Resilience in Motion: Olympic Stories of Strength, Adaptation, and Hope

Episode Transcript

Dr. Correa:
From the American Academy of Neurology, I'm Dr. Daniel Correa.

Dr. Peters:
I am Dr. Katy Peters, and this is the Brain & Life podcast.

Dr. Correa:
Welcome back to the Brain & Life podcast. I think in a lot of ways, it has already been quite a start to 2026, both with joy and many challenges affecting our communities. Katy, has there been something you've been able to celebrate, and maybe a challenge you're working to put in context, with everything going on?

Dr. Peters:
I'm celebrating that, I think, I really do think, that the construction on the new house is done. I think. The challenge is, no matter how much I think it's completed, something new will always arise. Luckily, I am surrounded by some really great partners in this, craftspeople, landscapers, builders, et cetera. Hope I didn't leave anybody out.
I think it really sort of cements, oh wow, cement and building. Oh, wow. I'm really dating myself, Daniel. But relationships are so key, and we can't do it alone. Just like it's wonderful to have you as a partner on this podcast. So, I thank you. And of course, I have to say, my husband has been a great partner in this building experience. We've learned so much together. How about you?

Dr. Correa:
Yeah. I think when we are aware of so many challenges out there, in the world and in different communities, it can put some of the challenges we are experiencing personally in context, and help us be grateful.
Yeah. I mean, so far, I'm celebrating. I love to be outdoors and try, despite the cold. And so, I've been able to be a bit more consistent and healthy doing it. So, I'm celebrating continuing to get out there, enjoy movement, enjoy the outdoors in New York City, and not feel stuck inside.
Lately we've just had some amazing achievements by our students here at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, both academically and in some of their research. These stories and these amazing individuals that I help support and have invested in, just to see them continuing to grow, and see more of their dreams moving forward.
Personally, for me, I'm definitely still working through the grief and loss in our family. But I think my wife and I have said and just really reflected that during this time, we truly have never really felt more loved and supported by our family and friends, and so many of my great colleagues.
Today, we will be starting with some listener questions. We have received a few that we think will fit in well with the inspiration I think we all need at the start of this year. We can all take that dedication of the resilience that we see from athletes that we've interviewed here on the podcast throughout their careers and lives, into ways that we can practice for ourselves.
So, one of the questions we've got first was from Josh in Montana. He shared, "Last year, I had a concussion from a biking accident. And even though I'm cleared to go back to normal, I still get moments of brain fog, hesitation. I'm wondering how others rebuild trust in their bodies and brains after a head injury, especially when they look fine on the outside, but still feel off on the inside, or are honestly just scared?"
Josh, thank you so much for sharing that concern, that question, your personal experience. I think that really fits in with a lot of what we've heard from on the podcast and in different settings in the Brain & Life online and magazine, from many people who experience challenges with concussions and traumatic brain injuries.
As you've probably heard, really we recommend working on a graduated return to play, or work, or the activities that you love. It's great that you've been able to be cleared to move back to those activities, but listen to your body. Monitor the side effects of the different activities that you're doing, the symptoms that start up.
Sometimes, what the physical therapists and in many sports settings when they're working at return to play, they'll use other markers, like looking at their heart rate, how much it changes or runs a lot higher than they would expect for that activity that you're doing, when you are starting to have symptoms, feel that dizziness.
Something that could help for you, is the Brain & Life book series came out with a book titled, Navigating the Challenges of Concussion. In that, we'll cover a lot more of this context of adjusting to activities, and making sure to allow time in things that are important for your recovery, both from those activities and your continued brain health recovery, the sleep and rest. Give yourself grace for the things that you love and getting back to them, but knowing as you're noticing, it takes a time in transition.
Now, Katy, both the surgery and treatments for brain cancers can themselves be a type of a brain injury. So, I'm wondering, for those patients who respond well to the treatments and are hoping to transition back to many of the activities they love, how do you help them with guidance and recommendations?

Dr. Peters:
I think this is when I really lean on my colleagues in occupational therapy, neuropsychology, and also physical therapy. I think particularly for Josh's situation, one thing that I think would be beneficial would be to consider cognitive rehab. That can be done via occupational therapy. It's something that I recommend very commonly to my patients that have just had a surgery for their brain cancer, or have gone through radiation or chemotherapy.
Those activities in cognitive rehab can be very helpful. I think it could be helpful for Josh's situation and concerns. One of the things I always tell my patients, it identifies where you're having challenges, but it also identifies where you have strengths, and how you can leverage those strengths in the road to recovery.
I recently had a patient that was recovering from a stroke after surgery, and he sort of cemented this for me, because he's like, "Yes, I thought that I wasn't..." It was hard to go through recovery and to do those things, but he stuck to it. And he said, "I really can see those incremental changes over time." So, stick to it.

Dr. Correa:
And Josh, since you're a cyclist, and I'm not sure if you caught it before, but make sure to look back and listen to our episode with Rebecca Rusch, and how she thought about her return to cycling and mountain biking, and her outdoor adventures.

Dr. Peters:
So, we have another question from Lexi. Lexi writes, "I was recently diagnosed with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, and I'm still figuring out how to adapt, as my balance changes from day to day. How do people who live with these neurologic conditions stay connected to the things that bring them joy, when their physical abilities shift nonstop?"
So, Lexi, thank you for your question. Honestly, this taps into what we just heard from Josh, who was really asking sort of a similar thing. I think for you, with that peripheral nerve disorder, it's really important also to reach out to physical therapy, and maybe perhaps a physiatrist like the one that we talked with on the episode with Colby Stevenson, our winter Olympian for freestyle skiing. His advice is to work with PT and continue to do therapy.
Daniel, what are your thoughts?

Dr. Correa:
Yeah. First thing, for our listeners who've not had a chance to listen and catch a previous episode where we discuss Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, this is a condition with a variety of different types of manifestations, and several different even like genetic types, and can occur in families, and it affects peripheral nerves, of the nerves in our arms and legs.
But then, as we know, our legs are so essential to our balance and coordination and that feedback into the spinal cord. And so, this is what Lexi's experience is. I think also, it's connecting with community members who live with CMT. There is a patient advocacy organization called the CMT Association, and they have patient groups and different activities and organizations like that, specific to your condition.
Other people who are living through a situation like you are can be very helpful to learn how they worked and adapt, how they improved communication about what they're dealing with, with their care team and with their family, and just how they even experience some of the challenges and uncertainty that's very unique to each of an individual's situation and their conditions.
So, I would make sure to take a look at that. And Lexi, for some inspiration from a past episode, make sure to check out our interview and discussion with Paralympian Jamal Hill. He lives with CMT. And along those lines, in honor of supporting the Winter Olympics and the Paralympics in Milan that are coming up, we wanted to take some reflection, and bring you some clips of stories from Olympians and Paralympians we've had on the podcast.
In fact, we'll hear later from Jamal Hill in this episode. But make sure to go and check out these individual episodes, especially if you want to learn more about those conditions that they are living with, because in each of these episodes, we have a medical expert who discusses with us that person's story, their challenges, and some more key information that everyone needs to understand about that condition.

Dr. Peters:
I'm getting so excited about the Olympics. I mean, I'm ready. I can hear that music already. I was trying to figure out, what is the warmest Olympic winter sport? That's what I need to figure out. But we have some great clips. In this clip, we will hear from Olympic swimmer and well-known swimming commentator, Rowdy Gaines, about the importance of these competitions and athlete stories.

Rowdy Gaines:
The Olympic Games is every four years, right? This is when all the greatest athletes in the history of the world all gather together. They don't even do it every year. Can you imagine the Super Bowl being every four years? That's how big it is. The appreciation that you have to have for these athletes, where for most of them, not all of them, but most of them, like swimming, the Olympics is our Super Bowl.
We don't have a World Series or a Super Bowl. It's the Olympic Games that is the pinnacle of success in our sport. This four-year journey that they take, they have stories behind these four-year journeys. These stories are what we try to tell the audience, because most people that tune into the Olympics really don't know much about the sports they're watching.
Some of them, they do, obviously basketball and gymnastics, somewhat track and field, even swimming a little bit, but they don't know the athletes. But I will tell you that people care. They care about the journeys these athletes have taken, because, again, and the last point I'll make is, most of them also aren't doing it for money.
The Olympic athlete, the average swimmer makes about $24,000 a year, training. So it's not like they're getting rich doing it. There are some at the highest level, like a Katie Ledecky and Michael Phelps that have made money. But for the most part, they do it for the reason I just told you why I started swimming, and was successful, is because they love it.

Dr. Correa:
Now, it's great to hear from Rowdy. I love his engaging voice. I've really enjoyed, ever since... I recognized his voice when I interviewed him. I didn't connect that I'd heard him as a commentator before we were preparing for that interview. But now I hear from swimming competitions, Rowdy in the background, or Rowdy Gaines when he's interviewed in different settings, they're commentating or discussing a recent race.
His energy and just his voice, it's just so heartwarming and energetic. He just truly loves swimming. He's truly a champion for the Olympics, in his own history and training, but really a champion for the swimming community. One of our many inspirations of having a full and amazing career and life, even after experiencing for himself a severe neurologic illness, called Guillain-Barre Syndrome.
We've had several episodes discussing Guillain-Barre Syndrome, and people's journey back to their activities and managing with the conditions, and any other remaining factors that they live with, as a relation to that type of nerve injury.
Now, many of you know, I advocate for the use of movement and exercise to both get outdoors, but also as a key pillar for brain health, and essential to the co-management of many of our different medical conditions, but also our mental health.
Next, we'll hear from Helen Kearney, who lives with Friedreich's Ataxia about her experience with movement and activity, and in her case, specifically training with horses, a sport in the Paralympics called Para Equestrian Dressage, and its benefits of this physical activity for her.

Helen Kearney:
I think with the horses and it being physical, it's really good for me physically, in terms of managing symptoms. But I also think just in general, emotionally, being able to do something like that, and get to compete at such a high level, has given... I would describe it as given me a lot of what the disability takes away. It's given me a great reason to get up every day, and to feel a good accomplishment, and things like that.

Dr. Peters:
You know, Daniel, it's really amazing how our Paralympians have parallel experiences with our Olympians. That it's so critical to remain physical, to enjoy and to celebrate your accomplishments. And so, I just salute them both. I'm just so proud of all of them. I had such a wonderful time chatting with Helen and about her journey, and what she's done in the face of her challenges with Friedreich's Ataxia. I'm really excited to see what's next for her.

Dr. Correa:
I think it's something we can take from these examples. We can all set goals, even that seem challenging or scary to us, and work towards them. Often, like for these Paralympians and Olympians, it's that dedication, that consistency, and that work that really ends up mattering far more than the one to three, gold, silver, bronze, that get to stand on the podium, and/or win this event.
There's such a benefit for all of those athletes that tried and worked on this path and what they get from it. That's something I enjoy about the Olympics. There are many that are just competing to be there, and to celebrate the work that they've done.

Dr. Peters:
And you know, with Helen, it's a horse that she partners with. I guess we're going to go from horses to bobsleds, because next is Elana Meyers Taylor. She's one of our current Olympians for this Winter Olympics. Go, Elana. She is a bobsledder, and she shared her story about being in the Olympics, her Olympic experience, and also, her very important road to recovery from concussion.

Elana Meyers Taylor:
I think what they've really started to implement is even, like an impact test didn't use to be worldwide requirement. It just was a US thing that we did to make sure our sliders were okay, but now it's a worldwide requirement. You have to take it, and you have to take it before you return to play, and things like that.
For me, I think the alarming thing was always that I always passed those SCAT and any outcome, any physical tests I had always passed. So for me, it's really now about self-reporting. So, for me, I understand what's at risk. I understand what could happen. So, for me, if I find myself in this situation, it's about taking myself out of the sled. And it's also about taking myself out of a sled before those things happen. It's also about not getting in a sled, if I'm not fully mentally prepared.
I think as a younger athlete especially, you just go, because you're told to go, and you take as many runs as possible, and all these types of things. But now I know better. I know that I have to be mentally sharp, to make sure I'm prepared, because if you make a mistake, it could be really bad. So, you just try to make sure you're not put in those positions anymore.

Dr. Correa:
Yeah. I got to see Elana on Top Chef.

Dr. Peters:
What?

Dr. Correa:
I like watching and follow Top Chef. I remember seeing her as we were also preparing for this episode on a Top Chef season that I was catching up on, the reality of working our professional lives and in the hospital. Don't always catch it when it's actually airing.
Her story that she shares with us in that episode and about her work back from her concussion, and still dedicating to get back to training is just amazing. I remember when we were preparing for the episode and I caught this Top Chef episode, we were still in the set. We didn't know. We know she had done the work, and she had been really competing and working to get back on the USA bobsledding team.
But it was just in my own little celebration and cheering for her, her and her story when we heard that she is on this upcoming Winter Olympics bobsledding team. We really look forward to cheering for her at this Olympics, and just seeing all that, again, like we said, a celebration of that work and that team that they've put forward.
Along the lines of concussion, as we've said before and in past episodes, everyone's experience is unique. Everyone's not just their injury, not just their symptoms, but just our lives, our families, our support systems are all different and unique. And so, we'd like to transition and connect Elana Meyers Taylor's experience and challenges with concussion, and go to Colby Stevenson.
Now, we mentioned him earlier, but Colby's own experience with concussion is his own challenge and experience in how he's worked at both managing the symptoms, and finding his own way to work through both those challenges and some of the minor disabilities that he had, and then setting new goals.

Colby Stevenson:
One more thing I'll say about the whole head injury and stuff, I definitely have some minor disabilities still from it, and it's like I have to be okay with the fact that I can't always remember things as good as I used to, and to not beat myself up about it, because it's easy to. It's easy to feel stupid sometimes. Sometimes I have brain fog and I'm just like, I can't remember things that I remembered the day before. It's little things like that.
And then I've had decision-making issues ever since then, but I think a lot of people do. It's like when there's two good options, like flip a coin. I don't know, life is just about doing the things you love, and sharing it with amazing people. That's what's kept me inspired, is just getting outside or hanging out with the right friends and doing fun stuff. That's kind of all I really care to do while we're here.

Dr. Peters:
It is amazing to hear this episode with Colby again. I just agree with him so much, that you need to do things that you love and share it with amazing people. If I also think about Elana's podcast and also Colby's together, they do so much to really share what they've been through and to teach others.
So, they've not only extended this to our wonderful listeners, but also to all the things that they do to help teach others that are in those sports, whether it's Colby with his freestyle skiing, which just seems like the most daredevil thing in the world to me to do.

Dr. Correa:
Absolutely.

Dr. Peters:
And then with Elana in that bobsled, I mean, at one point she told me it's just like constantly shaking. I just can't even imagine. So again, I think they do amazing things. But they're also amazing about reaching out and telling about their experiences, and what happened in the face of all those challenges.
Daniel, you mentioned earlier Jamal Hill and how he lived and competed, despite challenges with living with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease that impacts the nerves and muscles in his arms and legs. Next, we're going to hear from him on how he maintains his outlook, and what he would say to another person with CMT.

Jamal Hill:
The biggest thing I could tell you, is that whatever's changed in your body has not changed just how amazing and big your future can be. That's the main thing. Even the people that we think are winning, the people that we think are heroes, everybody's got a challenge that they're facing.
So, it ultimately is going to come down to, do you think that challenge is too big to overcome? And if you think it is, well, then that's going to be ultimately what your life starts to shape around. And if you think it's not? Guess what? That's what your life is going to begin to start to shape around.

Dr. Correa:
It's nice to go back and catch some of these episodes, reflect on those stories that we heard, like Jamal's. It's been a while since that interview, and it's still amazing to get a chance to hear and remember the full aspect of Jamal's amazing story, of the level of dedication and training that he's put. Make sure to go back and listen to the full episode to learn even more about Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease, or CMT, and how Jamal has thrived personally and in his career with his own abilities.
Now, to put this all in context, I like to hear these stories. I like to take their inspiration. But I don't think any of us should take the expectation that we're thinking, "Oh, if you're not competing or training to become a Paralympian or an Olympian, despite the challenges that you live with, with your condition, that you're in some way not successful."
On the other hand, we are actually looking, and I like to think of these stories as an opportunity to really celebrate that dedication and that commitment towards finding things that you love, activities that you love, and the purpose of really investing in yourself and your improvement.
And the examples of how, Colby, Elana Meyers Taylor, Jamal, and Rowdy, adapted to the symptoms and the challenges that they had to continue training, or like in other cases like Rowdy, he continues to swim and continue to do competition, but not necessarily at that level. He just adapted to find the things that he could continue to do and love.
I think that's something to take, these inspirations. But we don't all have to be wearing a medal, or the Team USA uniform, to be successful in our lives and in living well with our conditions. What do you think, Katy?

Dr. Peters:
I think it's all about resilience. Resilience can have so many different hues. Think of it as almost a rainbow. It doesn't necessarily need to be crossing that finish line, or getting that medal. I'm glad that we're all different and that we can come together in this wonderful experiences of our podcast and share this. We like sharing these stories with you, because you also have your own story, and hopefully it can help inspire you and have some resilience, also.

Dr. Correa:
So, for these Olympics, are there any sports that you just can't wait to see and watch?

Dr. Peters:
Well, I really like all of them. I do. I always think I can go out there, and I'm like, "I can do that triple axel." No, no, no. No, there's no chance. But I think for the Winter Olympics, it seems sort of more supernatural to me, because they're doing it on snow and ice. So, I'm going to be excited to see everything. I do know how to curl.

Dr. Correa:
There you go.

Dr. Peters:
So, I can throw down with curling. So, it's very hard. It's harder than you think. It is so much harder than you think. It's lots of lunging. That stone goes really fast. So, shout out to the Triangle Curling Club.

Dr. Correa:
Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I think I will be excited and holding my breath watching so many of these different sports. And the challenges, like you said, nearly superhuman that they do and they're able to perform, like even just like minute little movements that are able to, as they're going through the giant slalom gates, as the figure skaters are doing these amazing turns and jumps at crazy high speeds.
Especially when, just a few weeks ago, I slipped on the ice and did not feel, in any way, like a figure skater or an Olympian, and was just like achy and sore afterwards. I'm just like, "Wow, I can't imagine just going out to the snow, or onto the ice, with this radical acceptance and expectation that you can do these amazing things." But I'm there to cheer them on.
I think I will keep pushing myself in my own ways and getting out there for activity, and taking that as inspiration. Maybe trying the curling. It feels a little less risky on my knee, or just taking a complete and total tumble.

Dr. Peters:
Lots of lunging, though. It's lots of lunging.

Dr. Correa:
Yes. I do a lot of lunges when I go to the gym. Maybe that means I could compete.

Dr. Peters:
Well, good luck to our Olympians. May they all have fun, have a great experience, and they don't get hurt.

Dr. Correa:
Yeah. We'd love to hear from you, as our listeners. What were your favorite sports? Are there Olympians with stories about neurologic conditions in their lives that you want to hear from, that we can reach out to? Or if you have questions about any more of these episodes, these conditions, or want to hear back from some of the athletes that we've had on the podcast, let us know.
Thank you again for joining us today on the Brain & Life Podcast. Follow and subscribe to this podcast, so you don't miss our weekly episodes. You can also sign up to receive the Brain & Life Magazine for free, at brainandlife.org.

Dr. Peters:
Also, for each episode, you can find out how to connect with our team and our guests, along with great resources in our show notes. We love it when we hear your ideas or questions. You can send these in an email, to blpodcast@brainandlife.org, and leave us a message at (612) 928-6206.

Dr. Correa:
You can also find that information in our show notes, and you can follow Katy and me and the Brain & Life Magazine on many of your preferred social media channels. We're your hosts, Dr. Daniel Correa, connecting with you from New York City, and online, at neurodrcorrea.

Dr. Peters:
And Dr. Katy Peters joining you from Durham, North Carolina, and online at KatyPetersMDPhD.

Dr. Correa:
Most importantly, thank you and all of our community members that trust us with their health, and everyone living with neurologic conditions.

Dr. Peters:
We hope together we can take steps to better brain health, and each thrive with our own abilities every day.

Dr. Correa:
Before you start the next episode, we would appreciate if you could give us five stars and leave a review. This helps others find the Brain & Life Podcast. See you next week.

Resilience in Motion: Olympic Stories of Strength, Adaptation, and Hope

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