Stranger Things started in 2016. You were dating someone different, living somewhere else, chasing completely different dreams.

Ryan reflects on watching the Stranger Things finale in a sold-out theatre next to people he hadn't even met when the show first dropped—his fiancée and one of his best friends. The conversation moves through how much life changed between seasons: from evil exes to true love, from figuring out college to building a career, from pre-pandemic to post-pandemic life. Hear about the realization that hit during the final moments with Purple Rain playing and a D&D table monologue—not just that the show was ending, but that the person watching it had fundamentally changed while somehow staying the same nerdy kid who fell in love with 80s nostalgia and Stephen King horror.

Discover what it means to truly grow up with a show past age 18, why the finale didn't have to be perfect to matter, and how core memories get built around the media that accompanies your twenties.

Originally aired on 2026-01-05

Stranger Things started in 2016. You were dating someone different, living somewhere else, chasing completely different dreams.
Ryan reflects on watching the Stranger Things finale in a sold-out theatre next to people he hadn't even met when the show first dropped&mdash;his fianc&eacute;e and one of his best friends. The conversation moves through how much life changed between seasons: from evil exes to true love, from figuring out college to building a career, from pre-pandemic to post-pandemic life. Hear about the realization that hit during the final moments with Purple Rain playing and a D&amp;D table monologue&mdash;not just that the show was ending, but that the person watching it had fundamentally changed while somehow staying the same nerdy kid who fell in love with 80s nostalgia and Stephen King horror.
Discover what it means to truly grow up with a show past age 18, why the finale didn't have to be perfect to matter, and how core memories get built around the media that accompanies your twenties.
Originally aired on&nbsp;2026-01-05

Shane Hewitt & The Nightshift is your late-night companion for real talk, bold ideas, and unfiltered conversations that matter. Hosted by Canadian radio veteran Shane Hewitt, each episode dives into the headlines, human stories, and hidden truths shaping our world—always with curiosity, compassion, and a sharp edge.

From politics and pop culture to mental health, technology, and everyday life, this podcast is where night owls, deep thinkers, and curious minds come to connect. Featuring expert guests, passionate callers, and Shane’s signature style—thoughtful, fearless, and refreshingly real.

If you crave meaningful dialogue, smart perspectives, and late-night radio energy in podcast form, subscribe now and join The Nightshift.

Shane Hewitt &amp; The Nightshift is your late-night companion for real talk, bold ideas, and unfiltered conversations that matter. Hosted by Canadian radio veteran Shane Hewitt, each episode dives into the headlines, human stories, and hidden truths shaping our world&mdash;always with curiosity, compassion, and a sharp edge.
From politics and pop culture to mental health, technology, and everyday life, this podcast is where night owls, deep thinkers, and curious minds come to connect. Featuring expert guests, passionate callers, and Shane&rsquo;s signature style&mdash;thoughtful, fearless, and refreshingly real.
If you crave meaningful dialogue, smart perspectives, and late-night radio energy in podcast form, subscribe now and join The Nightshift.

Shane Hewitt and The Nightshift

Shane Hewitt is known for his engaging and relatable on-air personality, which captivates listeners. His ability to blend insightful commentary with humour and empathy creates a genuine connection with listeners.  Shane Hewitt and the Night Shift provides relatable content, informative discussions and expert insights – along with a balance of anecdotes and entertainment.

Shane Hewitt is known for his engaging and relatable on-air personality, which captivates listeners. His ability to blend insightful commentary with humour and empathy creates a genuine connection with listeners.  Shane Hewitt and the Night Shift provides relatable content, informative discussions and expert insights – along with a balance of anecdotes and entertainment.

SHIFTHEADS: The Show That Watched You Grow Up

Volunteering two to four hours weekly slows cognitive decline by 15 to 20 percent, according to data from 31,000 adults. Dr. Samantha Yammine, neuroscientist, explains why researchers are stumped by their own findings.

 

The study controlled for wealth, education, physical health, and mental health… all the usual suspects that could explain the results. The effect held anyway. Whether it's formal volunteering or just helping a neighbor with groceries, the act of assisting others shows up on cognitive tests as measurably better memory and mental math performance. But here's where it gets interesting: researchers don't actually know why. Current theories point to stress reduction, lower inflammation, and less cortisol, but the biological mechanism remains a mystery. Sam walks through what psychosomatic effects might be at play and why something feeling good in your heart can translate to actual molecular changes in your brain.

 

The conversation explores what happens when you reframe exhaustion as luck, whether employment has the same effect as volunteering (spoiler: maybe not, and here's why that distinction matters), and how healthcare could start prescribing social programs alongside medication for people at risk of dementia. Purpose and community aren't just nice ideas… they're measurable protective factors for your cognitive health.

 

KEY TOPICS:

- Volunteering effects on cognitive decline and brain aging

- Why helping others improves memory and mental math performance

- Biological mechanisms behind social connection and brain health

- Healthcare prescriptions for dementia prevention beyond medication

- Employment vs volunteering: different impacts on cognitive function

 

GUEST: Dr. Samantha Yammine, Neuroscientist | samanthayammine.com


Originally aired on 2026-01-06

Volunteering two to four hours weekly slows cognitive decline by 15 to 20 percent, according to data from 31,000 adults. Dr. Samantha Yammine, neuroscientist, explains why researchers are stumped by their own findings.
&nbsp;
The study controlled for wealth, education, physical health, and mental health&hellip; all the usual suspects that could explain the results. The effect held anyway. Whether it's formal volunteering or just helping a neighbor with groceries, the act of assisting others shows up on cognitive tests as measurably better memory and mental math performance. But here's where it gets interesting: researchers don't actually know why. Current theories point to stress reduction, lower inflammation, and less cortisol, but the biological mechanism remains a mystery. Sam walks through what psychosomatic effects might be at play and why something feeling good in your heart can translate to actual molecular changes in your brain.
&nbsp;
The conversation explores what happens when you reframe exhaustion as luck, whether employment has the same effect as volunteering (spoiler: maybe not, and here's why that distinction matters), and how healthcare could start prescribing social programs alongside medication for people at risk of dementia. Purpose and community aren't just nice ideas&hellip; they're measurable protective factors for your cognitive health.
&nbsp;
KEY TOPICS:
- Volunteering effects on cognitive decline and brain aging
- Why helping others improves memory and mental math performance
- Biological mechanisms behind social connection and brain health
- Healthcare prescriptions for dementia prevention beyond medication
- Employment vs volunteering: different impacts on cognitive function
&nbsp;
GUEST: Dr. Samantha Yammine, Neuroscientist | samanthayammine.com
 Originally aired on&nbsp;2026-01-06

NEW - Volunteering Slows Brain Aging by 20 Percent: Scientists Can't Explain Why

Adam Sorenson beat stage 4 brain cancer at 13 using an extreme ketogenic diet and metabolic approach. He stayed in remission for 10 years, unheard of for glioblastoma multiforme, the same cancer that killed Gord Downie and Neil Peart. When it came back in his brainstem and spine in 2024, doctors gave him two months. His father had been preparing for this moment for a decade.

Brad Sorenson founded Providence Therapeutics knowing his son's cancer would eventually return. The company makes immunotherapy vaccines tailored to each patient's specific tumor mutations. They sequence healthy tissue, compare it to the cancer, identify every difference, and create a vaccine that teaches the immune system exactly what to hunt. For Adam, it worked until the cancer evolved to evade it. So they got another biopsy, updated the vaccine, and treated him again. He's now well enough to be back in school, defying a death sentence with medicine designed specifically for his body.

Brad explains why immunotherapy trains the immune system instead of directly killing cancer, how they've treated about a dozen compassionate cases across multiple cancer types, and why their first clinical trial is happening in Australia for kids with terminal brain cancers. The funding reality is stark: Australia fully sponsors the trial and gets cost-access for all pediatric patients in perpetuity. Canada has the collaborations and research institutions but lacks the funding mechanism to make it happen at scale.

GUEST: Brad Sorenson | http://providencetherapeutics.com

Originally aired on 2026-01-06

Adam Sorenson beat stage 4 brain cancer at 13 using an extreme ketogenic diet and metabolic approach. He stayed in remission for 10 years, unheard of for glioblastoma multiforme, the same cancer that killed Gord Downie and Neil Peart. When it came back in his brainstem and spine in 2024, doctors gave him two months. His father had been preparing for this moment for a decade.
Brad Sorenson founded Providence Therapeutics knowing his son's cancer would eventually return. The company makes immunotherapy vaccines tailored to each patient's specific tumor mutations. They sequence healthy tissue, compare it to the cancer, identify every difference, and create a vaccine that teaches the immune system exactly what to hunt. For Adam, it worked until the cancer evolved to evade it. So they got another biopsy, updated the vaccine, and treated him again. He's now well enough to be back in school, defying a death sentence with medicine designed specifically for his body.
Brad explains why immunotherapy trains the immune system instead of directly killing cancer, how they've treated about a dozen compassionate cases across multiple cancer types, and why their first clinical trial is happening in Australia for kids with terminal brain cancers. The funding reality is stark: Australia fully sponsors the trial and gets cost-access for all pediatric patients in perpetuity. Canada has the collaborations and research institutions but lacks the funding mechanism to make it happen at scale.
GUEST: Brad Sorenson |<a href="http://providencetherapeutics.com"> http://providencetherapeutics.com</a>
Originally aired on&nbsp;2026-01-06

Shiftheads - When Your Kid Gets Cancer and Medicine Has No Answers: So You Build It Yourself

Good News Tuesday brings personal wins from the team: Ryan's swapping TikTok scrolling for reading (starting with a Stephen King horror novel at bedtime… bold choice), Shane's booking trips with actual dates after watching retired friends map out their year, and David's saving money by fixing what he already owns. The conversation explores why setting three important goals beats generic New Year's resolutions, and how good news creates a snowball effect when you recognize it.

Learn why planning trips in January changes everything, and how small wins compound into bigger momentum. 

Originally aired on 2026-01-06

<blockquote>
Good News Tuesday brings personal wins from the team: Ryan's swapping TikTok scrolling for reading (starting with a Stephen King horror novel at bedtime&hellip; bold choice), Shane's booking trips with actual dates after watching retired friends map out their year, and David's saving money by fixing what he already owns. The conversation explores why setting three important goals beats generic New Year's resolutions, and how good news creates a snowball effect when you recognize it.
Learn why planning trips in January changes everything, and how small wins compound into bigger momentum.&nbsp;
Originally aired on 2026-01-06
</blockquote>

SHIFTHEADS: The Show That Watched You Grow Up

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