Shows
RESILIENT PEOPLEJennifer Powell and the loss of her friend TracyJennifer Powell is a Mom and entrepreneur who lives in Toronto. She approached me to share her story about her dear friend Tracy who passed away at only 43 years old.The two were close for years, building a solid foundation of friendship and female support. They even spoke about their wish to spend their retirement years drinking gin on the porch together. My talk with Jennifer not only revolved around her love for Tracy, but also how she honoured her legacy and became determined to live a full life. How did she start? Sh...
2026-01-0733 minRESILIENT PEOPLEBuilding resilience by doing nothingFor this episode of RESILIENT PEOPLE, I'm taking you on a walk. It's a Sunday in late July and I'm looking forward to a day of doing nothing. When was the last time you can say that you did that too? Maybe laying on a lounge chair til you fall asleep with the sun warming your face. Or taking a long leisurely walk through a neighbourhood, grabbing a drink and browsing around local shops. How do you spend your time doing nothing? Turns out that its scientifically proven that relaxing promotes a clearer min...
2025-08-0707 minRESILIENT PEOPLEBuilding resilience through grief: Misery is optionalThirty years ago, Beverley Burke lost her husband Kevin. She is the mom to a dear friend of mine, but as a fellow widow, she's also become my coach and a close friend. We spoke about her memories of being a young widow, advice for grievers to get back to living their lives and gushed over our mutual admiration for one another. Just the kind of relationship that every widow or widower needs. In this episode, I share my friendship and the inspiration that Beverley Burke has brought to my life. Every widow or widower should know s...
2025-06-1741 minRESILIENT PEOPLEWelcome to Season 5: Living in the in-between momentsThis episode is changing the nature of the podcast a bit. After suffering a devastating loss this past fall, with the death of my 25 year old daughter Isobel, I began to rethink what’s important to me and how I view a resilient mindset. I feel like learning to really embrace the in between moments in life is key to rebuilding ourselves.So I’ll be dedicating this season to sharing takeaways that worked for me and hopefully give you some useful food for thought. RESILIENT PEOPLE is a podcast and digital space created by Janet Fanaki. She...
2025-02-2804 minRESILIENT PEOPLENathan & Dana Schmidt of Mountain Seed FoundationNathan and Dana Schmidt of the Mountain Seed Foundation are my guests on this episode of the RESILIENT PEOPLE podcast. Mountain Seed Foundation helps build resilience in children and families impacted by war with some of their biggest work being done in Ukraine. Nathan is a former Marine who completed three tours in the Iraq war. He and Dana met there when she went as part of the Foreign Service. Both are very open about the effects that war has on individuals and their families. Nathan spoke about openly about his post-traumatic stress...
2024-10-1059 minRESILIENT PEOPLEKelli Gastis: Fabulous in flats with MSKelli Gastis is a wife, mother, former dancer and can now add author to her list of achievements. Her book, Fabulous In Flats, is about the journey that Multiple Sclerosis has taken her on and how she has maintained a resilient mindset through her body's changes.She doesn't want to let her condition get in the way of living a fulfilling life and she wrote a book to inspire others.To learn more about Kelli Gastis visit: www.kelligastis.comThe RESILIENT PEOPLE podcast is produced and hosted by Janet Fanaki. It features...
2024-09-0428 minRESILIENT PEOPLERaymond Chhun: No one gets out of mud on their ownRaymond Chhun is a registered nurse in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He's worked in clinic as well as an instructor, and is currently applying for his PhD to research building resilience in nursing.His mother grew up in rural Cambodia and met his father in Thailand. At a young age she was taken from home during the country's civil war essentially having the life she knew before taken away from her.When he was just 13 years old, Raymond had sadly already lost both of his parents. His own life changed forever and through his teen years he...
2024-08-0747 minRESILIENT PEOPLEHurricane Dorian Survivor Tara PyfromTara Pyfrom grew up in the beautiful Bahamas. She comes from a long line of family members who lived there for generations. Residents there are used to hurricanes.In 2019 Tara's beloved island experienced the wrath of Hurricane Dorian, the biggest cyclone to hit the Bahamas. Tara, her wife and daughter watched as their home filled with water, making its way all the way up to the attic.Once the storm passed and they were forced to evacuate, they needed to find a place to live and eventually found their way to Canada. We s...
2024-06-2140 minRESILIENT PEOPLEWelcome to Season 4 of RESILIENT PEOPLEFor this episode, I reflect on some of the learnings from past guests, the purpose that her guests have found from the challenges they faced and how a bigger purpose can be created through adversity. Janet mentions in this episode, "a major challenge will most definitely change you, but it doesn’t need to define who you are for the rest of your life." RESILIENT PEOPLE is produced and created by Janet Fanaki. It's conversations with regular people from around the world who are admired for their resilience. They have experienced a major life challenge, found a pur...
2024-06-2105 minRESILIENT PEOPLEHow to help a griever get back to living lifeThis episode is a response to a Twitter post that I recently made that garnered a bit of attention. I was remarking on how I, as a widow, was starting to include a friend who recently lost her husband in my social plans. Inviting her to play tennis, hang out and go out for dinner.So many people replied with their own stories of living with grief and the alienation they encountered while others wrote about the ways in which they had included a griever in their vacations, dinners and making plans together.The grievers...
2023-07-1810 minRESILIENT PEOPLEAustralian police officer and motivational speaker Shaun O'GormanShaun O'Gorman is an author, motivational speaker, father, and a former police officer in Queensland, Australia Growing up in a police family, Shaun knew from a very young age what he aspired to be when he got older. But he wasn't aware of how much this profession would change him. Witnessing horrific events and drama of day to day life, he struggled for a long time with PTSD, attempted suicide and eventually left the police force.Shaun found a purpose in public speaking to police academies, military, first responders, athletes and schools about his struggles and his...
2023-06-1544 minRESILIENT PEOPLEHow to die with no regretsBack in 2019 I spoke with a woman by the name of Dawn Custode. She loved to sail, travel, spend time helping the causes that she held dear and having fun with loved ones. At the time, Dawn was dying of colon cancer, a disease that she had lived with for two and a half years. She was spending her remaining days imparting her wisdom on life for the living. And she had some terrific advice. Our talk came at a time when my own husband was living with terminal brain cancer called glioblastoma. RESILIENT PEOPLE is...
2023-02-1826 minRESILIENT PEOPLEFinding joy as a single on Valentine's DayThis episode of RESILIENT PEOPLE features tips and advice for single people to find joy on Valentine's Day. Typically focused on romance, attitudes are finally starting to change around it. We now hear more about spending the day with our 'galentines' and 'palentines' - thanks to companies like Walmart, Edible Arrangements and Jack Astors - celebrating with family and friends and even our pets. And there's also nothing wrong with practicing self care and locking the world out to be alone too. This episode will share some terrific insights from other single people as well as...
2023-02-1208 min
RESILIENT PEOPLERae Ann Gruver of The Max Gruver FoundationIn 2017, Max Gruver began as a freshman at Louisiana State University. He, along with his parents, was full of hope and excitement. From Georgia, his parents heard about his first weeks away at school which included pledging at various fraternities. They never anticipated that on September 17th they would receive a call that would change their lives forever. Max had died at LSU from a hazing event held at Phi Delta Theta house.Rae Ann Gruver is a mom, wife, former NICU nurse and the founder of The Max Gruver Foundation. In her grief, she a...
2022-12-1445 minRESILIENT PEOPLEPsychiatrist and sleep expert Dr. Cara OoiIn this episode of the RESILIENT PEOPLE podcast, I interview Toronto psychiatrist and sleep expert, Dr. Cara Ooi. Helping teens to sleep better is her main focus, but as our conversation will show, sleep disorders cover every age group.As many of us struggle to get a good night's rest, Dr. Ooi offers simple and effective tools to help us. Without getting the necessary amount of sleep, it impacts everything from our productivity to our relationships. But as she confirms, there are many options. Her approach includes using methods like: changing the way we use our bed...
2022-11-1839 minRESILIENT PEOPLEAuthor and midlife expert Ann DouglasIn this episode I interview celebrated parenting and now midlife author, Ann Douglas. Her new book, "Navigating the messy middle: A fiercely honest and wildly encouraging guide for midlife women" is out now. Canadian author Ann Douglas has been writing books about parenting for years. Popular guides to help pregnant women and new parents prepare for the exciting and very unpredictable life of parenthood. This latest book aims to help women through the midlife years. As she said in our conversation, "I am fascinated by human growth and development. Being in the middle chapter of li...
2022-11-0537 minRESILIENT PEOPLEHow to build resilience: Build a better brainThe focus of this short episode of RESILIENT PEOPLE is on my takeaways from the book by Dr. Sanjay Gupta, "Keep Sharp: Build A Better Brain At Any Age". It's a science-driven guide to preventing brain decline but I also found that the advice is beneficial for overall wellness and positive mental health.As I focus a lot of my learning for RESILIENT PEOPLE on building resilience and learning from those who demonstrate a positive mindset, Dr. Gupta offers some terrific and easy to employ tips for maintaining our overall health. In this short episode of the...
2022-10-2807 min
RESILIENT PEOPLESolo women's travel expert Katie ClarkBonjour and welcome to RESILIENT PEOPLE. My guest on this episode is Katie Clark - an American in Paris.Katie is 42 years old and originally from Utah. She got married very young, had three children pretty quickly and for the last 16 years has practiced as an emergency room nurse.Like many married couples, she and her husband were going through the motions of life and marriage. Focused on raising children and busy with their careers. As she was approaching her midlife years, Katie felt unhappy with the status quo and looked for ways to make...
2022-10-2037 minRESILIENT PEOPLEToronto lawyer Leanne Townsend on embracing midlife changesFor this episode of RESILIENT PEOPLE, I was joined by Toronto divorce and family lawyer Leanne Townsend. Running a busy law practice, the creator of the Divorcing Well podcast and mom of two adult children - Leanne is a terrific person to have on to talk about midlife issues. We spoke about some big changes that have recently happened in her life. Namely, selling her family home and starting her own law firm.As two midlife women, we talked about:- embracing big life changes and the benefits of changing everything at once...
2022-10-0633 minRESILIENT PEOPLENankind President Audrey Guth on switching careers in midlifeIn this episode of the RESILIENT PEOPLE podcast, Janet Fanaki introduces listeners to Audrey Guth, a Toronto entrepreneur and founder of the non-profit organization Nankind. Audrey is a mother, grandmother, two-time cancer survivor and creator of multiple businesses. Her point-of-view to inspire women to make a pivot in midlife is very inspiring. Janet and Audrey spoke about:the moment when it seemed right to leave her business and start a not-for-profit agencyadvice that she shares to help midlife women who are seeking a changethe importance of having an external focus in your life - a p...
2022-09-2233 minRESILIENT PEOPLEWelcome to Season 3 of RESILIENT PEOPLE!Hello RESILIENT PEOPLE! Welcome to Season 3 of the podcast! I am your host, Janet Fanaki. I am so excited to be back and ready to introduce you to more EXTRAordinary people who are admired for their resilience. But this season - with a twist. You will hear more of the voices of midlife women and how they are reinventing themselves, finding a purpose and moving through this new chapter of their lives with a sense of joy. In this trailer for Season 3 of the RESILIENT PEOPLE podcast, Jan...
2022-09-1004 minRESILIENT PEOPLEGrief counsellor and author Sherrie DunlevyOn this episode of the RESILIENT PEOPLE podcast, I welcome Grief Coach Sherrie Dunlevy as my guest. Sherrie is the creator of the Graduating Grief Academy and her goal is to help people find joy again while living with loss. An innovative group program, her goal is to cycle you through the stages of grief where you come out of the other end with a sense of gratitude, healing and hope.We spoke about:- different forms of grief- how others can support grievers- infant, parental and pet loss
2022-04-2935 minRESILIENT PEOPLEHow to build resilience: The importance of having the right friendsWe all remember being in high school and dating someone new and thinking that that person was all that mattered. When things went south, where were your friends? They would be the ones to lift your spirit, get you drunk to feel better about the break-up and help you move on.For this short episode of the RESILIENT PEOPLE podcast, I talk about friends and friendships.In my 53 years of being on this earth, I've come to learn that not everyone has their own set of friends outside of their marital or partner relationship. I...
2022-04-2306 minRESILIENT PEOPLEType 1 Diabetes blogger Caitlin StarrMeet Caitlin Starr. When we spoke for the RESILIENT PEOPLE podcast, she was a high school student in Toronto. Now she’s studying at university in Montreal.Caitlin is a competitive dancer and skier, intelligent and a vivacious young woman who also happens to be living with Type 1 Diabetes. But she is adamant on not being known foremost for her condition. As she says, she is not the label but so much more. We spoke about her role models and how she feels about being one to those who don’t have T1D as w...
2022-04-1328 minRESILIENT PEOPLEHow to build resilience: Choosing kindness as your legacyIn this short episode of the RESILIENT PEOPLE podcast, Janet Fanaki wants listeners to think about leaving a legacy of kindness. With many of us worried about the current state of the world, kindness matters more than ever.Janet references a recent event that was held in memory of her husband who passed away from brain cancer in 2020. She talks about what he is most remembered for in the legal and business communities in Canada and around the world. A skilled and well-respected competition law lawyer, Adam Fanaki is most remembered for his kindness.RESILIENT...
2022-03-2905 minRESILIENT PEOPLECaregiving expert, author and educator Donna ThomsonIn this episode of RESILIENT PEOPLE, I welcome caregiving expert Donna Thomson.Through years of being a family caregiver to turning to advocacy work and research in the area, Donna shares a wealth of knowledge and personal experience. We spoke about: her essentials for being a better caregiverhow to avoid failure within the healthcare systemways that she maintains her positive mindset and resilienceavoiding caregiver burnoutfinding a community that you can really laugh withlearning to say no but also the power in saying yes LINKS:www.donnathomson.comFacebook: @thecaregiverslivingroom
2022-03-1738 minRESILIENT PEOPLEMaking lemonade out of lemons with inspiring senior Susan MintzIn this episode of RESILIENT PEOPLE, I'm joined by longtime contributor, Susan Mintz. Two widows talking about the importance of maintaining a positive attitude and how to live a happy life. This is an episode that promises to give a new way of looking at life after loss.It may seem unconventional to get advice about keeping a positive attitude from a widow. But that's exactly what listeners will hear in this episode.Susan lost her husband Jeffrey to AIDS in 1994. Following his passing, she published a book titled Committed To Love, became an outspoken...
2022-02-2338 minRESILIENT PEOPLEAgnes Chen of Starlings CommunityAgnes Chen is the founder of Starlings Community, which addresses childhood trauma from parental addictions. As she has said, "Children do not get a choice in the kind of home environment they are raised in. But as a community, we have a choice in the kind of community environment that supports them."Agnes lives in Calgary, is an energetic mom of four, a registered nurse and the creator of Starlings Community.She grew up in the shadow of traumatic parental addiction. As an adult, Agnes recognized the role that an entire community plays in helping...
2022-02-0731 min
RESILIENT PEOPLEChris DT Gordon of The Attitude Of GratitudeChris DT Gordon is a special education teacher, runner, husband, father and a survivor of flesh-eating bacteria. When a small scrape to his hand led to months in the hospital and a near amputation, Chris took stock of the important people and things in his life. He launched the Scar Bearers podcast and committed to doing something kind for someone everyday. He also developed The Attitude of Gratitude and began preaching the merits of kindness and being grateful to his students, aiming to instill a sense of gratitude in them. Chris lives in New...
2022-01-2132 minRESILIENT PEOPLEMidlife Globetrotter Susan HeinrichSusan Heinrich is excited to be in her mid 50s, taking solo trips and wants to inspire other women to embrace their lives with the same sense of adventure. She is the Midlife Globetrotter on social media and posts about her travels, food and fashion. She doesn't see age as a obstacle but as an opportunity to reinvent ourselves or just get reaquainted with our passions.Learn more about Susan Heinrich at www.midlifeglobetrotter.com.RESILIENT PEOPLE features conversations with host Janet Fanaki and guests from around the world who are admired for t...
2022-01-0833 minRESILIENT PEOPLEDavid A. Grant of The Brain Injury Hope NetworkDavid A. Grant lives with a traumatic brain injury after being hit by a teenage driver while cycling. People who have a TBI face many issues that in some cases are permanent. Headaches, dizziness, fatigue, depression, irritability and memory problems to name a few. Living with difficulties like these can cause the people around them to disappear, leaving the affected person with a sense of despair and loneliness. When David found himself wanting to connect more often with others who were living with a brain injury, he created an online Facebook group that was...
2021-12-0928 minRESILIENT PEOPLEKids & Cars Founder Janette FennellHow often have you found yourself sitting in your vehicle and wondering about the features around you? The interior trunk release. The rear safety camera? And the switch for your power windows?Janette Fennell is a vehicle safety advocate in the US. Back in 1995 an alarming thing happened to her and her husband when they were kidnapped in the trunk of their car.This experience had Janette dedicate the rest of her life to advocating for car safety and create the organization KidsAndCars. She and her army of volunteers have spearheaded many legislations that millions...
2021-11-2536 minRESILIENT PEOPLETommy Caulfield & James Whittle are The Tempest TwoTommy Caulfield and James Whittle are two friends from the UK who decided to cross the Atlantic Ocean in a row boat. The voyage took them 54 days and as you can imagine, it was grueling. But the pair discovered a lot about themselves in that little vessel. Mainly the importance of pushing through their comfort zones and embracing the rewards that come with it.Since that trip, Tommy and James have embarked on many different adventures. We spoke about the reason for doing that first trip, how they define resilience and have a few laughs too.To...
2021-11-0531 minRESILIENT PEOPLEMinneapolis bridge-collapse survivor Lindsay WalzOn August 1, 2007 the I35W bridge in Minneapolis suddenly collapsed during the drive-home rush hour. Thirteen people were killed and 145 people injured.My guest on this episode of RESILIENT PEOPLE is one of the survivors, Lindsay Walz. Lindsay was a youth worker, primarily helping those who suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder and trauma. She admitted that this was something that she knew little about at the time, but it became everything to her after that fateful day.Lindsay and I spoke about her memories from the bridge collapse, her lifelong process of healing, helping others...
2021-10-2135 minRESILIENT PEOPLEKyle White: Body and mindset transformationBefore the pandemic hit, Kyle White weighed over 400 pounds. At 28 years old he was living with high blood pressure, bad eating habits and an inactive lifestyle. He knew that something needed to change. He began by walking and soon that turned into running. Within 18 months he completed his first marathon and lost over 185 pounds. Kyle credits his mindset and the community around him. He takes us back to the moment when it all began, the hardest parts of his journey and how he keeps going. Learn more about Kyle White at www.fitfrom400.com...
2021-10-0729 minRESILIENT PEOPLELessons in resilienceWelcome to Season 2 of the RESILIENT PEOPLE podcast. It's great to be back and I'm so happy to have you along with me.This season, we'll be hearing more from regular people around the world who are admired for their resilience. As we heard from previous guests, the power of purpose will continue to be a central theme in the upcoming season. We've learned some terrific lessons for building resilience and these will continue as we move forward. All of the episodes will demonstrate that, with the right tools and resources, it is possible to f...
2021-09-2308 minRESILIENT PEOPLEEmily O'Brien of Comeback SnacksEmily O'Brien made one bad decision that landed her in prison. While spending time with other inmates watching television and making popcorn, Emily also developed a business idea. A gourmet popcorn company called, Comeback Snacks. It not only satisfies cravings but also helps former inmates by giving them a second chance - a comeback. Emily chatted with Janet Fanaki, the host of RESILIENT PEOPLE about her experience and why this purpose is so important to her. To learn more visit www.comebacksnacks.com and on socials @comebacksnacks.For more interviews with EXTRAordinary people ad...
2021-06-2425 minRESILIENT PEOPLEGrief and Father's DayFather's Day is a time when many are missing their dads, husbands and father-like figures who have passed on.In this episode of RESILIENT PEOPLE, I offer tips and takeaways to help those who are grieving through this emotionally-charged day. I share advice from those who have lived experience to help the many who will be needing support. Like any special day in the year, Father’s Day can be happy and terribly sad for many people. Losing one’s dad, husband or father-like figure can make this day very difficult to navigate alone. Janet Fanak...
2021-06-1705 minRESILIENT PEOPLEExtreme adventurer Sean SwarnerIn this episode of RESILIENT PEOPLE, I had the pleasure of speaking with extreme adventurer Sean Swarner. Sean has scaled the world’s seven tallest summits, hiked to the south and north poles making him a member of the exclusive Explorer’s Grand Slam. He did all of this with only one lung. A survivor of 2 children cancers, Sean has proven that anything is possible and aims to inspire cancer patients and others to conquer their own mountains. As someone who has spent his entire life overcoming challenges, I was keen to learn what inspires Sean, where he ge...
2021-06-1029 minRESILIENT PEOPLEHow to build resilience: Using the mental health tool S.H.A.D.E.SWe're spending a lot, maybe too much, time on our computers and devices. From checking text messages to fooling around on social media and hopping on video conference calls there are many days when it can seem like we're forever staring at a screen. It's no surprise that it's not great for our mental or physical health.The acronym S.H.A.D.E.S was developed as a self check-in, to ensure that we pay attention to the things that keep us healthy, focused and resilient: Sleep, Hydration, Air, Diet, Exercise & Stillness.J...
2021-06-0304 minRESILIENT PEOPLEHow to build resilience: SHADESOn this short episode of RESILIENT PEOPLE, I introduce you to an easy acronym in building resilience. SHADES. No, I’m not talking about your Ray Bans.SHADES is an acronym that’s been popularized with content creators. I came across it while listening to an interview with Jessica Richey of SheSnaps. Jessica is a creator who is very open about mental health and the importance of taking care of it. And she has expressed a concern for the gaming and streaming communities to do the same.So what does SHADES stand for? Sleep, Hydration, Air...
2021-06-0305 minRESILIENT PEOPLEChildren's book author Marnie Hill: The power of a good storyMarnie Hill wrote the book, Daddy's Blue Eyes, following the death of her son-in-law Matthew Leslie. He left behind a young wife and two daughters.A professional communications specialist, Marnie was coping with her own grief while also looking for a way to help her granddaughters to understand their dad's passing. By writing this book, her goal is to also offer parents, grandparents, teachers and caregivers a way to gently start a conversation with young people about grief. To learn more and to order the book, visit www.marniehillcommunications.ca. For more interviews with people a...
2021-05-2729 min
Graduating Grief- Finding Hope, Healing and JOY after LossHow to Become Resilient After Loss"You are so strong." "I could never survive what you have."Those are just a few of the many phrases grievers have heard as they travel their path from grief to healing. But that simply isn't true. Resiliency isn't something you have, it is something that is built and Janet Fanaki has not only studied it, she has lived it and is teaching her children to build theirs as well.Janet is the creator and host of the RESILIENT PEOPLE podcast.Since 2018 she has been blogging and recording interviews with people f...
2021-05-2528 min
RESILIENT PEOPLETips & takeaways for building resilienceResilience is the outcome -- but how do we get there?In this short episode of the RESILIENT PEOPLE podcast, we uncover some methods to building our resilience. My name is Janet Fanaki and I'm the host of RESILIENT PEOPLE. In a new segment called REVELATIONS, I'll be sharing easy tips and takeaways for you to try. These will drop every two weeks and come from my fantastic conversations with guests on the podcast. Each episode of REVELATIONS will only be a few minutes and be like a mini workshop in making you mo...
2021-05-2003 minRESILIENT PEOPLEDietitian Ashley Koff: Better nutrition builds resilienceRegistered Dietitian Ashley Koff is a leading expert in nutrition and creator of The Better Nutrition Program. She is also an author, public speaker, and consultant who lives in the US. Ashley's goal is to ensure that patients and clients are receiving the best knowledge to manage their health through food, lifestyle and supplements. She loves talking about "gut health" and joined me on RESILIENT PEOPLE to discuss its relationship to building resilience.We also spoke about the pandemic and the importance of being kind to ourselves - especially as many of us have "fallen off the...
2021-05-1331 minRESILIENT PEOPLEPatient advocate Melissa SheldrickMelissa Sheldrick is a Toronto mom, wife and patient safety advocate. She came to this role following the sudden death of her son Andrew. He was only 8 years old when an error in the dispensing by a pharmacist had Andrew take a lethal dose of something other than his medication.Heartbroken but determined, Melissa set out to make it her purpose to ensure that this never happened to another person.In our conversation, we spoke about Andrew and her work to protect patient safety around the world. Visit www.melissasheldrick.ca to keep up with...
2021-04-2936 minRESILIENT PEOPLECasey Palmer of Black Dad WorriesCasey Palmer is an author, blogger, husband and dad from Toronto. Many of his posts are about parenthood and life with his wife and two young boys. Casey created the hashtag #blackdadworries to raise awareness for the double-standards that exist for the Black community and the things he considers in raising his sons.As the trial of Officer Derek Chauvin is currently taking place in Minneapolis for the killing of George Floyd, it seemed like a good time to share a conversation I had with Casey in the summer of 2020 when Mr. Floyd died.We...
2021-04-1524 min
UN-CAPED HEROES - The PodcastEpisode 139 - Janet FanakiEpisode 139 is a special podcast because Janet Fanaki is a living example of the Hero Wisdom Word: Resilient! She is the Host & Founder of RESILIENT PEOPLE podcast , Founder @TheAdamFanakiBrainFund , @GBMWidowsClub. We want to encourage you to look her up at ResilientPeople.ca. Janet "tells stories about EXTRAordinary people who are admired for their resilience." She will inspire you and challenge you to get great people around you. Your personal circle should have at least one person that makes you laugh. Funny people are healthy to be around. There is more great stuff that Janet shares, but you'll have to...
2021-04-0521 min
The Hope-MakersEpisode 14. How I found strength from resilient people, with Janet FanakiIn 2020, just after the Covid pandemic started, Janet Fanaki lost her husband to Glioblastoma - incurable brain cancer. However, four years before, just after receiving this devastating diagnosis Janet decided to write a blog about her experience and the lessons she had learned from speaking with others going through difficult times, and has since created a podcast 'Resilient People' in which she interviews ordinary people about how they have coped with challenging times.In this interview, Janet provides an extraordinary account of how she managed herself and other people in order to cope with the diagnosis her...
2021-04-0552 minRESILIENT PEOPLEDoris Belland: From bankrupt to finance expertSo much of resilience is in being prepared for life's unexpected challenges. How does this relate to money?Doris Belland is a Financial Repair Expert who has witnessed firsthand the power of knowing all about your finances. She was in her 20s when her husband was diagnosed with cancer and then following his death at a young age, she found herself dealing with deep grief but also a large amount of debt.Doris learned the hard way that she should have known more about their finances and now counsels women on this very topic. She...
2021-04-0136 minRESILIENT PEOPLEStay-at-home dad Dale Allen-BergThe challenges of being a stay-at-home parent are real. There are many rewards but it's a job that is 24/7 and at times very demanding. For Dale Allen Berg, being a stay-at-home dad to three active young children under the age of 6, is enough to make anyone run away in fear. On top of the regular chores he does at home: cooking, cleaning, driving for last-minute items, appointments, programs - his three children: Liam, and twins Ethan and Madison all have special needs that require a lot of medical and occupational assistance. In addition, Dale is also living w...
2021-03-1837 min
RESILIENT PEOPLEDr. Caitlin Kirby: Normalize failureDr. Caitlin Kirby is an environmental science educator and researcher. She successfully completed her doctorate degree in October 2019. Normally 3 years long, there are many struggles in completing a PhD. Stress, funding, work life balance and in Dr. Kirby’s case - rejection.“Rejection from what?” you may be wondering. For Caitlin she did something unique when challenging her doctoral dissertation that brought the issue of resilience and rejection to light and she hopes that it will help others. I contacted Caitlin after seeing a post she did on Twitter, that was actually originally done on an academic Twitte...
2021-03-0417 minRESILIENT PEOPLEHolocaust survivor Elly GotzMy friend Maggie highly recommended that I somehow find Mr. Elly Gotz for RESILIENT PEOPLE. Her daughter attended one of his infamous school presentations on his experiences while living during the Holocaust. My son also heard Elly speak at his school. Until the pandemic started in 2020, Elly Gotz was doing over 100 speaking engagements a year - and at the time he was 92 YO! Not only is he a public speaker, but also an author, engineer, business owner, pilot, a husband for more than 60 years and he recently added skydiver to his list of accomplishments - and there a...
2021-02-1829 minRESILIENT PEOPLESurviving Valentine's Day when you are living with griefI’m doing something different for this episode. Instead of bringing you a conversation that I’ve had with someone, I’m going to talk about a topic that I’ve been thinking about for some time and anyone who is facing grief will be able to relate to it. We’re a few days away from the biggest and most romantic day of the year - if you’re in a couple. Valentine’s Day. If you’re not in a relationship, it’s most likely a “trigger” day for you where you either don’t care about it, want to sk...
2021-02-1008 minRESILIENT PEOPLEDr. Jim Swan on living with brain cancer and helping othersIn this episode, I speak with Dr. Jim Swan, an esteemed cardiologist from Toronto. He is one of the most highly-regarded physicians in Canada and a real trailblazer in the field of cardiology. In 2019, Jim lost his twin brother George to Glioblastoma (also known as GBM), the most aggressive form of brain cancer. They were 70 years old. As fate would have it, only one year later, Jim would be diagnosed with the same deadly disease. Just as Jim made the practice of medicine a mission in his life, he found a new purpose in searching for the r...
2021-02-0422 minRESILIENT PEOPLEElizabeth Verwey of Spoken LivesElizabeth Verwey had a major shift in her life when she was 56. Her husband whom she had known since she was 17 and married when she was 19 had decided that he wanted out of their seemingly happy marriage. She found herself as a single mom and faced her fear of being alone. I met Elizabeth, pre-pandemic, in her apartment in Toronto where she shared her story with me.Even as a successful and award-winning business mentor to many clients, Elizabeth found herself having a fear of being alone in her mid 50s. She made a list of all...
2021-01-2124 minRESILIENT PEOPLELee Silverstein of We Have CancerSixty-year old Lee Silverstein has lived with three different cancers in his lifetime including kidney, colon and liver. He created the We Have Cancer podcast to provide information, inspiration and hope.As Lee sees it, cancer affects everyone. I spoke with him and his wife Linda from their home in Florida. In between the laughs, we talked about his resilience, the valuable life lessons he's learned from his dad and why he started a podcast about cancer and the takeaways from his guests.To learn more about Lee visit wehavecancershow.com or follow him on...
2021-01-0721 minRESILIENT PEOPLEEducational Expert Jane KristoffyIn this episode, I speak with educational consultant, Jane Kristoffy, in Toronto. Jane is a teacher, guidance counsellor and operates a consulting business to help students, parents and educators everywhere. Her goal is to help elementary, high school, university and college students to reach their personal and education goals. She can help you if you’re struggling in certain subjects and need extra support, preparing your applications for post-secondary institutions, or getting your resume ready for a job hunt. But Jane says there’s more to think about when getting our kids ready for the real world and i...
2020-12-2417 minRESILIENT PEOPLEMatthew Pullan of Running Through CancerMatthew Pullan is 18 years old and lives in Bury, near Manchester, in the UK. He’s preparing for university, continuing to study, spends time with friends where possible during the pandemic, and blogs about running and exercise. The blog was called Matthew's Running Journey until a recent name change to reflect a big change in his life. A terminal brain cancer diagnosis. Matthew and I spoke about his illness, where his resilience comes from, how his blog inspires others to push themselves forward and his future plans.To learn more about Matthew visit www.matthewsrunningjourneyblog.wor...
2020-12-1013 minRESILIENT PEOPLEJason Fiorotto of The Tory Day FundIn a group of friends, it’s not often when some start to date each other. It might be even less likely that they get married. But when it does happen, it’s one of the most beautiful things to witness. This is what happened between my friends Jason Fiorotto and Tory Butler. I had just had my second baby in 2002 when I got a call from him letting me know that they were engaged. Married life and a beautiful daughter Kate followed along with summer days at the cottage - their beloved getaway. Things took a turn...
2020-11-2624 minRESILIENT PEOPLETriple Amputee Morgan FreyMorgan Frey is a young woman from Toronto who grew up like most kids. Going to camp, dance and skating lessons - she was also drawn to the theatre and decided to pursue a career as a writer - even mounting her own show in the prestigious Toronto Fringe Festival. Morgan is also a triple amputee but she hasn’t let that stand in the way of going after her dreams. I sat down with Morgan, pre-pandemic, to talk about what it was like to grow up with such unique challenges, and how a person’s limits shoul...
2020-11-2623 minRESILIENT PEOPLETerrence Rodriguez of RexPrideIn this episode, I speak with Terrence Rodriguez who faced struggles, isolation and loneliness through his journey as a transgender man.Terrence’s story of resilience stems from his desire for community. By recognizing the struggle that many LGBTQ youth go through, he launched a social hub and advocacy group in Toronto called, REXpride. It is a safe space for them to gather, make friends, be among their peers and feel open and confident in their identity. If there’s one thing we can take away from this episode it’s “you’re not alone”. There is always a com...
2020-11-2612 minRESILIENT PEOPLEIntroducing RESILIENT PEOPLE!I never imagined in my worst nightmares that at 47, my husband would be diagnosed with terminal brain cancer, and that I would lose him by 51. My name is Janet Fanaki and during my husband Adam's surgery and treatments, I spent a lot of time people-watching in the waiting room. How were they getting through the day? How do they find strength? I started interviewing people who I admired for their resilience and began a blog. Soon I was getting more and more recommendations and strangers started tweeting me their stories. RESILIENT PEOPLE became a w...
2020-11-1305 min
WE Have CancerResilient People; An Interview With Founder Janet FanakiJanet Fanaki created Resilient People, Stories to Inspire while caring for her husband who was diagnosed with an aggressive form of Brain Cancer in 2016.During our conversation we discussed:How she came up with the idea for Resilient People.Why building a community has benefited her.How her husband came to be diagnosed with Glioblastoma and the treatment that was prescribed for him.The current state of her husband's health.How she finds the stories to profile on Resilient People.The story of Jason Fiorotto, who founded the Tory Day Fund in memory of his wife...
2019-09-2425 min