Diane is a legacy creator for business executives, an award-winning author, a keynote speaker, a Stage III breast cancer survivor, and an advocate for those challenged by the long-term psychological effects of cancer. She founded the Center for Oncology Psychology Excellence (COPE) at the University of Denver’s Graduate School of Professional Psychology, the first specialty program in the country to offer graduate-level coursework in psychosocial oncology to clinical psychology students. She is a national speaker on women in business, survivorship and philanthropy, and an advocate for individualized psychosocial support for cancer patients, survivors and their caregivers as a standard treatment protocol.

During our conversation, Diane shares why she never thought she would get breast cancer, the discovery she made about why the tumor went undetected on her mammogram, and what led her to prioritize the mental health side of her cancer journey. She also shares the inspiration behind starting COPE, offers thoughtful advice on how to support someone recently diagnosed, and reflects on the unexpected-- and welcomed-- gift she received from her experience with cancer.

Diane can be reached at dianemsimard.com

The Cancer Liberation Project is sponsored by thekarlfeldtcenter.com