Ep. 53: Paula Shepherd Gets Real with Her BRCA+ Journey
Release Date: 02/17/2021
Ep. 81: Unspoken Cancer Truths: The Year in Review
Unspoken Cancer Truths™
I can’t believe we are at the end of 2021! It has been another amazing year of Unspoken Cancer Truths™, and I’m so glad you’ve joined me along the way. In this episode, I’m recapping a snippet of each episode, sharing some of the MOST powerful lessons I’ve learned from the amazing guests who’ve shared their stories this year on the podcast—a year end reminder that we are not alone in our experiences touched by cancer.
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Ep. 80: Recapture Your Well-Being
Unspoken Cancer Truths™
Are you prioritizing self-care and your well-being this holiday season? If you’re like me, you’ve probably been spending quite a bit of time on Zoom calls and meetings—so, I did a little research on “Zooming” and the impact it has on overall wellness. Want to know what I found out? In this episode, I’m diving deeper into the long-term effects of video conferencing, why you might not even realize you’re struggling with it, and how to create a plan to recapture your well-being (in-person and onl
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Ep. 79: Normalizing the Conversation on Grief and Loss with Lesleigh J. Tolin
Unspoken Cancer Truths™
Why is the conversation around loss & grief so often overlooked? In this episode, I’m diving into this with psychotherapist and grief recovery specialist, Lesleigh J. Tolin. She is passionate about her work teaching an evidence-based program that helps individuals feel alive again after loss. In this episode, she shares the transformative process of the Grief Recovery Method, her advice to help someone experiencing loss, and the honorable & honest process of creating an end-of-life plan.
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Ep. 78: The Retreat My Soul Needed
Unspoken Cancer Truths™
Did you know that depression and anxiety are a common side effect of cancer treatment? If you’ve been feeling down, you’re not alone! I’ve been feeling the same way. So when I had the opportunity to be a participant at a Casting For Recovery retreat for women who’ve received a breast cancer diagnosis, I knew this is exactly what my soul needed. Want to know more? In this episode, I’ll share everything you want to know about Casting for Recovery, and why I think you should apply for it RIGHT NOW!
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Ep. 77: Viki Zarkin on Being the Only One
Unspoken Cancer Truths™
In the year between two routine mammograms, an aggressive form of breast cancer had spread everywhere in author Viki Zarkin’s body. The prognosis was bad, but Viki KNEW that she would never give up. Now, 11 years later, she has an amazing story of self-advocacy and resilience to tell. In this episode, Viki shares why her cancer journey has been vastly different, and how she brought her experiences together in her book “I Am the One” to help others who might be in similar situations.
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Ep. 76 Putting Your Choices First with Belinda Gill
Unspoken Cancer Truths™
My guest, Belinda Gill, felt lucky that her ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) diagnosis and treatment moved along so quickly (thanks to her perceptive doctors!), and she joins the podcast today to talk about her journey so far. In this episode, she dives into the difficulty of making quick life-changing health decisions, prioritizing what she wants for her survivorship, and why it's SO important to be prepared for the common physical and psychosocial challenges of cancer.
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Ep. 75: Health Awareness Month, EVERY Month
Unspoken Cancer Truths™
You might be surprised to know that I'm not a fan of Breast Cancer Awareness Month (although I do appreciate the support!), but, I am an advocate for being health aware EVERY month, and I'm passionate about empowering people on cancer journeys. Tune in to this episode to hear why it’s so important to shine a light on the challenges cancer survivors face in order to be more open to understanding & improving quality of life—especially as the number of people in survivorship continues to grow.
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Ep. 74: Lymphedema: an unexplained mystery indeed!
Unspoken Cancer Truths™
In this week’s episode of Unspoken Cancer Truths I am hopping on my soapbox about cancer related lymphedema. A big unspoken cancer truth NO ONE is preparing us for. Having read over 30 research articles on this topic recently and completing extensive research this quarter for my masters in public health program, I am sharing my findings on Lymphedema in the hope that anyone accepting pain or dealing with financial worries can get on the path to solutions.
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Ep. 73: Switching Up the Standard of Care with Stacey Tinianov
Unspoken Cancer Truths™
My guest this week, Stacey Tinianov, is a mom, caregiver, and stage 1B breast cancer survivor. When she received her cancer diagnosis at only 40 years old, she knew the treatment standard of care was not for her, and she has a message to share for anyone else who feels the same. In this episode, Stacey dives into the challenge of rejecting chemotherapy, what treatment path she chose instead, and her TOP TIPS to be better prepared if cancer finds its way into your life.
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Ep. 72: Make the Choices that Reclaim Your Power
Unspoken Cancer Truths™
No one chooses the cancer journey for themselves, so it’s up to us to make the experience the best we can. Have you thought about what choices you can make to empower yourself and live more fully in the world? In this episode, I’m sharing my thoughts on the universal laws of choice, letting go of the things that no longer serve you, and why making choices (and sacrifices) will help create a better quality of life as you navigate through survivorship.
info_outlineSometimes you don’t have to actually have HAD cancer to really understand some unspoken cancer truths, like what it’s like to be thrown into menopause at a young age or what that first look at yourself post-mastectomy and reconstruction surgery feels like. This week’s guest, Paula Shepherd, a mom of 4 and business confidence & leadership coach, shares with us her own journey and experience of discovering that she was BRCA2+ in her 30s, what that meant for her, and her choice to undergo a prophylactic bilateral mastectomy and partial hysterectomy by age 37.
We’re diving into:
- Paula’s experience of being told by her doctor at 25 years old that it wasn’t a matter of IF she got breast cancer, but WHEN, and what led her and her mother to get tested for the BRCA gene mutation years later
- Her journey through the decision to have a prophylactic partial hysterectomy after years of infertility struggles
- The feelings of shame and loneliness Paula felt during her surgical treatment and recovery because she wasn’t going through cancer like the other women around her
- All the things no one tells you about after breast reconstruction surgery (like sleep difficulties and dealing with postsurgical drains with your partner!)
- How being plunged into menopause shortly after giving birth brought mental health challenges no one prepared her for
- The silver lining from Paula’s own choices about how to manage her BRCA+ diagnosis that also helped her mom during a breast cancer recurrence
- And so much more!
Follow Paula on IG: https://www.instagram.com/be__fearless_with_paula
Continue the conversation in my free private Facebook group, Surviving is JUST the Beginning: https://www.facebook.com/groups/SurvivingisJUSTtheBeginning/
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