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I’ve always wanted to keep people company and make them laugh. I want to hear what people are going through, because chances are, I’ve already gone through the same thing. -Kendra Petrone

Meet a talented young woman who is part of the only all-female morning show on the radio in Boston. The legendary Magic 106.7/WMJX www.magic1067.com has been a female-driven radio station for decades, but it wasn’t until 2025 that the station announced Sue & Kendra as co-hosts of Morning Magic. The two broadcasters, who are also the best of friends, host the station’s award-winning series, Exceptional Women. No stranger to media, Kendra has worked for over 17 years in both radio and television. A graduate of UMASS/Amherst, she is the daughter of a first-grade teacher who taught her to be persistent. In fact, Kendra says 98% of her success story is rooted in taking chances. “I’m terrified of everything, but I know that if I don’t do it, somebody else will, and if you don’t take chances, you’ll never know how far you can go. “ My mother used to say: ‘Failure is not a failure. Every time you fail, you learn.” Raised north of Boston in the town of Methuen, Kendra is proud of her roots and is an avid Boston sports fan. Her deep love for the Patriots grew out of a stint working for the team during two Super Bowl runs. The devoted wife of a police officer, Kendra is also the mother of three children, including two sons diagnosed early in life with Autism Spectrum Disorder. In this interview, she shares her joy in finding a community to rely on as she raises special needs children, and her commitment to support local charities, including Melmark New England, The Northeast Arc, and Rock the Spectrum. For 24 minutes of chutzpah from @kendratheentertainer, just hit that download button.

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Nobody ever says, “I can’t wait to go to a nursing home.” Instead, they say, “keep me at home for as long as possible,” and that’s exactly what we do. -Meg Hogan

Growing old is hard, right? Now imagine how difficult it is for a senior citizen who doesn’t have the means to take care of themselves. How about a person with disabilities whose family needs help caring for them? And what about the exhausted caregiver who just needs a little support? In the spotlight, Meg Hogan, CEO of Boston Senior Home Care. www.bshcinfo.org. She’s spent her career in service to others, first as a direct care social worker, and then in healthcare and non-profit management. Meg is a champion for economically vulnerable seniors and those with disabilities, with a focus on empowering people to live at home, independently, for as long as possible. Raised by a widowed mom, it was Meg’s older sisters who were her mentors, and all three girls grew up to be leaders in their own fields. “No one ever said you can’t do that. We’re all really bossy, and we grew up fast after my father died.” A true believer in hard work, Meg’s alarm goes off at 3:30 every morning because “my brain is on fire and there is so much to be done. Success to me is how many people I have helped today.” For 22 minutes of passion and purpose, just hit that download button. #elderly #socialwork #seniorcare #caregiver #disabilities CEO of Boston Senior Home Care bshcinfo.org

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Enjoy this beautiful life you’ve been given.  Don’t ever take it for granted.  -Melissa Dupuis

It’s been two years since Melissa Dupuis shared her story on this series, and what a couple of years it has been.  At only 38,  this wellness enthusiast, Pilates instructor, and former professional ballet dancer was diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer.  Her little girl, Sage, was only one year old at the time, and although Melissa and her husband wanted to have another child someday, doctors said there was no time for egg retrieval and that the couple’s chances of having another child after her rigorous treatments were over were slim to none.   In this interview, Melissa shares what happened next, and if you are emotional like me, you’ll need a Kleenex to dry your tears of joy. Buoyed by the love of her family and a promise she made to be strong for her daughter, Melissa wrote a children’s book called We Can Do Hard Things:  A Mother’s Journey with Breast Cancer Through the Eyes of Her Daughter.  Published by the female-owned imprint www.brileybaxterbooks.com, this beautifully illustrated book is written for children ages 2-5 and can be pre-ordered with this link: https://a.co/d/3mIRJpD. Says Melissa:  “If you want to help your child understand illness in a lighter way, this book is for you because it’s a true story. These conversations between Sage and me really happened.”   Survivorship is not easy, but Melissa has continued to be resilient.  Spoiler alert: Remember the baby Melissa hoped to have someday?   You’ll have to hit that download button to find out what happened! #childrensbook #breastcancer #motherhood Melissa Dupois author, We Can Do Hard Things brileybaxterbooks.com

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There are no bad experiences, just the ones you don’t learn from. If you don’t learn from bad experiences, you will make the same mistakes over and over and over again.
-Gwen Borden & Amy Goober

This week’s story features a mother and daughter who have written a love story, filled with priceless advice for us all. The book, entitled My Mother Always Says: 25 Lessons for Finding the Silver Lining, explores the life and times of 94-year-old Gwen Borden, who was born during the Great Depression. Teaming up with her daughter, Amy Goober, a dynamic women’s life coach and fearless entrepreneur, was kismet. Inspired to share their hard-earned wisdom, the idea for the book was hatched. Says Gwen: “ I gave birth to Amy, and she gave birth to the book. Amy did all the editing. All I had to do was tell my story, like I was talking to you in my living room. “ Packed with advice delivered with wit and humor, this book provides a mirror to the relationship between mother and daughter. Says Amy: “We were always close, but you don’t appreciate your mother until you are a mother. I thought I knew her life, and then we started writing this book, and the stories she told really complete the message of the 25 life lessons in our book. For 21 minutes of mother/daughter wisdom, like “the things we regret in life are the things we don’t do” and “Trust your gut, not your head” go ahead and hit that download button. You’re welcome! #mothers #daughters #wisdom #advice #resilience #trustyourgut co-authors, My Mother Always Says