Combating Cancer

Episode 65- Show Notes:

In this delayed birthday episode of Combating Cancer, host Gwen Kelly, diagnosed with Stage 3 astrocytoma brain cancer at 19, shares the list she wishes someone had handed her in that hospital room: 24 things five years of survivorship taught her before turning 24. She walks through what nobody prepares you for, from a brain tumor diagnosis that may never come with the word "remission," to scanxiety, redefining what "healthy" even means now, and holding hope and realism at the same time. She talks candidly about the body side of things: lifelong seizure medication, losing her license after a seizure, fatigue that never fully lifted, and learning to advocate for herself in appointments. From there she gets into the people around her, who stayed and who didn't, letting others help, and the quieter fear her caregivers carried. She's honest about the identity work too: not letting cancer become her whole story, grieving an old life while building a new one, and rebuilding confidence on its own timeline. Gwen also names the part rarely talked about: the loneliness that shows up after treatment ends and everyone else has moved on, along with the practical reality of becoming the "CEO" of your own healthcare and finances, and learning to protect your energy. She closes with faith, how it held her without erasing the fear, anger, or unanswered "why," and with the bittersweet meaning birthdays carry now, marked by a donut cake that's really just proof she's still here to blow out the candles.

Discussed in this episode:

• Welcome to Combating Cancer
• The List I Needed
• Birthday Episode Setup
• Redefining Healthy
• Living With Side Effects
• Advocacy and Support
• Identity After Cancer
• Confidence and Perspective
• The Quiet After Treatment
• Control and Practical Survival
• CEO of Your Healthcare
• Faith and Anger
• Purpose and Birthday Close

More from Gwen:

Get in touch with our team for sponsorship inquiries or guest host submissions: [email protected]

Follow and join the community:

Website: https://www.combatingcancer.org

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CombatingCancer

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/combating-cancer/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1BwfwuJT81/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/combatingcancer_?igsh=azNjM3RlcmJwcWxn

Episode 64- Show Notes:

Host Gwen Kelly, diagnosed with stage three astrocytoma at 19, welcomes 14-year-old Onnaka Gerloff, who was diagnosed with astrocytoma brain and spine cancer at age seven. Onnaka shares her current life as a high school sophomore and volleyball team manager because she can't play contact sports, and her interest in becoming a child life specialist to support patients through shared experience. She describes diagnosis symptoms (severe headaches, light/sound sensitivity, vomiting), an ER CT scan, transfer to Children's in Milwaukee, receiving a programmable shunt for fluid buildup, and later a port for weekly chemotherapy, including hair loss and varied side effects across five different chemotherapies. Now stable, she has MRIs every three months, often sedated due to anxiety and long scan times, and explains her GJ feeding tube history. Onnaka advises finding supportive people, hobbies, setting "ground rules," and advocating for oneself during care.

Discussed in this episode:

• Welcome to Combating Cancer
• Meet Onnaka
• School and Volleyball Life
• Dream Job in Hospitals
• Diagnosis at Seven
• Shunt and Early Procedures
• Starting Chemo and Port
• Hair Loss and Memories
• Five Chemo Regimens
• Stable Scans and Scanxiety
• Feeding Tube Explained
• Advice and Ground Rules
• Final Takeaways and Goodbye

More from Gwen:

Get in touch with our team for sponsorship inquiries or guest host submissions: [email protected]

Follow and join the community:

Website: https://www.combatingcancer.org

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CombatingCancer

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/combating-cancer/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1BwfwuJT81/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/combatingcancer_?igsh=azNjM3RlcmJwcWxn

Episode 63- Show Notes:

Host Gwen Kelly, diagnosed with stage three astrocytoma brain cancer at 19, reflects on something she's noticed in herself over the past couple of years: cancer didn't make her less compassionate, but it did teach her that emotional capacity is finite. Gwen explains that trauma resets your baseline — even on good days, a quiet background fear about the next scan never fully disappears, and that constant weight changes how much emotional energy is left over for everything else. She shares how she used to believe loving people meant always being available to fix their problems, until she realized she was carrying burdens that were never hers to carry. Drawing on a season when a seizure took away her driver's license, and friends simply showed up to sit with her instead of trying to fix anything, Gwen distinguishes between helping and fixing, and argues that presence, not solutions, is the deeper form of love. She closes by encouraging listeners to protect their peace without guilt, to care deeply without carrying everything, and to keep believing that boundaries and love can coexist.

Discussed in this episode:

• Welcome to Combating Cancer
• Something I Couldn't Put Into Words
• The Radio That's Always On
• Finding My Limit
• Helping vs. Fixing
• Three Months I Couldn't Drive
• Protecting My Peace Without Guilt
• Care Without Carrying
• Final Takeaways and Goodbye

More from Gwen:

Get in touch with our team for sponsorship inquiries or guest host submissions: [email protected]

Follow and join the community:

Website: https://www.combatingcancer.org

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CombatingCancer

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/combating-cancer/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1BwfwuJT81/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/combatingcancer_?igsh=azNjM3RlcmJwcWxn

Episode 62- Show Notes:

Host Gwen Kelly, diagnosed with stage three astrocytoma at 19, welcomes Anna Monastero to Combating Cancer to discuss young-adult cancer, advocacy, and navigating treatment. Anna, diagnosed at 29 with rare, terminal heart angiosarcoma on October 7, shares seeking multiple second opinions (including Memorial Sloan Kettering) and the challenges of finding specialists for angiosarcoma subtypes. She outlines her treatment course: inpatient gemcitabine/docetaxel for about six months; progression in lung metastases; two cycles of doxorubicin; an attempted clinical trial; and then starting AIM (doxorubicin/ifosfamide) at MD Anderson in Houston. Cycle one brought severe ifosfamide neurotoxicity, with cycle two upcoming. They discuss uncertainty, grief over interrupted life plans, coping with insensitive comments like "you look great," and maintaining purpose through routine, relationships, and sharing stories—anonymously if needed—while emphasizing hope, kindness, and selflessness.

Discussed in this episode:

• Welcome to Combating Cancer
• Meet Anna Monastero
• Young Adults and Cancer
• Why Advocacy Matters
• Sharing Your Story Online
• Diagnosis and Second Opinions
• Chemo Changes and MD Anderson
• Side Effects and Mental Load
• Coping With Uncertainty
• Perspective Gratitude and Purpose
• Advice and Final Thoughts
• Wrap Up and Goodbye

More from Gwen:

Get in touch with our team for sponsorship inquiries or guest host submissions: [email protected]

Follow and join the community:

Website: https://www.combatingcancer.org

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CombatingCancer

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/combating-cancer/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1BwfwuJT81/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/combatingcancer_?igsh=azNjM3RlcmJwcWxn

Episode 61- Show Notes:

Host Gwen Kelly, diagnosed with stage three astrocytoma brain cancer at 19, reflects on a message from a terminally ill girl that the scariest part isn't dying but that people stop talking about the future, making every goodbye feel final. Gwen explains that patients already carry heavy physical and emotional burdens, and that loved ones' unspoken fear—hesitation, pity, avoidance of plans—can add to that weight. She emphasizes that caregivers are allowed to be scared but shouldn't make the patient responsible for comforting them, and urges people to keep speaking about life and future plans. Sharing her family's approach, she describes feeling emotions without letting statistics define her, borrowing others' hope, and continuing to live, dream, and plan. She closes by encouraging listeners to keep believing, praying, and saying "I'll see you next year."

Discussed in this episode:

• Welcome to Combating Cancer
• A Video That Hit Home
• When Future Talk Stops
• Support Without Burden
• Why Patients Must Be Strong
• My Family's Mindset Shift
• Feel It Then Move Forward
• More Than the Statistics
• Don't Bury Them Alive
• Final Takeaways and Goodbye

More from Gwen:

Get in touch with our team for sponsorship inquiries or guest host submissions: [email protected]

Follow and join the community:

Website: https://www.combatingcancer.org

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CombatingCancer

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/combating-cancer/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1BwfwuJT81/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/combatingcancer_?igsh=azNjM3RlcmJwcWxn

Episode 60- Show Notes:

Host Gwen Kelly welcomes caregiver Rick Osteen to Combating Cancer to share his experience supporting his wife through a colon cancer diagnosis and treatment. Rick discusses navigating radiation and chemotherapy, advocating during medical appointments, the emotional weight of caregiving, and the challenges of the healthcare system. Grounded in his Christian faith, he reflects on how prayer, community, and trusting God sustained him through uncertainty. He also opens up about the financial impact of cancer, including missed work, medical debt, and why he turned to GoFundMe while rebuilding after treatment.

Discussed in this episode:

• Welcome to Combating Cancer
• Meet Rick the Caregiver
• Diagnosis and Treatment Timeline
• Hospital Stay and Hardest Days
• Caregiver Advocacy Mindset
• Faith Under Pressure
• Doctor Decisions and Pushback
• Learning to Trust God
• Treatment Uncertainty Frustrations
• Prayer as Daily Practice
• Advice for New Caregivers
• Financial Toll and GoFundMe
• Final Takeaways and Goodbye

Help Rick's Family:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-for-ricks-family-during-cancer-treatment?lang=en_US

More from Gwen:

Get in touch with our team for sponsorship inquiries or guest host submissions: [email protected]

Follow and join the community:

Website: https://www.combatingcancer.org

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CombatingCancer

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/combating-cancer/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1BwfwuJT81/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/combatingcancer_?igsh=azNjM3RlcmJwcWxn

Episode 59- Show Notes:

In this solo episode, Gwen Kelly opens up about a topic that has been weighing heavily on her heart: bullying and cruelty toward people facing cancer. Drawing from stories she's heard throughout the cancer community, as well as her own experience as a young adult diagnosed with stage three astrocytoma brain cancer, Gwen explores the difference between ignorance and intentional cruelty, the lasting impact words can have, and why kindness matters more than we often realize. This episode is a reminder that behind every diagnosis is a person with dreams, fears, and a life far bigger than their cancer. Whether you're a patient, survivor, caregiver, educator, parent, or friend, this conversation challenges us all to be the person who makes someone's burden lighter—not heavier. Because sometimes all it takes is one person to make someone feel seen, valued, and less alone.

Discussed in this episode:

• Welcome to Combating Cancer
• Why This Topic Matters
• Real Stories of Bullying
• Ignorance Versus Cruelty
• Isolation and Identity Shift
• Choosing Kindness and Support
• Speak Up as a Witness
• Words Leave a Mark
• Final Takeaways and Goodbye

More from Gwen:

Get in touch with our team for sponsorship inquiries or guest host submissions: [email protected]

Follow and join the community:

Website: https://www.combatingcancer.org

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CombatingCancer

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/combating-cancer/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1BwfwuJT81/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/combatingcancer_?igsh=azNjM3RlcmJwcWxn

Episode 58- Show Notes:

Host Gwen Kelly, a stage three astrocytoma survivor diagnosed at 19, welcomes 16-year-old Riley Polster, whom she met through TikTok and who shares the same diagnosis. Riley recounts her journey from months of headaches and a chronic migraine diagnosis to the discovery of a large brain tumor requiring emergency surgery. She opens up about her fears, her family's reaction, treatment challenges, cancer progression toward her spine, balancing school during treatment, and the coping strategies that keep her going. With seven treatments remaining, Riley shares her plans for celebrating and offers heartfelt advice to other young people facing cancer: live life to the fullest.

Discussed in this episode:

• Welcome to Combating Cancer
• Meeting Riley on TikTok
• Life Before Cancer
• Symptoms and Diagnosis
• Facing the News
• Family Reactions and Rumors
• Unexpected Messages
• Treatment Plan Changes
• Side Effects and Hospital Life
• School During Treatment
• Coping and Creative Outlets
• Counting Down Treatments
• Celebrating the Finish Line
• Advice for Young Patients
• Final Takeaways and Goodbye

More from Gwen:

Get in touch with our team for sponsorship inquiries or guest host submissions: [email protected]

Follow and join the community:

Website: https://www.combatingcancer.org

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CombatingCancer

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/combating-cancer/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1BwfwuJT81/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/combatingcancer_?igsh=azNjM3RlcmJwcWxn

Episode 57- Show Notes:

Host Gwen Kelly, a stage three astrocytoma brain cancer survivor diagnosed at 19, explains she created Combating Cancer to offer a safe, honest space for those affected by cancer. She shares why she stopped drinking six months ago: alcohol didn't create her fears but uncovered lingering trauma, triggering spirals about mortality, recurrence, survivor's guilt, and anxious thoughts about her future with her fiancé, Jake, despite knowing he loves her. She also reflects on the grand mal seizure that led to her tumor diagnosis, her ongoing seizure medication's warning not to drink, and the risk of losing her independence if another seizure occurred. Gwen concludes that drinking was delaying needed self-conversations about fear and grief, emphasizing that survivorship doesn't automatically equal emotional healing and urging listeners to notice coping mechanisms that help them avoid healing.

Discussed in this episode:

• Welcome to Combating Cancer
• Why This Episode Matters
• Alcohol Uncovers Fear
• Trauma and Relationship Anxiety
• What I Was Really Afraid Of
• Seizure History and Risk
• Survivorship and Delayed Trauma
• Healing Without Running
• Final Takeaways and Goodbye

More from Gwen:

Get in touch with our team for sponsorship inquiries or guest host submissions: [email protected]

Follow and join the community:

Website: https://www.combatingcancer.org

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CombatingCancer

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/combating-cancer/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1BwfwuJT81/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/combatingcancer_?igsh=azNjM3RlcmJwcWxn

Episode 56- Show Notes:

Host Gwen Kelly, diagnosed with stage three astrocytoma at 19, welcomes Bron Watson from Australia to Combating Cancer to discuss creating a safe, honest space for people affected by cancer. Bron, a nurse, educator, and business mentor with five sons, shares her breast cancer diagnosis in 2017 that led to a rapid full mastectomy and later her 2023 diagnosis of incurable multiple myeloma discovered through routine bloodwork. She describes the trauma of waiting for confirmation, the fear of prognosis, and choosing to become an active participant in care. Bron introduces her "Serenity Project," centered on the Serenity Prayer and the idea "Be Where Your Feet Are," focusing on the next moment or "next play," naming emotions, controlling controllables, limiting unhelpful voices, and avoiding blame and shame. She notes periods of remission, embraces travel, and encourages presence, advocacy, and day-by-day coping.

Discussed in this episode:

• Welcome to Combating Cancer
• Meet Bron Watson
• Bron's Life Before Cancer
• Breast Cancer Then Myeloma
• The Waiting and Fear Spiral
• Rejecting the Terminal Script
• Serenity Project and Present Moment
• Next Play Mindset
• Feel the Feels and Control Controllables
• Vulnerability and Family Truths
• Remission Update and Living Now
• Advice for New Diagnoses
• Wrap Up and Goodbye

More from Bron:

Website: https://www.bronwatson.com.au/the-serenity-project

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bronwatsonme/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bron_watson/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bronwatson/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BronWatson/videos

More from Gwen:

Get in touch with our team for sponsorship inquiries or guest host submissions: [email protected]

Follow and join the community:

Website: https://www.combatingcancer.org

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CombatingCancer

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/combating-cancer/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1BwfwuJT81/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/combatingcancer_?igsh=azNjM3RlcmJwcWxn