Love the episode? Send us a text!

 In today's episode, we speak with Rod Ritchie, Bob Huebner & Vance Stacks, three men who all have been diagnosed with breast cancer. Yes, men can absolutely get breast cancer. While it is much less common in men than women, it still does happen and should not be ignored. Symptoms of breast cancer in men can include a lump or thickening in the chest area, breast tenderness or pain, nipple discharge (not milky), and changes to the shape or texture of the skin on the breast. Meet the men behind the ribbon! Welcome to the conversation!

Website:
https://www.survivingbreastcancer.org/

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

Support the show

Love the episode? Send us a text!

Cancer is a difficult topic for anyone to discuss, but it's especially hard when you have to talk about it with your kids.

That's why we've brought together three experts and two children who have been through this before to help you navigate these conversations. They'll share their tips on what worked for them and what resources are available to support your family.

You're not alone when it comes to talking with your kids about breast cancer.

We know that it can be difficult to figure out what to say and when, but we have some resources for you today that will help. You want to make sure that you are providing the best support possible for your children and we want to help you do that.

Tune in now for our panel discussion about how to talk with your kids about breast cancer.

Resources:
Kesem
https://www.kesem.org/

Despues De Un Diagnostico
https://www.despuesdeundiagnostico.org/podcast

Survivingbreastcancer.org
https://www.survivingbreastcancer.org/events

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

Support the show

Love the episode? Send us a text!

Resources in this episode:

https://42020577-8833-45e8-8058-fa42c092d058.usrfiles.com/ugd/420205_4cacf54d524c4cd6a67dd9ffcddb84be.pdf

Website:
https://www.survivingbreastcancer.org/events

Part I:

Support the show

Love the episode? Send us a text!

We discuss Inflammatory Breast Cancer. A rare form of breast cancer that affects less than 5% of those diagnosed with breast cancer. Ginny Mason, from the Inflammatory Breast Cancer Research Foundation, was given a 3% chance of making it to 5 years. Today she is sharing her story 23 years later and the important research taking place in the IBC space.

Websites:
Survivingbreastcancer.org https://www.survivingbreastcancer.org/events
Inflammatory Breast Cancer Research Foundation https://www.ibcresearch.org/

Support Groups
https://www.survivingbreastcancer.org/thursday-night-thrivers-meetup

Support the show

Love the episode? Send us a text!

Laura and William share what they are most excited about heading into the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium. 

Visit Survivingbreastcancer.org/events to learn more about all of our programs. 

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

Support the show

Love the episode? Send us a text!

Heidi was diagnosed with de novo metastatic breast cancer.  After a year of treatment consisting mostly of chemotherapy, her brain was found to be affected by the disease as well. She has since undergone three gamma knife procedures.  The side effects from the gamma knife have been manageable, mostly just fatigue and some cognitive difficulties.  Despite all this, Heidi says she feels mentally stronger than before her diagnosis and is better able to prioritize what's important in her life.

About Heidi:
Heidi Punke Brown lives in East Central Illinois on her fourth-generation family farm with her husband, Dave. She is a Certified Public Accountant with a focus on the agriculture industry. Heidi also spent several years as a Math Interventionist in a public school district. She was diagnosed with Metastatic Breast Cancer (Stage IV) in July 2019. It was a de novo diagnosis with mets to her liver, spine and adrenal gland. Since then, it has also spread to her brain. Heidi is an active member of Uniplace Christian Church and loves music, especially playing the piano and singing. She is the inspiration behind Heidi’s Hope Boxes with the purpose of advocating for My Density Matters. 

Resources mentioned in this episode:
Survivingbreastcancer.org:
https://www.survivingbreastcancer.org/

Events
https://www.survivingbreastcancer.org/events

Heidi's Hope Box:
https://powerplanter.com/drills-and-augers/gardening-augers/pink-gardening-tools-for-breast-cancer-awareness-pink-october/

My Density Matters:
https://mydensitymatters.org/

Text  "Check Your Chart" to 211411. 

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

Support the show

Love the episode? Send us a text!

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

Support the show

Love the episode? Send us a text!

Support the show

Love the episode? Send us a text!

Resources Mentioned:
NurseKristin.com:
http://www.nursekristin.com/ 

Fighting bc w/cannabis Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/158067737931960/?ref=sharehttps://www.facebook.com/groups/158067737931960/?ref=share&exp=9594

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

Support the show

Love the episode? Send us a text!

About the presenters: 

Amanda Raffenaud

Amanda has been living with state 4 metastatic breast cancer since 2018. Not only was she completely shocked to be diagnosed with breast cancer, de novo, at the age of 38, but she was shocked to learn it had spread to dozens of bones in her body. She had no early stage breast cancer diagnosis and was even under the care of a breast surgeon for four years prior to her metastatic diagnosis. Since diagnosis, she has been in active treatment for stage 4 cancer, undergoing countless bone infusions, multiple surgeries, chemotherapy lines, and monthly oncology visits. She is on her 8th line of treatment in 3 years to help stop the growth and spread of cancer.  Currently she has mets to both breasts, lungs, liver, bones, and brain.

Amy Parliaman

Amy Ellen Parliman lives life by faith and enjoys spreading kindness. She has a passion for serving her community thru her career in healthcare. 26 years ago, she went to school to become a radiology technologist. She enjoys performing diagnostic imaging on her patients, she prides herself in safe and quality care. About 12 years ago she became a leader in her field and has moved into a leadership role in the Diagnostic Imaging Department.

On January 29, 2014 Amy became a Cancer patient.  She underwent treatment for stage III breast cancer during 2014. She lived with NED until January 29, 2019 then she was told she had MBC. She is currently on her first line treatment. If the opportunity presents, she will share her various experiences of living after diagnosis.

Claudia Gonzalez

Claudia was born in Colombia, South America where she grew up surrounded by her parents, brother, sister, and many close-knit extended family members, including more than 20 aunts and uncles and 100 cousins. Looking for new opportunities, Claudia, her parents, and siblings made the United States their home in 1980. Moving to a new country, learning a new language, and leaving family and friends was a challenge for Claudia.  In March of 2018, Claudia faced a bigger life challenge. She was diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer. A few weeks after the original diagnosis and after numerous tests she was informed the cancer cells had traveled to her bones and stage IV was added to her diagnosis. Claudia started her journey to treat this aggressive type of cancer in April 2018. Treatment included aggressive chemotherapy followed by a right mastectomy, one intense radiation to the lower vertebra, radiations to right chest and lymph nodes, and oral chemo that ended in September 2019. From October of 2019 to June of 2021 Claudia had - No Evidence of Disease (NED). A mammogram of her left breast done on June 8th, 2021, revealed two lumps. That same day a biopsy was completed and a few days later it was confirmed both tumors were again Tripple Negative Breast Cancer. The fear of recurrence unfortunately had become a reality for Claudia. 

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

Support the show