From Camp Lejeune to Clinical Breakthrough: Mark Burnett’s Incredible Fight Against Parkinson’s & Alzheimer’s

Born at Camp Lejeune in 1958, Mark Burnett’s life was shaped by contaminated water that led to decades of neurological challenges—Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. Misdiagnosed and dismissed for years, Mark refused to accept an “impossible” prognosis. Instead, he approached his condition like a broken system—and debugged it.

His journey uncovered a 2,000-year-old plant, a Japanese study, and a revolutionary ultra-chill milling process that preserved its natural compounds. The result? A powerful, all-natural supplement that changed his life.

Mark even completed the Michael J. Fox marathon and beat Alzheimer’s odds with measurable progress. Today, he shares his story of resilience, innovation, and hope for those facing neurological disease.

👉 Watch to learn how persistence and unconventional thinking can rewrite the rules of healing.

#Parkinsons #Alzheimers #MedicalInnovation #Resilience #CampLejeune

Alexis Boyett is a multi-disciplinary entrepreneur whose career seamlessly blends modelling, acting, and immersive experience design into a singular mission: to cultivate deeper connection, creativity, and empowerment through storytelling.

As the founder of Company with Character and The Bippity Platform, Alexis has reimagined what character-driven experiences can be. Her work champions authenticity and vulnerability, rooted in her early years in the Los Angeles entertainment industry—where she first learned the transformative power of self-expression.

Her passion for meaningful impact led her to build a nationwide character entertainment company recognized for weaving uplifting, anti-bullying, and empowerment-focused messages into its performances. After scaling the company and eventually selling it to her team, Alexis launched Bippity, the first-ever personal and professional development platform designed specifically for character entertainers. Through Bippity, she equips performers with the tools, training, and community support they need to create sustainable, purpose-led careers.

Alexis also brings her creative vision into the corporate world, designing immersive culture-building experiences—from joyful holiday activations to imaginative team engagements—that spark connection, creativity, and a sense of shared magic within organizations.

With a rare ability to bridge artistry and entrepreneurship, she champions the belief that business is not a measure of worth, but a canvas for creative expression. Her work encourages founders and creators alike to lead with alignment, clarity, and courage.

Guided by the conviction that every person carries a unique light, Alexis continues to inspire individuals of all ages to embrace their authenticity, infuse their lives with wonder, and pursue work that resonates with meaning and purpose.

Mickey Fitch-Collins, PhD, is a leadership educator with a rare blend of academic rigor, lived experience, and refreshingly human insight. With a doctorate in Leadership in Higher Education and a career spanning academia, ed-tech, and corporate training, she has collected a lifetime of learning and development wins, pitfalls, and plot twists—and she brings all of it to her work with disarming honesty.

At Learnit, Mickey transforms essential human skills—communication, empathy, self-awareness, resilience—into practical, scalable strategies that elevate people and, in turn, entire organizations. Her approach is grounded, adaptive, and shaped by a career that has taken her everywhere from literally teaching people how to fish, to helping colleagues recover and rebuild after 9/11, to leading diverse teams across multiple sectors.

Mickey’s workshops and talks weave together research-backed leadership models, memorable storytelling, wry humor, and deeply relatable real-world scenarios. Whether she’s unpacking a “supervision gone sideways” story, sharing a razor-sharp AI prompt, or introducing a new framework for modern leadership, her insights land with clarity, warmth, and staying power.

A natural storyteller and seasoned facilitator, Mickey doesn't just teach leadership—she sparks the kind of conversations people carry with them long after the session ends. She is also the host of The Learnit Lounge podcast, where she explores the evolving landscape of work, learning, and human connection.

Madelaine Weiss is a Harvard-trained Licensed Psychotherapist, Mindset Expert, and Board-Certified Executive, Career, and Life Coach who helps high-achieving professionals master their minds so they can sustain—and truly enjoy—success across every area of life.

She is the co-author of The Handbook of Stressful Transitions Across the Lifespan and the author of the acclaimed new release Getting to G.R.E.A.T.: 5-Step Strategy for Work and Life.

Continuing her mission to support leaders both at work and at home, Madelaine is launching What’s Your Story?, a personal development workbook for children and the adults who care about them. Her expertise in this space is rooted in her past roles as Chair of the School Business Partnership and as a parenting educator for the Massachusetts court system.

Madelaine also brings deep organizational experience to her work, having served as a group mental health practice administrative director, a corporate Chief Organizational Development Officer, and an associate director of an educational resource program at Harvard Medical School.

As a sought-after corporate trainer, she has designed and delivered programs for organizations including Harvard Medical School, the American Bar Association, Legal Services Corporation, AARP, MedSense, Harvard Law School Association, the International Association of Business Communicators, the National Association of Realtors, the DC Academy of General Dentistry, the Wharton Innovation Summit, and the Bureau of National Affairs.

Madelaine’s insights have been featured on NBC, Bold TV, and FOX5, and she is a frequent guest expert on leading podcasts, including Major, Lindsey & Africa’s Erasing the Stigma. Her writing has appeared in Thrive Global, Authority Magazine’s Editors List, UpJourney, and My Perfect Financial Advisor.

Heather Ann Ferri is a renowned trauma expert, master alchemist, and visionary guide whose life’s work embodies the art of transmutation—turning pain into purpose, and adversity into awakening.

Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Heather’s early years were marked by profound challenges that became the catalyst for her lifelong exploration of healing and human potential. Her journey took her to New York City, where she thrived as a performer and choreographer under the mentorship of legendary tap icon Jimmy Slyde—a prophetic influence who ignited in her a deeper understanding of rhythm, energy, and emotional expression.

Blending her background in performance with the ancient sciences of transformation, Heather has pioneered innovative approaches to healing trauma, including CPTSD, ADHD, childhood wounds, and sugar addiction. Her signature programs bridge science and soul, helping clients not only release pain but rewire their inner narrative at the cellular level.

For over 15 years, Heather has led a thriving private trauma practice, guiding individuals to reclaim their personal power, embody self-mastery, and reconnect with their inner child—the source of creativity, intuition, and authentic voice. Through her storytelling and experiential teachings, she illuminates the path of generational resilience, reminding us that healing isn’t just about recovery—it’s about rebirth.

Danielle Sullivan is an autistic neurodiversity life coach, parent coach, educator, and host of the Neurodiverging Podcast. Full Podcast Link: https://bit.ly/DanielleSullivanPodcastBased in Colorado, she works with neurodivergent individuals and families worldwide, helping them identify and achieve their personalized self-development goals. Danielle’s coaching integrates solution-focused, positive psychology, and transformational methods—grounded in neuroscience and the neurodiversity paradigm—to support each client’s unique needs and strengths.As a late-diagnosed autistic woman and parent of two neurodivergent children, Danielle brings both professional expertise and lived experience to her work. She specializes in guiding autistic and ADHD adults, as well as parents of neurodiverse children, using collaborative and gentle parenting approaches. Her coaching often focuses on building inclusive household systems, navigating co-parenting with neurodivergent partners, and fostering understanding and compassion within families.

Heidi Reeves – Founder of Mousewood Forest and Nature Early Learning and Family Centre

Born and raised in Vancouver, British Columbia, Heidi Reeves has dedicated her life to nurturing children, families, and educators through compassion, curiosity, and innovation. Her journey in early childhood education began in Vancouver, where she completed her Early Childhood Education training and taught preschool in culturally diverse communities. In the 1990s, she opened her first daycare, Kindercastle—a beloved centre known for its enrichment programs and joyful approach to learning.

Heidi often laughs when recalling a story from her own childhood: at five years old, she announced she wanted “ten children and no husband.” By the time she was thirty, running her daycare and surrounded by ten preschoolers, her wish had, in a sense, come true—though not quite in the way she imagined.

In 2005, Heidi moved to Prince George, where her work in early childhood education continued to evolve. Over the years, she has worn many hats—preschool teacher, respite foster parent, postpartum doula, and parent coach—always with the same mission: to meet families where they are and support them through the most formative years of life.

Her innovative spirit has repeatedly pushed the boundaries of early learning in northern British Columbia. She introduced progressive practices like the Reggio Emilia approach, Forest and Nature School philosophy, and Shanker Self-Reg to local classrooms long before they were widely recognized. These methods shaped her deep belief that children thrive when they are connected to nature, guided by curiosity, and surrounded by meaningful relationships.

In 2018, Heidi received a formal diagnosis of autism—a revelation that brought clarity to a lifetime of experiences and reaffirmed her purpose. She often describes her neurodivergence as a “superpower,” one that fuels her focus, empathy, and creativity. Rather than seeing challenges as obstacles, she has turned them into strengths that allow her to connect deeply with children and families, especially those navigating neurodiversity themselves.

That same clarity led to her greatest professional achievement: the creation of Mousewood Forest and Nature Early Learning and Family Centre, Prince George’s first licensed forest and nature school. What began as an assignment for a college course soon became a movement—a vision for a new kind of childcare community where every child, regardless of background or ability, feels seen, supported, and inspired.

Established as a nonprofit in 2020, Mousewood operates on a five-acre property of meadows, trails, wetlands, and gardens. It offers inclusive, research-based early learning rooted in nature connection, child-led inquiry, and strong relationships between educators, children, and families. Today, Mousewood stands as a first-of-its-kind educational model in northern BC, blending outdoor exploration with emotional development, self-regulation, and belonging.

Despite the regulatory and financial hurdles of running a nature-based school under a Temporary Use Permit, Heidi and her team—supported by passionate parents, volunteers, and community members—continue to pour their energy and resources into creating a safe, inclusive space for young learners.

Heidi’s work represents the best of what education can be: heart-driven, evidence-based, and deeply human. Her story is one of resilience, purpose, and vision—a reminder that when we follow our intuition and stay connected to what truly matters, we can change not only the way children learn, but the way communities grow.

Website: www.mousewood.ca

In this special live episode of the On The Brink Podcast, John Brink — 85 years young and North America’s oldest competitive bodybuilder — hits the gym with his longtime trainer, Stefan Cloutier, at Gold’s Gym in Prince George.

Together, they offer an unfiltered, behind-the-scenes look at what it truly takes to stay strong, disciplined, and passionate about fitness at any age.

From the daily habits that keep John competition-ready to the mindset that fuels his relentless drive, this episode is packed with powerful lessons on resilience, consistency, and the lifelong pursuit of self-improvement.

Whether you’re a dedicated athlete or simply seeking inspiration to push your limits, this conversation proves that age isn’t a barrier — it’s a badge of honour.

#OnTheBrinkPodcast #JohnBrink #GoldsGym #FitnessMotivation #HealthyAging