Walking the Genetic Line

Conversations about navigating hereditary cancer risk. Join us to talk about life between the scans, and how finding out you have a genetic mutation can be a portal to emotional, relational and intergenerational healing.

Krista Brown: ATM Mutation, Delayed Diagnosis, and What Self-Advocacy Actually Costs 04/24/2026

Krista Brown: ATM Mutation, Delayed Diagnosis, and What Self-Advocacy Actually Costs Guest: Krista (Oncology Nurse Navigator) Theme: Self-Advocacy, ATM Mutation, Cancer After Previvorhood EPISODE SUMMARY When Krista's mother was 48, she became the first known cancer diagnosis in their family. She tested negative for BRCA mutations and felt relief — relief that she wouldn't pass anything on to her children. Twelve years later, just before entering hospice, she was offered expanded genetic testing and found out she carried a pathogenic ATM variant. She shared those results with her children. A few months after her death, Krista — 38 years old, a nurse, carrying twelve years of hospital vigils and treatment complications in her body — went in and requested her own testing. What unfolds from that appointment is a story about what it actually takes to move through a healthcare system that doesn't know your mutation, that tells you the abnormality on your MRI is a lymph node, that sends you home with "come back in six months." Krista pushed for a biopsy that three specialists told her she didn't need. She was right. Her cancer diagnosis arrived two weeks before her scheduled preventive surgery. She now works as an oncology nurse navigator, walks patients through the same system she had to fight, and has built an educational platform for the hereditary cancer community — shaped entirely by what she wasn't told when she needed it most. WE COVER Testing too late, too little: Why Krista — a nurse with two generations of breast cancer in her family — was never offered genetic testing for twelve years, and what that delay meant for her outcomes. The self-advocacy paradox: The tension of knowing something is wrong, having a medical background, identifying as a people-pleaser, and still having to push three specialists who said she was overreacting. ATM mutation specifics: What carriers of ATM pathogenic variants actually face — including a 69% breast cancer risk, pancreatic and ovarian risk, and why the focus on BRCA leaves ATM carriers navigating without a map. The middle phase nobody prepares you for: The psychological and bodily experience of bilateral mastectomy with flap reconstruction between the first and second surgery — including what it does to a woman's relationship with her own reflection. Explaining hereditary cancer to children: How Krista told her daughters (ages 5, 8, and 10 at diagnosis) about her mutation, her surgery, and later her cancer — including what she had to process in herself first before she could speak from a calm place. The grief that doesn't announce itself: How choosing surgery — a choice she felt grateful for — still produced grief she felt she wasn't allowed to have, and why "I chose this" doesn't close off mourning. Cancer as identity reorganizer: How the experience shifted what Krista allows into her life, where she places her attention, and what felt insufficient about who she'd been before this began. What the oncology system still misses: How even inside treatment, secondary risks (pancreatic, ovarian) get dropped after the primary intervention, and why mutation carriers need to track their full risk profile across specialties. HIGHLIGHTS & TAKEAWAYS Three specialists told her the abnormality wasn't cancer. She pushed anyway. That instinct — the unsettled feeling she couldn't explain — was the most accurate clinical information she had. Learning to trust it required overriding the authority gradient we're all trained to defer to. The grief of choosing surgery is still grief. Knowing you're lucky, knowing you have options, knowing what you avoided — none of that neutralizes what it costs to look in the mirror at a body mid-reconstruction and not recognize yourself. Gratitude and loss occupy the same moment. What she modeled for her daughters wasn't resilience. It was legibility — making the emotional experience visible and speakable so it could move through them instead of getting stored somewhere unnamed. The shift from previvor to cancer diagnosis didn't happen at diagnosis. It had been accumulating across twelve years of watching her mother, then across the months of self-advocacy, then across a two-week window between a positive biopsy and surgery already on the calendar. The "before and after" is rarely a single moment. She found her way into the hereditary cancer community not as someone who sought support, but as someone who had always been "fine." The connection she found there changed more than her career — it changed what she understood about what she'd actually needed all along. CONTENT NOTE This episode includes detailed discussion of a parent's cancer diagnosis and death, including end-of-life care and hospice. Krista also shares her own cancer diagnosis and surgical experience, including the psychological impact of bilateral mastectomy with reconstruction. The conversation includes reference to the loss of a sister-in-law to cancer at age 38. RESOURCES MENTIONED Guest resources: Krista on Instagram: @cancer.prevention.coach — hereditary cancer education and advocacy content for the ATM and broader high-risk community Standard links: Face the Risk Together support groups: sarachampielcsw.com FORCE (Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered): facingourrisk.org — national organization for hereditary cancer advocacy and peer support National Society of Genetic Counselors (NSGC): nsgc.org — find a certified genetic counselor for hereditary cancer risk CONNECT If this conversation resonates, follow, rate, and share the show. Find Sara Champie on IG @sarachampielcsw and sarachampielcsw.com for free resources and access to 1:1 and group support. You already speak this language — come walk the genetic line with us. Sara Champie /episode/index/show/e4c03c1a-6cca-42bb-acb3-96e3908b6778/id/40968700

Ali Hall: Prophylactic Mastectomy, Queer Identity, and Claiming Your Body on Your Own Terms 04/02/2026

Ali Hall: Prophylactic Mastectomy, Queer Identity, and Claiming Your Body on Your Own Terms Guest: Ali Hall Theme: Queer Identity, Bodily Autonomy, and the BRCA Diagnosis Nobody Saw Coming Episode Summary When Ali Hall stole a 23andMe kit from a family white elephant exchange, she wasn't looking for anything life-changing. Five years later, an email arrived while she was picking her kid up from school: her results had been updated. She had a BRCA mutation. What followed wasn't panic — and that itself is the story. Ali's response was shaped by something older than the diagnosis: a lifelong pattern of minimizing her own experience when people around her were suffering more visibly. What makes this conversation rare is the intersection Ali navigates without apology. As a queer, gender-expansive person living in Florida, going flat wasn't just a medical decision — it was a question of safety, identity, and what it finally meant to feel at home in her own body. Three weeks post-surgery, something unexpected happened: she stopped caring what other people thought. This episode sits at the crossroads of intergenerational emotional inheritance, bodily autonomy, and what it looks like when a medical intervention accidentally hands you the self-acceptance you were never quite given permission to claim. We Cover The accidental diagnosis: How Ali discovered her BRCA mutation through a forgotten 23andMe test — and what it means to receive life-altering information you never sought out Minimizing your own risk as a survival pattern: Why Ali's first response was "this isn't a big deal" — and how being surrounded by people with active cancer taught her, long before any lab result, that her experience counted less Navigating prophylactic mastectomy in a queer body: The real safety calculations, identity considerations, and bodily autonomy questions that mainstream BRCA spaces don't make room for The noise problem: How well-meaning but homogenized Facebook groups pushed Ali back toward her own body knowledge — and why returning to herself was the most important decision she made Information, timing, and emotional maturity: Why Ali believes she made the right decision at exactly the right moment — and what she thinks happens when young people receive this diagnosis before they have the scaffolding to hold it Going flat and gaining ground: What happened to Ali's confidence three weeks after surgery — and why it surprised her The gap in hereditary cancer care: Why even world-class medical systems leave patients without trauma-informed emotional support after a BRCA diagnosis Highlights & Takeaways Minimizing your own risk is a survival pattern, not a personality trait. When people around you have "real" cancer, your genetic warning can feel like it doesn't count — and that belief has roots long before the diagnosis arrives. The body knows before the mind catches up. Ali knew she would go flat before she could fully articulate why. Fighting that knowledge — researching implants she never wanted — was the cost of not yet trusting herself. Prophylactic surgery carries different stakes in a queer body. The decision wasn't just medical. It was a calculation about safety, visibility, and what kind of presence Ali could have in the world after surgery. More information isn't always better. Ali raises a question this field rarely asks: what would have happened if she'd gotten this diagnosis at 25, before she had the emotional scaffolding to hold it? Sometimes the medical intervention is the least disruptive part. The harder work was learning to stop abandoning herself in service of everyone else's comfort — a pattern the diagnosis finally cracked open. Content Note This episode discusses BRCA mutation, prophylactic mastectomy, queer identity and gender expression, bodily safety, parenting with genetic risk, and the emotional experience of unsought medical information. Resources Mentioned FORCE (Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered): — national organization for hereditary cancer advocacy and peer support Fierce Flat Community: peer support for those who choose to go flat after mastectomy National Society of Genetic Counselors (NSGC): — find a certified genetic counselor for hereditary cancer risk Face the Risk Together: Sara Champie's support groups for people in California: Connect If this conversation resonates, follow, rate, and share the show. Find Sara Champie on IG @FaceTheRiskTogether and for free resources and access to 1:1 and group support. You already speak this language — come walk the genetic line with us. /episode/index/show/e4c03c1a-6cca-42bb-acb3-96e3908b6778/id/40704745

Jennifer Mercer: Lynch Syndrome Awareness and the Weight of a Father's Legacy 03/24/2026

Jennifer Mercer: Lynch Syndrome Awareness and the Weight of a Father's Legacy Episode Summary Jennifer never knew her biological father growing up — and when she finally let him back into her life at 25, what he brought with him was a medical history that would change everything. Phone call after phone call, a new cancer. Eight-plus organ cancers. Over a hundred skin cancers. Years before anyone thought to offer him a genetic test. When Lynch Syndrome MSH2 was finally identified, Jennifer wasn't ready — she was a single mother, financially stretched, emotionally guarded, and carrying decades of unresolved grief toward a man who had never shown up for her. She put it on the shelf. And then he died. And she couldn't anymore. In this episode, Jennifer and Sara explore what it means to inherit a diagnosis from the parent who was already a wound — how the moment of receiving a positive result is a nervous system event as much as a medical one, and how rage, guilt, fear for your children, and grief for a father you never fully had can arrive all at once in a single Zoom call. Jennifer also shares how she transformed that convergence into Lynch Syndrome Awareness, an organization fighting to close the staggering gap between how common this mutation is — 1 in 279 — and how rarely doctors recognize it. We Cover Growing up without her biological father and reconnecting at 25 — only to find a devastating medical history on the other side Watching her father face eight-plus organ cancers over years, and the slow accumulation of fear that came with every phone call The financial and emotional barriers that delayed her own testing — and why that delay deserves compassion, not judgment Receiving her Lynch Syndrome MSH2 positive results by Zoom, alone, days before a family vacation — and what Time Collapse looks like in real time The layered grief of inheriting a mutation from an absent parent: anger, guilt, and terror for her adult children arriving simultaneously The Boland inversion — a rare MSH2 variant that has been missed by standard testing — and why naming it to your genetic counselor matters Why Lynch Syndrome, the most common hereditary cancer mutation, remains almost entirely unknown to the general practitioners most likely to encounter it The red flags that physicians can act on — cancer under 50, multiple primary cancers, family pattern — and the simple chart Jennifer's organization provides to help patients walk in prepared Building Lynch Syndrome Awareness from personal crisis: what it looks like to turn inherited doom into community mission Highlights & Takeaways "How dare you. Not a hug, not a birthday card — but this. You give this to me." Sometimes the mutation arrives from the parent who was already a loss. The grief is never only about cancer. Avoidance after a family member's diagnosis is not denial — it is often the nervous system doing exactly what it needs to do when the load exceeds what the present moment can hold. The moment of receiving a positive result is not just emotional. It is neurological. Jennifer's account of going numb, losing comprehension, and needing to end the call before she broke down is a clinical picture of what happens when past, present, and future collapse into one. Lynch Syndrome affects 1 in 279 people — more than BRCA — and most doctors have never heard of it. Prevalence without visibility is its own kind of harm. Self-advocacy is not a personality trait. It is a survival skill that patients can be taught, supported in, and given tools to practice. Content Note This episode includes discussion of paternal absence and estrangement, parental death, prolonged exposure to a family member's cancer illness, genetic testing and positive results, fear around children inheriting a mutation, financial barriers to genetic testing, and the emotional processing of hereditary cancer risk. Resources Mentioned Lynch Syndrome Awareness — FORCE: Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered — facingourrisk.org — peer navigator program, message boards, and expert-reviewed resources for hereditary cancer Genetic counseling services through comprehensive cancer centers Trauma-informed therapy for individuals navigating hereditary cancer risk and intergenerational loss Connect If this episode resonated, please follow, rate, and share Walking the Genetic Line. Find Sara Champie on Instagram and TikTok @SaraChampieLCSW for trauma-informed resources, therapy offerings, and group support. You are not alone in this. Let's walk this line, together. /episode/index/show/e4c03c1a-6cca-42bb-acb3-96e3908b6778/id/40458715

Solo Episode: Living with Hereditary Cancer and Risk in a Loud World 03/05/2026

Solo Episode: Living with Hereditary Cancer and Risk in a Loud World Host: Sara Champie, LCSW Theme: Navigating medical vulnerability, global instability, and nervous system overwhelm during hereditary cancer risk and treatment. Episode summary What happens when your body is healing, your life is medically uncertain, and the world around you feels like it’s unraveling? In this solo episode, therapist Sara Champie explores a reality many people navigating hereditary cancer risk quietly experience: the nervous system strain of managing personal medical vulnerability while absorbing the constant noise of global crisis. When surgery, treatment, or high-stakes medical decisions coincide with political instability, violence in the news, and collective trauma, the body doesn’t separate those experiences — it metabolizes them all at once. Sara offers a trauma-informed perspective on why everything can feel so intense during these seasons, and why that intensity is not a sign of weakness but evidence of a nervous system doing exactly what it was designed to do. This episode is an invitation to reclaim boundaries, reduce overwhelm, and protect the small sphere of influence that supports healing. We cover • The nervous system impact of healing from surgery or treatment during times of global instability • Why the body does not separate personal and collective threats • The layered stress of medical decisions, family dynamics, and cultural chaos • How trauma histories can amplify reactions during medical vulnerability • Why overwhelm, exhaustion, or emotional volatility during healing is physiologically normal • The concept of titrating exposure to news, social media, and external stress • Protecting your energy and nervous system while your body repairs itself Highlights & takeaways “Your nervous system is metabolizing everything it’s exposed to.” “When your body is physically vulnerable, everything in the world lands harder.” “Intensity does not mean you’re falling apart. Your system is doing its job.” “Our bodies did not evolve for 24-hour global awareness layered on top of personal medical vulnerability.” “Caring about the world does not require flooding yourself.” “Sometimes the most responsible thing we can do is protect the small sphere we actually have influence over.” Content note This episode references medical trauma, surgery recovery, violence in the news, political instability, sexual abuse systems, trauma history, and the emotional strain of living with hereditary cancer risk. Resources mentioned Walking the Genetic Line Podcast Conversations exploring the emotional, relational, and psychological realities of hereditary cancer risk. Sara Champie, LCSW Trauma-informed psychotherapist specializing in hereditary cancer risk, medical decision-making, and intergenerational healing. Website: Instagram: @sarachampielcsw Connect If this episode resonated, please consider following the show, leaving a review, or sharing it with someone navigating hereditary cancer risk or medical uncertainty. You can connect with Sara Champie and learn more about her work at @sarachampielcsw. Let’s walk this line, together. Additional support If you are navigating genetic risk, cancer treatment, or complex medical decisions, trauma-informed therapy and support communities can help process the emotional layers that often accompany these experiences. Support may include: • Individual therapy • Support groups for individuals navigating genetic risk or cancer • Patient advocacy organizations and peer support networks You deserve care that addresses both the medical and emotional realities of this journey. /episode/index/show/e4c03c1a-6cca-42bb-acb3-96e3908b6778/id/40317180

Katie McMurray: The Emotional Impact of Grief, Sisterhood, and Preventative Surgery 02/26/2026

Katie McMurray: The Emotional Impact of Grief, Sisterhood, and Preventative Surgery Guest: Katie McMurray Theme: BRCA1, sisterhood, developmental trauma, and choosing preventative surgery in young adulthood Episode summary When Katie was 17, she lost her mother to breast cancer. Years later, genetic testing confirmed what she had long suspected: she carries a BRCA1 mutation. In this episode, Katie and Sara Champie explore what happens when grief resurfaces through genetic testing — how identity shifts, how fear and agency intertwine, and how the loss of a parent shapes medical decision-making. At 25, during the height of COVID, Katie chose preventative mastectomy surgery. As the oldest of three sisters who all inherited the mutation, she navigated her own fear while becoming a model of courage and clarity for her family. This conversation holds the tender, complex emotional terrain that genetic testing opens — far beyond the lab result. We cover Losing her mother to breast cancer as a teenager Receiving BRCA1 results in person with a genetic counselor — and why that mattered The emotional shock of genetic testing and how it reactivates grief The identity shift between “pre-testing” and “post-testing” self Why surgery felt like a non-negotiable choice The psychological cost of ongoing surveillance vs. preventative surgery Being the oldest sister after parental loss All three sisters inheriting the mutation The role of sisterhood and care during recovery COVID, surgery at 25, and finding readiness The limitations of cancer-focused support groups for previvors Why trauma-informed and therapy referrals should accompany genetic testing Highlights & takeaways “There’s a pre-genetic testing you and a post-genetic testing you. You can’t go back.” Genetic testing is never “just a lab test” — it reverberates through identity, family, and history. Losing a parent to cancer transforms how the body receives risk information. Preventative surgery can be an act of agency — not fear. Support matters: an in-person genetic counselor changed the trajectory of Katie’s experience. Sisterhood became both a source of care and a mirror of generational courage. Content note This episode includes discussion of parental death, adolescent grief, preventative mastectomy, genetic cancer risk, identity disruption, abusive relationships, and emotional processing around hereditary cancer. Resources mentioned The Breasties – community support for young women impacted by breast and ovarian cancer Genetic counseling services through comprehensive breast centers Trauma-informed therapy for individuals navigating hereditary cancer risk Connect If this episode resonated, please follow, rate, and share Walking the Genetic Line. Find Sara Champie on Instagram and TikTok @SaraChampieLCSW for trauma-informed resources, therapy offerings, and group support. You are not alone in this. Let’s walk this line, together. /episode/index/show/e4c03c1a-6cca-42bb-acb3-96e3908b6778/id/40091965

Ingrid Nishimoto, LCSW: Peutz-Jeghers Syndrome and Intergenerational Emotional Inheritance 02/12/2026

Ingrid Nishimoto, LCSW: Peutz-Jeghers Syndrome and Intergenerational Emotional Inheritance Guest: Ingrid Nishimoto, LCSW Theme: Inherited Narratives—Moving Beyond the Parent’s Story to Claim Your Own Episode Summary When Ingrid Nishimoto was diagnosed with Peutz-Jeghers Syndrome at age 17, she wasn't just handed a medical management plan; she was handed a mirror of her father’s life and early death. In this profound conversation with Sara Champie, LCSW, Ingrid explores the "Time Collapse" that occurs when a genetic diagnosis makes the past and future converge in the present. As a fellow psychotherapist, Ingrid deconstructs the emotional burden of living past the age a parent died, the adaptive nature of hyper-vigilance, and the radical act of choosing her own path in a medical system that often prioritizes physical data over the human soul. We Cover The Origin Story: Discovering Peutz-Jeghers Syndrome at 17 after years of "nameless" abdominal pain and the visible markers of pigmentation—and the immediate shift from high-school senior to a high-risk patient. Intergenerational Inheritance: Navigating the grief and anger of "replacing" a parent’s narrative, specifically the complexity of living past the age of 37—the year Ingrid’s father passed away from the same condition. The "Responsibility Reflex" in Healthcare: How high-achievers often try to "figure it all out" or over-function as a survival strategy when faced with medical uncertainty. Medical vs. Emotional Care: The gap in the Western medical system where physical scans are prioritized, but the mental health impact of "waiting for results" is often left unaddressed. Relationship to Risk: A deep dive into "Risk-Neutral Spaces"—learning that there is no right or wrong way to feel about screening, and how Ingrid moved from rigid self-protection to a more expansive relationship with her body. The Burden of Choice: Deciding between the stability of an employer-based health system and the agency of private practice while carrying a "pre-existing" genetic reality. Highlights & Takeaways "My Story is Unique": A genetic mutation may be inherited, but the narrative you build around it is yours to claim. You are not doomed to repeat the past. The Body as Information: Physical symptoms, like hyper-vigilance or "racing heart" during scans, are not flaws; they are the nervous system’s attempt to keep you safe. Permission for Ambivalence: It is possible to be grateful for medical technology while simultaneously feeling anger or protest toward the burden it places on your life. Slowing Down the Reaction: Meaningful decision-making requires emotional safety and the permission to "not know" the future while staying grounded in the present. Content Note This episode discusses hereditary cancer syndromes, the loss of a parent, medical trauma, surgical anxiety, and the emotional complexities of long-term monitoring. Resources Mentioned Ingrid Nishimoto, LCSW: Connect with Ingrid and her private practice work at . The Responsibility Reflex Quiz: Take the quiz to discover your survival strategies under medical stress at . Face the Risk Together: Sara Champie’s 10-week psychotherapy group for women and gender-diverse people in California. Peutz-Jeghers Syndrome (PJS) Information: . Connect If this conversation resonates, please follow, rate, and share. Help us reach the high-achieving "over-functioners" who need to know they don't have to carry the risk alone. Instagram: Web: /episode/index/show/e4c03c1a-6cca-42bb-acb3-96e3908b6778/id/40064210

Sara Kavanaugh: From Health Anxiety to Empowerment—Transforming Hereditary Cancer Risk into Healing 01/15/2026

Sara Kavanaugh: From Health Anxiety to Empowerment—Transforming Hereditary Cancer Risk into Healing Guest: Sara Kavanaugh Theme: Living as a Previvor—Agency, Advocacy, and Reframing Anxiety After Genetic Testing Episode summary When Sara Kavanaugh learned she carried mutations in her MSH6 (Lynch syndrome) and Check2 genes, she moved from decades of health anxiety—and ambiguous uncertainty—to a new sense of empowerment and structure. In this dialogue with psychotherapist and fellow traveler Sara Champie, Sara shares how learning her genetic status fundamentally changed her identity, led her to fierce self-advocacy, and inspired her to create the Positive Gene Podcast—a resource and anchor for others navigating hereditary cancer risk. We cover The personal journey: From ingrained health anxiety to seeing genetic knowledge as a “gift” that brings clarity, agency, and actionable plans. What it means to be a “previvor”: Lived reality, screening protocols, and the invisible challenges of those at elevated risk—but without a cancer diagnosis. Parenting at midlife: Navigating genetic risk with two young children and the hopes/fears for future generations. Building self-advocacy in the medical system: How to develop real relationships with providers, advocate when facing dismissive care, and bridge gaps in awareness (including doctors who don’t know Lynch syndrome!). The role of intuition and anxiety: Reframing lifelong anxiety toward health into self-protection and intuition, rather than pathology. Creating the Positive Gene Podcast: Choosing curiosity, connection, and education as vehicles for healing and collective empowerment. Identity and healing: Drawing on moments from childhood (challenging authority, resisting labels like “flighty”) to claim agency and redefine self-worth after a life-changing diagnosis. Highlights & takeaways “Knowledge is power.” For many, genetic test results shift fear into structure, agency, and meaningful decision-making. Previvors often live unseen—managing complicated protocols, moving between providers, advocating for themselves, and carrying risk that isn’t always visible or understood. The relationship with your healthcare provider matters. Connection and trust can transform screenings and mitigate isolation. Healing is possible even in uncertainty: You can use your experience for growth, connection, and to model integrity and resilience for loved ones. Advocacy starts early—standing up to being underestimated (even as a child) can inform your agency as an adult facing difficult realities. Content note This episode discusses cancer risk, genetic mutations, parenting with uncertainty, health anxiety, identity shifts, and emotional processing after major life events. Resources mentioned Positive Gene Podcast: Listen and connect at or via or Instagram FORCE (Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered): — leading national organization for hereditary cancer advocacy/support groups National Society of Genetic Counselors (NSGC): — find certified genetic counselors for hereditary cancer risk Lynch Syndrome International: — resources for people with Lynch syndrome Check2 gene mutation information (NIH Genetics Home Reference): Face the Risk Together: Host Sara's Champie's support groups for people in Calfornia: Connect If this conversation resonates, don’t forget to follow, rate, and share the show. Find Sara Champie on IG @FaceTheRiskTogether and to get free resources + access to 1:1 and group support. You already speak this language—come walk the genetic line with us. /episode/index/show/e4c03c1a-6cca-42bb-acb3-96e3908b6778/id/39749010

Sara Kourouma: From Childhood Loss to Empowerment, Creating Community for BRCA Carriers 01/15/2026

Sara Kourouma: From Childhood Loss to Empowerment, Creating Community for BRCA Carriers Guest: Sara Kourouma Theme: Loss, agency, and community—the emotional journey of living with BRCA2 Episode summary When Sara Kourouma discovered she carried the BRCA2 mutation as a young adult—after losing her mother to breast cancer at age 10—she was thrust into a landscape defined by uncertainty, risk, and the weight of generational loss. In this episode, Sara Champie sits down with Sara Kourouma, a clinical social worker serving New York and Texas, to explore how privilege, access, grief, and human connection have shaped her journey through surveillance, multiple prophylactic surgeries, and finding a sacred role in supporting others living with hereditary cancer risk. We cover Childhood loss and the evolution of understanding risk: Growing up after her mother’s passing, and how major developmental milestones brought a fresh wave of grief and questioning. Early genetic testing and access barriers: Navigating the impact of genetic knowledge on health and life insurance, and the privilege of paying out-of-pocket to keep results private. Decision-making in the shadow of family history: How approaching her mother’s age at diagnosis shaped Sara Kourouma’s relationship to her own risk and medical choices. Choosing prophylactic surgeries and finding agency: Why Sara Kourouma ultimately chose mastectomy, hysterectomy, and DIEP flap (autologous) reconstruction—and the emotional labor of claiming her needs as a parent and partner. The gaps in psychological care: The critical difference between medical expertise and psychosocial support, and the healing power of group connection and lived experience. Building community, in person and virtually: Why message boards aren’t enough, and the importance of human-to-human support for navigating body changes, hormones, and life transitions. Living with ongoing risk and uncertainty: The ever-changing landscape of surveillance, learning to listen to her body, and the meaning of living fully, today. Highlights & takeaways “To be alive is risk. We happen to know our risk, and how can I use that information to empower myself in ways my mom never could?” Privilege and access shape every aspect of care and decision-making—financial, relational, and emotional. There’s profound healing in being witnessed by those who truly understand your experience—community is as vital as medical care. Living fully with risk doesn’t mean denying uncertainty, but learning to stay present, ask for help, and make meaning together. “My mother’s story lives on as a value in my life: live fully, make it meaningful.” Content note This episode includes discussion of childhood bereavement, parental death, surgical details, genetic testing, body image, and navigating privilege and access in medical care. Resources mentioned | Connect If this conversation resonated, please follow, rate, and share. Find Sara Champie on IG/TikTok @FaceTheRiskTogether and get free tools + therapy/support group offerings via the link in bio. You’re not alone—we can walk this line together. /episode/index/show/e4c03c1a-6cca-42bb-acb3-96e3908b6778/id/39634735

Beth Martinetti: Family, Fertility, and Identity after Hereditary Cancer Diagnosis 12/11/2025

Beth Martinetti: Family, Fertility, and Identity after Hereditary Cancer Diagnosis Episode Summary When Beth Martinetti—Pilates instructor, mother of three, and lifelong student of her own body—discovered multiple genetic mutations at 45, it was the latest chapter in a lifetime shaped by both visible and invisible challenges. Beth shares her journey from adolescent injury and Ehlers-Danlos diagnosis, through complicated pregnancies, to a midlife cascade: mysterious symptoms, pivotal encounters with validating doctors, and ultimately, the discovery that she carries BRCA1, CHEK2, and a variant in BARD1. Still in the thick of surgical recovery, Beth invites us into her real-time experience of risk, loss, uncertainty, and the incremental reclaiming of agency and meaning. We Cover Medical and developmental trauma: How early diagnoses and pain shaped Beth’s body awareness, resilience, and vigilance Pregnancy, miscarriage, and marginalization: What it meant to be repeatedly dismissed or minimized, and the life-changing impact of a single attuned provider Living with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and the way hypermobility, hormonal issues, and reproductive challenges intersected over decades Self-advocacy in the medical system: Learning to read her own imaging, question dismissive providers, and push for genetic testing Receiving her results: The shock and surreal rupture when Beth learned she carried BRCA1 and CHEK2, and the weight of sharing that with her family—while standing in the woods at Yosemite Supporting adolescent and younger children through the ripple effects of maternal illness, body changes, and genetic risk The embodied experience of surgery—from hysterectomy to gallbladder removal, oophorectomy, and mastectomy—and the real-time challenges of surgical complications, infection, and body image shifts Grief, agency, and legacy: Parenting through vulnerability, modeling emotional honesty, and holding fear, gratitude, and fatigue at once The role of partners and community: How a supportive spouse, trusted friends, and peer connections make survival—and joy—possible Highlights & Takeaways Finding just one attuned, validating provider (sometimes for a single appointment) can be a turning point—emotionally and medically. Self-advocacy is a moving target: sometimes it’s reading your own reports, sometimes it’s knowing when a care team isn’t right, and sometimes it’s asking for help again and again. Living through “the middle” means holding both gratitude and disappointment, joy and exhaustion; honoring the whole experience matters. Parenting with genetic risk is about more than “staying positive”—it’s also about being honest, modeling emotional self-care, and letting children see resilience as well as struggle. Surgical recovery is seldom linear, and body image is an ongoing conversation—one best held with authenticity and support. Content Note This episode includes discussion of miscarriage and pregnancy loss, surgical details, body image, medical trauma, and the emotional experience of hereditary cancer risk. Resources Mentioned Genetic Testing and Support FORCE (Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered): Bright Pink (educational/support community for hereditary cancer): Penn Medicine Basser Center for BRCA: Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes Pelvic Floor Health & Menopause Support Body Image after Surgery (support community for young women affected by breast and gynecologic cancers) Podcast host: Connect If this episode resonated with you, please follow, rate, and share. Find Sara on IG/TikTok and get free tools + support group info via the link in bio. You’re not alone—this is a line we walk together. Want to tell your story, share feedback, or learn about future groups? DM or email Sara via . /episode/index/show/e4c03c1a-6cca-42bb-acb3-96e3908b6778/id/39347985

Dr. Corinne Menn: The Truth About Hormone Replacement for BRCA Carriers and Previvers 11/27/2025

Dr. Corinne Menn: The Truth About Hormone Replacement for BRCA Carriers and Previvers Guest: Dr. Corinne Menn Theme: Claiming agency in hereditary cancer risk, surgical menopause, and a new era of HRT care Episode summary When Dr. Corinne Menn—board certified OB/GYN, Menopause Society certified practitioner, 23+ year breast cancer survivor, and BRCA2 carrier—joins us, she brings unparalleled lived and clinical expertise to walking the genetic line. In this conversation, Dr. Corinne Menn shares her deeply personal journey: breast cancer at 28, the loss of her mother to ovarian cancer, and the years navigating her own genetic risk and premature menopause. Together, we explore why BRCA (and other mutation) “previvors” often land in a black hole of care, how miscommunication and provider fear still undermine evidence-based treatment, and the hopeful shift as new guidelines and cultural change begin to reshape what’s possible for those living at hereditary risk. We cover Dr. Corinne Menn ’s origin story: the collision of residency, a breast cancer diagnosis in her 20s, and her mother’s ovarian cancer and loss How outdated genetic testing, medical gaslighting, and trauma shaped her assertiveness as both patient and physician The “CEO of your health” mindset: building self-trust and voice inside overwhelming medical realities The giant gap in menopause and HRT education across the entire medical field (~20 years of misinformation and fear after the WHI study) What most doctors STILL get wrong about HRT for BRCA carriers—and how new FDA changes and Menopause Society guidelines support safer, more nuanced use Proactive care: why pre-surgery counseling and immediate access to HRT matter for quality of life, bone, heart, and brain health “Female castration”—naming the reality and impact of surgical menopause and how it’s minimized systemically How trauma-informed therapy and a more holistic approach are essential for hereditary cancer communities and all patients in medical systems Highlights & takeaways “All BRCA previvors must demand pre-op counseling and a pre-op management plan on how their doctor is going to manage their abrupt surgical menopause. This is not optional.” The harm of not providing HRT after surgical menopause is severe: double the risk of heart disease, dementia, osteoporosis, mood disorders—especially for those under 45. New FDA changes (Spring 2024): the black box warning on estrogen is being removed/updated, allowing for clearer, less fear-based counseling about HRT’s risks and benefits. For BRCA (and other mutation) carriers, HRT up to natural menopause is standard of care. The fear of HRT, especially after risk-reducing surgeries, is both outdated and damaging. Genitourinary syndrome of menopause deserves more attention and treatment—local vaginal estrogen is safe, effective, and newly destigmatized. “If you wouldn't tell a man at 31 who lost his testicles to just try coconut oil—don't do that to female patients after oophorectomy.” Content note Includes discussion of parental death, breast/ovarian cancer, early menopause, medical trauma, sexual health, and systemic gaps in care. Resources mentioned & organizations NCCN Guidelines on Risk Reduction & HRT: The Menopause Society (formerly NAMS): A New Era of Hormone Therapy: FDA Update on Estrogen Labeling: See FDA press releases and Risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy (RRSO) in BRCA+: Dr. Menn’s Instagram: Dr. Menn’s Substack + education for previvors: MyAllo.com — telehealth menopause & cancer survivorship platform with expert providers in all 50 states: Support & therapy for hereditary cancer risk: , Connect If this episode resonated, please follow, rate, and share. Find Sara on IG/TikTok and get free tools, group support, and offerings at the link in bio. You’re not alone—we can walk this line together. /episode/index/show/e4c03c1a-6cca-42bb-acb3-96e3908b6778/id/39113180

Martha Kaiser: From Melanoma Diagnosis to Genetic Discovery – A Journey of Agency and Ancestry 11/13/2025

Martha Kaiser: From Melanoma Diagnosis to Genetic Discovery – A Journey of Agency and Ancestry Guest: Martha Kaiser Theme: Walking with CDKN2A, Ancestral Discovery, and Agency in Rare Genetic Mutations Episode Summary When Martha Kaiser discovered she carries the rare CDKN2A gene mutation—known for elevating risks of melanoma and pancreatic cancer—her journey shifted from uncertainty, loss, and family trauma to active agency and deep exploration. In this conversation, she shares not only the medical dimensions of living with a lesser-known mutation, but how intergenerational silence, gut intuition, and the drive to protect her children led her to become both a patient advocate and a creative genealogist, tracing the roots and ripple effects of her family’s cancer history. Her story explores how knowledge, connection, and community can bring both practical peace and a kind of healing across generations. We Cover The emotional backdrop: losing her mother young to multiple cancers, and carrying a sense of unspoken family trauma How shifting cancer narratives across generations inspired Martha’s vow for transparency and openness with her own children The surprise and shock of receiving a positive CDKN2A result after full-panel genetic testing (having initially been tested for BRCA) Navigating surveillance for pancreatic, brain, and breast cancers with annual MRIs, endoscopies, and proactive self-advocacy Turning to genealogy—and partnering with Connect My Variant and BYU researchers—to untangle the ancestral origins of her “typo” and connect with long-lost relatives Processing the identity shift and agency that comes with rare mutation status: from isolation to making new friends and finding meaning as an advocate Reframing medical anxiety: how regular imaging, informed conversations, and community lessen the burden of living with ongoing risk The evolving relationship with guilt, responsibility, and legacy after learning she passed her mutation on to two of her three children Claiming the power of knowledge—and the importance of finding your people Highlights & Takeaways “It finally kind of put some validity to this… thought that I was growing melanoma for no reason.” Intergenerational silence around illness can be shifted—with honesty, consent, and honoring each child’s readiness to know. Agency in rare mutations includes not just self-care, but reaching out to others—family, friends, and online communities—for knowledge, relief, and the possibility of healing old wounds. Surveillance isn’t just clinical; it can be emotionally stabilizing, creating peace in uncertain bodies and family systems. There can be empowerment, relief, and even beauty in hunting down the “typo” in the family tree—and meeting kin who share it. Community, data, and emotional support aren’t separate—a rare mutation journey is richer with all three. Content Note This episode includes discussion of parental illness and death, intergenerational trauma, genetic guilt, and medical anxiety. Resources Mentioned – a project for connecting families who share rare genetic variants (Kathy Baker’s resource for hereditary cancer support) Connect If this episode resonated, please follow, rate, and share. Find Sara on IG @FaceTheRiskTogether and get free tools + 1:1/group offerings via the link in bio. You’re not alone—we can walk this line together. /episode/index/show/e4c03c1a-6cca-42bb-acb3-96e3908b6778/id/38985955

Solo Episode: What “Evidence-Based Care” Really Means: Bridging Science, Trauma, and Healing Hereditary Cancer 11/06/2025

Solo Episode: What “Evidence-Based Care” Really Means: Bridging Science, Trauma, and Healing Hereditary Cancer 🧬 Episode Summary In this solo episode, host Sara Champie, LCSW, explores one of the most common phrases in medicine and psychology—evidence-based care—and what it really means when we apply it to lived human experience. Sara walks us through the two definitions that often get conflated: evidence-based research, which measures outcomes in controlled studies, and evidence-based practice, which integrates science, clinical wisdom, and a client’s unique values and culture. She then bridges these frameworks through the lens of hereditary cancer risk, showing how the most profound healing often happens in the spaces that data cannot measure—connection, attunement, grief, and identity. Through stories of life after surgery and survivorship, Sara invites us to consider that “the connection is the treatment.” Science can guide us, but relationships are what truly heal. 💬 Key Themes What evidence-based care really means in medicine vs. psychology The therapeutic alliance as the strongest predictor of healing outcomes Why relational safety can’t be randomized or quantified The emotional aftermath of “successful” medical interventions Bridging the gap between surgical recovery and emotional integration How research funding, politics, and systems of oppression shape what gets labeled “evidence-based” Integrating science and relationship for whole-person healing 🩺 Featured Quote “Even when data says you’re fine, the surgery was perfect, the treatment worked — the heart may still need time to catch up.” 🕊️ Takeaway Evidence-based care gives us structure and safety, but healing happens when we bring our full selves into relationship—when the nervous system learns that safety is possible again. True integration happens not only through survival, but through reconnection with our bodies, our loved ones, and our sense of belonging in the world. 🧠 Resources Mentioned “10 Questions to Ask Yourself After a Genetic Mutation Diagnosis” — free download at 🌿 Connect with Sara Follow along on Instagram and TikTok Learn more about individual and group support at 🔖 Hashtags #WalkingTheGeneticLine #EvidenceBasedCare #TraumaInformedTherapy #CancerSurvivorship #HereditaryCancer #BRCA #DepthPsychotherapy #WholePersonHealing #TherapeuticAlliance #IntergenerationalHealing #BetweenTheScans /episode/index/show/e4c03c1a-6cca-42bb-acb3-96e3908b6778/id/38869845

Katherine Lewandowski: Reclaiming Self After Preventative Surgery 10/20/2025

Katherine Lewandowski: Reclaiming Self After Preventative Surgery Guest: Katherine Lewandowski Theme: Choosing care, surviving change, and finding a stronger self after prophylactic surgery Episode summary When Katherine learned at 43 that she carried BRCA2—shortly after her father’s metastatic prostate cancer diagnosis—she moved from shock and shame to decisive action. In this conversation, she shares how grief, meticulous research, and a values-aligned care team led her through prophylactic bilateral mastectomy with DIEP flap reconstruction and surgical menopause—and why she now feels more like herself: stronger, clearer, and more alive. We cover How her father’s illness (and death) shaped her relationship to risk, agency, and end-of-life values The early emotional landscape: secrecy, shame, and reframing the diagnosis into a “project” she could act on Building the right team: what to look for in surgeons, communication that lowers anxiety, and advocating for humane care Fears of post-mastectomy pain syndrome and why she chose DIEP flap (autologous) reconstruction Navigating surgical menopause with BRCA2 (and why hormones were a central part of her decision-making) Healing as a practice: listening to the body, pacing recovery, and the surprising joy of getting strong again Reclaiming the body after surgery: strength training, learning tennis at midlife, and modeling embodied confidence for her daughter Living with ongoing risk and the medical “machine” without letting it eclipse quality of life Highlights & takeaways “I wanted to feel like myself after surgery—and I do. But I also feel changed, in ways that are better.” The relationship with your surgeon matters: expertise and responsiveness can transform recovery. Healing well isn’t about pushing; it’s about listening, pacing, and letting others help. It’s okay if gratitude isn’t instant—grief, fear, and shame can be part of the path to agency. You’re shopping for a care team. You deserve excellent, human-centered care. Content note This episode includes discussion of parental death, grief, surgical details, and menopause. Resources mentioned DIEP flap (autologous) breast reconstruction Post-mastectomy pain syndrome (PMPS) Surgical menopause considerations for BRCA2 carriers Connect If this episode resonated, please follow, rate, and share. Find Sara on IG/TikTok @FaceTheRiskTogether and get free tools + 1:1/group offerings via the link in bio. You’re not alone—we can walk this line together. /episode/index/show/e4c03c1a-6cca-42bb-acb3-96e3908b6778/id/38652685

Lisa Sharpstone: Choosing on Her Own Terms 10/16/2025

Solo Episode: Internal Security Vs. External Safety 10/09/2025

Solo Episode: Internal Security Vs. External Safety Episode Summary: In this solo episode of Walking the Genetic Line, therapist and host Sara Champie invites listeners to explore a subtle but powerful distinction: the difference between external safety and internal security. Through a trauma-informed lens, Sara reflects on how our nervous systems constantly scan for safety—and how our earliest relationships shape the way we respond to uncertainty and risk throughout life. Drawing from Polyvagal Theory, interpersonal neurobiology, and her own clinical practice, Sara offers an honest look at what it means to live in an unpredictable world—especially when faced with hereditary cancer risk. She reminds us that while we can’t guarantee safety, we can cultivate security: a grounded, loving relationship with ourselves that helps us meet life’s unknowns with compassion and trust. This episode is a guided reflection for anyone learning to hold both helplessness and agency, fear and courage, loss and love—all at once. Key Themes: The difference between external safety and internal security How early attachment shapes our felt sense of safety Polyvagal Theory and the body’s constant search for cues of safety Reframing helplessness as an entry point to personal agency Building internal trust through compassion and self-connection What “healing” really means when safety can’t be guaranteed Reflection Invitation: As you listen, take a moment to notice where you feel helpless—and where, alongside that helplessness, you might also find a small act of agency or self-kindness. Healing begins not in control, but in relationship—with ourselves. Connect & Resources: If this episode resonates, subscribe and share it with someone navigating their own genetic risk. You can connect with Sara on Instagram or TikTok or visit to explore 1:1 or group support. Download the free guide: “10 Questions to Ask Yourself After a Genetic Mutation Diagnosis.” /episode/index/show/e4c03c1a-6cca-42bb-acb3-96e3908b6778/id/38498155

Dr. LaDeana Jeane: Integrative Oncology and the Personal Side of Hereditary Cancer Risk 10/02/2025

Dr. LaDeana Jeane: Integrative Oncology and the Personal Side of Hereditary Cancer Risk Episode Summary In this powerful conversation, Dr. LaDeana Jeane—naturopathic doctor and integrative oncology specialist—shares her expertise and personal story. LaDeana blends medical training with lived experience, offering a unique perspective on how hereditary cancer risk intersects with hormonal health, prophylactic surgeries, and long-term survivorship. She opens up about undergoing a bilateral mastectomy at just 19 years old following her mother’s breast cancer diagnosis, the decades-long journey of recovery and reconstruction, and the courage it has taken to bring her story into her clinical work today. Together, we explore integrative approaches to cancer risk management, the role of hormones in early surgical menopause, and the often-overlooked impact of body changes on intimacy, identity, and healing. Key Takeaways What integrative oncology means and how naturopathic and conventional medicine can work together Why early surgical menopause requires specialized support and how HRT may be protective in certain cases LaDeana’s personal journey: losing her mother, undergoing major surgery at 19, and reclaiming her story decades later The importance of counseling, preparation, and choice when facing risk-reducing surgeries Honest reflections on intimacy, sexuality, and body image after mastectomy and reconstruction How personal lived experience can deepen the doctor–patient relationship and provide a new level of care About the Guest Dr. LaDeana Jeane, ND, FABNO, founded Nolia Naturopathic Medicine with the vision of creating a place where women feel seen, supported, and empowered in every stage of their health journey. A recognized expert in naturopathic oncology and menopause care, she helps women confidently navigate the changes that can accompany both life transitions and oncologic treatments—redefining what thriving looks like in these pivotal moments. She was recently honored as 2025 Physician of the Year by the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians for her groundbreaking leadership with the Integrative Healers Action Network (IHAN). Through her work, Dr. Jeane continues to inspire a new standard of care—one rooted in compassion, resilience, and lasting impact. Resources & Links Learn more about Dr. Ladina Jean’s work: Connect with Us Subscribe to Walking the Genetic Line wherever you listen to podcasts Follow on Instagram: Visit: Download the free resource: 10 Questions to Ask Yourself After a Genetic Mutation Diagnosis /episode/index/show/e4c03c1a-6cca-42bb-acb3-96e3908b6778/id/38318215

Bonus Episode: Fear and HRT 09/22/2025

Danielle Service: The Patriarchy Wants My T*ts 09/16/2025

Ananda Millard: in Every Moment We Have a Choice 08/28/2025

Ananda Millard: in Every Moment We Have a Choice Guest: Ananda Millard Theme: Agency, humor, and identity after breast cancer and BRCA2 diagnosis Episode summary After a sudden breast cancer diagnosis at age 50—and learning she carries the BRCA2 mutation—Ananda Millard found herself unexpectedly navigating complex medical and emotional terrain. In her conversation with Sara, Ananda shares how the loss of her mother to pancreatic cancer and reflections on family history shaped her proactive relationship to risk, choice, and self-advocacy. She discusses why cancer and genetic mutation became pathways for learning, how humor has been her lifeline, and why she refuses the stigma surrounding mastectomy, implants, and menopause. Ananda’s story offers a refreshingly honest, agency-focused, and deeply human approach to living through hereditary cancer risk. We cover The emotional impact of a surprise cancer diagnosis—and why “being healthy” doesn’t mean you’re exempt Exploring generational risk: reconciling family losses to pancreatic and prostate cancer, and understanding lineage through genetic testing The power of agency: how Ananda chose her own response, treatment, and attitude—starting with thanking her geneticist for clear information Navigating the medical system in Switzerland: coordinated “cancer centers,” supportive care teams, and lessons from international experience Humor as medicine: watching stand-up comedy religiously, naming surgical drains, and making laughter a deliberate practice Reclaiming identity after mastectomy: body image, resisting societal horror, and celebrating her “life-saving boobs” Coping with surgical menopause: living without HRT, navigating temperature swings and challenging norms around the aging female body Stigma and normalization: breaking silence about mastectomies and menopause, addressing trauma from social expectations Reframing ongoing risk: yearly pancreatic scans as “wearing a seatbelt”—active prevention without obsession The teacher in trauma: how cancer and BRCA2 have reoriented Ananda’s life philosophy toward learning, joy, and evolving agency Holding space for complexity: grief, humor, and a fuller emotional range after her mother’s death and her own cancer journey Highlights & takeaways “Cancer took my boobs, not my sense of humor.” “You don’t get to choose what happens to you, but you choose how you use it, what you learn from it, and how it shapes your future.” “Humor is not a defense for me—it’s a somatic process, like a good cry, a way to move things through and keep living.” “Our diagnosis is only a small part of who we are. Agency means deciding what defines you—and not letting one experience dictate everything.” “We need to normalize mastectomy, menopause, and the social realities around cancer—they aren’t rare or shameful.” “Screenings and scans are my seatbelt. I still go on the road trip, I just sing in the car along the way.” Content note This episode includes discussion of cancer diagnosis, mastectomy, surgical menopause, familial death from cancer, stigma, medical experiences, and somatic therapy. Resources mentioned BRCA1/BRCA2 Hereditary Cancer Risk – Stand-up comedy as emotional medicine – Surgical menopause – Post-mastectomy body image – Swiss Cancer Centers – Somatic therapy & trauma – Connect If this episode resonated, please follow, rate, and share. Find Sara on IG/TikTok @FaceTheRiskTogether and get free tools + 1:1/group offerings via the link in bio. You’re not alone—come walk the genetic line together. /episode/index/show/e4c03c1a-6cca-42bb-acb3-96e3908b6778/id/38003715

Violet Page: The Privilege of Knowing 07/19/2025

Violet Page: The Privilege of Knowing Episode Summary At just 19, Violet Page tested positive for a BRCA1 mutation after witnessing breast cancer run through generations of her family. Having lived with her aunt during her treatment and eventual passing, Violet faced her own genetic risk with clarity, courage, and deep grief. In this episode, she shares how she chose preventive surgeries in her early twenties, the privilege of knowing her risk before diagnosis, and what it means to carry both empowerment and loss. With honesty and strength, Violet reflects on the messy middle of living with genetic risk: the relief of reduced uncertainty, the grief of choices made young, and the ongoing work of integrating those decisions into adulthood. Her story honors the complexity of prevention, the importance of self-advocacy, and the possibility of living fully even in the shadow of cancer. Key Takeaways Growing up surrounded by hereditary breast cancer and losing her aunt to metastatic disease Testing positive for BRCA1 at 19 and grappling with risk at such a young age The emotional toll of early screenings and why she chose prophylactic surgery Finding a surgeon who validated her decisions and pioneered nerve-sparing mastectomy techniques The privilege—and weight—of knowing one’s genetic risk before diagnosis Holding space for both gratitude and grief in prevention choices About the Guest Violet Page (known as “Shug” to family and friends) is a BRCA1 carrier, advocate, and foster care worker who brings clarity and compassion to conversations about hereditary cancer risk. Her journey reflects both the burden and the privilege of knowing—and the strength it takes to act on that knowledge. Resources & Links Free guide: 10 Questions to Ask Yourself After a Genetic Mutation Diagnosis at Connect with Us Instagram/TikTok: Subscribe to Walking the Genetic Line wherever you listen to podcasts Share this episode with someone who may need courage and community /episode/index/show/e4c03c1a-6cca-42bb-acb3-96e3908b6778/id/37466990

Marisa Kimmel (Part One): Claiming My Genes 07/15/2025

Marisa Kimmel (Part One): Claiming My Genes Episode Summary At just 25, Marisa Kimmel learned she carried a BRCA mutation that put her at dramatically increased risk for breast and ovarian cancer. With a newborn baby at home, she chose a preventative double mastectomy with flat closure, documenting her journey online and building a vibrant community around honesty, humor, and radical self-acceptance. Marisa also lives with alopecia, a condition that began when she was nine years old and taught her early lessons in identity, resilience, and shedding societal expectations. In this conversation, she shares what it means to navigate uncontrollable shifts in appearance, body, and risk—and how rebellion and celebration have become central to her healing. Key Takeaways Receiving a BRCA diagnosis while six months postpartum and choosing preventive surgery Why flat closure, for Marisa, was the most empowering choice The intersections of alopecia and hereditary cancer: navigating uncontrollable identity shifts How documenting her journey online created both personal catharsis and communal healing The importance of rebellion, humor, and celebration in claiming one’s body and story Why self-referencing and agency are vital in the face of societal stigma About the Guest Marisa Kimmel is a creative, mother, and online community-builder who shares her journey with alopecia and BRCA mutation through radical authenticity and celebration. Her work centers on dismantling stigma, normalizing diverse bodies, and helping others find freedom in self-acceptance. Find Marisa Online Instagram & TikTok: Resources & Links Free guide: 10 Questions to Ask Yourself After a Genetic Mutation Diagnosis at Connect with Us Follow on Instagram/TikTok: Subscribe to Walking the Genetic Line wherever you listen to podcasts Share this episode with someone who may need courage and community /episode/index/show/e4c03c1a-6cca-42bb-acb3-96e3908b6778/id/37418965

Episode One: My Story 07/10/2025

TRAILER: Welcome to Walking the Genetic Line 06/27/2025

Walking the Genetic Line

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