On today’s episode, I am speaking with Gila Pfeffer. Gila is a 15-year breast cancer previvor turned survivor, a writer and author of the newly published memoir “Nearly Departed: Adventures in Loss, Cancer and Other Inconveniences.” Gila shares her experience of losing family members to cancer including her mother who passed away from breast cancer, finding out she carried the BRCA1 mutation, deciding to undergo a prophylactic mastectomy, discovering breast cancer at the time of the surgical pathology, and her subsequent cancer treatment journey. She talks about the writing process and what it ..read more

On today’s episode, I am speaking with Deana Jean. Deana was diagnosed with stage 2B breast cancer in 2016 when she was a mom of 2 boys and 5 months pregnant with her third child – her daughter, Aubrey (who is now 8!). On today’s episode, Deana talks about her initial diagnosis and how she had to advocate for herself during the time, the decisions and choices she made surrounding her treatment, what it was like getting treatment during and after pregnancy and what the past 8 years of her life have looked like. She talks about parenting, survivorship, mental health, the importance of feeling se ..read more

On today’s episode, I am speaking with Elissa Kalver. Elissa was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer at the age of 34 one year after giving birth to her daughter. During treatment, she had the idea to create We Got This, the first gift registry to bridge the needs of cancer patients and their supporters. Elissa calls herself a cancer thriver and believes that even during treatment and difficult times, it’s possible to live your best life. Elissa shares her story today. She talks about her treatments, decisions she has had to make to focus on quality of life and thriving, how We Got This ca ..read more

On today’s episode, I am speaking with Kelly Crump. Kelly is an illness influencer, patient advocate and model who is living and thriving with metastatic breast cancer. Kelly focuses on showing others that you do not have to be defined by your disease and that you can “live your life” and “do what you dream”. She was the first person to pose in Sports Illustrated Swimsuit magazine with active breast cancer and the first to ever show their mastectomy scar in the publication. Kelly has trekked across the Sahara desert and climbed a 4,167m mountain in Morocco all whilst undergoing chemotherapy tr ..read more

On today’s episode, I am speaking with Jen Delvaux. Jen is the host of the podcast “Not Today Cancer” and the author of “Not Today Cancer: A non-typical guide for the girl who wants to thrive, not just survive.” She is an integrative health practitioner, mother of two and a wife to her husband, Darren, who was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2009. Several years after her husband completed treatment, Jen was diagnosed with breast cancer. On today’s episode, Jen shares her story, the lifestyle changes she has made, what it has been like being both a caregiver and then a patient, and the work she ..read more

On today’s episode, I am speaking with Leeanna Gantt. Leeanna was diagnosed with triple positive breast cancer who turned her treatment experience into a mission to simplify medication management. During chemotherapy, she struggled to keep track of the many medications that were all in different forms and on different schedules. Realizing there was a need for an easy tracking solution, Leeanna invented Tooktake, a simple label system that allows people to keep track of their medications and supplements without removing them from their original packaging. Leeanna’s goal is for Tooktake to help ..read more

On today’s episode, I am speaking with Dr. Shieva Ghofrany. Dr. Ghofrany is a board-certified OB/GYN who has been in private practice for 25 years. She is the co-creator of TRIBE CALLED V and her intention is to help and guide women and people with vulvas and ovaries while addressing the mindset of fear surrounding health issues. Dr. Ghofrany has also experienced the health system as a patient through miscarriages, endometriosis, and ovarian cancer – it is these experiences combined with her professional expertise that make her an incredible advocate for women’s health. On today’s episode, we ..read more

On today’s episode, I am speaking with Dr. Abby Bales. Dr. Abby Bales, PT, DPT, CSCS is the founder of Reform Physical Therapy in New York City where she specializes pelvic health and orthopedics. She is an expert in pregnancy and postpartum pelvic health and sports rehabilitation, as well as strength and conditioning and run programming. Dr. Bales has served as a medical advisor for health and tech start-ups, notably The Mirror and Odela Health, and as scientific advisor for the Olympya app (NIKE Valiant Labs). She has been a speaker at multiple industry conferences and a guest lecturer at bo ..read more

On today’s episode, I am speaking with Kelsey Mora. Kelsey is a Certified Child Life Specialist and Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor who specializes in supporting children and families impacted by medical illness, injury, and grief. She has extensive experience providing individual and group services to children who have a parent with cancer. Kelsey both guides parents and caregivers on how to best support their children and teens as well as creates unique opportunities to help youth make connections, and increase coping and communication throughout a cancer experience. Kelsey works in ..read more

On today’s episode, I am speaking with Alison Tierney, MS, RD, CD, CSO. Alison is a board certified oncology dietitian and cancer thriver who empowers those affected by cancer to conquer fears, take back control, and fully support their body before, during, and after cancer treatment. In 2022, Alison was diagnosed with breast cancer at age of 33. On today’s episode, she talks about how her background and oncology nutrition knowledge base helped her throughout treatment. We talk all about nutrition in general and touch on alcohol and cancer as well. Alison provides excellent tips and advice for ..read more