discover how oral health is a window into overall health and the ways in which dental care providers are fixing so much more than smiles.

Family doctors in rural places fill a special role, and it's exactly what it sounds like, they take care of the whole families and overtime, end up becoming like family.

Raised in rural West Virginia, Dr. Zach Grimes discovered his passion for science and medicine early on. From dissecting animals to conducting autopsies, his upbringing shaped his path towards becoming a pathologist.

When it comes to West Virginia food, we often think of pepperoni rolls, Tudor’s biscuits, and Mountain Dew, but also foraged and farmed foods like ramps and morels foods like zucchini, tomatoes, and cabbage. Registered dietitians helps patients navigate food choices that balance the flavors they love and the nutrition that keeps them healthy.

In this episode we hear from the one and only Jan Rader, the first woman to lead a professional fire department in West Virginia and a TIME100 Most Influential Person in 2018.

During this episode we visit the classroom of a social work professor at Marshall University to learn about the landscape of social work in West Virginia.

In rural, medically-underserved areas like Logan County, West Virginia, bringing care to patients directly is often crucial to the health of the community. From conducting home visits to helping operate a mobile medical clinic, nurse practitioner Anitra Ellis’ makes it a priority to meet her patients where they are.

When serious accidents or injuries occur in remote and rural places like West Virginia, an emergency helicopter is sometimes a person’s sole chance at survival. No spoilers—but, this episode, we’re in for a wild ride.

Curious about the people who are working behind the scenes and on the front lines to care for our communities every day? Appalachian Care Chronicles is a new podcast bringing you stories from every corner of West Virginia’s health sector.