In this inspiring episode of Next Steps Forward, Dr. Chris Meek sits down with Suzanne Stone, President and CEO of the Livestrong Foundation, to discuss the evolving landscape of cancer survivorship, advocacy, and patient-centered care.

With a career spanning nonprofit leadership, health advocacy, and community impact, Stone shares how Livestrong continues to redefine what it means not just to survive cancer, but to truly live beyond it. From providing practical resources for patients and caregivers to advancing innovative solutions that address the emotional, physical, and financial realities of cancer, she explains why survivorship must remain at the center of the conversation.

Stone also reflects on her leadership journey, the power of empathy in service-driven organizations, and the importance of creating meaningful support systems for families navigating some of life's hardest moments. The conversation explores how organizations like Livestrong are adapting to modern healthcare challenges while continuing to build hope, community, and resilience for millions affected by cancer.

About Suzanne Stone: Suzanne Stone is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Livestrong, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the daily lives of cancer survivors. Under her leadership, Livestrong continues to focus on the person, not the patient, with services that support physical activity after treatment, help for those whose treatment affects fertility, and a library of information available for free online. Stone's extensive experience in the nonprofit sector, including her previous roles at CASA, Children's Miracle Network, and Susan G. Komen, positions her strategically to lead Livestrong in fostering innovative solutions that resonate with the needs of cancer survivors. Her commitment to person-centered solutions and comprehensive support for survivors and their families is evident in her role at Livestrong.

In this powerful episode of Next Steps Forward, Dr. Chris Meek is joined by retired NYPD Emergency Service Unit officer Scott Strauss, whose harrowing experience at Ground Zero on September 11, 2001, stands as one of the most remarkable rescue efforts of that day. Strauss shares his firsthand account of responding to the collapse of the World Trade Center, where he and his ESU team entered the rubble in search of survivors amid an unfolding catastrophe. Working in extreme heat, darkness, and instability, Strauss became part of a small group of rescuers who achieved one of the only successful extractions from beneath the debris, helping save Port Authority Police Officer Will Jimeno after hours of relentless effort underground.

Through vivid detail, Strauss recounts the chaos of that day, the emotional weight of searching for life in a devastated landscape, and the extraordinary teamwork required to reach survivors trapped deep within the wreckage. He also reflects on the psychological toll of the mission, the bonds formed under unimaginable pressure, and the lasting impact of what he witnessed and endured. This conversation is a testament to courage under fire, the resilience of first responders, and the enduring human drive to save lives even in the face of overwhelming tragedy.

About Scott Strauss: Scott Strauss is a retired NYPD Detective with the Emergency Service Unit who responded to the World Trade Center attacks on September 11, 2001. In the aftermath of the collapse of the Twin Towers, he and his team took part in rescue operations in the debris field known as "the pile," where they helped locate and free trapped survivors, including Port Authority officers Will Jimeno and John McLoughlin after hours of dangerous recovery work. Strauss has described the experience as deeply meaningful, saying it helped him emotionally process the tragedy through service and saving lives. He retired from the NYPD in 2003 and later went on to serve in local government as Mayor of Mineola, New York. He now shares his story as a 9/11 ambassador to help educate others about the heroism and resilience that emerged from the attacks.

In this powerful episode of Next Steps Forward with Dr. Chris Meek, retired Lieutenant General Marc Sasseville shares a firsthand account of one of the most extraordinary, and least understood, moments of September 11, 2001. Then a fighter pilot with the D.C. Air National Guard, Sasseville was not ordered into action that morning, he was asked. With no formal tasking, no clear rules of engagement, and no weapons onboard his F-16, he made the decision to take off anyway, prepared to do the unthinkable to defend the nation's capital.

What followed was not a story of cinematic heroics, but one of calculation, conviction, and responsibility. Sasseville reflects on the split-second decisions he and fellow pilot Heather Penney faced as they considered how to stop a hijacked airliner, knowing it could mean sacrificing their own lives. He offers a candid look at the gaps in America's defense posture that day, the weight of leadership in moments of uncertainty, and the enduring emotional impact of 9/11.

From escorting Air Force One back to Washington to grappling with the reality of a system caught unprepared, Sasseville brings clarity to the chaos of that day and honors the courage of the passengers of Flight 93, whom he calls the true heroes. This episode is a profound reflection on duty, agency, and what it means to act when there are no clear orders, only the belief that something must be done.

About Lt. Gen. Marc H. Sasseville: Lt. Gen. Marc H. Sasseville was the 12th Vice Chief of the National Guard Bureau, the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia. The VCNGB is second in charge of the National Guard Bureau which is a joint activity of the Department of Defense. The VCNGB assists the Chief of the National Guard Bureau in performing duties as a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and principal advisor to the Secretary of Defense, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Secretary of the Army, and Secretary of the Air Force. He served as a channel of communication to the Department of the Army, Department of the Air Force on matters relating to the National Guard. He oversaw the NGB's participation in the planning, programming, budgeting, and execution process, and the administration of funds appropriated to the NGB. He also oversaw NGB's participation in the Joint Strategic Planning System, Global Force Management, and Force Employment on matters pertaining to homeland defense and defense support of civil authorities.

Lt. Gen. Sasseville graduated from the United States Air Force Academy in 1985 with a Bachelor of Science in International Affairs. Following pilot training, he served in various operational units in United States Air Forces Europe, Tactical Air Command/Air Combat Command, and Pacific Air Forces. After his last active-duty assignment, he joined the District of Columbia Air National Guard. He has held squadron, group, wing and numbered air force command. He also served as the Senior Defense Official and Defense Attaché to Turkey. Prior to assuming his current position, Lt. Gen. Sasseville was the Commander, Continental U.S. North American Aerospace Defense Command Region and First Air Force, Air and Space Forces Northern, headquartered at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida.