On today’s episode, I am speaking with Dr. Lara Lambert. Dr. Lambert is an internal medicine, pulmonary and critical care physician and lives in Charleston, South Carolina. She was diagnosed with stage 3 rectal cancer at the age of 40. We speak about her treatment which included radiation, surgery, ileostomy (and ileostomy reversal), and chemotherapy…oh and a wedding thrown in there! She completed treatment in 4/2020 and we talk about what survivorship has been like. We talk about it all from poop (bowel function after radiation) to sexual health- topics that are often not talked about but are so important. March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer diagnosed in both men and women in the United States (excluding skin cancers) and we also speak about screening and risk factors for this disease.

On today’s episode, I am speaking with Roberta Lombardi. Roberta is a breast cancer survivor and early stage ally to the MBC community. She began Infinite Strength in 2018 to provide single mothers in active treatment for breast cancer with financial and emotional support. As the nonprofit grew, she understood the unique needs patients with MBC had and the lack of support and access to care for some groups. Infinite Strength is the only breast cancer nonprofit in the country that provides six months of recurring financial grants for single moms with MBC, while also providing support to their children. While the nonprofit is Connecticut based, Infinite Strength supports women living with metastatic breast cancer from all over the country. On today’s episode, Roberta shares how she started Infinite Strength, the work they are doing now and what’s next in the future.

On today’s episode, I am speaking with Marcella Kelson. Marcella is a Maternal Wellness specialist with a background in mental health and developmental psychology. Marcella’s mission is to provide authentic, tangible and empowering tools for millennial mothers. She herself is a mom to 4 year old Otto and 10 month old Francesca and was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer in August 2022 when her daughter was four months old. She just completed neoadjuvant chemotherapy and immunotherapy and is now planning for surgery. On today’s episode, we talk about it all with a deep dive into mental health – the dark moments, the good moments and everything in between. Other topics discussed include parenting, asking for help/support, cold capping, and much more.

On today’s solo episode, I am talking all about what breast cancer survivors and thrivers need to know about nutrition and supplements. I am sharing the evidence behind topics such as plant-based diets, processed foods, intermittent fasting, soy, dairy, supplements such as Calcium, Vitamin D, melatonin, collagen peptides and more. If you prefer to watch this as a presentation with video, it is up on my YouTube Channel.

On today’s episode, I am speaking with Samantha Harris. Samantha is well known for her roles as Dancing With the Stars and Entertainment Tonight co-host. Back in 2014, she felt a lump in her breast just 11 days after a clean mammogram. She persisted and advocated for herself and was subsequently diagnosed with stage II breast cancer. Samantha was previously on the Interlude (Episode 15 back in 2019) talking about her diagnosis and treatment and living your healthiest lifestyle. She is back now to talk about what life looks like now 8+ years after her original diagnosis. Today, we focus on how to make small changes that turn into consistent habits, what she is doing these days with fitness, nutrition, clean beauty and so much more.

On today’s episode, I am speaking with Dr. Laila Agrawal and we are talking all about sexual health. Dr. Agrawal is a medical oncologist specializing in breast cancer at Norton Cancer Institute in Louisville, Kentucky and runs a sexual health clinic for women with cancer. She graduated from medical school at Indiana University School of Medicine, completed her internal medicine residency at Barnes Jewish Hospital at Washington University in St. Louis and hematology and oncology fellowship at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. Recently, she’s joined social media to talk about sexual health after a cancer diagnosis. Sexual health is very often affected by cancer and cancer treatment and we talk about it all– from vaginal estrogen use to psychosocial issues surrounding sex and sexuality.

On today’s episode, I am speaking with Erin Perkins. Erin is a mom of two, a wife, a writer and was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer at the age of 34 in January 2021. She talks about her treatment which included chemotherapy and a bilateral mastectomy, her decision to go flat and how she had to learn to advocate for herself in that space, survivorship, her writing, and parenting both during active cancer treatment and beyond.

On today’s solo episode, I am talking all about joint pain in breast cancer survivorship. Joint pain is a very common side effect of cancer treatment especially in breast cancer where aromatase inhibitors, one of the most commonly used medications, can cause a lot of joint pain. I provide an introduction to joint pain and how it is problematic and can impact health, pharmacologic options to treat joint pain, non-pharmacologic options including physical activities, integrative therapies, and supplements/natural health products.

On today’s solo episode, I am talking all about hot flashes in breast cancer. Hot flashes are very common in patients with breast cancer and can negatively impact one’s quality of life. I share what hot flashes are, why they are problematic and how they impact health, pharmacologic options to treat hot flashes, non-pharmacologic options including physical activities, behavioral therapies, nutrition, and supplements/natural health products.

On today’s episode, I am speaking with Amanda Quick. Amanda was 29 years old and living in NYC when she was diagnosed with ER+/HER2- metastatic breast cancer. Amanda shares about the symptoms that led to the diagnosis, the work-up, how she began to process the diagnosis in order to begin treatment. She talks about what treatment is like, how she has reconciled her diagnosis with the life milestones traditionally associated with the late 20s/early 30s. Amanda also talks about topics such as dating, mental health, financial toxicity, alcohol and nutrition, social media, and so much more. Definitely take a listen to this one!