Dying Out Loud Podcast

"If I Could Take It From You, I Would" (with Sharon Saim)

In one of the most emotional and important conversations of his life, host Kris Saim sits down with his mother, Sharon Saim. This is the conversation every parent and child dreads, and the one that matters most.
Kris asks his mom the question at the very heart of their family's journey: "What's it like watching your child walk through a cancer diagnosis?".
Sharon’s answer is a raw, honest look at a mother's love—the worry , the faith , and the heartbreaking, universal wish: "If mothers could cure their children... there would be no cancer". She shares her powerful feeling: "If I could take it from you, I would".
The episode culminates in Kris’s moving, prepared message of gratitude to his mom, thanking her for being his "steady, unshakeable heart" and the "blueprint" for how he tries to love others. This is a beautiful, tear-filled testament to unconditional love and the "armor" it provides.

The Friend Who Stayed and Taught Me to Breathe (with Alicia Botyrius)

In this profoundly personal episode, host Kris Saim sits down with one of his closest friends, Alicia Botyrius. Their friendship was forged at work , but it was cemented during one of the darkest times in Kris's life: a difficult divorce that left him "spiraling out of control".
While others might have stepped away, Alicia "stayed close" and "sat in the mess" with him. More than just listening, she gave him tangible life skills—including meditation, tapping, and the art of intentional breathing—that became the tools he used to rebuild his life.
The conversation takes an emotional turn when Alicia asks Kris a question she's held for years: "Where do you get your bravery from?". Kris shares a raw, honest answer tracing his resilience back to his childhood surviving as a gay kid in a small Kansas town. This is a moving testament to the friends who become our anchors and a reminder to "always assume the best" in those you love.

Two Stage 4 Survivors on Thriving, Not Just Fighting (with Gina Jacobson)

In the powerful inaugural episode of Dying Out Loud, host Kris Saim sits down with a guest who shares his exact diagnosis: stage four colon cancer. Guest Gina Jacobson, a leader of the global 'Working with Cancer' initiative , has outlived her initial prognosis by several years and is dedicated to helping others find purpose.
This isn't a conversation about "fighting" cancer. In fact, both Kris and Gina reject that language. Instead, this is a raw, heartfelt discussion about finding a new way to live, work, and lead. Gina shares her story of being diagnosed at the height of her career , her initial attempt to "achieve her way through cancer" , and the moment she realized she had to play an "impact game instead of a coverage game".
Discover the beautiful story behind "sending stars" as a way to ask for and receive support , and learn how the vulnerability of asking for help can become a "non-pill formed medicine" by allowing you to give support in return. This episode is a masterclass in post-traumatic growth and a powerful testament to living a joyful, purposeful life, even in the face of uncertainty.