Dr. Nish graduated from Carleton College in 1981 and then perused his medical degree at the Chicago Medical School. Following graduation from medical school he completed a 4-year residency in Diagnostic Radiology at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. Following residency, he completed a 1 year fellowship at Henry Ford Hospital in Interventional Radiology.

Following his fellowship, he moved to Des Moines and began a 27-year career as an Interventional Radiologist at Iowa Methodist Hospital. During that time, he introduced many new procedures to the medical center including peripheral arterial stents, transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts, chemo and radioembolization of liver tumors and microwave ablation of tumors in many locations. Despite his successful career he became restless and began to question the care model of traditional western style medicine. A retrospective analysis of his 27-year career revealed the fact that patient health was not getting better and that the traditional care model was failing patients and their families. With this new insight he began to study nutrition, stress, exercise, life purpose, socialization and sleep as it related to health and wellness. He went on to enroll in a 2-year fellowship at the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona, completing his studies in October of 2018.

Currently Dr. Nish is the medical director of the John Stoddard Cancer Center in Des Moines. His passion is to educate the public and health care workers about true health and well-being and how this can be achieved through lifestyle changes including: food and nutrition, stress management, sleep, exercise, purpose in life and social relationships. He is especially fascinated with the mind-body connection and how our thoughts and beliefs directly influence our physical and mental health.

Brooklyn Rider has carved a singular space in the world of string quartets over their fifteen-year history. Defining the string quartet as a medium with deep historic roots and endless possibility for invention, they find equal inspiration in musical languages ranging from late Beethoven to Persian classical music to American roots music to the endlessly varied voices of living composers. Shared at the height of the US lockdown, the Grammy®-nominated recording Healing Modes (In A Circle Records) presented Beethoven’s towering Opus 132 — the composer’s late testament on healing and the restorative power of new creation — interwoven with five new commissions powerfully exploring topics as wide-ranging as the US-Mexico border conflict, the Syrian refugee crisis, the mental health epidemic, and physical well-being.

Richard L. Deming, MD is Medical Director of MercyOne Cancer Center in Des Moines, Iowa. He received a bachelor’s degree from South Dakota State University and his medical degree from Creighton University. Dr. Deming is known in the community for the compassionate care he provides cancer patients and their families. He is involved in many national, state, and community organizations and is the recipient of numerous awards. He was awarded the Lane Adams Award by the American Cancer Society for excellence and compassion in patient care. He is the recipient of “the one hundred” Award by Massachusetts General Hospital for his work with cancer survivors. He was awarded the Iowa Cancer Champion Award for his tireless efforts in the field of advocacy. He received the Iowa Star Award from the Des Moines Register for making a measurable difference within the community and improving the quality of life for Iowans everywhere. He was awarded the St. George National Medal by the American Cancer Society for leadership in reducing the burden of cancer.

Dr. Deming is also the founder of Above + Beyond Cancer, a nonprofit organization dedicated to elevating the lives of those touched by cancer. Dr. Deming has led cancer survivors on medical missions and inspirational mind-body-spirit pilgrimages to Mount Everest, Mount Kilimanjaro, and Machu Picchu. He is inspired by the courage and compassion of his patients and their families. His greatest ambition is to encourage others to pursue lives of meaning, purpose, passion, and compassion.