Michigan Matters: Focusing on health and keeping those resolutions in 2026
The focus is on health, as Dusty Mysen, a father of four from Oxford, diagnosed with pancreatic cancer several years ago, who underwent aggressive therapy, is now cancer-free five years later.
Mysen even competed in the Michigan Ironman competition in Frankfort, Michigan, in September of this year.
Mysen, along with his physician, Dr. David Kwon of Henry Ford Health, appears on Michigan Matters to share his inspiring story of overcoming the disease.
Pancreatic cancer is actually rare but aggressive, as folks including Aretha Franklin, L. Brooks Patterson, Patrick Swayze and Michael Landon died from it.
Also on the show, Dr. Robert Maynard, a cardiologist at Henry Ford Health, talks about the importance of exercise and sleep as folks continue with their New Year's Resolutions to get healthier, including hitting the gym more in 2026.
Then Karen Akouri, Founder of drench LLC, talks about the fast-growing healthy salad dressing company she's building from Detroit.
Akouri, an accountant by background, started her company after dealing with her own health issue – she was diagnosed with breast cancer – and wanting to eat healthier. After reading the ingredients and what they really were of some well-known salad dressings, she began creating her own with all-natural ingredients for her family.
Her friends began asking her for it, and she decided to start a company selling it. She took it to stores and farmers' markets and knew she was on to something.
Today, drench salad dressings and marinades are made in Detroit and sold in thousands of stores around the nation.
(Watch Michigan Matters at its new time: 5:30 a.m. Sundays on CBS Detroit and 9:30 a.m. Sundays on CW Detroit 50 WKBD).
(Carol Cain is the 13-time Emmy-winning senior producer and host of Michigan Matters).