Radio Maine with Dr. Lisa Belisle

The Hopeful Journey of Addiction Recovery and Community Support: Carolyn Delaney

Carolyn Delaney is the founder of Journey Enterprises, a media company focused on making recovery from addiction more visible and accessible. Carolyn’s own life-altering experience created an impetus for the significant work she has done supporting individuals and families who are challenged by substance use disorder. While Carolyn encountered a lack of understanding and awareness as a young single mother in early recovery many years ago, she also found hope and encouragement through community.  As a result, Carolyn became convinced of the incredible need to combat stigma through education and storytelling. Her message of amplifying hope and providing resources earned Carolyn the title of Maine’s Small Business Person of Year in 2023. Join our conversation with Carolyn Delaney today on Radio Maine.

Swans Island Company: Maine Blanket Maker Bill Laurita

Bill Laurita is the president of the Swans Island Company, a well known maker of traditional wool blankets. Now located in Northport, Maine, the company had its origins on the picturesque isle that bears its name. Bill, his wife, and brother took over the business in 2004, when its original owners retired. This was a natural progression for Bill and his wife, who began their careers in Waldorf education. They found the work of the Swans Island Company to be holistic and process-oriented, which is very much in alignment with the Waldorf approach. Blankets created by the Swans Island Company  are made of high quality fibers, hand-dyed and woven on vintage looms by skilled craftspeople. Swans Island blankets reflect the quality and authenticity for which Maine has become known. Join our conversation with Bill Laurita today on Radio Maine.

Maine Healthcare Pacesetter: Dr.Robert McArtor

Dr. Robert McArtor is a longtime Maine resident and leader in medicine, who had a significant impact on Maine’s healthcare landscape. One of the state’s first chief medical officers in the newly created MaineHealth system, Bob drew upon his skills in family medicine and teaching to engage clinicians in improving quality measures and the health of the community. Bob models healthy lifestyle behaviors, both as a former marathoner and as a triathlete who earned the honor of representing the United States at the World Triathlon Age Group Championships in 2020. Bob speaks to the importance of community and finding purpose as a means of impacting both personal and professional longevity. Join our conversation with Dr. Robert McArtor today on Radio Maine.

Our Healthcare Heroes are Human: Rebecca Hoffmann

Rebecca Hoffmann is the director for the Maine Health Center for Trauma Resilience and Innovation. As part of this role, Rebecca focuses on the challenges faced by caregivers and staff in the healthcare system. One significant challenge is an underlying cultural belief that healthcare providers should be superhuman, and able to continually put aside their own needs in order to care for others. While this view was prevalent before the COVID-19 pandemic, it has not diminished in the past several years, as health systems address issues such as strained access to services, and increased violence against healthcare workers.  The need for healthcare worker resilience is more important than ever before. While Rebecca recognizes the importance of self-care, she also emphasizes the need for all organizations, but particularly those in healthcare, to prioritize the well-being of their employees. This includes providing resources and support for building teams, and sharing responsibilities to prevent burnout. Join our conversation with Rebecca Hoffmann today on Radio Maine.

Natural Resources Council of Maine: Rebeccah Sanders

Rebeccah Sanders is the CEO of the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM). The NRCM operates within the unique ecological ethic and culture of a state where environmental issues are an integral part of how people live their lives. Rebeccah and her team endeavor to engage stakeholders and build coalitions to achieve important environmental legislation. Rebeccah is understandably proud of the first-in-the-nation legislation that the NRCM has been involved in, such as the bottle bill and the offshore wind bill. In this interview, Rebeccah emphasizes the need to listen to and include myriad voices in decision-making processes. Rebeccah also discusses the importance of mentorship and collective leadership in creating durable solutions and empowering future generations. Join our conversation with Rebeccah Sanders today on Radio Maine.

Running for Stargardt Awareness: Eavan O’Neill

Former high school athlete Eavan O'Neill began running marathons as a result of a life-altering event. During her senior year in college at St. Lawrence University in Canton, New York, Eavan was diagnosed with Stargardt disease, a rare form of macular degeneration that causes vision loss, and often leads to blindness.  Soon after receiving this diagnosis, Eavan’s school closed due to Covid restrictions. Eavan found herself back in her hometown of Yarmouth, Maine. While processing the initial shock of the diagnosis, and attempting to understand the new life in front of her, Eavan found solace and strength through running with a fellow Yarmouth High School graduate. Eavan went public with her condition in order to garner support for organizations such as the Foundation Fighting Blindness. In 2023, Eavan ran her first Boston Marathon, raising money for the research work of Rachel Huckfeldt, MD, PhD, an ophthalmologist in the Inherited Retinal Disorders Service at Mass Eye and Ear in Boston. With the help of another Yarmouth High School graduate, Eavan shared her story with the sustainably-oriented Janji running company, where she was named to the Janji Field Team as a “Marathoner + Advocate for the Blind and Visually Impaired Community.” Join our conversation with Eavan O’Neill today on Radio Maine.

Dr. Hermann Haller

Dr. Hermann Haller is the President of the MDI Biological Laboratory (MDIBL), located in Salisbury Cove, Maine. Born and raised in Germany, Hermann trained there as a nephrologist (kidney specialist), before completing post-doctoral work at the Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut. In addition to being a practicing physician, medical school professor and researcher in German institutions for more than two decades, Hermann continued his work in the United States through the MDIBL (formerly known as the Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory). Hermann became the leader of the MDIBL in 2018. The goal of the MDIBL is to:  “Improve human health by discovering novel mechanisms of tissue repair, aging and regeneration, [and]...translate our discoveries for the benefit of medicine and society.” Hermann’s own research focuses on using zebrafish embryos to study kidney development, vascularization, and blood vessel growth, with the goal of eventually transplanting newly made kidneys into humans. Join our conversation with Dr. Hermann Haller today on Radio Maine.

Andy Gelinas

Poet and artist Andy Gelinas lives on North Haven island off the coast of Rockland, Maine, where he spends his (non-winter) days working for the local golf course.  Andy’s journey into poetry began as a child, growing up in Athens, Maine. Although Andy was diagnosed  with cerebral palsy at birth, he doesn't view this as an obstacle, but rather a source of inner strength. He focuses on themes such as nature and love, capturing the essence of seasons and daily life in metaphoric verses. Andy’s writing process involves keeping journals, jotting down ideas, and letting inspiration guide him. When he is not writing, Andy creates oil paintings depicting Maine scenes, including many from North Haven. His work has found an appreciative audience in his island community and beyond, made possible in part through social media. Join our conversation with 

Cat Bates

Jewelry designer Cat Bates began his life as an artist on Maine’s Monhegan Island. His keen observational skills yielded inspiration for future creativity, as he found beauty in the discarded fishing ropes and marine hardware that would eventually become the basis of his work. Cat would go on to pursue formal education in jewelry design at the Maine College of Art in Portland, and evolve his skills through the bracelets, necklaces and other accessories he designs, creates and sells through his eponymous business, located in Biddeford, Maine. Employing techniques like lost wax and sand casting, Cat delivers both intricate details and rugged textures. Learn about Cat Bates’ passion for and commitment to wearable art today on Radio Maine.

Dr. Chuck Radis

Dr. Chuck Radis is a Maine author and physician who has a passion for understanding people. A practicing rheumatologist (specialist in the immune system and disorders that impact primarily the joints and muscles), Chuck has experience with many aspects of health care.  He previously worked in traditional internal medicine–facing the unique challenge of being an island doctor in Maine’s Casco Bay communities–and has collaborated on medical training and education projects through the non-profit Maine African Partnership for Social Justice. A graduate of Bates College in Lewiston, Maine, one of Chuck’s recent books focuses on fellow Bates graduate John Jenkins, Maine’s first Black senator and a beloved civic leader. Join our conversation with Dr. Chuck Radis today on Radio Maine.