Healthcare

APB speaker Kevin Pearce is no stranger to trauma. In fact, he knows the worst of it. After a snowboarding accident while training for the 2010 Olympic trials, Pearce suffered a debilitating brain injury, leaving him in a medically induced coma. Though his half-pipe career ended that day, his spirit and motivation to recover has never failed.

APB speaker Leeza Gibbons inaugurated Leeza’s Care Connection, a facility that provides programs free of charge to caregivers. An Emmy Award-winning talk show host, author, and social entrepreneur, Gibbons inspires many with her uplifting and empowering messages.

Speaker Vivek Wadhwa recently penned a Washington Post column reflecting on the new dangers and opportunities of synthetic biology and gene editing, specifically as it relates to the Zika virus. He says the technologies being used, though scary, are also amazing in what they make possible: cures for debilitating diseases, new biofuels and grains that can be grown in extreme climates.

Within the past month, several American hospitals' computer systems have been targeted by hackers and infected with ransomware. The virus, part of an alarming trend that shows no signs of slowing, is causing chaos and confusion in the healthcare world.

APB speaker Regina Holliday was recently featured in The Wall Street Journal for the painted jackets she has created to help share the medical narratives of those who wear them. These jackets, part of her Walking Gallery movement, are painted by either Holliday or one of 42 artists to depict the story of a medical patient or an element of medical advocacy.

February is when the annual TED Conference is held in Vancouver, Canada, where 1,500 people attend talks highlighting TED’s three tenants—Technology, Entertainment, and Design. This year’s conference features three APB speakers: Parag Khanna, Hugh Evans and Tim Urban, who are presenting their “ideas worth spreading,” which is the TED slogan.

APB speaker Michael Douglas is an Academy Award winner and prominent producer who has starred in numerous films, but one of his greatest achievements has been beating his fight with cancer.