Today’s guest is Lauren Tarpley. Lauren is a Mom, Wife, Baker, Foodie, Carolina born, Bourbon & travel enthusiast! She loves cupcakes & making lists.    As soon as I greeted Lauren, she hit the ground running and I spent the rest of the podcast just trying to keep up with her. She does not wait for life to happen.   Her podcast "Life with Little Ones" is a place for parents to learn about other kinds of families. How to raise more inclusive children and how we all cope with parenting...

Casey’s journey just floored me with what she had to endure and I was deeply moved by the love and presence demanded of her and her family by this seemingly unending diagnosis.   Casey is the author of “Finding Your Way Back to Heart Center; cancer treatment ended now what?”   She’s a cancer survivorship coach: helping women thrive post-treatment, stronger physically mentally & emotionally through her program: A Happier Healthier You. She’s also personal trainer and a cancer exercise...

Laura is a wife, a mother, a dog owner, a nonprofit development consultant, and a dedicated do-it-your-self-er who loves to spend time with her family, travel, stay up late and sleep in.   What really stood out to me in this conversation with Laura is how meticulously she researched every aspect of her treatment options, from her physicians and their treatment recommendations, to her fellow patients as far as what they were glad they and what they wish they had done differently.   Laura has...

Alexandra is a video producer who lives with her family and two dogs in Baltimore. She likes to spend time in the kitchen coming up with new dinner ideas, but someone else will have to make dessert! She also likes to paint and is frequently in search of a creative outlet.   Alexandra has been Cancer-free two years.   0:00:00 How the cancer was discovered0:07:12 Telling her children0:11:15 Your relationship with your caretakers0:17:39 Listing her hair0:26:05 Those who showed up0:35:20 The...

Lee is a retired school teacher, a volunteer and mentor at the Cancer Resource Center of the Finger Lakes for men with prostate cancer. He’s a personal trainer and uses old school/unconventional strength and mobility training, he’s the owner of Der Rosenmeister Nursery, an antique and modern rose nursery, and he lectures widely throughout the Northeast on sustainable rose growing practices. He is married and has two grown children and a grandson. 0:00:00 How the cancer was found0:09:00...

Mandi lives in the Austin, Texas area with her husband and their three dogs. She is an artist and a writer with a great love of the outdoors. Mandi has been cancer-free for almost twelve years. 0:00:00 Surprise diagnosis0:05:00 Treatment0:15:31 “How can we mourn the thing we didn’t even want in the first place?”0:19:00 Being the reason everyone around you is trying not to cry25:54 Spouses addiction0:28:57 Overhearing her diagnosis 0:34:25 Healing in transparency0:43:30 Patient guilt0:53:05...

Maria is a geriatric social worker and an academic researcher, a sister and an Auntie, who lives with her wife and their dog in Upstate New York. She is also a founder and moderator of the Facebook group for Lesbian Cancer Survivors and Caregivers, which she started in 2007 during her second breast cancer, when she realized that lesbians were invisible in the existing literature and resources for women with breast and other cancers. Maria has been cancer-free for twelve years. [timestamps...

Louise is an artist, administrator and writer from Norwich in the UK. She was originally diagnosed with a rare form of appendix cancer in 2014 and again in 2017. She is currently recovering from her second surgery. 0:00:00 How the cancer was discovered0:05:19 Louise lands at Basingstoke Hospital0:10:12 Treatment: Pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP) & hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC)0:14:15 The immediate impact on Louise and her loved ones0:20:21 Urgency for treatment0:25:05 Time...

This is part two of the Laya Ballesteros podcast. Laya is an elementary school art teacher who is passionate about working with our youngest artists and she herself is a mixed media artist. Laya has been cancer-free for three years. [timestamps will be posted soon!]

Laya is an elementary school art teacher who is passionate about working with our youngest artists and she herself is a mixed media artist. Laya has been cancer-free for three years. Also, I promised Laya I would give a shout out to NYBRA Plastic Surgery in Great Neck, NY because Laya just raved about them and their Patient Empowerment Program before, during, and after the podcast!! 0:00:00 Accidentally discovering cancer0:11:15 Second opinion at NYU with Dr. Mancuso0:15:02 Creating her team,...

 Defining our cancer experiences without letting cancer define us.

Wow! That was way more work than I had anticipated. Fortunately I love, love, love doing it and I think I'm starting to get the hang of it. Season Two coming in December!

DeLa isA husband A father A musician A brain tumor survivor and A believer!He is the saxophonist for the band slightly stoopid and also leads his own band Dela & steady rock easy. 0:00:00 Bringing awareness to others0:05:08 Symptoms preceding diagnosis0:09:25 Tunnel vision0:13:15 Tumor doubles in size0:16:13 Tumor responds to the threat0:17:39 Brief synopsis of Bert’s cancer journey0:24:18 Scott Palmer0:29:54 When it all hit home0:33:35 Full frontal bilateral craniotomy0:39:37 Anesthesia...

Maria is a food creator, a Wellness Mentor, a mother and wife. She has been cancer-free for over two years.Follow Maria on Instagram @holisticlivingwithmaria 0:00:00 How the cancer was discovered0:14:16 Scan confirms no metastasis0:18:51 Chemotherapy recommended0:25:30 Self-advocacy0:30:36 Being positive verses being authentic0:33:50 Giving back to the cancer community0:40:05 Penny Brohn Cancer Center0:47:10 Recurrence0:50:59 England’s National Health Service0:58:05 Holistic medicine1:09:45...

Jason is the Vice-President for the Board of Directors of the Cancer Resource Center of the Finger Lakes and the co-founder of the Colorectal Support Group as well as the Young Adult Support Group, now named "Beth's Group" in memory of his co-founder, Beth Brunelle. Jason has been cancer-free for ten years.0:00:00 Surgery and life with a shortened colon0:08:30 Struggles with radiation0:12:12 "No thanks" to elective surgeries0:16:48 Life doesn't just "go on"0:24:47 Medical procedure...

0:00:00 How the breast cancer was discovered0:07:30 Breast feeding0:12:18 Surrounding yourself with strong advocates0:16:02 Loved ones who don’t show up26:39 Doctors working in tandem29:00 Chemotherapy38:30 Eating through treatment!42:51 Marijuana to manage side-effects 46:44 Chemo-brain and recovery from anesthesia 50:21 Post-treatment elective surgeries 56:26 Misdiagnosed 4x58:09 Mastectomies and reconstruction 1:03:15 The body and societal norms1:10:31 Caregivers1:18:34 Cancer coaches and...

Rectal Cancer Survivor

Prostate Cancer Survivor

Survivor of Mucinous Carcinoma of the Breast

Shera is a mixed-media artist and painter. She’s a flat-closure advocate and activist - often using her art and social media platforms to share and connect. Shera has been cancer-free for eight years.00:00:00 Cancer almost not discovered00:13:59  Self-advocacy and multiple opinions00:23:35 Community support and masculinity00:28:09 Keeping cancer private00:32:35  Strength and vulnerability00:40:50 Navigating chemotherapy00:44:15 Mastectomy and reconstruction00:49:10 Second breast...

Joe is an archivist at the Corning Museum of Glass and he lives in Ithaca, NY with his wife, his two kids, and their dog Hamilton. Joe has been cancer-free for five years.00:00:00 How the cancer was discovered00:05:40 The physical discomfort of a tumor00:09:20 Informing friends00:20:40 Only one leg00:25:30 Accountability Partners00:33:15 Connecting with fellow survivors00:34:30 Standing infection & open wound00:36:25 Infected titanium rod00:47:44 Recovery from anesthesia00:50:50 Whether...

Sharon is a teacher, an Instructional Technology Specialist, a plant-based food enthusiast, a wife of a very supportive husband, and a mother of three amazing kids! Sharon has been cancer-free for six years.00:00:00 How cancer was discovered00:05:30 Inspired by fellow survivors00:07:00 Re-diagnosed00:10:35 PET Scans00:18:40 Speaking with children about cancer00:23:40 Caregivers getting the support they need00:29:00 What we can not control00:34:15 Creating a support network00:36:45 Bert’s...