Live Podcasting from the Gold Humanism Summit

Written By Neda Frayha

In September 2025, I had the chance to interview Gunnar Esiason, a rare disease patient leader and advocate, and Dr. Kathy Reeves, CEO and President of the Arnold P. Gold Foundation, for a live podcasting event at the annual Gold Humanism Summit.

The summit brings together health care professionals, medical students, artists, clergy, and other healers to collaborate on delivering patient care that is kind, safe, and trustworthy.

In my conversation with Esiason and Reeves, titled “Why Research Needs a Heart: Gunnar Esiason's Story & the Human Side of Medical Breakthroughs,” we discussed:

  • Gunnar's experiences living with cystic fibrosis both before and after a life-changing treatment became available to him;

  • What it's really like to be a research participant, where being enrolled in clinical trials is a full-time job; and

  • How clinicians can advocate for equitable research so that our patients receive clinically excellent care.

Our conversation will be shared on a future episode of the podcast, Hippo Education Presents: The Monthly Rounds. 

Neda Frayha