Episode 108

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Published on:

1st Dec 2024

Nick Howe S3E108

Firefighter, cancer survivor and advocate Nick Howe shares his experiences of surviving cancer with an experimental treatment, only a few years later to require a new heart during which time a spinal stroke left him paralyzed from the waist down. Howe talks about a desire to dedicate his life in service to others initially taking the form of being a firefighter, as well as a spouse and father, but which now has assumed a new shape and vitality of purpose.

Nick and Rachel Howe met initially in 2005 and later married. Nick worked as firefighter and Rachel as a teacher. In 2016, the onset of severe health issues for Nick was diagnosed as Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma that chemotherapy, immunotherapy and an autologous stem-cell transplant failed to treat. To save his life, he underwent a highly experimental therapy called CAR T-cell therapy and he has been in remission since. After welcoming their two children, in the summer of 2022, Nick experienced more illness and received a heart transplant. A few weeks later, with his new heart failing, Nick was placed in a medically induced coma during which time he had a spinal stroke that has left him paralyzed from the waist down. Nick’s dedication to supporting others now includes serving as the Nebraska State Director for the Firefighter Cancer Support Network and as an ambassador for LLS and Lymphoma Research Foundation. Nick, his wife Rachel, and their two kids live in Omaha, Nebraska.

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About the Podcast

Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart Chittenden
Every Sunday at 9am on KIOS 91.5FM, Omaha's NPR affiliate, Season Three of Lives will tackle the big questions: What is a good life? Why are we here? How might we feel more connected? These and other big questions about how we live will be explored each week. Through intimate conversations, fascinating guests will share their spiritual, philosophical, artistic, and cultural approaches to exploring the wonders of our human experience. Join me as we delve into the practical and profound possibilities of living well.

As well as listening to this Season Three of Lives being broadcast on KIOS, listen back to Seasons One and Two, featuring fresh voices and diverse perspectives on culture, community, business, and more. From the Midwest and beyond, inspiring guests share compelling stories spanning the fields of politics, business, media, community activism, arts and humanities, philanthropy, and more.

On air since January 2017, Lives Radio Show & Podcast initially broadcast on the community radio station Mind & Soul 101.3FM in north Omaha, housed at the Malcolm X Center, and more recently broadcast with 1st Sky Omaha.

About your host

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stuart chittenden

I'm Stuart Chittenden—an existential coach, Certified Humanist Professional, and the creator and host of Lives Radio Show & Podcast. My work centers on helping people explore who they are, what matters most, and how to live well in a world that often rushes past those questions.

Throughout my journey—from law in London to brand strategy and community dialogue in the American Midwest—I’ve always been drawn to what lies beneath: the quiet, often unspoken work of making meaning. Lives is one of the most enduring expressions of that calling. For over eight years, I’ve invited guests from all walks of life into deep, human conversations about identity, purpose, and how we shape—and are shaped by—our stories.

Whether through coaching, workshops, or the microphone, I create space for reflection, connection, and the rich conversations that help us live more fully.