Barry Blechman shares at least one thing in common with host Shoshana Ungerleider: cancer runs in their families. Barry was first diagnosed in 1980 and stayed cancer-free for nearly 30 years before it returned. This time, the physical battle was accompanied by deep anxiety and depression, and traditional treatments weren’t enough. That’s when he turned to psilocybin therapy. Psilocybin is the active ingredient in “magic” mushrooms, and Dr. Tony Back — one of the early researchers in medical aid in dying — has been studying the use of psilocybin in treating patients with cancer. To truly understand its potential, he did what most doctors wouldn’t: he tried it himself.

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In 2014, Yvette Nicole Brown made a life-changing decision: she left her job starring in the TV show Community to care for her father who had Alzheimer’s disease. For the next 11 years, Yvette cared for her father in her home, joining the tens of millions of Americans who are quietly caring for aging or ill family members within a healthcare system that often leaves families to figure it out alone. Ai-jen Poo — a caregiving advocate and organizer — hears stories like Yvette’s all the time. That’s why she’s working to improve support for caregivers in the U.S.

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Patton Oswalt—a comedian, storyteller, and devoted dad—shares the story of losing his wife, Michelle, and becoming a single parent overnight. Grief, he learned, was anything but a straight line, and he feared what it would mean for his 7-year-old daughter, Alice. We also hear from Julie Kaplow, a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in childhood grief and trauma, who reminds us that most children who experience loss go on to live full and healthy lives.

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Season 2 begins with Alua Arthur—world-renowned death doula and New York Times bestselling author of Briefly, Perfectly Human. In this conversation, Alua shares the story of a chance encounter that changed everything: a 14-hour bus ride in Cuba with a woman her age who was dying of cancer. That experience set her on a path to rethink everything she thought she knew about purpose, mortality, and what it means to live fully.

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Before We Go is back! This season, Oscar and Emmy nominee Dr. Shoshana Ungerleider is in conversation with people from all walks of life, exploring how we live alongside mortality. Actor Yvette Nicole Brown shares her story of caregiving, comedian Patton Oswalt reflects on child grief, TV host Ricki Lake talks about love after loss, actor Alexandra Breckenridge shares how she navigates grief, and entrepreneur Mark Cuban tells us about his plan to reform healthcare. Plus, we'll hear from leading experts who help us ask the deeper questions about what it all means.

The first episode drops September 18—make sure you're following so you don't miss it.

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Steven enters hospice and begins to prepare for the end of life. While he visits with friends and even a rabbi, Shoshana and his other caregivers struggle with how to keep him as comfortable as possible during his final days. After Steven’s death, Shoshana and her family reflect on lessons learned.

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Like many patients with advanced cancer, Steven struggles with nutrition, the effects of chemotherapy and depression. But luckily, from the early days, he's helped by some wonderful palliative care providers, especially Dr. Mindy.

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Shoshana struggles to maintain healthy boundaries with her dad, who is pushing back against his doctor’s advice. Meanwhile, she prepares to undergo preventative surgery for the first time, to reduce her risk of cancer. And as she and her sister, Ariel, are both sent into a surgical-menopause tailspin, they discover that experts do not agree on hormone therapy.

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Now that Steven’s cancer has tested positive for the BRCA mutation, Shoshana and her sister Ariel must get tested. And when both of their tests come back positive, they’re both faced with a choice: speak to their doctors about additional screening or undergo preventative surgery to reduce their risk of developing the cancers that have plagued their family.

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We’re taking a quick pause to acknowledge the importance of today's election. We’ll be back next week with a new episode! In the meantime, come join the conversation on Instagram @beforewegopodcast. 

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