A Journey to Whole Woman Health
A Journey to Whole Woman Health is a podcast for women of all ages who want to care for their bodies, minds, and souls with wisdom, courage, and confidence.
Hosted by Dr. Jamie Erwin, board-certified OB/GYN and women’s health expert, and Dr. Mary Kathryn Nader, Licensed Professional Counselor with a doctorate in counseling specializing in women’s mental health, this podcast brings together medical science, emotional insight, and faith-centered encouragement.
Each episode explores the real issues women face across every season of life—hormones, mental health, fertility, pregnancy, loss and grief, work-life balance, fitness, nutrition, relationships, identity, and spiritual growth. Through honest conversations, evidence-based education, and deeply relatable stories, Dr. Erwin and Dr. Nader help women feel informed, seen, and supported.
This is a space where expertise meets authenticity, where science meets soul, and where women are reminded they are not broken—they are becoming whole.
Our mission is simple:
To educate, empower, and encourage women to pursue whole-woman health with clarity, compassion, and faith.
Whether you’re navigating young adulthood, motherhood, midlife, or reinvention, this podcast is your companion on the journey.
A Journey to Whole Woman Health
Episode 7: An OBGYN, a Gorilla, and a C-Section: The Story You Won’t Believe
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What do you do when the Fort Worth Zoo calls and asks an OBGYN to help save a pregnant gorilla? You show up, of course!
In this unforgettable episode, Dr. Jamie Erwin shares the remarkable story of being called to perform an emergency C-section on a critically ill gorilla with severe preeclampsia. What followed was a behind-the-scenes medical collaboration between veterinarians, physicians, and zoo staff to save both mother and baby.
From secret phone calls while on vacation…
to assembling a medical team…
to riding in a van with an anesthetized gorilla…
This story is equal parts medicine, wonder, and faith in unexpected callings.
Dr. Erwin reflects on what this extraordinary experience taught her about courage, teamwork, and staying faithful to the work in front of you—even when you never know where it might lead.
And yes… there’s even a baby gorilla named Jameela.
In This Episode We Discuss
• How a practicing OBGYN became the zoo’s primate consultant
• Why gorillas can develop pregnancy complications similar to humans
• The signs of severe preeclampsia in both humans and primates
• How an emergency C-section was performed inside the zoo hospital
• What it’s like to deliver a baby gorilla
• The emotional moment when the baby was named
• Why unexpected doors open when we remain faithful to our calling
Key Takeaway
Sometimes the most extraordinary opportunities arrive when we are simply doing the work we’ve been called to do. Faithfulness in the ordinary can open doors to the unimaginable.
Connect With Us
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Follow along for more conversations at the intersection of science, mental health, and faith.
Podcast Mission
A Journey to Whole Woman Health exists to educate, empower, and encourage women in every season of life through conversations rooted in science, mental health, and faith.
