Episode 10: The beginning of a new year often brings fresh starts, new goals, and for many families, the start of a journey into parenthood. In this episode of On Call Off Script, we’re joined by Joanne Ruggiero, senior vice president and chief executive officer of Jackson Memorial Medical Center, to talk about what expectant parents can really expect when preparing to give birth at The Women’s Hospital at Jackson Memorial. Drawing from her extensive experience as a labor and delivery nurse and nurse leader in women’s health services, Joanne offers insight into birth planning, high-risk pregnancies, and the deeply personal moments that define childbirth. Guest Info:

Joanne Ruggiero is the senior vice president and chief executive officer at Jackson Memorial Medical Center. With a career that began at the bedside as a labor and delivery nurse, Joanne has spent years caring for families in their most emotional moments and now brings that same perspective to her leadership role. She’s passionate about supporting parents, patients, and care teams while helping deliver safe, compassionate, and memorable birth experiences. In this episode, Joanne reflects on her journey from the delivery room to the executive office, and what that experience means for families preparing to welcome a new baby.

Episode 9: The holiday season tends to be a time of excess – of celebration, of eating, and for adults it tends to include drinking alcohol too. On the heels of the new year, this episode of On Call Off Script explores the real health benefits behind breaking a holiday habit of heavy drinking. Our experts Dr. Brett Fortune and Dr. Chinmay Jani discuss how Dry January can be more than just a 31-day fast and why your liver will thank you for embracing a healthier lifestyle.

Guest Info:

Brett Fortune, MD

Dr. Brett Fortune is a the chief medical officer and transplant hepatologist at Miami Transplant Institute. In this episode he explains the benefits of a healthy liver and lifestyle.

Chinmay Jani, MD:

Dr. Chinmay Jani is the chief fellow of hematology and oncology at Jackson Memorial Hospital and Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center. Hear what he has to say about the risks behind heavy drinking.

Episode 8: Eight-year-old Dylan Smith is all energy, jokes, and big dreams today—but his miracle story begins with every parent’s worst nightmare: a near-drowning in the family’s backyard pool.

In this special Month of Miracles episode of On Call, Off Script, host Ruelle Champion sits down with Dylan’s mom, Tiffany Smith, pediatric critical care doctor Dr. Asumthia Jeyapalan, and pediatric physical therapist Kyle Zreibe to share how a summer afternoon turned into a life-or-death emergency.

Tiffany walks us through the terrifying moments of finding Dylan unresponsive in the water, calling 911, and watching her husband and a neighbor, Lissette Medina, who happens to work as a physician assistant at Holtz Children’s Hospital, perform CPR until fire rescue arrived. Dr. Jeyapalan helps listeners understand what those first moments mean for a child after a near-drowning, why quick action matters so much, and how the team at Holtz Children’s came together to give Dylan the best possible chance when everything was still unknown.

Then, Kyle narrates how rehab turned basic movements like sitting, standing, and taking those first steps into major milestones for Dylan and his family. Finally, Dylan joins the conversation himself to talk about snakes, Disney rides, and what it feels like to be a “miracle story” at Jackson.

It’s an honest, emotional, and ultimately uplifting reminder that it truly takes a village to save a child, support a family, and help a little boy get back to just being a kid again.

Guest Bios:

Asumthia Jeyapalan, DO

Dr. Asumthia Jeyapalan is an attending doctor in the Holtz Children’s Hospital pediatric intensive care unit (PICU), and an associate professor of pediatric critical care medicine at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. In this episode, she explains what happens to a child’s body during a near-drowning, why immediate, high-quality CPR is critical, and how the PICU team supported Dylan Smith’s lungs, brain, and vital organs during the most uncertain hours of his recovery.

Kyle Zreibe

Kyle Zreibe is a physical therapist at Christine E. Lynn Rehabilitation Center for The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis at UHealth/Jackson Memorial. He specializes in pediatric rehabilitation, and was consulted to begin physical therapy with Dylan when he was admitted to the PICU. Zreibe was Dylan’s primary physical therapist when he was admitted to Lynn Rehabilitation Center, and now follows him in the center’s outpatient clinic.

Tiffany Smith

Tiffany Smith is Dylan’s mom and a devoted parent who, alongside her husband Brandon, faced every family’s worst nightmare when their young son experienced a near-drowning accident. In this episode, Tiffany shares her family’s story with honesty and vulnerability, reflecting on the fear, resilience, and community support that carried them through Dylan’s recovery. She and Brandon are also parents to their 13-year-old daughter, Olivia.

Dylan Smith

Dylan Smith is an energetic, curious kid with a big personality and even bigger dreams. After surviving a near-drowning at a young age, Dylan became one of Jackson Health System’s miracle stories. In this episode, he joins the conversation himself—sharing his love for adventure, laughter, and life, and reminding listeners what recovery, resilience, and hope truly look like through a child’s eyes.

Episode 7: December is our Month of Miracles, highlighting our strong patients and families, the excellent care at Holtz Children’s Hospital, and the power of community. In this episode, we meet 14-year-old Jake Alexander Kleppen, known to his Instagram community as “Jake the Victorious Warrior.” Jake has not only battled cancer once, but twice, showing a resilience that lifts up everyone around him.

Joined by his mother, Marisel Jarrin Kleppen, and Dr. David Crawford, director of pediatric stem cell transplantation at Holtz Children’s, and specialist at UHealth – University of Miami Health System, Jake shares the journey from his first diagnosis of Ewing sarcoma, a rare bone and soft tissue cancer, at 8 years old , to a shocking second diagnosis of leukemia nearly five years later.

Throughout the episode, listeners hear:

• How a routine check-up unexpectedly revealed a mass behind Jake’s eye.
• The emotional toll of treatment on both Jake and his family, including long hospital stays, isolation, and the fear of cancer coming back.
• Jake’s second cancer diagnosis, and the intense treatment plan that followed with help from the medical team in the bone marrow transplant unit at Holtz Children’s, including a successful bone marrow transplant from his brother.
• How Jake’s humor, optimism, and larger-than-life personality carried him and his care team through their most difficult moments.

This episode is a reminder that miracles are made daily at Jackson through expert care, advanced medicine, and the extraordinary spirit of patients like Jake.

Guest Bios:

Jake Alexander Kleppen

A vibrant 14-year-old and two-time cancer survivor, Jake is known for his upbeat personality, sharp wit, passion for aviation, and his determination to make the best out of every circumstance. Whether flying drones, wearing costumes to clinic visits, or making his care team laugh during rounds, Jake embodies resilience and courage.

Marisel Jarrin Kleppen

Marisol is Jake’s mother and unwavering advocate. She shares her experiences navigating the fear, uncertainty, and emotional toll of watching a child battle cancer twice. Her honesty and strength highlight the importance of family support, mental health resources, and community during long-term pediatric illness.

David Crawford, MD

Dr. David Crawford is the director of pediatric stem cell transplantation at Holtz Children’s Hospital, and a specialist with UHealth – University of Miami Health System. Dr. Crawford specializes in complex pediatric cancers, stem cell transplantation, and the treatment of secondary leukemia. He brings expert insight into Jake’s diagnosis, treatment, and bone marrow transplant.

Episode 6: In this lively holiday episode of On Call, Off Script, host Ruelle Champion brings together a joyful trio: Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, Anitrice McKinnis-Jackson, also known as Mama Joy, founder of the nonprofit Nana’s Restart, and Rocio Garcia, a registered dietitian with Jackson Health System. Together, they celebrate beloved grandmother-approved holiday dishes, and get expert tips on how to enjoy these seasonal favorites mindfully.

Guest(s):

Mayor Daniella Levine Cava:

Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava joins the conversation to reflect on her multicultural family’s holiday traditions and their love of spices and fresh flavors. She speaks warmly about gratitude, spending time together, and the way food helps keep Miami-Dade’s many cultures connected while still letting each one shine.

Mama Joy:

Mama Joy, founder of the Overtown-based nonprofit Nana’s Restart, joins the episode to share heartfelt stories of cooking for her family and community, and the importance of love in food preparation. She shares the cultural meaning behind recipes passed down through generations, and even lets us in on how to do macaroni and cheese the right way, the dish everyone asks for.

Rocio Garcia:

Rocio Garcia, a registered dietitian with Jackson Health System, offers practical guidance on balanced holiday eating without sacrificing flavor. In her family, she’s the one who brings the vegetables, but she assures us we can still dig into our holiday favorites. She also shares tips on portion awareness, mindful enjoyment of cultural dishes, and how holiday meals can be both comforting and nutritious.

Are men really “allergic” to the doctor’s office until something’s falling off? And do women actually self-diagnose after a deep dive on “Google University”? In this eye-opening episode of On Call Off Script, a Jackson Health System podcast, our host Ruelle Champion sits down with Dayron Rodriguez, MD, a community urologist, and Mrudula Munagala, MD, a transplant cardiologist from Miami Transplant Institute, to unpack the stereotypes behind how men and women manage their health. From prostate and urinary health to heart disease and the power of early detection, our guests reveal how gender differences affect how quickly people seek care. Whether your team “ignore it” or team “call the doctor,” you’ll walk away inspired to make your health a priority.

Guest information:

Dr. Dayron Rodriguez is a community urologist with Jackson Health System

Dr. Mrudula Munagala is a heart failure, mechanical circulatory support, and transplant cardiologist at Miami Transplant Institute

Key Topics:

· Men’s health

· Women’s health

· Gender and health

· Health stigmas

· Early detection

· Healthcare stereotypes

· Medical myths

· Health awareness

· Jackson Health System

· Urology

· Cardiology

· Preventive Care

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Episode 4: Step inside Miami’s medical history with Dr. Paul George, Miami’s preeminent historian, as we explore the Alamo — the oldest building at Jackson Memorial Medical Center. From the 1918 Spanish influenza epidemic to the legacy of Dr. James Jackson and activist Roxy Bolton, this episode of On Call, Off Script uncovers the stories that shaped not only shaped Jackson Memorial, but also Miami’s healthcare history. Recorded inside the preserved Alamo building, Dr. George takes us back more than 100 years to highlight the resilience, progress, and preservation efforts that continue to define Jackson today.

Breast cancer awareness and women’s health go hand in hand. But did you know that there are symptoms and risk factors that men need to know about? In this episode of On Call, Off Script, host Ruelle Champion speaks with Danielle Fitzgerald, director of radiology services at Jackson North Medical Center, about breast health for everyone. Men shouldn’t overlook the red flags that may signal issues with their breast. This conversation highlights the importance of a healthy lifestyle, recognizing the signs, and what to expect if screening is necessary.

To learn more about breast health services at Jackson Health System, visit this link: Breast Health Services in Miami, Mammogram, Breast Cancer Treatment.

Host: Ruelle Champion Guest Info: Danielle Fitzgerald, Director of Radiology Services at Jackson North Medical Center Danielle Fitzgerald is the director of radiology services at Jackson North Medical Center, where she leads imaging operations, quality, and patient experience. A seasoned radiology leader within Jackson Health System, Fitzgerald oversees compliance and service integration across imaging and cardiovascular services, and champions community education initiatives like mammogram awareness.