Podcast
Breast Cancer Conversations
Hosted by SurvivingBreastCancer.org · EN
Breast Cancer Conversations is a podcast produced by Survivingbreastcancer.org where we inject positivity into the very fabric of a breast cancer diagnosis. Breast Cancer Conversations provides education, and inspiration, and offers hope. You will hear stories from those diagnosed with breast cancer, interviews with medical professionals, and thought-leadership emerging from the oncology field. Welcome to our breast cancer community! Welcome to the conversation.
33episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
298. The Truth About Cold Capping During Chemo
3d ago00:37:41Tap to summarizeLove the podcast? Send us a text!Hair loss during chemotherapy is often talked about as if it is expected, inevitable, or even superficial. But for many people diagnosed with breast cancer, losing your hair can affect identity, privacy, confidence, and the way others see you.In this episode of Breast Cancer Conversations, Laura talks with Jen Fernandez about her experience being diagnosed with breast cancer twice. The first time, Jen lost her hair. The second time, after a local recurrence, she decided to try cold capping.Jen shares what the process was really like: the prep, the discomfort, the time commitment, the shedding, the hair care changes, and why she would do it again.Listen now for an honest conversation about cold capping, chemo hair loss, and finding small ways to feel like yourself during treatment.In This Episode, We Discuss Jen’s initial breast cancer diagnosis at age 39 What it felt like to be fast-tracked into chemotherapy Finding a new lump and dimple three years later Navigating a local recurrence of HER2-positive breast cancer Why Jen decided to try cold capping the second time How long cold capping added to infusion appointments The physical discomfort of cold capping Hair shedding, bald spots, and regrowth How hair loss affects identity, work, confidence, and privacy The emotional difference between looking sick and feeling like yourself Why cold capping is a personal decision, not a vanity decisionSupport the showListener FeedbackIf this episode resonated with you, we invite you to leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.You can also click the link in the show notes that says "Love this episode? Send us a text" to share feedback.Messages are completely anonymous.If you would like us to follow up directly, please include your email address in your message so we can respond.Latest News: Join our Mailing List - New content drops every Monday! Discover FREE programs, support groups, and resources from SurvivingBReastCancer.org! Become a Breast Cancer Conversations+ Member! Sign Up Now. Enjoying our content? Please consider supporting our work.
Transcribe →297. Enhertu, Xeloda, and Living with De Novo Metastatic Breast Cancer: Annick’s Story
1w ago00:40:13Tap to summarizeLove the podcast? Send us a text!In this episode of Breast Cancer Conversations, host Laura Carfang speaks with Annick Pyfferoen about her experience being diagnosed with de novo metastatic breast cancer and navigating several lines of treatment including targeted therapy, chemotherapy, a clinical trial attempt involving tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, Enhertu, and Xeloda. She speaks openly about what it felt like to experience rapid progression and why having a plan, even one that may change, helps her navigate uncertainty.This episode is a reminder that metastatic breast cancer care is not only about what is happening on scans. It is also about communication, side effect management, informed decision-making, emotional support, and helping people live as well as possible for as long as possible.Support the showListener FeedbackIf this episode resonated with you, we invite you to leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.You can also click the link in the show notes that says "Love this episode? Send us a text" to share feedback.Messages are completely anonymous.If you would like us to follow up directly, please include your email address in your message so we can respond.Latest News: Join our Mailing List - New content drops every Monday! Discover FREE programs, support groups, and resources from SurvivingBReastCancer.org! Become a Breast Cancer Conversations+ Member! Sign Up Now. Enjoying our content? Please consider supporting our work.
Transcribe →296. Inside Oligometastatic Breast Cancer: Kacie Flaherty and Joyce Dini on Treatment, Grief, and Joy
2w ago00:28:56Tap to summarizeLove the podcast? Send us a text!In this episode of Breast Cancer Conversations, Laura Carfang speaks with Kacie Flaherty and Joyce Dini about life with oligometastatic breast cancer. They share how their diagnoses unfolded, what treatment decisions looked like, and how they’ve learned to navigate uncertainty while staying grounded in what matters most.Together, they discuss:The differences between metastatic and oligometastatic breast cancer.What curative-intent treatment can look like in practice.How diagnosis and treatment affect relationships, fertility, and identity.The mental health challenges of living with cancer day to day.The importance of boundaries, advocacy, and choosing joy.Kacie and Joyce also reflect on the support they’ve found in community, the language that helped them better understand their disease, and the ways they continue to reclaim agency in the face of something they cannot fully control.This episode is especially meaningful for patients, caregivers, and anyone seeking an honest conversation about breast cancer, treatment complexity, and emotional survival.Topics covered: oligometastatic breast cancer, metastatic breast cancer, curative intent, treatment decisions, cancer and relationships, fertility loss, mental health, grief, resilience, patient advocacy, community support, choosing joy.Support the showListener FeedbackIf this episode resonated with you, we invite you to leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.You can also click the link in the show notes that says "Love this episode? Send us a text" to share feedback.Messages are completely anonymous.If you would like us to follow up directly, please include your email address in your message so we can respond.Latest News: Join our Mailing List - New content drops every Monday! Discover FREE programs, support groups, and resources from SurvivingBReastCancer.org! Become a Breast Cancer Conversations+ Member! Sign Up Now. Enjoying our content? Please consider supporting our work.
Transcribe →295. Stage 4 De Novo with Brain Mets Virginia Rodriguez First Line Treatment on Verzenio
3w ago00:16:21Tap to summarizeLove the podcast? Send us a text!In this episode of Breast Cancer Conversations, Laura speaks with Virginia Rodriguez, who was diagnosed with stage 4 de novo metastatic breast cancer after experiencing progressive weakness, digestive issues, dehydration, and a dramatic decline in her ability to walk and function.Virginia shares what it was like to go from hiking the Camino de Santiago to struggling to climb the stairs in her own home, the emotional experience of finally receiving a diagnosis after months of unanswered symptoms, and how her care team identified breast cancer that had spread to multiple areas, including her brain, spine, liver, spleen, and bones.Virginia was placed on Verzenio, also known as abemaciclib, as part of her first line of treatment. Verzenio is an oral CDK4/6 inhibitor used in certain HR-positive, HER2-negative advanced or metastatic breast cancers, including in combination with endocrine therapy depending on a person’s treatment history and clinical situationSupport the showListener FeedbackIf this episode resonated with you, we invite you to leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.You can also click the link in the show notes that says "Love this episode? Send us a text" to share feedback.Messages are completely anonymous.If you would like us to follow up directly, please include your email address in your message so we can respond.Latest News: Join our Mailing List - New content drops every Monday! Discover FREE programs, support groups, and resources from SurvivingBReastCancer.org! Become a Breast Cancer Conversations+ Member! Sign Up Now. Enjoying our content? Please consider supporting our work.
Transcribe →294. Two Years on Verzenio: Side Effects, Brain Fog, and Why I'm Glad I Did It | Jen Tipton
Apr 1900:16:06Tap to summarizeLove the podcast? Send us a text!Jennifer Tipton was in her mid-forties, running a yoga business in California, teaching indoor cycling classes, and training clients when she was diagnosed with stage 3 estrogen-positive breast cancer at the start of 2021. Her entire year — AC chemotherapy, then Taxol, then a lumpectomy, then a double mastectomy with a DIEP flap reconstruction, then 33 rounds of radiation — was consumed by treatment. By the end of it, she was exhausted in a way most people can't quite imagine.And then her oncologist told her about Verzenio (abemaciclib), a CDK4/6 inhibitor prescribed to help reduce the risk of recurrence in certain patients.We discuss: • what it felt like transitioning from active treatment to long-term medication • how movement and exercise helped her maintain energy and resilience • strategies she used to manage GI side effects during daily life • the emotional complexity of long-term cancer therapy • what improved after completing treatment • advice for patients deciding whether Verzenio is right for themSupport the showListener FeedbackIf this episode resonated with you, we invite you to leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.You can also click the link in the show notes that says "Love this episode? Send us a text" to share feedback.Messages are completely anonymous.If you would like us to follow up directly, please include your email address in your message so we can respond.Latest News: Join our Mailing List - New content drops every Monday! Discover FREE programs, support groups, and resources from SurvivingBReastCancer.org! Become a Breast Cancer Conversations+ Member! Sign Up Now. Enjoying our content? Please consider supporting our work.
Transcribe →293. Starting Verzenio? Debbie’s Experience May Help You Prepare
Apr 1500:33:45Tap to summarizeLove the podcast? Send us a text!Every breast cancer treatment plan is highly personalized, and understanding potential side effects can help patients feel more prepared, informed, and empowered throughout care.In this episode of Breast Cancer Conversations, Laura speaks with Debbie Ciak, a breast cancer survivor diagnosed with Stage 2B ER/PR-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer with lymph node involvement.Due to features associated with a higher risk of recurrence, Debbie’s care team recommended treatment with Verzenio (abemaciclib), a CDK4/6 inhibitor commonly prescribed alongside endocrine therapy for certain HR+, HER2- breast cancers.During treatment, Debbie experienced significant gastrointestinal symptoms and later developed respiratory symptoms that were ultimately identified as drug-induced interstitial lung disease (ILD), also known as pneumonitis.Debbie also shares how integrative support resources and survivorship programming helped her continue moving forward after treatment.Her story underscores the importance of individualized care, ongoing monitoring, and open communication between patients and healthcare providers when incorporating newer therapies into treatment plans.While every patient responds differently to therapy, conversations like this help support more informed discussions between patients and their care teams.Topics Covered• Stage 2B ER/PR+ breast cancer diagnosis • understanding recurrence risk factors • treatment decision-making • why Verzenio was recommended • managing common CDK4/6 inhibitor side effects • Debbie’s experience with ILD/pneumonitis • recognizing respiratory symptoms early • coordinating care across oncology and pulmonology • survivorship and ongoing monitoring • exercise and recovery • patient empowerment and advocacyThis episode is part of an ongoing series sharing real-world patient experiences on various therapies, highlighting the importance of education, communication, and personalized treatment decisions in breast cancer care.Support the showListener FeedbackIf this episode resonated with you, we invite you to leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.You can also click the link in the show notes that says "Love this episode? Send us a text" to share feedback.Messages are completely anonymous.If you would like us to follow up directly, please include your email address in your message so we can respond.Latest News: Join our Mailing List - New content drops every Monday! Discover FREE programs, support groups, and resources from SurvivingBReastCancer.org! Become a Breast Cancer Conversations+ Member! Sign Up Now. Enjoying our content? Please consider supporting our work.
Transcribe →292. From Nurse to Patient: How Two Cancer Diagnoses Taught Bron Watson to Let Go and Heal
Apr 1200:33:20Tap to summarizeLove the podcast? Send us a text!What happens when the person trained to care for others suddenly becomes the patient?In this deeply meaningful episode of Breast Cancer Conversations, Laura speaks with Bron Watson — a registered nurse, educator, and entrepreneur whose life changed dramatically after being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2018, followed by a blood cancer diagnosis in 2023. Bron brings a powerful perspective shaped by both clinical expertise and lived experience. As someone who spent nearly two decades caring for patients, she suddenly found herself navigating fear, uncertainty, identity shifts, and the emotional complexity that comes with a cancer diagnosis.Through her personal journey, Bron created The Serenity Project, an initiative designed to help others find calm, clarity, and self-compassion in the midst of the overwhelming experience of cancer. Together, Laura and Bron explore: What it feels like when the caregiver becomes the patient How a cancer diagnosis can challenge identity, control, and confidence The emotional impact of facing cancer more than once Why learning to slow down can be one of the hardest lessons The role of self-compassion in healing How Bron’s nursing background shaped her cancer experience The inspiration behind The Serenity Project How community and reflection can support survivorship Why resilience does not mean pushing through everything alone About Bron WatsonBron Watson is a registered nurse with over 17 years of clinical experience and more than a decade as an educator and business owner. After her breast cancer diagnosis in 2018 and blood cancer diagnosis in 2023, she founded The Serenity Project, a platform designed to help individuals navigate cancer with greater calm, clarity, and self-compassion. Bron combines evidence-based knowledge with lived experience to help others feel less alone and more empowered during and after diagnosis.Support the showListener FeedbackIf this episode resonated with you, we invite you to leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.You can also click the link in the show notes that says "Love this episode? Send us a text" to share feedback.Messages are completely anonymous.If you would like us to follow up directly, please include your email address in your message so we can respond.Latest News: Join our Mailing List - New content drops every Monday! Discover FREE programs, support groups, and resources from SurvivingBReastCancer.org! Become a Breast Cancer Conversations+ Member! Sign Up Now. Enjoying our content? Please consider supporting our work.
Transcribe →291. Breast Cancer Survivorship: Exercise, Nutrition, Sleep, and Support That Actually Matter | Dr. Amy Comander & Meg McSherry
Apr 500:47:50Tap to summarizeLove the podcast? Send us a text!What does it really mean to support your body during and after breast cancer treatment?In this episode I am joined by returning guest Dr. Amy Comander and Meg McSherry, a breast cancer patient under Dr. Comander's care, for a thoughtful conversation about lifestyle medicine and breast cancer survivorship. Together, we explore the very real physical and emotional toll of treatment, including fatigue, weight gain, loss of taste, joint pain, hot flashes, sleep disruption, and the fear of recurrence. Dr. Comander explains how lifestyle medicine offers an evidence-based, whole-person approach to survivorship, grounded in six key pillars: physical activity, nutrition, restorative sleep, social connection, stress resilience, and reducing risky substances. She also shares how questions from patients led her to create the PAVING the Path to Wellness Program, now offered in group format to support breast cancer survivors with trusted, practical guidance. Meg offers an honest patient perspective on going through intensive HER2-positive breast cancer treatment, how hard it was to focus on nutrition and movement in the middle of chemotherapy, and how the PAVING program helped her feel more empowered as she moved toward survivorship.You do not have to do everything perfectly to support your health after a breast cancer diagnosis. This episode is a reminder that survivorship is not about perfection. It is about rebuilding with evidence-based tools, compassion, and community.Resources: Paving the Path to Wellnesshttps://www.pavingwellness.org/Support the showListener FeedbackIf this episode resonated with you, we invite you to leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.You can also click the link in the show notes that says "Love this episode? Send us a text" to share feedback.Messages are completely anonymous.If you would like us to follow up directly, please include your email address in your message so we can respond.Latest News: Join our Mailing List - New content drops every Monday! Discover FREE programs, support groups, and resources from SurvivingBReastCancer.org! Become a Breast Cancer Conversations+ Member! Sign Up Now. Enjoying our content? Please consider supporting our work.
Transcribe →290. How Breast Cancer Changes the Way You See Yourself
Mar 2900:38:47Tap to summarizeLove the podcast? Send us a text!If this episode resonated with you, we invite you to leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.You can also click the link in the show notes that says “Love this episode? Send us a text” to share your thoughts. Messages are completely anonymous, but you are welcome to include your name and where you’re listening from if you’d like a shout-out in a future episode. If you have a question or would like us to follow up directly, please include your email address in your message so we can respond.Body Image After Breast Cancer: Reclaiming Identity, Intimacy, and ConfidenceLong after surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation end, many people find themselves navigating complex questions around identity, confidence, femininity, intimacy, and what it means to feel at home in their body again.Host Laura Carfang is joined by Susan Smaellie, a certified holistic sexuality educator, and Anna Jensen, a breast cancer survivor and advocate, to explore the emotional and psychological impact of breast cancer beyond the clinical experience.Together, they discuss how survivorship can influence body image, relationships, sexuality, and sense of self and why these conversations are essential, yet often overlooked in traditional medical settings.In this episode, we discuss: How breast cancer impacts body image and self-identity The emotional and psychological effects of treatment Why conversations about sexuality and intimacy are often missing in cancer care The connection between physical healing and emotional healing Fear of recurrence and how it can show up years after diagnosis The importance of community in survivorship The role of vulnerability in healing How cultural expectations shape how women process illness Finding meaning and growth after cancer Resources for connection and supportAbout Our GuestsSusan Smaellie is a certified holistic sexuality educator and social worker who focuses on helping individuals understand the interconnected relationship between mind, body, and emotional wellbeing. Anna Jensen is a breast cancer survivor and advocate who shares her lived experience to help others feel less alone in their survivorship journey. Resources MentionedImage Reborn Foundation Retreats and educational programs supporting emotional healing after breast cancerSurvivingBreastCancer.org Free programs, expert-led education, support groups, and community for individuals impacted by breast cancerSupport the showListener FeedbackIf this episode resonated with you, we invite you to leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.You can also click the link in the show notes that says "Love this episode? Send us a text" to share feedback.Messages are completely anonymous.If you would like us to follow up directly, please include your email address in your message so we can respond.Latest News: Join our Mailing List - New content drops every Monday! Discover FREE programs, support groups, and resources from SurvivingBReastCancer.org! Become a Breast Cancer Conversations+ Member! Sign Up Now. Enjoying our content? Please consider supporting our work.
Transcribe →289. The Hidden Trauma of Breast Cancer: PTSD, Fear, Triggers, and Healing with Dr. Jim Jackson
Mar 2300:44:09Tap to summarizeLove the podcast? Send us a text!What happens when breast cancer leaves behind more than physical scars?In this episode of Breast Cancer Conversations, Laura sits down with Dr. Jim Jackson to explore the hidden emotional impact of cancer, including medical trauma, PTSD, fear, triggers, and healing. Dr. Jackson is a licensed psychologist, neuropsychologist, and Director of Rehabilitation and Recovery at Vanderbilt’s Critical Illness, Brain Dysfunction, and Survivorship Center, where he works with people facing life-threatening and chronic medical conditions. Together, Laura and Dr. Jackson unpack why the experience of breast cancer can feel traumatic long after diagnosis or treatment begins. They discuss how medical trauma can develop not only from cancer itself, but also from the difficult encounters, procedures, scans, uncertainty, and dismissive moments that can leave a lasting emotional mark. Dr. Jackson explains why he prefers the term medical trauma over medical PTSD, noting that people may experience PTSD, but also anxiety, depression, OCD, and a wide range of other emotional effects.In this episode, we discuss: What medical trauma is and why the term matters The difference between medical trauma and medical PTSD How breast cancer can trigger fear, anxiety, and emotional distress long after diagnosis Why caregivers and loved ones can experience trauma too The importance of dignity, humanity, and being truly heard in healthcare Dr. Jackson’s upcoming book, Reclaiming Your Life from Medical TraumaSupport the showListener FeedbackIf this episode resonated with you, we invite you to leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.You can also click the link in the show notes that says "Love this episode? Send us a text" to share feedback.Messages are completely anonymous.If you would like us to follow up directly, please include your email address in your message so we can respond.Latest News: Join our Mailing List - New content drops every Monday! Discover FREE programs, support groups, and resources from SurvivingBReastCancer.org! Become a Breast Cancer Conversations+ Member! Sign Up Now. Enjoying our content? Please consider supporting our work.
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