Our MBC Life: Recent Episodes
SHARE Cancer Support
From SHARE Cancer Support this is Our MBC Life. A podcast dedicated to exploring life with metastatic breast cancer from the perspective of us, the people living with this disease, and the experts who partner with us to help make our lives better. So glad you’re here since no one should face MBC alone. New episodes available every other Monday and join us on the last Friday of the month for our Trailblazer series. Send your voice memos, ideas, and questions to ourmbclife@sharecancersupport.org and visit us at www.ourmbclife.org.
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What were some of the biggest metastatic breast cancer updates from the 2026 ASCO Annual Meeting and which findings are already changing care?
In this episode of OUR MBC Life, Dr. Chen breaks down key research findings and what they mean for people living with metastatic breast cancer. This episode also includes a Q & A featuring questions from our community about treatment, side effects and what these new advances mean for people living with metastatic breast cancer.
We’re so happy you joined us! If this conversation resonated with you please share it with someone who might need it. Don't forget to like and subscribe here to follow us on your favorite podcast platform so you never miss an episode. You can find more episodes, resources and ways to get involved on our website Our MBC Life. Have a topic you’d like us to cover? Email us at ourmbclife@sharecancersupport.org. And don’t forget to follow us on our socials @ourmbclife.
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What does it mean to truly show up for someone you love?
In this episode, we explore friendship, uncertainty, and the power of being present. Featuring a moving conversation and a reading of Carpe Diem by Rosemary Wahtola Trommer that reminds us to live fully in the moments we have.
We also talk about Temple of Kinship, a retreat designed for people living with metastatic breast cancer and the friends who support them, creating space for reflection, connection, and real conversations that don't happen anywhere else.
We’re so happy you joined us! If this conversation resonated with you please share it with someone who might need it. Don't forget to like and subscribe here to follow us on your favorite podcast platform so you never miss an episode. You can find more episodes, resources and ways to get involved on our website Our MBC Life. Have a topic you’d like us to cover? Email us at ourmbclife@sharecancersupport.org. And don’t forget to follow us on our socials @ourmbclife.
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Cognitive changes are a common part of living with metastatic breast cancer (MBC). Symptoms like memory lapses, trouble concentrating, and mood shifts can impact daily life, work and relationships. In this episode, Dr. Rachael Freedman and Dr. Tammy Hshieh talks to us about what is behind the cognitive changes during treatment, and what healthy cognitive aging looks like for people living with MBC. You’ll learn why these changes happen, how to distinguish between normal aging and treatment related cognitive challenges, and practical things you can do to help, memory, mood and overall brain health.
Whether you are newly diagnosed or have been living with metastatic breast cancer for years, this conversation offers actionable tools and reassurance to help you feel more in control of your health.
We’re so happy you joined us! If this conversation resonated with you please share it with someone who might need it. Don't forget to like and subscribe here to follow us on your favorite podcast platform so you never miss an episode. You can find more episodes, resources and ways to get involved on our website Our MBC Life. Have a topic you’d like us to cover? Email us at ourmbclife@sharecancersupport.org. And don’t forget to follow us on our socials @ourmbclife.
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What do the latest findings from the 2025 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium mean for people living with metastatic breast cancer?
In this episode, Dr. Bora Lim of MD Anderson Cancer Center joins us to break down the most impactful research and clinical trial updates from SABCS 2025. Together we will explore advances in hormone receptor positive, HER2-positive disease and triple negative disease and discuss how these updates may influence treatment decisions right now. We also wrap up with an audience Q&A, including questions about GLP-1 medications.
Listen in for expert insight, practical takeaways, and clarity on the evolving MBC treatment landscape.
We’re so happy you joined us! If this conversation resonated with you please share it with someone who might need it. Don't forget to like and subscribe here to follow us on your favorite podcast platform so you never miss an episode. You can find more episodes, resources and ways to get involved on our website Our MBC Life. Have a topic you’d like us to cover? Email us at ourmbclife@sharecancersupport.org. And don’t forget to follow us on our socials @ourmbclife.
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Recent federal legislation about health insurance coverage will impact the breast cancer community. Monica Bryant of Triage Cancer talks to us about changes to private insurance (through the ACA healthcare exchange marketplace) and publicly funded insurance including Medicare and Medicaid. We also discuss some of the potential ripple effects, including on cancer screening programs, that may impact the ability of many in the cancer community to access healthcare.
Visit OurMBCLife.org for episode notes.
We’re so happy you joined us! If this conversation resonated with you please share it with someone who might need it. Don't forget to like and subscribe here to follow us on your favorite podcast platform so you never miss an episode. You can find more episodes, resources and ways to get involved on our website Our MBC Life. Have a topic you’d like us to cover? Email us at ourmbclife@sharecancersupport.org. And don’t forget to follow us on our socials @ourmbclife.
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Today’s episode tackles a topic that is often misunderstood, palliative care. Many people hear the term and immediately think of end-of-life care but that’s not what palliative care is. In reality, it’s about improving quality of life, managing symptoms, and helping you live as fully and comfortably as possible, no matter where you are in your metastatic breast cancer (MBC) treatment.
We’re joined by Dr. Jones, a palliative care physician who has worked closely with people living with MBC. He brings not only medical expertise, but also deep compassion and insight into the emotional and physical needs of our community.
In this conversation, we explore:
- What palliative care truly means
- How to access palliative care services
- Why integrating palliative care early can make such a meaningful difference
Whether you’re newly diagnosed or have been living with MBC for many years, this episode offers clarity, reassurance, and practical information to support you on your journey.
Visit OurMBCLife.org for episode notes.
We’re so happy you joined us! If this conversation resonated with you please share it with someone who might need it. Don't forget to like and subscribe here to follow us on your favorite podcast platform so you never miss an episode. You can find more episodes, resources and ways to get involved on our website Our MBC Life. Have a topic you’d like us to cover? Email us at ourmbclife@sharecancersupport.org. And don’t forget to follow us on our socials @ourmbclife.
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Our annual “We Remember” episode honors all who died from metastatic breast cancer since last October and gives voice to the grief and love that endures after each death. Each name shared is a tiny marker of a full & beloved life and each one leaves behind an expansive network of loved ones. For those of us in the MBC community, the loss of our friends is particularly devastating & the cumulative losses are heavy. You are not alone in your grief. We invite you to gather with us to honor the individual lives lost in the last year, and to acknowledge and provide space for the grief we collectively feel.
Please visit OurMBCLife.org to see the full episode notes.
We’re so happy you joined us! If this conversation resonated with you please share it with someone who might need it. Don't forget to like and subscribe here to follow us on your favorite podcast platform so you never miss an episode. You can find more episodes, resources and ways to get involved on our website Our MBC Life. Have a topic you’d like us to cover? Email us at ourmbclife@sharecancersupport.org. And don’t forget to follow us on our socials @ourmbclife.
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In our Season 11 opening episode, we’re bringing you the latest updates from the 2025 ASCO Annual Meeting on metastatic breast cancer. Dr. Ashley Schreier, breast oncologist at Weill Cornell Medicine, breaks down key research and explains what it could mean for people living with MBC.
Topics include:
- Research results for hormone therapy options like camizestrant
- The role of ESR1 mutation testing
- Results from treatment combinations like Enhertu and Perjeta, and Trodelvy and Keytruda
- How to navigate clinical trial access
- Tips for staying hopeful while exploring treatment options
Whether you’re a patient, caregiver, or advocate, this episode is packed with insights to help you stay informed and empowered.
We’re so happy you joined us! If this conversation resonated with you please share it with someone who might need it. Don't forget to like and subscribe here to follow us on your favorite podcast platform so you never miss an episode. You can find more episodes, resources and ways to get involved on our website Our MBC Life. Have a topic you’d like us to cover? Email us at ourmbclife@sharecancersupport.org. And don’t forget to follow us on our socials @ourmbclife.
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Join us for a candid & heartfelt discussion with certified death doula and fellow MBCer Deltra James as she shares how death doulas support us in facing mortality with less fear and more intention. We also chat about her six week virtual course, “The Good Grim: Exploring end of life, facing fears, and living fiercely”, offered free through Project Life for those living with MBC. We invite you to listen to this life-filled conversation.
Please visit our website, Our MBC Life, to check out the information provided in the episode notes.
We’re so happy you joined us! If this conversation resonated with you please share it with someone who might need it. Don't forget to like and subscribe here to follow us on your favorite podcast platform so you never miss an episode. You can find more episodes, resources and ways to get involved on our website Our MBC Life. Have a topic you’d like us to cover? Email us at ourmbclife@sharecancersupport.org. And don’t forget to follow us on our socials @ourmbclife.
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In this episode of Our MBC Life, we sit down with Dr. Kelly Shanahan, the president of METAvivor, a U.S. nonprofit solely dedicated to funding research for metastatic breast cancer (MBC) while also supporting patients through advocacy and community. Our guest shares METAvivor’s mission, their biggest milestones, and how their work is driving critical research that aims to extend lives and improve quality of life for those living with MBC.
We dive into how METAvivor prioritizes research funding, the importance of patient involvement in advocacy initiatives, and the Stage IV Stampede—a powerful advocacy event raising awareness and amplifying the voices of the MBC community.
Tune in to hear how METAvivor is shaping the future of MBC advocacy and how you can get involved to make an impact
We’re so happy you joined us! If this conversation resonated with you please share it with someone who might need it. Don't forget to like and subscribe here to follow us on your favorite podcast platform so you never miss an episode. You can find more episodes, resources and ways to get involved on our website Our MBC Life. Have a topic you’d like us to cover? Email us at ourmbclife@sharecancersupport.org. And don’t forget to follow us on our socials @ourmbclife.
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This episode of Our MBC Life features Stephanie Walker and Julia Maués of the Patient-Centered Dosing Initiative team who have been working on the 2025 reboot of its groundbreaking 2020 patient survey. Julia and Stephanie break down how treatment doses are typically determined during clinical trials and why individualized dosing, based on more than your diagnosis, is so important for people living with metastatic breast cancer. They also chat about the newly launched 2025 Patient Dosing Survey that you can take right now, where to find it and why your experience about metastatic breast cancer treatment matters.
Be sure and visit OurMBCLife.org to check the episode notes for links and more information.
We’re so happy you joined us! If this conversation resonated with you please share it with someone who might need it. Don't forget to like and subscribe here to follow us on your favorite podcast platform so you never miss an episode. You can find more episodes, resources and ways to get involved on our website Our MBC Life. Have a topic you’d like us to cover? Email us at ourmbclife@sharecancersupport.org. And don’t forget to follow us on our socials @ourmbclife.
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Senior Producer & Host Martha Carlson interviews Josh Newby, the founder of Theresa’s Research Foundation. Josh has been a leader in the world of metastatic breast cancer advocacy for over a decade, focusing energy on bringing MBC research scientists and patient advocates together in an effort to improve our lives. To paraphrase Josh, researchers need patients and patients need researchers—a synergy he recognized early and brought to the fore of advocacy. This year, Josh and Theresa’s Research Foundation is doubling down on a cure for MBC. In this episode, he talks about the work the Foundation is doing and what “cure” means to him. He also talks about the effects of current federal policy on research and what it may mean for the young MBC investigators he champions.
To check out the episode notes, please visit ourmbclife.org.
We’re so happy you joined us! If this conversation resonated with you please share it with someone who might need it. Don't forget to like and subscribe here to follow us on your favorite podcast platform so you never miss an episode. You can find more episodes, resources and ways to get involved on our website Our MBC Life. Have a topic you’d like us to cover? Email us at ourmbclife@sharecancersupport.org. And don’t forget to follow us on our socials @ourmbclife.
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Welcome to our Season 10 opening episode! Today we’re discussing some of the big updates in metastatic breast cancer research from the 2024 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS). Joining us today is Dr. Debu Tripathy, breast oncologist at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center who will break down into understandable terms some of the most impactful findings shared at SABCS, from advances in endocrine therapy and HER2-targeted treatments to exciting developments in PI3K inhibition and nausea control.
We’re so happy you joined us! If this conversation resonated with you please share it with someone who might need it. Don't forget to like and subscribe here to follow us on your favorite podcast platform so you never miss an episode. You can find more episodes, resources and ways to get involved on our website Our MBC Life. Have a topic you’d like us to cover? Email us at ourmbclife@sharecancersupport.org. And don’t forget to follow us on our socials @ourmbclife.
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Welcome to our first "Our MBC Life Unplugged" episode, where we wrap up the fall season with an honest, unscripted conversation. What happens when someone is told they might actually be cured? It’s what we all dream of hearing, but when we started talking, it opened a Pandora’s box of questions and concerns:
Is a cure really possible?
Should I go off treatment?
What if the doctor is wrong and my cancer comes back?
This episode dives deep into these complexities and more. So, grab your favorite beverage and join us for a raw, heartfelt discussion you won’t want to miss.
We’re so happy you joined us! If this conversation resonated with you please share it with someone who might need it. Don't forget to like and subscribe here to follow us on your favorite podcast platform so you never miss an episode. You can find more episodes, resources and ways to get involved on our website Our MBC Life. Have a topic you’d like us to cover? Email us at ourmbclife@sharecancersupport.org. And don’t forget to follow us on our socials @ourmbclife.
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If you’ve never heard of Postpartum Breast Cancer (PPBC) – well, you are not alone. This episode is a personal one for many on our podcast team – it is all about this little-known subset of breast cancer called Postpartum Breast Cancer (Postpartum means “following childbirth”) – how it happens, and why it creates a higher risk for metastatic spread and death. The doctors we interview here have proven that Postpartum Breast Cancer is a distinct category of breast cancer diagnosed in women within 10 years of having a baby. It affects 18,000 women in the US a year (that’s almost the same as ovarian cancer diagnoses in the US), and can happen across all subtypes, like hormone +/-, HER2+/-, or triple negative disease. 50% of women diagnosed with breast cancer under age 45 in the US are actually diagnosed within a 10-year Postpartum window – 50%! Postpartum breast cancer also carries a higher risk for metastasis and death than breast cancer diagnosed outside this 10-year window. Now, Dr. Virginia Borges & Dr. Pepper Schedin are ready to move all their lab findings into the clinic by launching the first-in-human clinical trial to prevent Postpartum Breast Cancer – by giving healthy moms ibuprofen – yes, ibuprofen, for a brief period of time as they wean their babies from nursing. This is a groundbreaking clinical trial idea, with huge potential global impact, and they need the public's help to make it happen.
To learn more about this project and read the episode notes, visit our website, *Our MBC Life.*
We’re so happy you joined us! If this conversation resonated with you please share it with someone who might need it. Don't forget to like and subscribe here to follow us on your favorite podcast platform so you never miss an episode. You can find more episodes, resources and ways to get involved on our website Our MBC Life. Have a topic you’d like us to cover? Email us at ourmbclife@sharecancersupport.org. And don’t forget to follow us on our socials @ourmbclife.
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Have you ever wondered how our cancer metastasizes? Why is it that some treatments just don’t work? Can we as patients living with MBC alter cellular level activity? In this episode, you will hear the answers to these questions and more. Join us as we take a step back to the basics of tumor microenvironment with our guest, Dr. Amy Beumer, who will break down the science to smaller, digestible bites. In this lively discussion, Dr. Amy explains the how and the why of this tough topic. You will hear her say “This is fun” and use engaging, relatable metaphors like “Picture your neighborhood and that one neighbor…..” By the end, I assure you that you’ll walk away with a deeper understanding of tumor microenvironment than when you started.
Pull up a chair, listen in your car or on your daily walk, we are with you wherever you listen to your podcasts. Terms and other resources are provided in the episode notes on the episode web page, www.ourmbclife.org/episodes/tumor-microenvironment-dr-beumer.
We’re so happy you joined us! If this conversation resonated with you please share it with someone who might need it. Don't forget to like and subscribe here to follow us on your favorite podcast platform so you never miss an episode. You can find more episodes, resources and ways to get involved on our website Our MBC Life. Have a topic you’d like us to cover? Email us at ourmbclife@sharecancersupport.org. And don’t forget to follow us on our socials @ourmbclife.
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Each October, Our MBC Life marks Breast Cancer Awareness month with a special episode dedicated to all those who died from metastatic breast cancer over the past year.
To live with your own diagnosis or to be a loved one, caregiver, or friend of someone with MBC is to inhabit a community of loss. Every day, we confront the reality of mortality and struggle to balance fear with hope, and sorrow with joy. “We Remember” is OMBCL’s opportunity to give voice to the profound grief we share and to honor and celebrate each person we’ve lost. It’s a chance to express our gratitude for the extraordinary and unique ways they made our lives richer and our often collective grief over their loss.
We invite you to bear witness with us to this outpouring of love for those lost to MBC over the last year. Above all, may you find the space and tools to tend to your grief as you continue to love and honor those lost.
We’re so happy you joined us! If this conversation resonated with you please share it with someone who might need it. Don't forget to like and subscribe here to follow us on your favorite podcast platform so you never miss an episode. You can find more episodes, resources and ways to get involved on our website Our MBC Life. Have a topic you’d like us to cover? Email us at ourmbclife@sharecancersupport.org. And don’t forget to follow us on our socials @ourmbclife.
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In this episode, Senior Producer and Host Martha Carlson embraces the hope that we can do something to help our closest relatives avoid metastatic breast cancer and even early-stage breast cancer. Despite living with no known inheritable mutation associated with breast cancer risk, Martha has MBC and her Mom recently died of the same disease. Now, her 20-something oldest child has discovered an additional factor that puts her at increased risk. Listen along as they discuss risk reduction and what steps have been recommended, followed by an informative interview with Dr. Sagar Sardesai of Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center. He is the Co-Director of OSU High Risk Breast Clinic, along with Dr. Doreen Agnese, where they see people of all ages who are at elevated risk for breast cancer, whether due to known or unknown inheritable factors, family history, previous treatments, and more. We talk about what it means to live with high risk, the options for monitoring, when and how to begin, and why it matters. It’s another great episode from OMBCL, and we hope you learn a lot.
We’re so happy you joined us! If this conversation resonated with you please share it with someone who might need it. Don't forget to like and subscribe here to follow us on your favorite podcast platform so you never miss an episode. You can find more episodes, resources and ways to get involved on our website Our MBC Life. Have a topic you’d like us to cover? Email us at ourmbclife@sharecancersupport.org. And don’t forget to follow us on our socials @ourmbclife.
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On today's episode, we are thrilled to discuss an important and often misunderstood area of oncology: Biosimilars and their increasing use in cancer care.
You might be curious, what exactly are biosimilars? How are they developed and approved? And most importantly, how are they transforming the lives of patients diagnosed with cancer?
We will break down these questions and more with an overview from Dr. Julie Gralow, a breast medical oncologist and chief medical officer at the American Society of Clinical Oncology.
We’re so happy you joined us! If this conversation resonated with you please share it with someone who might need it. Don't forget to like and subscribe here to follow us on your favorite podcast platform so you never miss an episode. You can find more episodes, resources and ways to get involved on our website Our MBC Life. Have a topic you’d like us to cover? Email us at ourmbclife@sharecancersupport.org. And don’t forget to follow us on our socials @ourmbclife.
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For our Season 9 opening episode, we're learning about agnostic
treatments in cancer with Dr. Richard Schilsky of ASCO, who discusses the
TAPUR Study. You may wonder, what is TAPUR and how does it relate to agnostic
treatments? The pioneer behind the study, Dr. Schilsky, explains clinical trials for agnostic therapeutics, how you can join a TAPUR trial, and what to expect.
Tumor-agnostic therapies represent a radical shift in oncology. They abandon the traditional way of treating tumors based on cancer type and, instead, provide personalized options based on the genetic mutations. Today’s podcast is the 1st part of a 2-part series dedicated to agnostic treatments in cancer. Join us as Dr. Joshua Drago of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center shares his expertise about the agnostic approach to cancer care. In this episode he discusses agnostic research and points out the advantages as well as the treatment limitations of agnostic therapeutics.
Today, we’re bringing you a very special episode created in partnership with SHARE Cancer Support. This is an audio version of our Webinar Report Back from ASCO 2024: Latest Updates on Metastatic Breast Cancer (MBC).
We're excited to present this report from the 2024 ASCO Annual Meeting, highlighting the latest advancements and research in hormone receptor positive (HR+) metastatic breast cancer.
In today's episode, you will hear from Dr. Kevin Kalinsky, a medical oncologist and investigator from Emory. We will dive deep into the findings from the DESTINY-Breast06 trial and the postMONARCH trial. We'll explore the implications of these studies, how they could impact treatment strategies, and what this means for us.
Research has shown that self-advocates are more likely to receive better care and have their medical questions and problems addressed. We're excited to bring you this episode, focusing on a crucial aspect of managing metastatic breast cancer—understanding blood test results. Blood tests are vital in cancer care, offering insights into our health, monitoring treatment effectiveness, and guiding our medical team's decisions. However, interpreting these results can be challenging. Joining us today is Dr. Alfredo Torres, who will help us break down the common types of blood tests, explain what the numbers mean, and discuss their impact on your treatment plan. Knowing how to interpret these results can empower you to advocate for yourself more effectively and enhance your overall care. Whether you're newly diagnosed or have been living with metastatic breast cancer for some time, this episode aims to empower you with valuable knowledge. Grab a cup of our favorite beverage and get comfortable as we dive into the mysteries of blood test results together.
There’s a lot of research about how diet and exercise can have a positive effect on survivorship for those with early-stage breast cancer, but what about those of us with MBC? In this episode, we are delighted to bring you a conversation with Dr. Neil Iyengar, a prominent oncologist and researcher known for his deep interest in how lifestyle affects a variety of outcomes. Emerging research and patient experiences are showing that exercise and diet can play a vital role in improving quality of life and may even enhance treatment outcomes. We discuss the science behind diet and exercise along with strategies for balancing lifestyle changes while prioritizing what matters most to us. Whether you’re a patient, a caregiver, or a healthcare professional, this episode is packed with valuable information and insights!
In the third of our special series on living with bone metastases, we are turning to one of the most frequent questions and concerns we hear: Can I exercise??
To get the answers, OMBCL co-hosts Ashley Fernandez and Martha Carlson spoke with Dr. Kathryn Schmitz, who has led the way in understanding and implementing exercise for people with breast cancer, including those of us with metastatic breast cancer. Dr. Schmitz founded the Moving Through Cancer initiative of the American College of Sports Medicine, which has a bold goal of making exercise standard of care in oncology by 2029. She fills us in on the science of exercise – why it’s important and how it can be done with bone metastases. In this interview, she provides straightforward advice about what can be done, what to watch for, and connects us to resources that can help you get started after getting the okay from your oncologist.
**Interspersed into the interview with Dr. Schmitz are the stories of people living with bone metastases, providing hope and inspiration that exercise is possible. We reached out to the incredible Facebook community called Active with MBC, a private group for people who already exercise and stay active and those who aspire to it. Many thanks to the women who responded to our survey with honesty and insight and to Angel, Quinn, and Glenda, who joined us with interviews and sent videos to inspire us.
This episode is close to the hearts for all of us at OMBCL, whether living with bone mets ourselves or not. We have all witnessed how this particular type of progression can be both invisible and life-changing. We hope that you feel supported and seen. And know that whether you simply walk to the mailbox or run a marathon, we are with you!
Check out our website for detailed show notes and links to some great online resources on exercise/fitness!**
In this second of three episodes on managing bone metastases in MBC, we bring you a broad review of the major interventions to treat and manage bone mets. We explain the differences among the specialties of Radiology (think x-rays and PET/CT scans) vs. Radiation Oncology (external beam, Stereotactic Radiation Surgery (SRS) or Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT) and Interventional Radiology (Biopsies, Cryoablation, Radiofrequency Ablation among others). The majority of patients with MBC have bone metastases and may have been treated with some form of radiation. For patients with "oligometastatic" disease, where the number of distant sites of metastatic spread is generally considered to be 5 or less, radiation treatment may be “curative”. It gets a little less clear in those of us with heavier tumor burden and more widespread disease. In that case, radiation is often offered for pain and neurologic considerations, such as preventing a tumor from pressing on the spinal cord, possibly resulting in serious spinal cord compression. But, can different radiation strategies be helpful in disease management, beyond pain management? We ask these questions of both experts here – the first Dr. Shalom Kalnicki, Professor of Radiation Oncology and Associate Director of the Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center in New York City. Our second expert clinician is Dr. Rory Goodwin, who leads the Duke Center for Brain and Spine Metastasis in Durham, North Carolina. He’ll talk about this innovative Center’s approach to managing bone mets, including offering some lesser-known treatment approaches like Cryoablation (freezing the tumor), and Radiofrequency Ablation (heating the tumor). We also address an emerging therapy called “Theranostics” which is when a radioactive tracer (like the ones used in PET/CT scans) is bound to a radiation treatment that can deliver a lethal dose directly to the bound cancer cell. So listen here and learn with us, and check out the more detailed show notes on our website for the links to what’s covered in the episode.
Today’s episode is the first in a three part series covering all things related to bone metastasis. In our first episode, we’re covering the basics starting with some bone education. We’re joined by Dr. Azeez Farooki, an endocrinologist at MSK, who discusses his role on treatment for bone disease stemming from breast cancer. We’re also joined by Dr. Monica Fornier, a breast medical oncologist also at MSK, who treats people living with metastatic breast cancer. Both doctors will be diving into bone disease & the latest in breast cancer bone metastasis research. Topics include theories on why breast cancer spreads to the bones, as well as the future of bone metastasis research and treatment. We unlock the wisdom of these top experts as they bridge the gaps between advancing research and patient care in a thought provoking conversation.
Even though breast cancer research is comparatively well-funded, researchers still don't fully understand the many different ways metastatic cancer eventually evades currently available treatments. Just like a detective can learn much from studying the scene of a crime, researchers need to understand how breast cancer causes death to better understand how to stop it from doing so. One of the quickest ways for them to do that is through something called a tissue donation program.
Many of us are familiar with organ donation programs, but as metastatic patients, we are no longer eligible to donate our organs to another person. We can, however, donate tissue while we're still alive and tissues, including organs, soon after we die to aid thousands of future patients by helping researchers better understand the process of metastasis. Understanding the way cancer evades current treatments is key to developing more effective and more targeted treatments that let us live longer (and with a better quality of life) with the hope that one day we can stop MBC from prematurely ending our lives.
To learn more about tissue donation programs and why they are so essential to scientific discoveries, we talk with patient advocates, Stephanie Walker and Christine Hodgdon, along with breast cancer researcher Dr. Steffi Oesterreich and clinical coordinator Lori Miller about the topic of tissue donation in general and the specific program they're all involved with called Hope for Others at the University of Pittsburgh.
Did you know that in the US rural communities have lower cancer rates but higher death rates from cancer? Did you know that only 3% of medical oncologists practice in rural communities?
When it comes to cancer, living in a rural area puts people at a disadvantage.
They face limited access to quality healthcare, long travel times, and low recruitment to clinical trials, all of which affect quality of care and health outcomes. Join our producers Stephanie Walker and Martha Carlson, along with their guests, in the deep dive into this important topic.
The landscape of medication to treat ER+, HER2 negative or low is changing rapidly as patients experience progression on CDK4/6 inhibitors and look for next steps. Now that biomarker testing is more readily available (both tissue and liquid), there are more options particularly in the PI3 kinase pathway. In this episode we will discuss biomarker testing, the PI3 kinase pathway, and an exciting new patient initiative, the PIK3CA Pathbreakers.
Today we are bringing you a special episode that we created in partnership with SHARE Cancer Support. It’s an audio version of a live webinar that was done this past February called Report back from San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium 2023. SABCS is the world’s leading breast cancer research meeting where scientists, patient advocates, and others dedicated to working in the field of cancer gather.
In this podcast, Dr. Timothy Pluard, director of the Saint Luke’s Koontz Center for Advanced Breast Cancer, breaks down the promising research, targeted therapy, the evolving treatment after CDK 4/6 inhibitors, liquid biopsy and more.
We wanted to start this season with an episode dedicated to our friend and team member, Natalia Green. Natalia passed away from MBC at the age of 39 on November 29, 2023. She was an integral part of the podcast team, having been a senior producer/host and right-hand woman to Lisa Laudico, our founder. She became involved in the podcast through her advocacy work, starting first after her early-stage breast cancer diagnosis, then becoming more involved in the metastatic breast cancer community after she received her MBC diagnosis. She was a devoted mother to her daughter Rosy and son Iggy, and a loving wife and friend to her husband of 19 years, Danny. She was a daughter, a mother, and a cousin, holding a special place in the lives of everyone she met. Lastly, she was our friend. We’ll miss hearing her speak with passion about topics she wanted to cover on the podcast, we’ll miss seeing Iggy & Rosy pop their heads into our Monday meetings, but mostly we’ll miss seeing her beautiful smile. The entire OMBCL podcast team is lovingly dedicating our 8th season to Natalia. We hope it holds a modicum of the impact that Natalia has had on the world.
The team would love to extend our heartfelt thanks to Danny Green for all his help in creating this episode.
MUSIC CREDITS:
-'Meditation I' by Sufjan Stevens
-'Fare Thee Well (Dink's Song)' by Oscar Isaac and Marcus Mumford
The winter holidays are here, bringing all the joyful festivities with them. I thought this might be a great time to chat a bit about the joy of celebrations - the good, the bad, and the ugly. I know many of us right now are scurrying around with the Christmas and New Year holidays at the top of our mind, but today I’d like to spend more of our focus, not only on the typical winter holidays, but on all the myriad of celebrations we encounter in our lives. We will reflect on how we love them, how we dread them and how we can experience joyful celebrations no matter where our lives are at the moment.
For many of us living with MBC, travel provides a much-needed respite from the day-to-day realities of living with our disease. But balancing trips with treatment and side effects can be challenging. In this episode, you'll hear from members of the OMBCL team, along with some remarkable MBC frequent flyers as they share places they’ve been, the places they want to go, and the advice they have for those times when a journey really is a journey. We hope you’ll find inspiration and encouragement for your own adventures!
Travel Resources
Travel Insurance: Compare products at InsureMyTrip Note: To insure the trip for all reasons, you need to purchase within 14 days of first payment for trip to cover pre-existing condition.
Destinations Mentioned by our Guests:
Disney locations - check out Disability Access Services, DAS, to “join” a line virtually, allowing you to wait in a comfortable space before getting on the ride.
Cruises - Consider taking advantage of a cruise with medical services available Cruise to the Arctic, Svalbard: several lines from Finland, Norway
Havasupai Indian Reservation in Arizona
Organizations Providing Free Vacations and Retreats for People with Cancer:
(Note: most require participants to pay for their own transportation to the location) This is not an exhaustive list! Explore online yourself to see if there is a vacation retreat offered near you or in a destination you are eager to visit.
Little Pink Houses of Hope: Week-long beach retreats for people with breast cancer (Mentioned in our podcast)
Casting for Recovery: Connects people living with breast cancer with nature through the therapeutic sport of fly fishing
Send me on Vacation: Covers hotel/lodgings and some other costs at different destinations including Italian winery, beaches (Mentioned in our podcast)
Harmony Hill Healing Retreat: Free 3-day retreats in the Pacific Northwest for people living with cancer and their companions
Mary’s Place by the Sea: Free 2-day night and day spa retreats near the beach in Ocean Grove, NJ
Live by Living: Free retreats in the Rocky Mountains in Colorado for people with cancer and their care givers
Camp Mak-a-Dream: Free retreats in Montana for people with cancer and their caregivers"
New therapeutic options are now available for HR+ MBC. Dr. Virginia Kaklamani will discuss endocrine therapy resistance, liquid biopsy/blood test, mutations, and treatment sequencing of targeted therapy. You will learn about oral selective estrogen receptor degraders (SERDS), clinical trials, and more.
Research for triple negative breast cancer is growing, but current treatments still continue to fail the vast majority of people living with triple negative MBC. Data from the National Cancer Institute gives a five-year relative survival of only 12.8% of women diagnosed with triple negative MBC. Those women have what's called an exceptional response to treatment; more simply, we call them “unicorns” – beings that can bring wonder & hope. The stories of well-known triple negative MBC unicorns such as Karen Peterson and Barbara Bigelow bring inspiration. Today, we share the stories of two additional women: Dr. Toni Willis and Colleen Broughton have both lived for 8 years with TN metastatic breast cancer. Being an exceptional responder is what everyone with MBC hopes for – we wanted to give a chance for Colleen and Toni to share the miraculous, the miserable, and the mundane of surviving far longer than they expected to. MUSIC CREDIT:The Things That Keep Us Here · Scott Buckley
Lisa Manning and Tony Laudico met in Tokyo, Japan where they were both working at the time. It was a serendipitous encounter of a Canadian and an American, and the beginning of their version of a modern fairy tale romance. They lived happily for 27 years in many countries around the globe and made thousands of memories with their extended families, friends and two wonderful sons. But unlike many fairy tales that end when a couple dies on the same day after a long life together, Tony and Lisa’s fairy tale had a different ending. Lisa Manning Laudico died on August 6th 2022 after five years of living with metastatic breast cancer. She died quickly and unexpectedly within one week. Tony was suddenly faced - as it turns out totally unprepared - with the stunning reality of becoming a widower and the future without the love of his life, his partner and best friend. A year later, soon after the one year anniversary of Lisa’s passing, Tony got in touch with our Executive Producer Victoria Goldberg and suggested that they meet and talk about Lisa’s last days and how he was able to survive these past 12 months without her. It is remarkable and at times a heart wrenching account of Tony’s struggle to comprehend a life without the partnership that had sustained and defined him for 30 years, his whole adult life.
He will talk about the anguish of loss, a nightmare of "death-duties", the true meaning of grief, and the solace of friendship.
**Although not always easy listening, it is an uplifting testament to the power of love.
Special thanks to John Martyn for the use of his song 'Small Hours' - One World (1977)*
With the holiday season fast approaching, it is a great time to talk about gratitude and how important it is to have a joyful life. Making gratitude a part of your life, just like breathing, is such a huge help if you are searching for joy. But you can't just conjure up a life lived in gratitude. Unlike being thankful, which exists in the mind, gratitude is an appreciation that comes from the heart. It has to be cultivated and practiced. Today's 'Think Joy Thursday' explores ways to do this and even offers some helpful hints to make joy a habit in your life.
Young Adults & MBC is an episode that explores the lives of those diagnosed under the age of 40 with Stage IV breast cancer. First up, our Senior Producer, Natalia Green, interviews Angelica Valadez, initially diagnosed with early stage breast cancer in 2020 then diagnosed with MBC in 2022. Next, she interviews Sooz Stever, a YSC State Leader for Utah diagnosed with early stage TNBC in 2016 and MBC ally, dedicated to improving the lives of those living with metastatic breast cancer.
We’ll discuss how we as young women focus on finding a community, overcoming obstacles and learning to navigate life as a young person with metastatic breast cancer everyday.
Welcome to the episode 7 of our Meditation Mondays series, created with MBC patients in mind. In today's meditation, we will be focusing on our life and the 10,000 joys and the 10,000 sorrows that have passed through it and all of our lives
Sit back and prepare to become calm and relaxed for the next 12 minutes
Inspired by a very enthusiastic response to monthly meditation sessions from one of SHARE’s MBC support groups. These sessions are on average under 20 minutes long. Our meditation leader is Barbara Chutroo, an MBC patient herself and a member of the group.
Barbara is a longtime meditator and experienced meditation teacher. She's also a movement therapist and a clinical social worker.
Thanks for listening!
To find all the past episodes for this series, click on the MeditationMondays tab at the top of our landing or follow this link: https://www.ourmbclife.org/vault/meditation
Do you like this series? We welcome feedback
Email:
ourmbclife@sharecancersupport.org
Send us a voice recording via email or through SpeakPipe on our website.
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @ourmbclife
Each October, Our MBC Life marks Breast Cancer Awareness month with a special episode dedicated to all those who died from metastatic breast cancer over the past year.
But one podcast can’t begin to encompass and reflect the true toll of all of the lives cut short by this ruthless and terminal disease. Here’s the hard truth about MBC, according to advocacy and research organization Metavivor: In the US alone, an estimated 42,360 women and 530 men will die from the disease in 2023—117 per day. And despite the optimism around early detection and prevention that infuses “Pinktober” and its focus on survivorship, one in three diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer will eventually progress to become metastatic. Only 10% are metastatic at their first breast MBC diagnosis.
This painful and sobering reality—that so many of us ultimately develop the kind of breast cancer that kills—needs to be part of the annual month-long conversation about breast cancer. Most importantly, it should help to guide decisions about how breast cancer research funds are invested. Shockingly, the estimated share of breast cancer research dollars that go to MBC is 5%. And while new treatments are extending survival for many with MBC, the disease is still terminal.
To live with your own diagnosis or to be a loved one, caregiver, or friend of someone with MBC is to inhabit a community of loss. Every day, we confront the reality of mortality and struggle to balance fear with hope, and sorrow with joy. “We Remember” is OMBCL’s opportunity to give voice to the profound grief we share and to honor and celebrate each person we’ve lost. It’s a chance to express our gratitude for the extraordinary and unique ways they made our lives richer. And it is also an opportunity to channel some of our grief, fear, and anger into advocacy for the attention, support, and research needed to truly put us on the Road to a Cure.
MUSIC CREDITS:
'Memories' by Maroon 5
'Mandy Love Theme' by Jóhann Jóhannsson
'Season Suite: Late Winter, Early Spring' by John Denver
'Fly Me To The Moon' by Frank Sinatra
'Rêverie, L 68' by Claude Debussy
'Songbird' by Fleetwood Mac
'All Boundaries Are Conventions' by Tom Tykwer, Johnny Klimek, and Reinhold Heil
On this episode of Think Joy Thursday, we will be exploring the relationship between perspective and joy. Choosing the way you look at the world is a major key in having a joyful life. You can learn that it is possible to hold joy and sorrow in the same hand by using perspective. It’s not always easy to do this, so we will explore ways to incorporate perspective into your life, as well as some tips and tricks to make it become your go-to reaction when confronted with difficult situations.
This episode of our podcast is about and with a very special group of MBC patients. This group is increasing in numbers and yet it is underrepresented in clinical research, and its unique needs are not well understood. In fact, we don’t even agree on what to call this group - aging, elderly, older adults, geriatrics. We are talking about those of us who are living with metastatic breast cancer and are over 65 years old.
Did you know that breast cancer has the highest incidence in the aging population? It is estimated that 21% of newly diagnosed patients are over 70 years old. It has been extensively reported that breast cancer-related mortality increases with age, regardless of disease stage. Geriatric oncology is emerging as a subspecialty of cancer care focused on older patients. So today, co-hosts Dr. Ellen Landsberger and Victoria Goldberg are talking to Dr Rachel Freedman, medical oncologist at Dana Farber about the challenges of caring for older adults
The second part of the episode is a panel discussion about the issues of living and aging with MBC with the members of the MBC support groups at SHARE.
Thanks for listening!
More info about the show and past episodes is available on our website: www.ourmbclife.org
Got something to share? Feedback?
Email: ourmbclife@sharecancersupport.org
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and twitter @ourmbclife
Welcome to the episode 6 of our Meditation Mondays series, created with MBC patients in mind. In today's meditation, we will be focusing on how in meditation we're listening to ourselves and finding space to open up and offer ourselves the attention and the care.
Sit back and prepare to become calm and relaxed for the next 19 minutes
Inspired by a very enthusiastic response to monthly meditation sessions from one of SHARE’s MBC support groups. These sessions are on average under 20 minutes long. Our meditation leader is Barbara Chutroo, an MBC patient herself and a member of the group.
Barbara is a longtime meditator and experienced meditation teacher. She's also a movement therapist and a clinical social worker.
Thanks for listening!
You will find all the past episodes for this series in The Podcast Vault, on our website: https://www.ourmbclife.org/vault/meditation
Do you like this series? We welcome feedback
Email:
ourmbclife@sharecancersupport.org
Send us a voice recording via email or through SpeakPipe on our website.
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @ourmbclife
Today we’re bringing you a very special podcast episode that we create every year in partnership with SHARE Cancer Support called “Report Back From ASCO”, a webinar that occurred earlier this summer. ASCO, or the American Society for Clinical Oncology, is the world's leading professional organization for physicians and oncology professionals. The society organizes an annual meeting that serves as a platform for sharing the latest advancements in oncology research, clinical practice, and treatment strategies.
In this podcast, Dr. Sherry Shen breaks down all the exciting developments in research and presentations at ASCO 2023.
Welcome to the Think Joy Thursday series, created to help not just MBC patients, but anyone dealing with difficult situations, learn tools to put into practice to help achieve a happier mindset. On this episode, we will be exploring the difference between happiness and joy. We will share some scientific research that has been done to determine if we are pre-disposed to being joyful and will delve into ways to help you spot true joy. We will explore how to have joy even if you are experiencing difficult life circumstances by sharing ways to find joy when confronted with both the big and small challenges of life.
This is a pilot episode brought to you in part by LatinaSHARE, meant for those needing resources and information about MBC in Spanish. Below you can read the episode's description in both Spanish and English:
Únase a nosotros para darle la bienvenida una vez más al Dr. Jesús D. Anampa MD, oncólogo médico en el Centro Montefiore Einstein para la Atención del Cáncer. En su presentación nos enseñará sobre inmunoterapia, así como nuevas estrategias utilizadas para el tratamiento del cáncer de seno metastásico.
Join us in once again welcoming Dr. Jesus D. Anampa MD, who is a medical oncologist at the Montefiore Einstein Center for Cancer Care. In his presentation, he will teach us about immunotherapy, as well as the new strategies used for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer.
Please share this episode with anyone you may know who would benefit from a podcast in Spanish about MBC. Thanks for listening and sharing!
**When Roberta Lombardi, a Connecticut mom of three, heard her diagnosis of early-stage triple-positive breast cancer, she had 14 months of treatment but found herself changed after the experience. She formed a nonprofit, Infinite Strength, to support breast cancer patients of all stages but she quickly pivoted toward the lives of moms with metastatic breast cancer: Specifically, single mothers of kids under 18, with financial need and MBC. The need is great and the response has been as well. Roberta took her regional nonprofit from serving people in Connecticut, to the Northeast, then including the South, and soon its focus on changing the picture for these women spread nationwide. Infinite Strength had beneficiaries in 27 states in late August and there is a lot planned for the end of 2023 and into 2024. Roberta is laser focused on removing barriers so that both moms with MBC and their kids can make the most of their time together, and she’s not afraid of causing waves to reach that goal.
infinitestrength.org
Aid application:**
https://www.infinitestrength.org/apply-for-aid
Welcome to the episode 5 of our Meditation Mondays series, created with MBC patients in mind. In today's meditation, we will be focusing on having a sense of being in community, having the support of the community.
Sit back and prepare to become calm and relaxed for the next 16 minutes
Inspired by a very enthusiastic response to monthly meditation sessions from one of SHARE’s MBC support groups, this episode is our third in the series of meditation sessions recorded over the last year. These sessions are on average 20-25 minutes long. Our meditation leader is Barbara Chutroo, an MBC patient herself and a member of the group.
Barbara is a longtime meditator and experienced meditation teacher. She's also a movement therapist and a clinical social worker.
Thanks for listening!
You will find all the past episodes for this series in The Podcast Vault, on our website: https://www.ourmbclife.org/vault/meditation
Do you like this series? We welcome feedback
Email:
ourmbclife@sharecancersupport.org
Send us a voice recording via email or through SpeakPipe on our website.
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @ourmbclife
Welcome to our second episode of the Summer 23 season. Awhile back we introduced the new series under the brand #OMBCLShorts. As the title implies, these are shorter episodes. Our second OMBCL Shorts features Dr. Erika Hamilton answering questions about her top takeaways from ASCO23. In this 20-minute interview we covered important updates on the CDK4/6 inhibitors for both early-stage and metastatic breast cancer, as well as research on a new HER3 ADC and the first AKT inhibitor for MBC.
**Listen in, enjoy, and let us know what you think by sending us a message on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram! @ourmbclife
And don't forget to rate and review the podcast! Thanks so much for listening!**
Welcome to the Our MBC Life Summer Season 2023. In this episode Victoria Goldberg is joined by clinical psychologist and author Sarah Mandel to discuss her beautiful, honest, and thoughtful memoir Little Earthquakes and her insights into life and death, trauma and healing. parenting and hope.
When Sarah was pregnant with her second child, her daughter Sienna, she began preparing for her maternity leave, juggling the demands of her soon-to-be-new baby and her little daughter Sophie with the needs of her patients. Noticing a lump in her breast, she assumed it was most likely a clogged milk duct. But a biopsy revealed that it was breast cancer. When she went into labor, she learned that her cancer had already spread to her bones —horrible news that forced her to confront terminal illness as she was bringing new life into the world.
Take a listen. We promise you, you will love meeting Sarah.
More info about the show and past episodes is available on our website: www.ourmbclife.org
Got something to share? Feedback?
Email: ourmbclife@sharecancersupport.org
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and twitter @ourmbclife
Welcome to the episode 4 of our Meditation Mondays series, created with MBC patients in mind. Being with the truth of whatever is here in this moment with compassion and without judgement and knowing that we're not any one thing because we are constantly changing, is at the heart of this practice. Join us!
As we say at the start of every meditation session, sit back and prepare to become calm and relaxed for the next 19 minutes
Inspired by a very enthusiastic response to monthly meditation sessions from one of SHARE’s MBC support groups, this episode is our third in the series of meditation sessions recorded over the last year. These sessions are on average 20-25 minutes long. Our meditation leader is Barbara Chutroo, an MBC patient herself and a member of the group.
Barbara is a longtime meditator and experienced meditation teacher. She's also a movement therapist and a clinical social worker.
Thanks for listening!
You will find all the past episodes for this series in The Podcast Vault, on our website: https://www.ourmbclife.org/vault/meditation
Do you like this series? We welcome feedback
Email:
ourmbclife@sharecancersupport.org
Send us a voice recording via email or through SpeakPipe on our website.
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @ourmbclife
In today’s episode, Anne Woodward sits down with a special guest to discuss the in’s and outs of having MBC while living in the public eye. Get ready folks you are not going to want to miss hearing from Kelly Crump. She is the first ever sports illustrated swimsuit model photographed while posing on a picturesque beach in a gorgeous swimsuit with a mastectomy scar for all the world to see. In this incredible interview Kelly explains how she embraced social media to live out loud and in doing so harnessed all the attention to be an inspiration and help her 30,000 + followers.
CoppaFeel- Is the first breast cancer charity in the UK to solely create awareness amongst young people, with the aim of instilling the knowledge and tools they need to get to know their bodies. We like to talk about a serious message in a light-hearted way, empowering people to start healthy habits for life.https://coppafeel.or
Welcome to the Meditation Mondays series, created with MBC patients in mind and designed for people who want to assist their body's natural tendency to repair and heal. It's not a substitute for medical treatment, but a compliment to it.
Inspired by a very enthusiastic response to monthly meditation sessions from one of SHARE’s MBC support groups, this episode is our third in the series of meditation sessions recorded over the last year. These sessions are on average 20-25 minutes long. Our meditation leader is Barbara Chutroo, an MBC patient herself and a member of the group.
Barbara is a longtime meditator and experienced meditation teacher. She's also a movement therapist and a clinical social worker.
**Introducing OMBCL Shorts! This new feature of our podcast brings you memorable outtakes from the amazing interviews we do with people living with MBC and the many incredible people who support us. Our inaugural OMBCL Shorts features Dr. Stephanie Graff talking about what she does when someone is newly diagnosed with MBC. This season, we had a 3-part series for people newly diagnosed and we couldn't resist getting her take on the topic. And we're so glad we asked! Listen in, enjoy, and let us know what you think by sending us a message on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram! @ourmbclife
And don't forget to rate and review the podcast! Thanks so much for listening!**
If you don't hear much about the rising rates of all stages of breast cancer, including MBC, in young women, you're not alone. De novo MBC rates (when Stage 4 MBC is found at the first diagnosis) are rising "exponentially", and fastest among women between the ages of 25 and 39, but not in older women. These trends are alarming to researchers. Perhaps most shocking of all: half of young women diagnosed with breast cancer under 45 have a postpartum diagnosis, defined as being within 10 years from their youngest child's birth, and that is something that rarely gets covered or explained. We'll explore it all in this episode, including the possible causes, recommendations for testing and even contraception for young women, and the research and clinical leaders working to make this a top priority in the BC & MBC space. It's difficult to consider, and dense, we know. But so important and important to share with all the young women in our lives. Not to scare them, but to inform and empower them.
In 2021, the estimated number of women in the United States living with metastatic breast cancer rose to about 168,000 from 155,000 the year before, according to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. The good news is that survival rates are also climbing, Over the last 20 years, advances in HER2 targeting treatments, ADCs, immune checkpoint inhibitors, and CDK4/6 inhibitors have prolonged survival and changed the breast cancer treatment landscape.
New treatment paradigms and advances invariably lead to more questions about optimal drug sequencing, mechanisms of resistance, and how to overcome that resistance
In this episode we attempt to tackle these questions and review new advances and trends in MBC with assistance from Dr. Stephanie Graff
Take a listen. It is going to be an exciting discussion.
More info about the show and past episodes is available on our website: www.ourmbclife.org
Got something to share? Feedback?
Email: ourmbclife@sharecancersupport.org
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and twitter @ourmbclif
Welcome to the Meditation Mondays series, created with MBC patients in mind and designed for people who want to assist their body's natural tendency to repair and heal. It's not a substitute for medical treatment, but a compliment to it.
Inspired by a very enthusiastic response to monthly meditation sessions from one of SHARE’s MBC support groups, this episode is our second in the series of meditation sessions recorded over the last year. These sessions are on average 20-25 minutes long. Our meditation leader is Barbara Chutroo, an MBC patient herself and a member of the group.
Barbara is a longtime meditator and experienced meditation teacher. She's also a movement therapist and a clinical social worker.
The focus of this episode is practice of awareness. When we meditate, what do we learn about ourselves?
Living with metastatic breast cancer is hard enough, but for those who are single or do not have a primary caregiver, living alone with MBC can be especially challenging. Even if you're used to being independent, having cancer and going through treatment when you live alone raises many challenges. Making space for all that you are feeling & managing the practical things of day to day may sometimes feel overwhelming but with some extra planning and working out who can support you, it is possible to continue to live alone and well even when you have MBC.
**In this episode, we have a panel of four amazing ladies who share their experiences with living alone while navigating their MBC diagnosis and treatment. Then, we talk to Dr. Jane Lowers, Monica Bryant of Triage Cancer, and Lesley Glenn of Project Life about resources that can help us live alone and well with MBC. There are many ways to make things easier emotionally and practically. We hope that in this episode you feel seen.
Note: individuals in this episode share their thoughts on medical aid in dying as one part of this rich discussion.*
MUSIC CREDITS: *"Honey Jam" by Massobeats
"Onion" by LuKremBo
"Exit to Nowhere" by DRG1991*
The first days, weeks, and months after being diagnosed with MBC can feel like you’ve been dropped into a dangerous and alien landscape, one whose inhabitants speak a new and confusing language. Numb and bewildered, you face a mountain of medical decisions—each of them seemingly high stakes.
If that sounds all too familiar, take a deep breath. Our goal for this third episode in our 3-part series for newly diagnosed patients is to help our listeners:
1. Understand the Basics of their diagnosis
2. Make Informed Decisions about the tests their doctors order—and understand what the results mean
3. Feel Confident and Empowered to ask their doctors and other medical providers questions and to advocate for their best treatment
OMBCL senior producer Martha Carlson began by asking newly diagnosed MBC patients about what was most difficult with their medical care. The responses shaped this episode because what she heard back touched on everything from hearing the news to treatments to tests. Martha turned to leading medical oncologist Rebecca Shatsky, MD from UC San Diego Health for her take on these real-life, patient-focused topics. Dr. Shatsky not only demystified doctor-speak, she gets into the details of first steps and first tests for MBC subtypes, the differences between CTs and PET scans, what blood biopsies and tissue biopsies tell our oncologists and so much more. Because few things connect us better than sharing our stories, Martha also asked experienced MBC patients a single question: What do you wish you knew when you were first diagnosed? Throughout the episode, we hear from experienced patient advocates Dr. Kelly Shanahan, Joan Mancuso, Sheila Johnson, Marissa Holzer, and Ashley Fernandez.
Candid and emotional, this interview with Michelle Anderson-Benjamin, who was diagnosed first with early-stage breast cancer during the pandemic and then, soon after completing treatment, with metastatic breast cancer, brings our 3-episode series for those newly diagnosed with MBC into the realm of advocacy.
Michelle shares her experiences as a health care professional who looked around and found that not only were resources lacking, her own doctors couldn't show her how her path might look. This is a candid conversation about seeing shortcomings and taking action to make things better for yourself and for those who come after. For Michelle, that meant incorporating the training from advocacy organizations like For the Breast of Us and Living Beyond Breast Cancer into her own organization, The Fearless Warrior Project.
OMBCL co-hosts Nancy Roylance, Ashley Fernandez, and Martha Carlson sat down with Michelle to learn about her challenges processing and growing through this diagnosis. Her story of resilience and action will resonate and inspire.
Hearing the words “you have metastatic breast cancer” is devastating. Whether your diagnosis comes de novo or months, years, or even decades after treatment for early-stage breast cancer, there is no way to prepare for the terror, anger, despair, and sense of freefall that follows. It’s no wonder that the phrase “emotional rollercoaster” comes up so often when MBC patients describe the experience.
OMBCL co-hosts Nancy Roylance and Ashley Fernandez sat down with oncology social worker Lisa Nelson to to get her take on the emotional and mental health challenges of processing the diagnosis—and how working with an oncology social worker can help. Lisa also shared some of the other resources and strategies that patients can use to keep their balance.
Next, we joined a group of newly diagnosed patients for a free-ranging and frank discussion on what it’s like to be diagnosed with MBC. These courageous and generous women share both the struggles and challenges of their new reality, and how they are finding support, balance, and even hope.
Welcome to the Meditation Mondays series, created with MBC patients in mind and designed for people who want to assist their body's natural tendency to repair and heal. It's not a substitute for medical treatment, but a compliment to it. More and more people find that using their minds in this way helps them relax, feel stronger. And it seems that when you take a more active role in your health, you generally feel better and do better.
Inspired by a very enthusiastic response to monthly meditation sessions from one of SHARE’s MBC support groups, this episode kicks off our plan to release sessions recorded over the last year. These sessions are on average 20-25 minutes long and will be released monthly, on every third Monday. Our meditation sessions are led by Barbara Chutroo, an MBC patient herself and a member of the group.
A diagnosis of Stage IV Metastatic Breast Cancer is typically the (or one of the) most significant traumas a person and their loved ones will experience. Rather than an immediate death sentence, strides in cancer medication and research means that many will live for years after receiving this terminal diagnosis. Thus, patients and their families may begin to wonder, "what do I/we do with the time afforded to me?" and “How can I/we help others living with MBC now and in the future?” One answer to these vitally important questions is to dedicate time and energy to advocacy. This episode includes patient advocates, Dr. Amy Beumer, Janice Cowden, RN, Stephanie Walker, RN, Rod Ritchie, Dr. Rosemary Carrera, and Miranda Gonzales, sharing how they have found purpose in the midst of adversity as well as representatives from Living Beyond Breast Cancer (LBBC), Cathy Ormerod, and Metavivor, Dan Cramer and Tami Bowling, sharing about ongoing advocacy opportunities. What will YOU do with the time you have on this earth? Listen for ideas and a very specific call to action at the end of the episode from the guest producers, Abigail Johnston, Esquire, Director of Mentorship with Project Life, and Lesley Glenn, Founder and CEO of Project Life, a virtual wellness house for those living with MBC, their loved ones and allies.
In this episode of our Road To A Cure series, we talk with oncologist and researcher Dr. Erika Hamilton about the practice-changing developments of the past 15 months. This is a timely discussion as research continues to catch up to need in our lives with metastatic breast cancer.
2022 brought the big news that an anti-body drug conjugate, Enhertu, was delivering results in people with what was then known as HER2-negative breast cancer. Suddenly the term HER2-Low was everywhere. Of course, the news in 2022 didn’t stop with Enhertu and here we talk about how the big developments of last year are continuing into 2023. We find out what is coming in each subtype, where there are challenges, and what research is making news right now.
Dr. Hamilton is the Director of Breast Cancer and Gynecologic Cancer Research at Sarah Cannon Research Institute, as well as a partner with Tennessee Oncology PLCC. She currently serves on ASCO’s Cancer Research Committee as well as the 2023-2025 Scientific Committee Co-Chair of the ESMO Breast Cancer Meeting.
Our guest today is Jean Sachs, Chief Executive Officer of Living Beyond Breast Cancer, who’s overseen and grown the impact of LBBC for nearly three decades. She joined LBBC in 1996 as its first Executive Director and was named CEO in 2008. During that time, LBBC has become a national force in breast cancer patient support and action. Jean’s focus on inclusivity, whether by race, age, geographic location, gender, has meant that LBBC is among the most welcoming patient-focused nonprofit organizations in the United States.
And for people living with metastatic breast cancer, LBBC has become synonymous with that most-important quality: Community. That’s because LBBC’s annual Conference on Metastatic Breast Cancer is one of the largest, if not the largest, gatherings for women and men living with MBC. This year’s attendance expectations are for 500 in-person and 1500 virtual! The conference began in 2006 and this year LBBC breaks the rules again by making the conference fully hybrid, with one full day of only virtual workshops and gatherings, followed by a weekend of simultaneous fully virtual and in-person conversations, lectures, exhibitor booths, and opportunities to connect both online and in-person.
Happening from April 26 to the 30th, LBBC’s annual conference on metastatic breast cancer brings in experts like Nancy Lin, Don Dizon, Kelly Grosklags, Kimberly Curseen, and more. But, as Jean herself shares, the connections formed in virtual chat rooms and in-person are also part of its history. The LBBC MBC Conference is the birthplace of MetUp, the site of Hear My Voice advocacy training (alums include Julia Maues, Janice Cowden, and Terlisa Sheppard), and where lasting connections that shape how we talk about MBC are formed.
We are so delighted to have Jean with us to talk about Living Beyond Breast Cancer and this year’s conference.
Sprinkled throughout the episode are the voices of our patient advocate friends Stephanie Walker, Terlisa Sheppard, and Kate Pfitzer.
Look for more information about LBBC here
To register for the 2023 LBBC MBC Conference click here
More info about the show and past episodes is available on our website: www.ourmbclife.org
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Email: ourmbclife@sharecancersupport.org
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Inspired by a very enthusiastic response to monthly meditation sessions from one of Share’s MBC support groups, this episode kicks off our plan to post these recorded mediation sessions on the OMBCL website.
April Pichon, Oncology social worker at Houston Methodists Cancer Center, and Barbara Chutroo, long-time meditator and social worker, join OMBCL co-hosts Nancy Roylance, Victoria Goldberg and Miranda Gonzales in an exploration of how meditation and mindfulness can help MBC patients find calm amid the stress of living with the disease. You’ll also hear participants from Share’s Monday night MBC support group reflect on the group’s meditation sessions, which are led by Ms. Chutroo--an MBC patient herself and a member of the group. And we conclude with a 20-minute guided meditation created with MBC patients in mind.
While meditation and mindfulness have increasingly become part of popular culture, the actual practices can be intimidating and even mysterious to the uninitiated--or, worse yet, one more thing to add to the already long to-do list. So, think of this podcast as a chance to hear different perspectives and approaches, some practical suggestions for getting started, and a candid discussion of the benefits and challenges of these practices. Most of all, it is an invitation to “join” our guided meditation, and maybe embrace some calm along the way.
Below are some meditation and mindfulness resources recommended by this episode’s guests. They include apps, meditation organizations that offer online and offline sessions, classes and retreats, and other resources Needless to say, this is a tiny sample of all that’s available. So, keep looking until you find what resonates with you and unlocks your own experience of inner peace and joy.
Meditation and Mindfulness Apps
Insight Meditation Timer (free) https://insighttimer.com/
Calm www.calm.com
Headspace www.headspace.com
Organizations, teachers, or websites with comprehensive resources
Insight Meditation Society www.dharma.org Online classes, resources and events; virtual and in-person retreats in Barre, Massachusetts.
Spirit Rock Insight Meditation Center www.spiritrock.org Online classes, resources and events; virtual and in-person retreats in Woodacre, California.
Tara Brach Meditation www.tarabrach.com Recorded meditations and talks; live meditations on youtube and facebook; strong emphasis on self-compassion
Dharmaseed www.dharmaseed.org Extraordinary collection of recorded meditations and talks by many teachers along with other meditation resources.
Breast cancer is no laughing matter, but that does not keep our guests in this episode from using and sharing humor to cope with their diagnosis.
For our first guest, NYC actress and comedian Jenny Saldaña, a life-changing diagnosis spurred her to write the play “Pink,” a dramedy that includes some of the more humorous moments of life with breast cancer.
Khevin Barnes, who lost his first wife to ovarian cancer and then was diagnosed with breast cancer himself, was inspired to write a song and then an entire musical exploring the dark comedy side of male breast cancer. Our podcast includes an excerpt from his musical—as well as Khevin’s introduction to “laughter yoga.”
Stand-up comedian and MBC patient Elaine Price has found that while her cancer-related jokes can make some “cancer civilians” in her audience uncomfortable, her fellow cancer survivors/thrivers are definitely in on the joke. And she believes that humor is an important way of bringing the reality of MBC out into the open.
OMBCL hosts Konner Kienzle and Victoria Goldberg put this question to each of our guests: “Do you think that laugher can be good medicine?” The consensus is an emphatic “Yes.” Or, As Elaine puts it: “It’s right after chemo! You bet!…I think one of the reasons I’m still standing is my ability to flip things on their head and find meaning.”
OMBCL is grateful to each of our guests for the gift of laughter. And we hope our listeners find many more reasons for smiles, chuckles, or belly laughs throughout the holiday season and 2023.
Ticket Link to Jenny Saldaña's new one-woman show "Desperate Digital Dating Diary" (January 15th @The Triad Theater in NYC):
https://www.instantseats.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=buy.event&eventID=3BD1A14E-E1FA-6764-B6BDE6940FE8FD30
Music Credit:
Saxophone Jazz Theme by:
Bensound https://www.bensound.com/
When it comes to metastatic breast cancer, clinical trials are the way we find new drugs, better therapeutic targets, and, hopefully, more time. There are many issues with how clinical trials are designed, who they recruit and who is excluded, but one of the most difficult to confront at least here in the US has been the failure of the entire system to address how Black women and men with MBC are so much less likely than non-Black patients to be on a clinical trial.
Systemic racism has many tentacles and today’s Black advocates and their allies are forcing transparency and change when it comes to clinical trials. This episode of Our MBC Life puts the focus on what we know is happening, why it happens, and actions to break down barriers to the best possible care.
Co-hosts Sheila Pettiford, Martha Carlson, and Natalia Green, who also serves as OMBCL Executive Producer, took the Metastatic Breast Cancer Alliance BECOME project as the jumping off point. Led by advocate Stephanie Walker, BECOME found that only 36% of Black survey respondents received as much information about clinical trials as they wanted even though over 80% were likely to consider joining a trial. This failure to communicate is one of the first barriers that needs to be overcome, but Black women and men with MBC were also found to have significant concerns around access and trust that differed from non-Black survey respondents. Stephanie is also the lead of the Black Wo(Men) Speak Symposium, held the day prior to SABCS on December 5, which brings together Black-led advocacy organizations, with the MBCA, oncologists, industry, and nonprofits to address these issues head on. In this episode, Stephanie Walker talks about the BECOME findings and OMBCL uses her words to guide our interviews.
We also talk to Rev. Dr. Tawana Davis for the Black patient perspective on clinical trials and MBC. Rev. Dr. Davis was on an immunotherapy clinical trial for about 1 year, ending in 2018, following her initial treatment. Our last guest is Valarie Worthy, MSN, RN, a Patient Navigator at Duke Cancer Institute, co-founder of TOUCH, The Black Breast Cancer Alliance, and 23-year cancer survivor.
There is a lot of thought-provoking conversation in this episode. Make sure to follow the links below to learn more about our guests and their work.
BECOME Project and Stephanie Walker
https://www.mbcalliance.org/projects/become/
https://www.cancer.net/blog/2022-10/working-make-cancer-clinical-trials-more-inclusive-qa-with-researcher-stephanie-walker
https://www.mbcalliance.org/black-women-speak/
Rev. Dr. Tawana Davis
www.thedrtad.com
www.soul2soulsisters.org
www.carriestouch.org
Valarie Worthy, MSN, RN
https://touchbbca.org
http://www.dukecancerinstitute.org
Welcome to to the second part of our post–ASCO analysis of the state of affairs in hormone receptor-positive MBC. It was not so long ago that the only options for this most common subset of breast cancer were single agent endocrine therapy and systemic chemo. We have come a long way over the last couple of decades. Today we are asking Drs. Stephanie Graff, Sara Hurvitz, and Kevin Kalinsky to talk about how they make decisions in the clinic on how to select and order treatments, specifically CDK4/6 inhibitors and the newly approved targeted therapies.
Take a listen. It is going to be an exciting discussion.
More info about the show and past episodes is available on our website: www.ourmbclife.org
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Cerianna is an FDA approved molecular imaging agent that has the ability to tell the doctor the receptor status of all the tumors—essentially creating a “whole-body" picture of estrogen receptor (ER) positive lesions in recurrent or metastatic breast cancer (MBC). The ability of physicians to more precisely “visualize” the disease may be instructive in determining the most appropriate course of treatment. Cerianna is administered as a single intravenous injection, and then imaged using a Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scan. Cerianna is used as an adjunct to biopsy.
An expert panel of leading healthcare oncology providers and researchers have recently identified a number of potential clinical use cases for Cerianna including: detecting ER+ lesions when considering endocrine therapy for patients at initial diagnosis with MBC or after progression of metastatic disease; and assessing ER status of lesions that are difficult or dangerous to biopsy, when other imaging tests are uncertain or suspicious. or biopsy is non-diagnostic.
Breast Cancer is Personal. Shouldn’t your Diagnostic Imaging Test Be as Well? Listen to the episode for all the most latest clinical updates on Cerianna and check out our episode notes on our website for more information. Our thanks to GE Healthcare for their support of this podcast.
Not only is our Caregivers episode during National Family Caregiver Month, but it’s also our 100th episode! Join us as Our MBC Life salutes all the people in our lives whose love, care, friendship, compassion, humor and resilience brings comfort, meaning and joy into our days. In this episode, three of them share an intimate perspective on what’s it like to be a caregiver.
First, William Roth talks with co-hosts Natalia Green and Ashley Fernandez about his experience as a caregiver for his mother after her MBC diagnosis. Then, Natalia and Ashley connect with Kayla Millet about what it means to, as she puts it, to “choose” to be a caregiver for her wife. Finally, Natalia’s candid conversation with her husband Danny provides a poignant glimpse of how an MBC diagnosis impacts every aspect of their lives together.
What each of these amazing caregivers have in common is their commitment to meeting the challenges of caregiving head-on, with grace, courage and love. The Our MBC Life team is grateful for their willingness to be part of this podcast.
According to the CDC, the need for caregivers is growing along with the aging of the US population. The number of caregivers increased from 43.5 million in 2015 to about 53 million in 2020—or more than one in five Americans. Our podcast sponsor Share Cancer Support provides online resourcesand hosts a monthly Zoom support group for caregivers.
While the DESTINY-Breast04 trial, which earned a standing ovation as a practice-changing study for treatment of HER2-low MBC garnered most of the headlines from the ASCO (America Society of Clinical Oncologists) annual meeting in June, it was not the only reason for optimism. In this episode, the first of a two-part series, Our MBC Life’s Victoria Goldberg and Lynda Weatherby continue to explore what the research shared at ASCO means for us, the patients living with MBC.
You’ll hear from preeminent oncologists Stephanie Graff, Director of Breast Oncology at the Lifespan Cancer Institute at Brown University and Hope Rugo (Professor, Department of Medicine (Hematology/Oncology) and Director, Breast Oncology and Clinical Trials Education, UCSF) in this deep dive into two critical studies: DESTINY-Breast04 and TROPICS-02. The latter examined a potential new line of treatment for heavily pre-treated HR-positive, HER2-negative MBC patients.
ENHERTU (trastuzumab deruxtecan) and TRODELVY (sacituzumab govitecan), the two drugs at the heart of these two trials, are both representatives of a relatively new class of drugs: Antibody Drug Conjugates—ADCs. ADCs are a class of drugs that links a potent chemotherapy drug with an antibody. Unlike traditional chemotherapy, ADCs are intended to target and kill tumor cells while sparing healthy cells. They are a kind of “smart bomb” for cancer treatment—and an extraordinarily promising development for patients.
Our wide-ranging conversations with Dr. Graff and Dr. Rugo cover not only the results of these two trials, but their implications for treatment and the future of breast cancer research.
'We Remember' honors all who died from metastatic breast cancer over the past year—parents, children, spouses and partners. It gives voice to both the grief and the love that endures after each death.
To live with a metastatic diagnosis or to be a caregiver, friend, or loved one of someone with MBC is to inhabit a community of loss. Both demand that you confront and live with the reality of mortality, all the while balancing fear with hope, and profound sorrow with joy.
Produced by Natalia Green, this episode includes memories and stories from the Our MBC Life team and our listeners. We want to thank everyone who submitted a name or a remembrance, and to give a special shout out to the members of the Share MBC support group who volunteered to read names. We’re very grateful to Abigail Johnston, longtime friend of the podcast for her personal reflection on this past year’s losses. Like us, Abigail has been living with MBC and has been since 2017. She's well known for her policy and legislation advocacy in the breast cancer community.
We Remember is dedicated to not only those who died this past year, but also to the 116 people who continue to die every day from MBC. In fact, thirty percent of early-stage breast cancer patients will eventually develop MBC, which remains a terminal diagnosis. Nevertheless, according to Metavivor.org, only an estimated 2-5% of the funds raised for breast cancer research are spent on studies of MBC. While we honor our community each year by reading the names and sharing the stories of those we’ve lost, we must also honor them by building the awareness, advocacy, and funding needed to create a future without MBC. Our MBC Life is committed to realizing that vision.
The short answer to our title question is that you present a clinical trial that’s a game-changer for treating metastatic breast cancer. That’s what happened in June when Shanu Modi, MD, medical oncologist and attending physician at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, shared the results of the DESTINY-Breast04 trial at the American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting.
MSK’s Dr. Shanu Modi, principal investigator on the DESTINY-Breast04 trial, talks with the Our Metastatic Life team about the trial’s standing ovation at ASCO, how to know if we’re HER2-low, and what this all means for us.
Thanks for listening!
More info about the show and past episodes is available on our website: www.ourmbclife.org
Got something to share? Feedback?
Email: ourmbclife@sharecancersupport.org
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The biggest news out of the June meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) was the success of a relatively new drug called Enhertu (trastuzumab deruxtecan) in treating estrogen positive (ER+) and triple negative (TNBC) breast cancers that were also HER2 low. Results of the clinical trial presented at the meeting were so positive that in August the FDA approved the drug for patients with metastatic HER2 low breast cancer that has progressed on other treatments.
Most of us likely learned our cancer’s positive or negative HER2 status when we were diagnosed. But how can you find out if you’re HER2 low? And what does this mean for treatment?
In this episode, pathologist David G. Hicks MD, Professor and Director of IHC-ISH Laboratory Breast Subspecialty Service at the University of Rochester, and Maryam Lustberg MD, MPH, Director of the Center for Breast Cancer at Smilow Cancer Hospital and Chief of Breast Medical Oncology at Yale Cancer Center, help the Our MBC Life team understand HER2 low and what it means for treatment.
Spoiler alert: In its Phase III clinical trial, Enhertu significantly extended both progression-free survival and overall survival versus standard of care chemotherapy—an outcome that earned its research team a standing ovation at ASMO. However, the drug has significant side effects, and Our MBC Life’s Natalia Green shares her experience with her own treatment.
Resources
David G. Hicks, MD bio - www.urmc.rochester.edu/people/20643669-david-g-hicks
Maryam Lustberg, MD, MPH - https://medicine.yale.edu/profile/maryam_lustberg/
Newly published by Dr. Hicks: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0740257022000570
The official press release from ASCO re Enhertu: https://www.asco.org/about-asco/press-center/news-releases/novel-antibody-drug-conjugate-doubles-progression-free
On August 6, Lisa Laudico, the creator and driving force behind the podcast series, died peacefully at the age of 56, surrounded by her family. It was an enormous loss for the MBC community, felt nowhere more keenly than among the Our MBC Life team and Share staff and volunteers. In this episode of our podcast, Lisa’s friends, family, and colleagues remember her amazing life—and celebrate the many ways she fostered connection, resilience, and hope throughout the MBC community.
“Lisa was a natural leader, and her passion for raising diverse voices and uniting those living with MBC was infectious,” says close friend Victoria Goldberg, founder of SHARE’s TalkMets Helpline and Lisa’s co-host and co-producer on Our MBC Life. “Her vision for the future was that a giant spotlight needs to shine on metastatic breast cancer research to change the outcomes of this disease, and her belief in our mission never wavered. Her beautiful voice will live on in the old episodes, and the podcast team will strive to continue to make her vision a reality.”
Diagnosed with de novo metastatic breast cancer in 2017, Lisa was the 4th generation in her family to have breast cancer, but the first to be diagnosed at Stage 4. She met this challenge with the same passion and energy that helped fuel her high-powered career in international business, as well as the compassion and love she brought to her second career as a clinical therapist helping young children deal with trauma.
Embodying SHARE’s philosophy that “no one should have to face cancer alone,” Lisa created Our MBC Life at the height of the pandemic to amplify the voices of fellow community members and share their day-to-day realities. As senior producer and host, she invited dozens of people living with MBC to share their stories, and partnered with experts in the field to raise awareness and explore solutions to challenges. With episodes covering everything from racial disparities in treatment for people of color to parenting and working with MBC, it is truly a podcast, as Lisa said in the introduction for each episode, “for us, by us.”
Even with her unflagging work ethic, Lisa was a constant and loving presence in the lives of her friends and family. She delighted in spending time with her husband Tony, dog Kita, and two sons Alex and Matthias, who were the lights of her life. From playing games around the kitchen table during the pandemic to skiing and hiking with her sons and visiting extended Canadian family, she took great joy in remaining closely connected to her loved ones.
Lisa’s story reminds us that we are all much, much more than our diagnosis. It also attests to the profound and enduring difference that one person can make in the lives of many. Here’s to Lisa!
Thanks for listening!
More info about the show and past episodes is available on our website: www.ourmbclife.org
Got something to share? Feedback?
Email: ourmbclife@sharecancersupport.org
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Introducing Season 5 of the Our MBC Life Podcast. The podcast's senior producers and co-hosts Victoria Goldberg and Natalia Green join Anne Woodward in a conversation about the upcoming season 5 of the podcast and some new things the team is doing and exciting details for very special giveaways for the Our MBC Life merchandise.
The podcast team is still grieving the passing of its founder Lisa Laudico, and this season is dedicated to her. It was her desire that this podcast continue on. She is the guiding light as the team forges the path ahead. The season launches with a tribute to Lisa. It is a special episode where you, our listener, will listen to the voices that talk about her life and legacy. This episode will be released on October, 5th.
Thanks for listening!
More info is available in our episode notes for this series on our website: www.ourmbclife.org
Got something to share? Feedback?
Email:
ourmbclife@sharecancersupport.org
Send us a voice recording via email or through speakpipe on our website.
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The biggest cancer conference in the world, the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) 2022 annual meeting, was back in person after 2 years online during the COVID pandemic. Some of the research highlights presented this year are “practice-changing.” and received a rarely given standing ovation. What is practice changing in MBC? Get the answer to this question and a lot more in the report back from ASCO.
Just like the conference itself, the report back from ASCO has become an annual event and a tradition at SHARE. Shortly after the conference the co-producers of the Our MBC Life podcast Natalia Green and Victoria Goldberg welcomed Dr Niel Iyengar to SHARE to talk about the main highlights in Metastatic Breast Cancer from 2022 ASCO.
Thanks for listening!
More info is available in our episode notes for this series on our website: www.ourmbclife.org
Got something to share? Feedback?
Email: ourmbclife@sharecancersupport.org
Send us a voice recording via email or through speakpipe on our website.
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Welcome to the third and final episode in our series on the potential of psilocybin-assisted therapy to relieve the existential distress of, and help us live as well as possible with, metastatic breast cancer.
In this episode, we speak with two women taking action to increase legal access to psilocybin-assisted therapy in the United States. The first is a patient living with MBC who, along with her doctor, has brought a lawsuit against the Drug Enforcement Agency which is denying her access to psilocybin in the palliative care setting and under existing Right to Try laws for promising investigational medications for the terminally ill. The patient petitioner, Erinn Baldeschwiler, tells us why she joined the lawsuit, what she hopes to gain from psilocybin-assisted therapy, and what it’s been like to deal with all the legal proceedings on top of a progressing MBC diagnosis.
Our second interview in this episode is with the attorney who is leading the legal case to open access to psilocybin under Right to Try legislation, Kathryn Tucker of the Emerge Law Group. Kathryn explains why psilocybin should be immediately available to patients suffering from distress, anxiety, and depression under FDA rules and state and federal Right to Try laws. But the DEA is continuing to block access and hold psilocybin on Schedule 1 of the Controlled Substance Act.
It’s confusing, but we explain it all here. Lastly, see the episode notes for a current petition to the DEA to step out of the way and grant access to psilocybin to anyone with a terminal illness.
This series has been led by our incredible series producer, Dr. Paula Jayne with expert assistance from co-host Lynda Weatherby (new to the podcast this season!), and senior producer and host Lisa Laudico.
Thanks for listening!
More info is available in our episode notes for this series on our website: www.ourmbclife.org
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Email:
ourmbclife@sharecancersupport.org
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Welcome to the second episode in our series on the potential of psilocybin-assisted therapy to help us live as well as possible with metastatic breast cancer.
In this episode, we talk to two women with breast cancer who had legal access to psilocybin-assisted therapy. Journalist and writer Erica Rex participated in a clinical trial at Johns Hopkins after being diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer. Mari Singfield, a young Canadian woman living with MBC, gained access through an exemption to Section 56(1) of the Canadian Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, a process facilitated by the organization, TheraPsil.
Both women shared with us the process that they went through to gain legal access to psilocybin-assisted therapy, what the treatment was actually like for them, and what, if anything, changed in their lives afterward.
This series has been led by series producer and co-host, Paula Jayne, with assistance from co-host Lynda Weatherby, and senior producer and host, Lisa Laudico.
Thanks for listening!
More info is available in our episode notes for this series on our website:
www.ourmbclife.org
Got something to share? Feedback?
Email: ourmbclife@sharecancersuupport.org
Send us a voice recording via email or through speakpipe on our website.
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Welcome to our series on the potential of psilocybin-assisted therapy to help us live as well as possible with metastatic breast cancer.
Distress, including anxiety, depression, and loss of meaning, is a common side effect for those of us living with MBC. Psilocybin-assisted therapy has been tested and found effective in relieving distress among advanced cancer patients but is not widely available. Our new series provides an introduction to the potential of psilocybin-assisted therapy in healing—rather than suppressing—our distress.
In this first episode, co-host and producer of this series, Dr. Paula Jayne, and co-host Lynda Weatherby interview Dr. Boadie Dunlop, Director of the Mood and Anxiety Disorders Program at Emory University. Dr. Dunlop shares existing and emerging data on how psilocybin may help those of us living with MBC and discusses an upcoming pilot trial of psilocybin-assisted therapy at Emory University’s Palliative and Supportive Care Clinic.
Thanks for listening!
More info is available on our website: www.ourmbclife.org
Got something to share? Feedback?
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Send us a voice recording via email or through speakpipe on our website. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @ourmbclife.
How does one even begin to bring up the topic of metastatic breast cancer to a child? In this third episode of our MBC & Parenting series, we’ll talk to three experts that can give us some insight and guidance on how to talk with our children in the most open and safe ways. First up, Co-host Martha Carlson and Senior Co-host Victoria Goldberg speak with Dr. Leeza Park, psychiatrist, clinical researcher, and Deputy Director for the Comprehensive Cancer Support Program at the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill. Finally, Senior Co-host and Producer, Lisa Laudico and Co-host Martha Carlson have an illuminating conversation with Morgan Livingstone, Certified Child Life Specialist based in Toronto, Ontario Canada, and Amanda Celeste, Parenting Expert for Project Life, mother, wife, and teacher.
Thanks for listening!
More info is available on our website: www.ourmbclife.org
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What does a metastatic diagnosis mean for our children? In this second episode of our MBC & Parenting series, we talk to the kids of those women in our community who are thriving with metastatic breast cancer and those kids whose mothers have died because of it. Our interviewees range from ages 6 to 29, lending their diverse voices to the conversation and their unique perspectives on being a part of the metastatic community. Spoiler alert - we found out that the kids will be and are alright.
Special thanks to our school-age guests: Rosie, Joshua, Michael, Charlotte, Krissy, Zhaynah, and Meica; and our young adult guests: Matthias Laudico, Alex Laudico, Vivian Pham, Steph Poland, and Sarah Poland.
Thanks for listening!
More info is available on our website:
www.ourmbclife.org
Got something to share? Feedback?
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Brain metastases are unfortunately an all too common and devastating complication of breast cancer. The blood-brain barrier has long been a key obstacle to developing effective systemic therapies; however, newer agents are showing signs of overcoming this challenge. Dr. Nancy Lin explains in this Road to a Cure episode, hosted by Victoria Goldberg.
Thanks for listening!
More info is available on our website:
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Remember all those birth and parenting books we poured over as newly minted parents? Well, I bet if we checked, there would be nothing on how to parent while living with MBC. This episode is one of three in our series of “MBC & Parenting,” where we will address all things related to being a parent living with a metastatic breast cancer diagnosis. In later episodes, we’ll share some viewpoints of their children and information from a panel of experts that will provide insight into tackling some of the hard subjects we tend to shy away from. First up, Senior hosts and producers Lisa Laudico and Natalia Green sit down with Martha Carlson, Ashley Fernandez, and Lynda Weatherby as they discuss what they feel worked (and what didn’t) for them as they learned to marry living with MBC while raising their families.
Thanks for listening!
More info is available on our website:
www.ourmbclife.org
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About 80% of breast cancers are ER+, meaning that the cancer cells have estrogen receptors, and estrogen is likely to make them grow. Here’s the good news/bad news story for ER+ MBC patients. First, the good news: there are a number of effective medications that either reduce available systemic estrogen or block its ability to stimulate cancer growth. The bad news: over time, ER+ cancers develop resistance to these medications, resulting in cancer progression and signaling the need for a new treatment.
Fortunately, there is more good news: the best minds in cancer research are on the case. In this episode, the Our MBC Life team hears from two dynamic MSK oncologists Dr. Pedram Razavi and Dr. Komal Jhaveri on treatment strategies and the latest research around the problem of endocrine resistance
Thanks for listening!
More info is available on our website:
www.ourmbclife.org
Got something to share? Feedback?
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What do Brene Brown, Glennon Doyle, Joanna Gaines, Jennifer Garner, and the Our MBC Bookshelf series have in common? The answer is that we all love the new book, Pull Yourself Together: How to connect to a life that you love by Caroline C. Barney. The Our MBC Bookshelf series continues with Senior Producer and Host, Lisa Laudico speaking with Caroline about how disconnection can happen when life gets hard. This is a series where we get to talk about the books that sustain us during the days, months, and years of living with a disease without a cure. Sometimes when life hands us the unimaginable, we need to learn to be vulnerable with people we trust to get through it all. That can be tough too. Caroline Barney gives us a front-row seat to what happened in her life so far and what she has learned.
We want all our listeners to send in their favorite authors, bloggers, and books that sustain you. We will work to meet these people and ask them about their books and writing. Please reach out to us at Ourmbclife@sharecancersupport.org with all your favorites.
Thanks for listening!
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In the inverted language of MBC, “unremarkable” is something we all aspire to, and “progression” is something we dread. Progression means that our current medication regimen is no longer working and cancer is spreading and/or growing. It means that treatment is likely to change—bringing new drugs with new side effects. It also means that we’ve exhausted one of the available treatment options for our disease, leaving fewer remaining lines of treatment. In this episode, breast oncologist Dr. Stephanie L. Graff helps us unravel the mysteries of progression and resistance, tissue and liquid biopsies, tumor markers and scans.
Thanks for listening.
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This episode has been a long time in the making. We knew that to cover our varied perspectives on grief, loss, and end-of-life, a discussion on faith traditions would be an important part. The world around us infers that talking about death is not the same as talking about the joy of birth or the happiest of life's milestones. Certainly this unspoken “sweeping under the rug” of what is actually happening to all people and all families can feel so isolating. We wanted to hear some messages of love and hope from those at the front lines of faith and spirituality, whatever your faith or spirituality may be. We recognize that all of us approach life and death in general from the perspective of our faith traditions, our family cultures, and the traditions and culture we choose as adults. All this shapes how we approach our end-of-life planning.
Senior Hosts and Producers, Lisa Laudico and Natalia Green, along with Hosts Shonte Drakeford, Ashley Fernandez, Ellen Landsberger, and Lynda Weatherby interviewed 10 faith leaders. We hear from Jaclyn Roessel, Navajo Nation culture leader; Minister Barbara Bigelow and Elder Chester N. Bigelow of the New Samaritan Baptist Church; Reverend Kendy Easley, of Bethany Community Church; Rabbi Mychal Springer, Chaplain & Manager of Clinical Pastoral Education at NY-Presbyterian Hospital; M.R. Ravi Vaidyanaat Sivachariar, Spiritual Leader of The Hindu Temple Society of North America; Brother Marcus Martin, Leader, Church of Jesus Christs of Latter-Day Saints; Chaplain Rhonda Alderman and Tupten Tendhar, Professor of Buddhism, Non-violence & Peace Studies.
Our last interview is with Dr. Kamal Abu-Shamsieh, director of the inter-religious chaplaincy program at the graduate theological union in Berkeley, CA. He sums up how we feel perfectly:
“We need to look at death from a more human way. And when I say we, I don't mean just Muslims. When I say we, I say before we were Muslims, before we were Catholics, before we were Jews, before we were Hindus in those, before we were secular humanists, we were humans."
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Before our MBC diagnosis, many of us saw our doctors once or twice a year or even less often. And most visits were likely routine check-ups or focused on a particular issue with a relatively straightforward solution. But MBC changes all that. It throws each of us into an unfamiliar world--with its own language, new and complex information shared in high stakes appointments and a relationship with our oncologist that immediately becomes one of the most important relationships in our life.
This episode of Our MBC Life, the first in our MBC 101 series, includes perspectives, insights and suggestions from both sides of the critical doctor-patient relationship.
Our panel of patients share their own experiences—good and bad—and what they’ve learned about navigating the unique communication challenges of this intense and intimate partnership. Dr. Lidia Schapira, medical oncologist and professor of medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine talks with our hosts Victoria Goldberg, Martha Carlson, and Kate Pfitzer] about what makes a good doctor-patient relationship.
The Our MBC Life team is grateful to Dr. Lidia Schapira and to our fellow MBC patients for generously sharing their time, their experience and their wisdom in this episode.
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How does one do things right at the end of life? There are many ways to answer this question, as varied as all of us. In this episode, we continue with our Grief, Loss, and End-Of-Life series. Co-hosts Shonte Drakeford, Ashley Fernandez, Natalia Green, and Lisa Laudico speak with Julie McFadden, aka Hospice Nurse Julie; Jennifer O’Brien, author of Hospice Doctor’s Widow; Cal Cates, Hospice Massage Therapist; and Sundari Malcolm, Birth, Death, and Grief Doula.
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This is a new stop in our ongoing series Road to a Cure. From the start, our goal for this series was not only to educate and give hope to every listener but also to ensure that each of these special interviews feels like an intimate conversation with our smartest friend who also happens to be an oncologist researcher.
Co-hosts Victoria Goldberg and Dr. Paula Jayne sit down with neuro-oncologist Dr. Priya Kumthekar to talk about leptomeningeal metastases: what they are, how are they treated, and what research is upcoming, including a discussion on ANGled, the new Phase 3 trial for MBC patients newly diagnosed with leptomeningeal metastases.
We end this episode on a hopeful note with a little Dash of Joy from our Creator and Senior Producer Lisa Laudico.
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All of us have experienced a wide range of loss and grief from the last 2 years of life under a pandemic. In this second installment of our focus on grief and Loss, host Lisa Laudico speaks with leading social scientist, family therapist, professor, and writer Dr. Pauline Boss about all of her research and her latest book, The Myth of Closure: Ambiguous Loss in a Time of Pandemic & Change. Dr. Boss has extended the lens of her groundbreaking research to the world we live in today. This is another episode that has something for everyone – not just those of us living with MBC or a terminal diagnosis. It is a privilege to listen to Dr. Boss speak and teach.
This type of interview will now be part of our new, “Our MBC Bookshelf” series that will highlight the authors and books who make a difference in our lives. If you have an author whom you would like us to interview – drop us a line.
Finally, we have launched a new version of our very popular Dash of Joy – this season we want to hear your little dashes of joy and we will play them in future episodes. Moments of joy do not have to be (maybe shouldn’t be?) big splashy insta moments but the big and small real moments of joy that help us each day to have some lightness in our heart even when life feels so hard. Listen here for Dar Finkelstein’s introduction of this new mini segment this season.
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The future of personalized care for those living with MBC is already here, and it is happening in Kansas City, Missouri. Dr. Timothy Pluard, Medical Director of the Kansas City's Saint Luke's Koontz Center for Advanced Breast Cancer is with us today. We'll ask him how he and his team create an individualized, completely comprehensive plan for each woman.
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Welcome to our premiere episode of Season 4! We wanted to bring you something very special and our guest, Lara MacGregor certainly delivers on that and more. Host Lisa Laudico spoke with Lara in November of last year. In 2012, Lara MacGregor founded Hope Scarves which to date has sent over 20K scarves to people facing cancer in every state in the US and 29 countries around the world. In 2014 when Lara was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer the focus of Hope Scarves broadened to include support for metastatic breast cancer research. Lara died in January 2022 of MBC and in her last year of life, Lara turned the camera on herself to share the unvarnished truth of declining well with hope. Always hope as she would say. This is an interview that doesn’t shy away from the hard conversations that we have when diagnosed with a terminal disease and gives Lara the opportunity to tell us what it has all felt like for her. We are also joined by April Stearns, founder and editor of Wildfire Magazine and The Burn Podcast. April had been working with Lara on her soon-to-be-published book, A Hopeful Life, and we hear all about that too. This episode felt like a gift to be part of, to edit, and to produce. It's the perfect way to kick off a very ambitious season.
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Join Co-host Sheila Johnson for a very special panel in honor of Black History Month. Sheila speaks with Rev. Dr. Tawana Davis, Ricki Fairley, Kelle Southern, and Stephanie Walker. This wide-ranging conversation is one not to miss as we dig into what it is like to be a Black woman seeking medical treatment for breast cancer or metastatic breast cancer and what these incredible women are doing to improve health equity for black women and men. We believe that Black History Month should always be celebrated but let's agree that it should not be just for one month but every month and every day. These women show us how to do that.
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Learn about the most recent information released at the annual San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium regarding metastatic breast cancer research with Dr. Peter Schmid, Professor of Cancer Medicine at Barts Cancer Institute in London, England. Dr. Schmid will provide a comprehensive update and answer your questions about these new developments.
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Last year in October, SHARE and MBC advocate living with brain mets, Lianne Kraemer, hosted two brilliant, young clinicians from Moffitt for a discussion on the management of breast cancer brain metastases. Today, we are bringing you this webinar with additional commentary. AND we will let you in on a little secret...this episode is a small glimpse into how the work we are doing with our upcoming season of "Road to a Cure" where we will include more content with an educational angle for the newly diagnosed or those who ready to take a deeper dive with us into the basics. We call it MBC101. Season 4 will launch on March 2, 2022!
Want more?
Find the new Breast Cancer Brain Mets website here - www.MBCBrainMets.org - to find a comprehensive repository of resources, clinical trials, and insights from fellow patients
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Musa Mayer is known to many in the art world as a steadfast manager of her father, Philip Guston’s foundation, and as the writer of two well-received books about his life and art. But for those of us in the world of tumor markers and CT scans, Musa is a legend for different reasons. Host Lisa Laudico speaks with Musa about her life as an advocate for individuals living with MBC before she retired in 2015. Joining Lisa are MBC advocates Christine Hodgdon and Lianne Kraemer. Christine and Lianne are the architects of the new one-stop website resource hub for individuals living with brain mets or leptomeningeal disease. This website was inspired in part by the work that Musa did in the early 2000s. We talk about how much has changed for people living with MBC and the work still to be done. If anyone ever questions whether advocacy can change the trajectory of this disease and our lives in the process, well, those folks have never met these women or heard what they've done. Be prepared to be seriously impressed.
Want more?
Find the new Breast Cancer Brain Mets website here - www.MBCBrainMets.org - to find a comprehensive repository of resources, clinical trials, and insights from fellow patients
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Welcome to the seventh stop in our series, Road to a Cure. Our goal is not only to educate and give hope to every listener but also to ensure each of these special interviews feels like an intimate conversation with our smartest friend who also happens to be an oncologist researcher.
Co-hosts Lisa Laudico and Ellen Landsberger talk with Sarat Chandarlapaty, MD, PhD, a leading Physician Scientist in the Human Oncology & Pathogenesis Program at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. As both a physician treating patients and a scientist in the lab, Dr. Chandarlapaty gives us an understanding of translational medicine, transferring what he learns from his patients back into the lab to answer questions that advance the treatment of metastatic breast cancer.
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The Season of Giving is upon us. Purely by chance, we may be starting a new tradition here on the Trailblazer series - guests bearing gifts. This gift will be symbolically unwrapped during this interview with this month’s Trailblazer - national nonprofit United for HER and Susan Weldon, Founder and CEO.
This week the Our MBC Life podcast hosts a panel to discuss what it’s really like to be diagnosed stage 4 from the beginning of de novo MBC. Those of us diagnosed de novo don’t get an introduction to breast cancer at earlier stages and that presents some unique issues. OMBCL Podcast team member, Miranda Gonzales, moderates our panel of Shonte Drakeford, Deltra James, Lisa Laudico, and Anne Woodward. Miranda brings her passion for bridging the gap between individuals who have had an early-stage breast cancer diagnosis and those of us who are living with MBC. Join us for a wide-ranging discussion on the challenges we face and how we have navigated those challenges with our family and friends.
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This is the sixth stop in our series Road to a Cure. With this series our goal is not only to educate and give hope to every listener but also to ensure that each of these special interviews feels like an intimate conversation with our smartest friend who also happens to be an oncologist researcher.
Co-hosts Victoria Goldberg and Lisa Laudico, sit down with the Director of the Breast Unit of the Champalimaud Clinical Center in Lisbon, Portugal, Dr. Fatima Cardoso for an honest discussion on where our understanding of metastatic breast cancer stands today, what the challenges are for researchers, and what new directions research may take treatment in the near future.
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The podcast Road to a Cure team meets up with renowned hematologist oncologist, Dr. Hope Rugo of USCF's Carol Franc Buck Breast Care Center. Dr. Rugo is also co-director of UCSF's breast cancer clinical trials program. She is the principal investigator for several clinical trials of potential new therapies. She is also an investigator with the Bay Area's SPORE (Specialized Programs of Research Excellence) on breast cancer.
Producer and Co-host, Victoria Goldberg, and Co-host Dr. Ellen Landsberger, take some time to unpack Dr. Rugo's view of what a "cure" looks like for metastatic cancers, the exciting leadership shown with dosing, and a very clear review of the latest treatments and upcoming clinical trials that could help those with both triple-negative and hormone-positive breast cancer.
The Road to a Cure series continues each Monday covering interviews with leading oncologists around the country on the concept of a cure for Metastatic Breast Cancer until the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium in December. Join us!
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Our episode this week will focus on body image and diet culture, both within society and the breast cancer community, and how treatment can affect our feelings about our bodies. Co-host Natalia Green moderates a panel of women currently living with MBC who discuss and share their experiences, as well as our guests, Lor Scannell and Mariah Crenshaw, two women in the breast cancer community dealing with issues on body image from both ends of the spectrum. We also speak with Dr. Krystle Zuniga, a registered and licensed cancer dietician based out of Austin, Texas.
"When I had early-stage (breast cancer), I didn't want a recurrence and I was much more caught up in how I looked. I think when I was diagnosed or since I've been diagnosed with metastatic disease, how I look is much less important than the fact that I go out and be present. Then I'm able to do things; I'm much more focused on how I l live, regardless of how I look." Dr. Ellen Landsberger
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This week we are visiting Dr Stephanie Goff at the NIH in Bethesda, Maryland. Dr Goff is a surgical oncologist and a senior member of a research team led by Dr. Steven A. Rosenberg, a man widely regarded as the father of immunotherapy. A friend, who knows a thing or two about this place. is joining us on this trip. Her name is Judy Perkins, and she is the first MBC patient who has been cured by a revolutionary immunotherapy treatment, known as adoptive cell therapy, that was administered by Dr Goff and her colleagues at the NCI.
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The Road to a Cure series heads to Boston to have Senior Producer and Co-host, Victoria Goldberg and co-host Dr. Paula Jayne speak with Dr. Nancy Lin and Dr. Heather Parsons about the possibilities and the current barriers to considering a cure for HER2+ MBC. Dr. Parsons and Dr. Lin are medical oncologists and professors at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Lin is also the Director of the Metastatic Breast Cancer Program and the Associate Chief of the Division of Breast Oncology at Dana Farber Cancer Institute. In addition to other pressing topics, they talk with Victoria and Paula about the national study they are about to launch, entitled STOP-HER2. It is a study to answer a burning question - is it possible for some HER2+ MBC patients, who are currently NED and have been on anti-HER2 therapy for at least 3 years, to discontinue their treatments entirely and not relapse? While an amazing gift, long-term survival among some HER2+ patients can also sometimes bring special challenges. Given the higher prevalence of brain metastases among HER2+ patients, Drs. Lin and Parsons also discuss current research on brain mets, along with areas of promising overall MBC research for each subtype.
Join us for our annual We Remember episode where we have invited our listeners to share the names and stories of the people they have loved and who have died from MBC over these past 12 months. In addition, Senior Producer and Co-host, Lisa Laudico, interviews Dr. Andrew Silver, widower of the poet Anya Krugovy Silver, who died of MBC in 2018. Andrew speaks to us about her posthumous publication of her last book of poetry, St. Agnostica and we have our friend Abigail Johnston do a selected reading for us. We also hear from Lauren Hocum, the daughter of our beloved co-host Chawnte Randall who died last November. Lisa is joined with Senior co-host, Natalia Green, as we lift up this prayer of sorts to all of you. – we remember, we bear witness to what a single name represents – the joys, the trials, the mundane, the magnificent. Our lives are these messy complex things. And we often don’t get to finish what we want to. No one ever does. But we carry these people in our hearts even as we put out the garbage, make that dinner, finish up that laundry. We keep on living even as we learn to live with the ongoing grief of our own lives and the lives of the friends and loved ones who have died from MBC. This is a disease without a cure and so we at this podcast keep on trucking to advocate and lift up the voices that need to be heard so that not one of these beautiful souls are forgotten. Ever.
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The Road to a Cure series gets on the redeye to LA to have Senior Producer and Co-host, Victoria Goldberg and co-host Kate Pfitzer speak with Dr. Sara Hurvitz. Dr. Hurvitz is the Medical Director of Clinical Researcher Unit of the Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Director of the Breast Cancer Clinical Trials Program at UCLA, Dr. Sara Hurvitz. Dr. Hurvitz is also the Associate Professor of Medicine at the Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. She talks with Victoria and Kate about her perspective on where we are as we work for a cure, the HER2+ studies she is excited about, and other research that is intriguing as it relates to all subtypes. More info available on our website and sign up for our NEW newsblast www.ourmbclife.orgGot something to Share? Feedback?
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Our special series, Road to a Cure, makes its first stop at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, with an interview with Dr. Larry Norton. He is the Norma S. Sarofim Chair of Clinical Oncology, Senior Vice President in the Office of the President, and Deputy Director for Clinical and Translational Science in the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Dr. Norton’s also the Medical Director of the Evelyn H. Lauder Breast Center at MSK and a founder of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, serving as Scientific Director and then Founding Scientific Director since the foundation's inception in 1993. .Senior Producer & Host Lisa Laudico and co-host Dr. Ellen Landsberger speak with Dr. Norton on what he sees happening with Metastatic Breast Cancer research today. They ask him about what lines of research are most exciting to him and also all about how he cares for his own mental health.
Join us as we make over 10 stops all over the U.S. (with one stop in Europe) on this Road to a Cure every Monday until the start of the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium in December!
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In the middle of October, we are embarking on something quite ambitious. The idea of a cure for metastatic breast cancer - the only kind that kills - is complicated. But this is the season of virtual travel and not shying away from the hard questions. So Co-host Victoria Goldberg with Shonte Drakeford, Natalia Green, Paula Jayne, Ellen Landsberger, and Kate Pfitzer go to the leading clinicians and researchers in the field of breast cancer to find out where we are in terms of a cure for metastatic breast cancer. It is impossible to cover it in a neat single episode, so, instead, we created a series of episodes that we call “Road to A Cure.” In this premiere episode of the series, hear from the podcast team members on what it means to live with an incurable disease. We talk about a possibility of a cure, address the real fear of hoping, and tackle many other important issues. This series of interviews will be released every Monday starting October 18 until the beginning of the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium in early December.
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Grab those negative covid tests and passports because we travel around the world in this episode! Oh yeah, get your proof of vaccination and N95s too since this thing ain’t over yet sadly. We wanted to learn how others living with and advocating for MBC deal with it all in other places. So we travel virtually to Canada, Japan, Kuwait, Egypt, Australia, Portugal, Kenya, Nigeria, and the UK. Co-hosts Natalia Green, Sheila McGlown, Lisa Laudico, and Anne Woodward find out what it’s like to get a second opinion in Europe & Canada, or why MBC is called Advanced Breast Cancer in some places, or how getting drugs in some countries is like applying for a car loan, or the debilitating stigma of cancer and so much more. Without the jetlag, we had great conversations with Vesna Zic-Cote, Advisory Board Member of Canada’s RETHINK Breast Cancer, Aiko Brody of Japanese SHARE, Dr. Rania Azmi of Kuwait’s Fadia Survive and Thrive Cancer Association, Rod Ritchie of Breast Cancer Network Australia, Chris Chukwunyere of Nigeria, Lesley Kailani Glen of Project Life & Kenya’s Faraja Cancer Support, and Jo Taylor of METUPUK.
Everyone here at the pod is sending out love during this month of October. It can be tough, we know, for so so many reasons. We have more than a little love in our heart for you.
“I think if you care about someone and you got a little love in your heart, there ain’t nothin you can’t get through together.” TED LASSO
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We begin the Season 3 Trailblazers with a twist. We’re taking Trailblazer on the Road! Our first stop will be the wonderfully, philanthropic city of Charlotte, NC. Join us as we speak with representatives of two truly grassroots organizations, dedicated to supporting the Charlotte breast cancer community in two very different ways. Interestingly enough, both organizations were started by women living with Metastatic Breast Cancer.
Welcome to the Season 3 Premiere episode! We missed you all! To start this season off right we have real conversations about the stuff we don't talk much about - relationships and intimacy while living with MBC. Co-hosts Lisa Laudico and Natalia Green speak with fellow Co-host, Deltra James about how she is looking for something new, with Tim & Dione who navigated their early dating when Dione was diagnosed with MBC, and with Brittney Beadle who was diagnosed with MBC at 18 and who now at 26 is in a loving relationship of her own. Lisa & Natalia then speak with Dr. Kelly Shanahan, ObGyn & leading MBC advocate, along with Dr. Don Dizon, Professor of Medicine at Brown University and a medical oncologist specializing in breast and pelvic malignancies, and survivorship as it pertains to sexual health. This episode also has a very informative session with Dr. Jordan Rullo, Ph.D., AFPP is a Board Certified Clinical Health Psychologist, Certified Sex Therapist (AASECT) & adjunct Assistant Professor at the University of Utah. If you ever wanted to have some time with a sex therapist look no further.
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Need a dash of Joy in your day? Join Dar as she takes us on a joyful journey. Dar's Dash of Joy airs the last Friday of each month along with our Trailblazer episode. So on this final Friday of July we have a special bonus episode to share with all of you. And be sure to check out our all of Trailblazer episodes. Season 3 starts Sept. 20.
As part of our summer programming, we are releasing special full interviews from Season 2. Here Host Lisa Laudico speaks with Shirley Mertz, who is the President of the MBC Network, a founding member of the MBC Alliance, and the most recent former Chair of the MBC Alliance. Shirley received a diagnosis of metastatic breast cancer in 2003, twelve years after being treated for DCIS. After seeking training in the biology of breast cancer and political advocacy, she became a consumer reviewer for Susan G. Komen and the DOD Breast Cancer Research Program and advocate for national health care reform.
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Are you living with ER+/HER2- or triple negative MBC and tired of hearing about new HER2 therapies and wondering when it will be your turn? This podcast is for you. Welcome to this bonus episode of Our MBC Life. The 2021 ASCO Annual Meeting was held during the first week of June. Just after the meeting SHARE welcomed Dr. Timothy Pluard from University of Missouri-KC School of Medicine to a webinar highlighting promising data from trials and labs across the globe presented at the this year’s meeting,
We are ending season 2 on a positive note with a dash of joy from Dar Finkelstein and a conversation with our Trailblazer of the Month Caroline Johnson, founder of Kentucky-based non-profit organization Twisted Pink whose sole mission is to raise funds for MBC. Even though there is still no cure, our odds of getting to a cure through better funded research and science are improving because of the contributions of allies like Caroline Johnson.
Join us for our discussion about the LGBTQ2S+ community and MBC. Co-host Natalia Green moderates a panel with Bob DeVito and Rainy Orteca, two guests living with MBC, and who are part of the LGBTQ2S+ community along with the co-founder of Queering Cancer, Dr. Evan Taylor. Dr. Taylor is an assistant professor in Social Work and Human Services at the University of the Fraser Valley who has focused their research on social determinants of health and health inequities. We also sit down with Kimiko Tobimatsu , a Canadian human rights lawyer and an award-winning graphic novelist whose book, Kimiko Does Cancer, tells the story of her breast cancer diagnosis at the age of 25 and the challenges she faced as a queer person, living with breast cancer. We wish all members of the LGTBQ2S+ community a happy PRIDE month filled with love, respect, action, and support that extends to every month of the year.
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A metastatic breast cancer diagnosis comes with an array of emotions and concerns. A few months ago SHARE invited Dr. Anne Kane, a renowned clinical psychologist who had been a student of Dr. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross and whose specialty is helping people cope with traumatic grief, to discuss the implications of facing mortality while also living as fully, richly, and deeply as possible. Dr. Kane talks about her experience working with many who are dying or struggling with a serious illness and her personal belief that every person is a dynamic composite of body, mind and spirit, and how her work reflects this philosophy. Our MBC Life is proud to share with our listeners an audio version of the original webinar.
We continue our focus on supportive/palliative care in part 2 of our series. This week, we hear directly from those living with MBC about their own experiences with palliative care, including its impacts on their physical, mental, and even sexual health. Special co-host Dr. Paula Jayne joins hosts Natalia Green, Lisa Laudico, and Anne Woodward as they speak with Leda Dederich, Shonte Drakefield, Dr. Deanna Duncan, and Stephanie Walker. We explore how supportive care services can enhance your quality of life and improve treatment outcomes by helping us stay on treatments longer. In addition, we discuss geographic and racial disparities in access to these services throughout the U.S and how to advocate for supportive care for yourself.
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“It is very important for those of us who are living with MBC to be able to go to a place where we know it’s safe to just be who we are.” This month’s Trailblazer is Project Life, a virtual wellness house that recently set up residence in cyberspace. The co-hosts Victoria Goldberg and Dar Finkelstein speak with the founder and the CEO of Project Life Lesley Glenn and its COO Jackie Seiner about the origin of the project, MBC wellness and survivorship.
This month we have focused on quality-of-life issues and this episode is part one of a two-part series on the “Magic of Palliative Care”. At times the term “palliative care” is misunderstood and so we also use the newer term ‘supportive care’ to better explain how this care supports your quality of life as you go through MBC treatment. We first turn our focus to the medical providers who help us manage symptoms and treatment side effects and, by doing so, improve multiple aspects of our lives. Cohost Natalia Green is joined by new co-host Dr. Paula Jayne with interviews of two medical providers, Anita McDonald, FNP, and Kimberly Curseen, MD, who see supportive care as essential to their work with people living with MBC.
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Join Host Lisa Laudico as she speaks with the Metastatic Breast Cancer Alliance's BECOME Project Lead, Stephanie Walker, and BECOME committee member Sheila Fuhs. The BECOME Project stands for Black Experience of Clinical Trials and Opportunities for Meaningful Engagement and was initiated by the work of the late epidemiologist and MBC advocate, Marina Kaplan. For individuals living with MBC, the data is troubling. In the U.S., the mortality rate for non-Hispanic black women with breast cancer is 40% higher than that for non-Hispanic white women. As we noted in our two-part clinical trial episodes, clinical trials are essential for all of us living with MBC to improve outcomes in general and for our own survival. In spite of this black individuals makeup only three to 6% of patients in all cancer clinical trials. Clearly, this has to change.
The goal is to have 500 individuals complete the survey. Links to this survey are found on our website and on the BECOME landing page on the Metastatic Breast Cancer Alliance (MBCA) website. Take the survey, share it within your community. The data gatherers will be analyzed and used to develop projects and initiatives aimed at increasing diversity among participants in clinical research.
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Following up from last week’s episode on the healing power of writing, with special guests, April Stearns, Editor of Wildfire Magazine, writer and psychotherapist, Erin Weiss, and the poet and writer Ilene Kaminsky, we are joined today for a special bonus episode of readings from the Wildfire magazine community. You will hear from Alison Greenberg, Melody Mansfield, Grace Murphy, Teshya Russo, April Stearns, Christina Zajicek. These readings were given throughout this past year of isolation through zoom reading events that brought together this very special community. So grab your walking shoes, or sit down in a comfy chair with a glass of something fun, and enjoy the lovely bits of prose floating into your ears from each of these writers. Soon we will be able to experience art and culture in person but in the interim, here is a little inspiration to hold you over a bit longer. Dedicated to my friend and mentor, Melody Mansfield, who reminds us that it’s possible to achieve true greatness with kindness, great listening ears, non-showy intellect, and a love of the small things of this world. She’s just the type of person that makes flash mobs or garden critters feel new and otherworldly. She is an Ode to Joy masterpiece in human form for so many.
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During this month dedicated to Mental Health Awareness, we want to take a deep dive into the healing power of writing for those of us in the MBC community. I have admired the writing of so many greats in our community: the poet Anya Silver, memoirist and poet Nina Riggs, and the great blog writing found on Nancy’s Point, or the spunky writing of my friends Rebecca Timlin-Scalera or Emily Garnett. Do you find writing intimidating or something that other people do? In this episode, we speak about the writing process with the founder and editor of the Wildfire Magazine writing community, April Stearns, a writing workshop participant & psychotherapist Erin Weiss, and poet and writer Ilene Kaminsky.
Like all good writing - we laugh, we cry, and we get inspired.
Next week, we will host a special episode with readings from the writers of Wildfire Magazine. An episode not to be missed!
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Following our episode on policy and the power of patient advocacy, we felt it important to hear from someone on the receiving end of our advocacy work. In other words, patient advocacy from a legislator's perspective. Specifically, we wanted to speak with Representative Debbie Wasserman Shultz, a breast cancer survivor herself and someone who has worked hard for more than a decade on laws to help Americans impacted by breast cancer. We were joined by Metavivor Stage IV Stampede Florida captain Abigail Johnston, who is an inspirational advocate in her own right. So think of this as a snapshot of the kind of conversations countless advocates have had in the past with members of Congress. But this time with a congressperson who's actually put her votes and actions to work for all of us. Also joining us is Maimah Karmo, President of the Tigerlilly Foundation, speaking about her friendship and work with Rep. Wasserman Shultz over the years.
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In the Episode 2 of the Trailblazer series we talk with Jamil Rivers, legendary patient advocate and the current board president of METAvivor, about her new non-profit project The Chrysalis Initiative, dedicated to eliminating disparities in outcomes for Black women with breast cancer. Also in this and every Trailblazer episode is a Dash of Joy from Our MBC Life’s own Dar Finkelstein. Dar is committed to living a life of joy and she shows us all how to do it.
It does not take long after a diagnosis of MBC to see that policies and legislation have a tremendous impact on our lives and the resources available to us as we navigate this complex world. In this episode we explore policy and legislation from the perspective of the patient advocate who have made it their mission to cause change. These incredible individuals help break it all down. Joining us are MBC patient advocates Abigail Johnston, Kelli Davis, and Shirley Mertz. They share their experiences with MBC and how they became involved in advocacy. We also hear from leading policy experts who have done outstanding lobbying over the years, Deb Collyer of Patient Advocates In Research, also known as PAIR, Molly Guthrie from Komen, Barry Lenk from Metavivor, Ivis Sampayo of SHARE Cancer Support, and Fran Visco of the National Breast Cancer Coalition. Here are some great stories about the power of advocacy.
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In today's episode, we wanted to shed light on key issues impacting the healthcare of the Latinx community living with MBC here in the United States. Our cohost, Natalia Green, speaks with her sister about their experiences as patients, caregivers, and members of the Latinx community. We also hear from Dr. Mabel Mardones, a breast oncologist based in Colorado, and Sara Carbajal-Salisbury, the executive director of Alliance Community Services, which has the mission of helping minority communities by making services and education accessible to them.
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As we started season 2 with the search for unicorns and a look at clinical trials from the patient perspective there was one person we had to interview. Judy Perkins is that person. From her initial DCIS diagnosis in 2003 to her metastatic recurrence in 2013 to being the first person declared cancer free after a course of immunotherapy using Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes (TILs) in December 2015 Judy shares her whole story with us. It is one of many trials and not just the clinical ones. Judy shares realities, advice, stories, and inspiration.
Co-host Victoria Goldberg sits down with her friend Judy for a special conversation. This is Our MBC Life.
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Here is Part 2 of our two-part series on Clinical Trials from the Patient Perspective. This time we hear from the experts who have solutions to the issues raised in Part 1. We continue to explore how research processes were impacted by Covid 19 and the race to find vaccines and treatments. Spoiler Alert – there are some Covid silver linings for those of us looking for change in MBC research. Co-hosts Jim Kremens, Lisa Laudico, and Sarah Mann, speak with experts Susan Colen of BreastCancerTrials.org, Deb Collyar of PAIR, Dr. Neal Fischbach of Yale New Haven Health, bioethicist Jill Manning of Mass General Brigham, Dr. Corrie Painter of Count Me In and the Broad Institute, Kristin Schneeman of Faster Cures and the Milken Institute along with MBC Patient Advocates, Christine Hodgdon of GRASP & Stormriders.org and Lianne Kraemer.
Want more information, please check out our extensive episode notes for this episode including an infographic that describes the clinical trial search landscape for individuals living with MBC.
Look for a full episode on April 5 covering our interview with Judy Perkins.
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We are back with the Trailblazer of the month and are so excited to share the great work of 305 Pink Pack in Miami, Florida. Rosemary Carrera joins host Victoria Goldberg to talk about her story, starting pink pack, and how she discovered the unique needs of people living with metastatic disease and how the organization changed to address those.
Also in this episode it's time for a Dash of Joy. Living with MBC means many things and for our host Dar Finkelstein it means finding joy every day and living with that purpose. In this episode she explores the difference between joy and happiness and how you can have joy, even in hard times.
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Join us for Part 1 of this two-part series on Clinical Trials from the Patient Perspective. We review some of the basics about clinical trials for people living with MBC and share personal stories from our co-hosts Lisa Laudico and Sheila McGlown. The team was joined by podcast members, Jim Kremens and Sarah Mann, as we spoke with patient advocates Lianne Kraemer and Christine Hodgdon. The team then had a series of conversations with Lisa’s oncology team, Dr. Neal Fischbach of Yale New Haven Health, Dr. Corrie Painter of Count Me In and the Broad Institute, bioethicist Jill Manning of Mass General Brigham and Kirstin Schneeman of Fasters Cures and the Milken Institute. We spend time discussing the current challenges with clinical trials with each of these experts and set the stage for Part 2 of this series when we will discuss solutions to make clinical trials better for people living with MBC.
Part 2 of Clinical Trials from the Patient Perspective will be in your podcast feed on March 29, 2021.
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This season we are thrilled to welcome some new members to the podcast team. In this very special and joyful episode, we are introducing Dar Finkelstein who is going to be hosting and writing a monthly segment “A Dash of Joy” which will air with our Trailblazer series on the last Friday of each month. In these segments, Dar will talk about her search for Joy in the middle of a life filled with doctors, shots, pills, and scans and offer some simple practices she has put in place to keep her focus on the feeling of Joy. Dar is a professional clown and runs not just one, but two Facebook groups devoted to this very subject: Making Our Best MBC Life and Choose to Live With Joy. She knows of what she speaks.
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Welcome to Season 2! In this episode, we spoke with five extraordinary individuals who have surpassed prognosis expectations and continue to live with MBC far longer than anyone could have predicted. They spoke about their experiences as exceptional survivors and responders, what being a “unicorn” means to them, and offered insightful advice on living with MBC. We also spoke with Dr. Mark Burkard and Dr. Stephanie Graff to find out more about studying outliers and what we can learn from them.
Want more?
Love Research Army: https://www.loveresearcharmy.org/
Outliers Study: https://outliers.cancer.wisc.edu/
Information on cancer and pregnancy: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6396773/
More info available on our website www.ourmbclife.org
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Welcome to another bonus episode of Our MBC Life. In this episode we reintroduce you to our season 1 Trailblazers. These women and the organizations they started are making a difference in their communities for people living with cancer. Look for our season 2 Trailblazers in a special episode the last Friday of each month.
Send your comments, feedback, and ideas to ourmbclife@sharecancersupport.org or record your comments at https://www.speakpipe.com/JustGottaShare
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From SHARE Cancer Support this is Season 2 of OUR MBC Life. A podcast dedicated to exploring life with metastatic breast cancer from the perspective of us, the people living with this disease and the experts who partner with us to help make our lives better. Our creator and co-host Lisa Laudico and producer Anne Woodward preview the coming season. Hear what's coming up as we amplify voices and share realities about life with MBC.
Send your comments, feedback, and ideas to ourmbclife@sharecancersupport.org or record your comments at https://www.speakpipe.com/JustGottaShare
Check out our blog and season 1 on our website www.ourmbclife.org.
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*Welcome to this bonus episode of Our MBC Life. We are pleased to again highlight a program from our parent non-profit SHARE Cancer Support. We are less than 1 week away from Season 2. The premiere episode will drop on March 1. While we do that, we hope you catch up on any episodes you missed from Season 1.
Our MBC Life is a part of the metastatic breast cancer program at SHARE Cancer Support*. SHARE has many programs to support women living with MBC including the Talk METS Helpline, several virtual support groups, and educational and wellness programs. We are thrilled to highlight another important program presented by SHARE a few weeks ago. For many of us living with cancer there are numerous questions about COVID-19, the vaccines, and what we need to know to best take care of ourselves. How do we know if the vaccine is effective for cancer patients if we were not included in the trials? Can I continue my treatment while getting the vaccine? What about certain types of chemo and reactions? Should I get the vaccine if I’ve already had Covid? What about my immune system, am I at greater risk?
On February 11 SHARE invited Dr. Joshua Hill from Fred Hutchinson Research Center to discuss the COVID-19 Vaccine in relation to cancer patients and their treatment.You may check out our blog and episode notes, www.ourmbclife.org. We are also found on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @ourmbclife.
Welcome to our fourth bonus episode of Our MBC Life. We are so excited to share a great episode from another podcast we admire - our friends at the 3 Black Docs podcast. In this episode from last summer, Dr. Karen Winkfield, Dr. Tiffany Avery, and Dr. Zanetta Lamar, discuss the legacy of Henrietta Lacks and what we can continue to learn. We are so grateful that they have allowed us to share this episode with you. If you haven’t followed the 3 Black Docs podcast there is no time like the present. Think of this as a podcast takeover from some of our favorite people. We are doing the countdown to the launch of Season 2 – stay tuned! We have more great conversations with inspiring individuals living with Metastatic Breast Cancer and the experts who help make our lives better.
You may check out our blog and episode notes, www.ourmbclife.org. We are also found on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @ourmbclife
Welcome to our third bonus episode of Our MBC Life. Our team is working on Season 2 – to be launched in a few short weeks on March 1 – and so we wanted to share some of our favorite episodes from Season 1. This episode is certainly one of those all-time favs! With us are the outstanding Dr. Tiffany Avery, Dr. Zanetta Lamar, and Dr. Karen Winkfield who have developed their own podcast called the 3 Black Docs. These incredible women give their professional take on racial disparities in healthcare and addressing structural barriers that lead to disparities in treatments and outcomes. These issues need to be continually raised every time treatment is being discussed, clinical trials are designed, and every conversation between patient and doctor. Not just this month. Not just during the month of October. But every day of every month. We thank the 3 Black Docs for all that they do to help move these important conversations out of in front. Dr. Karen Winkfield has been recently promoted to be the Executive Director at Meharry-Vanderbilt Alliance.
Watch for the special 3 Black Docs episodes later this week on the legacy of Henrietta Lacks.
You may check out our blog and episode notes, www.ourmbclife.org. We are also found on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @ourmbclife
Welcome to our second bonus episode of Our MBC Life. Our team is working hard on season 2 and it’s going to be great! Look for our premier episode on March 1 with the stories and research behind long term MBC survivors. Always good to have a little hope to talk about. This bonus pod is the full interview that Senior Producer, Anne Woodward, and Host, Lisa Laudico, had with Carol Evans, CEO and Executive Director of SHARE Cancer Support as she was celebrating 1 year into her new role. Carol joined SHARE after a long career in media and shares with us all the lessons learned through her long career and the advancements she’s seen for women and mothers in the workplace, her thoughts on what a post covid workplace might look like, and her transition to the non-profit world. She shares her vision for SHARE and how meeting and working with women living with MBC has impacted her.
We will have 2 more bonus pods before we launch season 2. Check out our blog and episode notes on our website, www.ourmbclife.org. We are found on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @ourmbclife.
Welcome to this bonus episode of Our MBC Life. Our team is currently working on season 2 and we are excited. The premiere episode will drop on March 1. While we do that, we hope you catch up on any episodes you missed from Season 1. We will have 3 more bonus pods for you in January and February.
Our MBC Life is a part of the metastatic breast cancer program at SHARE Cancer Support. SHARE has many programs to support women living with MBC including the Talk METS Helpline, several virtual support groups, and educational and wellness programs. We are thrilled to highlight some of those programs in January. It feels like a lifetime ago, but just a few weeks ago the world's largest breast cancer conference, the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, was held. Just after the symposium SHARE welcomed Dr. Neil Iyengar from Memorial Sloan Kettering to a webinar where he shared information from SABCS highlighting both early-stage and metastatic research. We are pleased to have that conversation to start the year and catch you up on the latest in MBC research.
Christine Benjamin, the senior director of patience services and education from SHARE Cancer Support and the new Chair of the Metastatic Breast Cancer Alliance, speaks with Dr. Iyengar.Check out our blog and episode notes on our website, www.ourmbclife.org. We are found on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @ourmbclife.
This is our final episode of the Our MBC Life Podcast inaugural season and it is all dedicated to the memory of our friend and co-host, Chawnte Randall, who died in November of this year. Chawnte was involved with many Metastatic Breast Cancer organizations, foundations, and initiatives during the short 19 months she lived with this disease. She was passionate about eliminating racial disparities in MBC healthcare and brought her boundless energy to everything she did. Chawnte touched so many lives through her advocacy and through her personal support for others. Hear from Chawnte's friends and those she worked with to make a difference in the lives of those living with MBC. Join us to celebrate and honor the remarkable life and legacy of Chawnte.
The Our MBC Life Podcast team wishes all our listeners a very safe and happy holiday season. We look forward to this new year with great anticipation. Look for special programming in January and February and our Season 2 kickoff on March 1, 2021.
Check out our blog and episode notes on our website, www.ourmbclife.org. We are found on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @ourmbclife.
Co-host Natalia Green finds out how Christine Hodgdon and Julia Maués , co-founders of GRASP (Guiding Researchers and Advocates to Scientific Partnerships) saw an opportunity last year to bridge the gap between researchers and MBC advocates in the pursuit of better research connections. Christine Hodgdon was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer in 2015 and has a background in biology and nonprofit programming. In addition to her work with GRASP, Christine is the founder of the Storm Riders Network, a website that shares the latest breast cancer research, treatments, and clinical trials. Julia Maués was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2013 while pregnant. Following the birth of a healthy baby boy, Julia did tests she couldn’t do while pregnant and discovered cancer had spread to her brain, liver, and bones. Julia has found meaning and purpose in working with patients and researchers to make cancer research more patient-centered, innovative, and inclusive. Find out how to tap into the GRASP registry of advocates and researchers.
You will want to listen to these two inspirational advocates who are as smart as they are passionate and kind.
Check out our blog and episode notes on our website, www.ourmbclife.org. We are found on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @ourmbclife.
Today we learn more about the Patient-Centered Dosing Initiative (“The Right Dose “) with MBC advocate and author, Anne Loeser and Dr. Aditya Bardia, Attending Physician at Massachusetts General Hospital and Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. Usually when metastatic breast cancer patients begin new treatment, they are treated with the highest possible dosage, also known as the Maximum Tolerated Dose (MTD) that causes the most challenging side effects. Given we, those living with MBC, will be in treatment for the rest of our lives, The Right Dose Initiative aims to dismantle this paradigm for MBC patients.
This conversation was the last interview our friend and co-host Chawnte Randall was able to do before she died on November 12. She was a member of The Right Dose Initiative working group along with the many other MBC organizations and foundations to which she volunteered her time and expertise.
Check out our blog and episode notes on our website, www.ourmbclife.org. We are found on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @ourmbclife.
Join Co-hosts Sheila McGlown and Lisa Laudico for a conversation with Maimah Karmo, founder of the Tigerlily Foundation along with Christine Hodgdon and Julia Maues, co-founders of GRASP and the #PullUpASeat initiative. We are pleased to release this episode on the eve of Maimah's groundbreaking keynote and session at the 2020 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, the largest breast cancer symposium in the world, where she is co-presenting with the AACR on Setting the Stage for Health Equity, Collaboration, and Partnership. We find out what specifically has happened in the year since the launch of the #InclusionPledge and find out more about the #KnowMoreDisparities and #PullUpASeat initiatives. This is an extraordinary discussion on inclusion, disparities, allyship, privilege, stigmas, and the power of the individual.
Check out our blog and episode notes on our website, www.ourmbclife.org. We are found on Facebook, Twitter, and Instargram @ourmbclife.
This month’s JGS Listener Roundup features a listener message from Massachusetts reflecting on our Parenting episode along with special Just Gotta SHARE messages from Katherine O’Brien, Julia Maues, Ricki Fairley, Dr. Aditya Bardia, and Anne Loeser. We also have a great interview from Senior Producer and Co-host Anne Woodward with Sue Cappucci, a person living with MBC who navigated the tough transition from work after her second-line treatment became too exhausting and depleting to continue her regular work schedule. Sue explains the process she needed to take and highlights the all-too-often realities that people face when there are true gaps in health insurance and federal programs that can fail to meet the needs of individuals living with a terminal diagnosis. Finally, we highlight the great work of Bridgette Hempstead of the Seattle-based Cierra Sisters who is our November Trailblazer organization of the month. Wishing all our listeners a safe and happy holiday season even though our normal traditions are necessarily very different this year. We have just three more episodes this inaugural season and we are dedicating it all to the memory of our dear friend and co-host, Chawnte Randall who died this month.
Check out our blog and episode notes on our website, www.ourmbclife.org. We are found on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @ourmbclife.
Today’s episode is all about Working while living with MBC. So many of us have been threading this needle, living with difficult side effect and treatments, while keeping up with work either because we have to or because we want to. It is no secret that the supports and safeguards for people working while living with MBC vary across the country and that protections at the federal level are still not fully fleshed out nor do they help everyone who is living and working with MBC. It is definitely not a one size fits all situation. With us today to help highlight things to keep in mind with employers and organizations that can help, we have assembled a panel of individuals living with MBC who are still working along with Alison Greenberg, an employment lawyer practicing in NYC. Producers and co-hosts, Victoria Goldberg and Anne Woodward facilitated this discussion with Erin and Reilly, two women who have continued to work while raising young children and living with MBC. In addition, we sat down for a conversation with the CEO of SHARE Cancer Support, Carol Evans, who knows a thing or two about the many issues that continue to face women who work, including women who work while living with cancer. Carol shares lessons learned from her incredible career, prior to joining SHARE, that included being the Founder and CEO of Working Mother Media and Working Mother Magazine. Carol is very honest about the shock of learning more about Metastatic Breast Cancer upon joining SHARE, highlighting for us all how little is still known about our disease and how it affects our lives. We are lucky to have allies like Carol to help us raise awareness and services and supports for people living with MBC. It takes a village and our village needs to include everyone.
Check out our blog and episode notes on our website, www.ourmbclife.org. We are found on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @ourmbclife.
First up, we remember our friend, colleague, and co-host, Chawnte Randall, who died on November 12, 2020. Today's episode is focused on Parenting while living with MBC and Chawnte was an incredible parent. We also dedicate this episode to the memory of Heidi Armitage Green who died 11 years ago of Triple Negative Metastatic Breast Cancer at the age of 43. We wanted to hear from a number of voices on this challenge of parenting while dealing with a terminal illness. We speak to Heidi’s 20-year-old son, Walker, who gives us his reflections on what it was like for him as a child to lose a mom to MBC. We also have an amazing lineup: Morgan Livingstone, Child Life Specialist and the author of the book “Talking to kids about MBC”; the mom's, based out of the UK, who created the new Little C Club flashcards for kids; the advocates and moms, Abigail Johnston and Adiba Barney; and, insights from our co-host Natalia Green.
Check out our blog and episode notes on our website, www.ourmbclife.org. We are found on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @ourmbclife.
To kick off our focus on parenting and working while living with MBC, our co-host Natalia Green spoke with the inspiring badass MBC advocate and author, Adiba Barney. Adiba’s life has been worthy of a book for a while and we are grateful she has written: “When Life Hands You Cactuses, Make Margaritas”. Grab your beverage of choice and join us to hear how Adiba navigated two early-stage breast cancer diagnosis at age 27 and then 30, then her MBC diagnosis at age 37. She talks about her 15-year quest to become a mother and her passion for “living life like there is no tomorrow and like [she’s] gonna live forever.”
Check out our blog and episode notes on our website, www.ourmbclife.org. We are found on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @ourmbclife.
Join us as we revisit our inaugural episode with Maimah Karmo of the Tigerlily Foundation. The #inclusionpledge initiative was started when our Trailblazer series co-host and the founder of Angel In Disquise, Inc, Jersi Baker, raised her voice at a conference asking why no one looked like her on stage even when the discussion was on racial disparities in healthcare for people living with MBC. From there, the TigerLilly Foundation’s Maimah Karmo in partnership with the founders of GRASP, Christine Hodgdon and Julia Maues and many others, developed the #inclusionpledge to get organizations and individuals to commit to taking real action to change these disparities. We will catch up with Maimah, Christine and Julia later this month but we wanted to re-release our inaugural podcast with Maimah since it is so very relevant still. Check out our blog and episode notes on our website, www.ourmbclife.org. We are found on FAcebook, Twitter, and Instagram @ourmbclife.
Join us for a very special episode as "We Remember". Listeners join our hosts and podcast team in sharing remembrances of friends and loved ones who, due to MBC, are no longer with us. Kate Keith again joins the podcast to share her husband Ryan with all of us and we have very special moments remembering people through the arts. Together we share the grief and loss of everyone who has died from MBC. Thanks for listening. Check out our blog and episode notes on our website, www.ourmbclife.org. We are found on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @ourmbclife.
Join us for our third Trailblazer of the Month, Tiah Tomlin and My Style Matters. Our Co-host, Jersi Baker interviews Tiah about how she started her foundation and how they are working with individuals living with MBC along with early-stage breast cancer patients and caregivers in the Greater Atlanta area.
Did you know that not ALL breast cancer can be detected by a lump? Well, the dedicated people behind the Lobular Breast Cancer Alliance (LBCA) do. Join us for an engaging hour with the new Executive Director of the LBCA, Laurie Hutcheson, the LBCA Scientific Advisory Board Founder and Chair, Dr. Steffi Oesterreich, and Dr. Adrian V. Lee, who with Dr. Oesterreich runs the Lee/Oesterreich lab. We discuss why ILC (Invasive Lobular Cancer) is so hard to research and what looks promising for the future. All this and more can also be found in our episode notes on our website, www.ourmbclife.org. We are found on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @ourmbclife.
In honor of Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day, Lisa Laudico is joined by special guest co-host Emily Veach, Host, and Producer of the new Happy Death podcast to interview Kate Petrides. Kate has been an MBC Advocate since her early-stage breast cancer diagnosis in 2012 at age 25. She speaks openly about this disease and how she is approaching her diagnosis, treatment, and a lifespan that is not what she expected it to be. Kate takes us from her early stage dx and her advocacy work for MBC through her own metastatic diagnosis and how that impacted her ability to advocate. She puts out the call: "We need early-stage help – help us move forward – lock-in arms." This is a very personal and inspiring account of life with MBC. All this and more can also be found in our episode notes on our website, www.ourmbclife.org. We are found on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @ourmbclife.
Join co-hosts Kirby Lewis and Lisa Laudico for our interview with Male Breast Cancer advocate, Michael Singer, and Kate Keith, widow of Male MBC advocate, Ryan Keith. Kate talks candidly about how Ryan was diagnosed, his treatment challenges, and how it felt for him to be a man with MBC. Michael Singer, an early-stage breast cancer advocate, discusses how he has seen awareness around male breast cancer change over the years and how advocacy made this happen. Ryan Keith died of MBC in May of this year and we will be hearing more about Ryan during our special episode remembering those who have died from MBC at the end of this month. All this and more can also be found in our episode notes on our website, www.ourmbclife.org. We are found on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @ourmbclife.
Join us for our talk with Ricki Fairley, founder of TOUCH Black Breast Cancer Alliance – who is one of those incredible early stage advocates working so hard to make a difference for Black breast cancer and for everyone in the MBC Community. Ricki has an incredible story of how she upended and change her life when she was diagnosed with Stage 3A Triple Negative Breast Cancer that you don't want to miss. Learn all about her goal to address Black Breast Cancer as a unique and special disease state, with the overall goal of reducing the mortality rate for Black women. All this and more can also be found in our episode notes on our website, www.ourmbclife.org. We are found on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @ourmbclife.
Kicking off Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we interview Katherine O’Brien, a leading force in MBC advocacy since 2009. Katherine was diagnosed with MBC in 2009 at the age of 43 and she quickly recognized that there were very few media accounts featuring people living with a Stage IV diagnosis. As a full-time writer and so she decided to change this lack of media coverage of MBC using the power of her pen. Katherine was the co-chair of the Awareness Task Force for the Metastatic Breast Cancer Alliance also known as MBCA, developing the new Here ALL Year initiative that is launching this month. All this and more can also be found in our episode notes on our website, www.ourmbclife.org. We are found on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @ourmbclife.
This JGS Listener Roundup has two special messages from our listeners plus a wonderful story about signs from The Cancer Couch Foundation’s Tom Scalera’s interview at the beginning of this month. Join us for our second Trailblazer of the Month, La' Kesha Jackson - Gordon, founder of Pink Shoes Inc. We also have memorable moments from Jamil Rivers, President of Metavivor, Dr. Gayle Vaday, Program Manager of DOD CDMRP Breast Cancer Research Program, Dr. Dorraya El-Ashry, Chief Scientific Officer of BCRF, Laura Inahara, Founder of Moore Fight Moore Strong. As a special bonus, we have included our interview with the inspiring founder of Hope Scarves, Lara MacGregor. Hear about how she started Hope Scarves, funds MBC research, and is now ready to share her story to a wider audience.
Dr. Dorraya El-Ashry, the Chief Scientific Officer for the Breast Cancer Research Fund (BCRF), joins host Lisa Laudico to discuss the many exciting MBC research initiatives that BCRF is undertaking. BCRF is the largest private funder of MBC research in the U.S and this year alone, they have disbursed over $27 million to MBC research. Join our conversation on how these funds are allocated, what the important Aurora project is all about, and all the cool new ways BCRF is fundraising during a pandemic. Dr. El-Ashry has a personal connection to MBC and discusses her own research. Dr. El-Ashry provides an excellent overview of the bright spots in MBC research today and the challenges. Resources related to this episode can be found in our episode notes on our website, www.ourmbclife.org. We are found on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @ourmbclife.
Dr. Gayle Vaday, Program Manager of the Department of Defense Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs focused on Breast Cancer, aka BCRP, joins co-host Sheila McGlown and Lisa Laudico for a conversation on this important funder of MBC Research. Learn more about the history of the DOD BCRP and how patient advocates helped make it happen. We discuss how the DOD BCRP is the largest US government funder of MBC research and how these funds are distributed. Find out how to become a consumer reviewer and Sheila's special connection to this critical research funder. All this and more can also be found in our episode notes on our website, www.ourmbclife.org. We are found on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @ourmbclife.
Co-host Chawnte Randall interviews Metavivor's new President, Jamil Rivers, the first Black President of an MBC organization. Jamil discusses the many ways Metavivor fundraises for much needed MBC Research & the way this foundation evaluates research grants. Listen for her Inspiring insights as a groundbreaking leader that includes the necessity of self-care. Also with Chawnte, is an interview with Laura Inahara, the founder of Moore Fight Moore Strong #lightupmbc. Learn about this wonderful organization that is lighting up the globe with MBC colors while bringing awareness & money to MBC Research.
Join us for a look into the legacy and work of Dr. Rebecca Timlin-Scalera and The Cancer Couch Foundation with her husband and new Executive Director, Tom Scalera. The conversation covers advocacy, fundraising for MBC Research, partnering with labs, "making every dollar count" and living with grief during COVID.
Join us for our first podcast highlighting the voices of you, our listeners, this month, and a special introduction to the Our MBC Life team, who all are living with MBC while making this podcast. We also kick off our Trailblazer of the Month series that showcases local non-profits and individuals making a difference for the MBC community. You can submit your "Just Gotta SHARE" moment or experience by sending your voice memo to ourmbclife@sharecancersupport.org or record it via speakpipe on our website at www.ourmbclife.org and we will play your thoughts on next month's JGS!
Dr. Nancy Lin, the Director of the Metastatic Breast Cancer Program at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, joins Lisa Laudico and co-host, Chawnte Randall, for a conversation on the issues with brain mets research for MBC patients, some of the latest research and trials for brain mets and MBC, Dr. Lin's reflections on tele-health and how Covid 19 has impacted her. Join the conversation and you can find links to the research discussed here in our episode notes found on our website, www.ourmbclife.org. You can also find us @ourmbclife on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Join us to meet two leading MBC advocates who are focused on addressing issues related to Brain Mets and MBC. Christine Hodgdon and Nunny Reece speak with Lisa Laudico on the MBCA Marina Kaplan Project, living with Brain Mets, treatment side effects, advocacy, mental health, Tik Tok, and more. These women are leading in inspiring ways. You can find links to their projects and more information on Brain Mets for people living with MBC in our episode notes found on our website, www.ourmbclife.org
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This episode of OurMBCLife is not only informative but also entertaining. The doctors from the 3BlackDocs podcast know how to keep it real, laugh, and have fun. Dr. Karen, Dr. Zanetta, and Dr. Tiffany bring their professional take on our ongoing conversation about racial disparities in healthcare and addressing structural barriers that lead to disparities in treatments and outcomes.
Join our conversation with Emily Garnett's husband, Christian Garnett, and her dear friend and fellow MBC advocate, Abigail Johnston, as we discuss Emily's legacy projects, grief, caregiver supports, mental health, and so much more. Emily Garnett died in March 2020 after living with MBC for 2.5 years. During that time, she was a prolific writer, blogger, and podcast host who showed us all how to be vulnerable, honest, and fierce while living with this disease.
In this episode, we continue to discuss the issues surrounding racial disparities in MBC healthcare. We speak with leading MBC advocates, Sheila McGlown and Chawnte Randall, and with the social media breast cancer leaders, Jasmine Souers and Marissa Thomas of For The Breast Of US about their own experiences and how they advocate for their own treatment and for those in their communities. It is a wide-ranging conversation that covers clinical trial access, the #inclusionpledge, mental health, and the amazing initiatives these women are part of.
Exploring life with MBC is our mission. Everyone’s cancer is different but what should not be different is our access to healthcare, treatments, and trials that can maintain our quality of life and improve overall survival. In this episode, our conversation with two women, Jersi Baker and Maimah Karmo who are using their voice to ask questions, challenge norms, and demand a change to who is sitting at the table and striving to create racial equity in the MBC and BC community.