Life After Cancer? WTF Now?

In this episode of Life After Cancer? WTF Now?, I sit down with Shellie, who was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer that had spread throughout her body. She was told there was little hope.

What happened next is extraordinary.

Instead of accepting that this was the end, Shellie went searching for the root cause. She began exploring the connection between the nervous system, chronic stress, trauma, and disease. She made radical changes to how she lived, thought, and regulated her body.

We talk about fear, motherhood, being sent home to “prepare,” and what it really feels like to stare mortality in the face.

This is not a conversation about denying medicine.
It’s a conversation about looking deeper.

About fight-or-flight.
About the adrenal system.
About meditation, nature, community, and creating an internal environment that supports healing.

Whether you agree with everything or not, this episode will make you think differently about resilience, responsibility, and what healing can mean.

Shellie’s story is powerful, emotional, and deeply human.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Healing Mindset

02:48 Shelly's Cancer Journey Begins

06:01 Facing the Diagnosis

09:00 The Emotional Toll of Cancer

11:41 Mindset Shift and Healing

14:40 Understanding Epigenetics and Healing

17:49 Creating a Supportive Environment for Healing

20:54 The Role of Meditation and Visualization

23:43 Fear and Healing: Balancing Emotions

26:53 The Importance of Self-Care and Reflection

29:54 Navigating Fear and Progress in Healing

35:23 Embracing Fear and Hope Together

39:31 The Importance of Self-Care and Connection

43:55 Navigating Life After Cancer Diagnosis

51:33 Understanding Healing and Body Connection

57:31 Transforming Fear into Empowerment

“The medication dilemma no one talks about after Cancer.”

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I nearly didn't record this episode for fear of being judged. Probably by myself, so it does feel a little bit like standing up naked in Tesco's I won't lie!

In this episode of Life After Cancer? WTF Now? Naomi opens up about the emotional and psychological weight of long-term medication after cancer treatment.

What happens when the thing that’s meant to protect your future also impacts your identity, your body, and your plans, especially around motherhood?

Naomi shares:

• ​The quiet pressure to “just take the medication”
• ​The internal conflict between fear and freedom
• ​How medication can affect identity, hormones, and future choices
• ​The emotional load of survivorship
• ​Why being your own health advocate matters more than ever

This is not anti-medicine.This is not medical advice.

This is an honest conversation about the messy, complicated reality of life after cancer -where decisions are rarely black and white, and hope and uncertainty often sit side by side.

If you’ve ever questioned your treatment plan and felt guilty for doing so…This episode is for you.

You are not alone in the elephant in the room.

Click to join the life after cancer diaries, a weekly letter from me about the REAL life after cancer mishaps that we don’t post on the gram https://tr.ee/W2aZMyjC46

Chapters:

01:59 The Big Pink Elephant: Medication Post-Cancer

13:19 Navigating Medication Decisions

20:36 The Personal Journey: Pregnancy and Future Plans

27:53 Living with Uncertainty and Hope

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@lifeaftercancer_wtf for more updates on the podcast

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@a.dude.with.breast.cancer

Men get breast cancer too.
And this conversation might change how you think about cancer entirely.

Richard is a marathon runner from New York who was diagnosed with male breast cancer and kept running. No drama. No identity crisis. For him, it wasn’t male breast cancer… it was just cancer.

In this episode, Richard shares the one decision that completely changed his treatment path, why getting a second opinion mattered, and how being treated at a specialist centre meant he didn’t need chemotherapy.

We talk mindset, movement, self-advocacy, and why staying active became a non-negotiable part of his cancer journey. It’s honest, refreshing, and quietly powerful.

This episode challenges assumptions about breast cancer, masculinity, and survivorship and reminds us that how you face cancer matters just as much as the diagnosis itself.

If this episode resonates, please follow, subscribe, and share the show. It genuinely helps these conversations reach the people who need them.

00:00 – Men Get Breast Cancer Too
02:05 – Meet Richard: Marathon Runner & Mindset
05:15 – “It Was Just Cancer”
09:30 – Male Breast Cancer & Breaking the Stigma
14:10 – Running Through Cancer
18:40 – The Decision That Changed Everything
24:20 – How He Avoided Chemotherapy
30:00 – Mindset Without Toxic Positivity
35:30 – What Cancer Changed for Him
40:00 – Advice for Anyone Facing Cancer
43:30 – Final Reflections

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@iamkatiestevenson

Katie thought cancer was behind her. Then everything changed again.

In this episode, Katie shares what it’s really like when life doesn’t follow the neat “before and after” narrative. Diagnosed during the COVID lockdowns, she talks openly about fear, uncertainty.

This isn’t a story about positivity or pushing feelings away. It’s about acceptance, self-discovery, connection, and continuing to move forward even when the future feels unclear. From retraining as a life coach to running towards big goals anyway, Katie’s story is honest, grounding, and quietly powerful.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

01:14 The Cancer Diagnosis Journey

05:59 Treatment and Recovery Challenges

07:27 Life After Cancer: Identity Shift

08:24 Seizure and Brain Tumor Diagnosis

12:00 Living with Incurable Cancer

12:58 Acceptance and Coping Mechanisms

16:19 Life Coaching Insights

20:24 Tools for Coping with Cancer

25:11 The Value of Simple Things

28:58 Shifting Perspectives on Relationships

29:51 Letting Go and Moving Forward

34:17 The Grieving Process and Acceptance

40:27 Toxic Positivity vs. Genuine Gratitude

46:33 Living Life to the Fullest

54:53 Life with Cancer: A New Perspective

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In this episode of Life After Cancer? WTF Now? Naomi is joined by Huw Williams for an honest, funny, and deeply human conversation about what it really means to live with cancer.

Huw shares his personal cancer journey, how humour became a powerful coping tool, and why mindset and mental resilience matter just as much as physical recovery. Together, they explore self-parenting, navigating fear and anxiety, and the crucial role community plays when life after cancer doesn’t follow a neat, linear path.

The conversation also dives into She Ultra, a women-only 50km ultra event created to raise awareness and funds for women’s cancers. Huw explains why women-only spaces matter, how She Ultra supports participants of all abilities, and why doing hard things can be transformative far beyond the finish line.

This episode isn’t about “staying positive” or bouncing back.
It’s about finding what actually helps : emotionally, mentally, and day to day.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Wi-Fi Woes

02:52 The Role of Pets in Healing

05:57 Mindset and Cancer: Overcoming Fear

09:00 Self-Parenting and Mental Health

11:53 The Chimp Paradox: Managing Inner Thoughts

14:44 The She Ultra: Empowering Women Through Community

20:35 The Importance of Women’s Cancer Awareness

24:53 The She Ultra Experience: More Than Just a Race

27:18 Empowerment Through Community and Perspective

29:09 Creating a Unique Event for Women

31:28 Raising Awareness and Encouraging Health Checks

32:33 Celebrating Achievements and Building Confidence

34:01 Personal Journeys: Overcoming Challenges Together

35:24 Finding Strength in Vulnerability

39:16 The Transformative Power of Cancer Experiences

43:37 Humor and Resilience in the Face of Adversity

In this episode of Life After Cancer? WTF Now? host Naomi is joined by Cassie and Laura, two women whose shared experiences of breast cancer and medical menopause led to a powerful friendship, and the creation of the Herizen app.

They speak openly about the realities of medical menopause, why it can feel harder than cancer treatment itself, and the lack of support women face once treatment ends. The conversation explores community, education, empowerment, and the importance of creating safe spaces where women can talk honestly about hormonal health, identity, and life after cancer.

Cassie and Laura share how Herizen is connecting women with trusted information, expert support, and each other, and how purpose, boundaries, and self-care become essential in this next chapter of survivorship.

A warm, honest episode about friendship, healing, and building something meaningful from lived experience.

@herizenofficial

With Pete Wallroth, Founder of Mummy’s Star@mummy's.star

In this episode, I’m joined by Pete Wallroth, CEO and founder of Mummy’s Star, the UK charity supporting families affected by cancer during pregnancy and early parenthood.

Pete shares the deeply personal story that led to the creation of Mummy’s Star, after cancer entered his family’s life in the most devastating way. We talk honestly about the unique challenges families face when cancer and pregnancy collide, the long-term impact of loss and grief, and why compassionate communication in healthcare matters more than we realise.

This conversation explores emotional and peer support, advocacy, and how charities like Mummy’s Star fill vital gaps in the healthcare system. Pete also reflects on receiving an MBE, the importance of raising awareness, and what still needs to change for families navigating cancer and loss.

A powerful, compassionate episode for anyone affected by cancer, pregnancy, baby loss, or supporting someone through it.

Chapters:

00:00 – Introduction to Life After Cancer? WTF Now?
01:05 – Pete Wallroth and the mission behind Mummy’s Star
03:00 – When cancer enters life during pregnancy
06:10 – Loss, grief, and the early need for support
11:45 – The hidden reality beyond treatment
14:20 – Why Mummy’s Star was created
17:30 – Tailored emotional and peer support for families
21:40 – Emotional and financial strain on parents
26:30 – Gaps in healthcare and why charities matter
30:00 – Compassionate communication in healthcare
34:20 – Individual experiences and informed choice
38:10 – Supporting caregivers and emotional resilience
42:30 – Loss, identity, and long-term impact
46:10 – Advocacy, awareness, and systemic change
50:00 – Recognition, impact, and the MBE
53:30 – What still needs to change
56:00 – Final reflections and closing thoughts

This episode discusses fertility loss, miscarriage, pregnancy after cancer, and fertility preservation. Listener discretion advised.

In this solo episode of Life After Cancer? WTF Now? Naomi shares her personal experience of fertility after cancer, exploring pregnancy after diagnosis, miscarriage, and egg freezing before chemotherapy. Naomi talks openly about navigating a cancer diagnosis while facing fertility decisions, the emotional impact of cancer treatment on women’s fertility, and the grief that often goes unspoken. This episode covers cancer and fertility, pregnancy after cancer, fertility preservation options, and the pressure many women feel to “be strong” while quietly grieving future motherhood. An honest, unfiltered conversation for anyone facing fertility after cancer, and for those who felt they had to park this part of their story just to survive.

Chapters:

00:00 – Intro: Fertility & cancer- the conversation that gets parked
02:10 – Fertility after cancer: what treatments can affect
04:40 – Pregnant three days after diagnosis
07:30 – Surgery, scans & putting cancer second
10:15 – The 9-week scan and miscarriage
13:40 – Becoming “the weirdo” staring at pregnant bellies
16:10 – D&C in the maternity suite (what the actual f**)
19:45 – Parking grief while facing cancer
23:10 – Egg harvesting chaos & injecting a cushion
27:50 – Embryos, hope & being 41
30:20 – Why this podcast exists
33:10 – What I want you to know

Episode Summary

In this episode of Life After Cancer? WTF Now? host Naomi shares an honest, unfiltered account of her double mastectomy and immediate implant reconstruction, following her BRCA1 diagnosis. Naomi opens up about the shock of learning she carried the BRCA1 mutation, how it initially felt like a death sentence, and how research and reflection eventually led her to choose surgery. She walks listeners through the emotional rollercoaster, the decision-making process, and why every person must make, and own, the choice that feels right for them.

Naomi talks candidly about waking up with four drains, the physical realities of mastectomy recovery, body image changes, and the unexpectedly funny moments (including her daughter asking where her nipples went). She shares what has helped her heal, from red-light therapy and HBOT to family support, compassion and humour. With honesty and vulnerability, Naomi offers comfort, clarity, and solidarity to anyone navigating breast cancer, BRCA decisions, or life after major surgery.

Takeaways:

• Naomi shares her raw and honest account of her mastectomy journey.
• The BRCA1 mutation significantly influenced her decision for surgery.
• Individual choice is crucial in the decision-making process for treatment.
• Mastectomies are common and can have positive outcomes.
• Preparation for surgery includes emotional and practical aspects.
• The surgery experience can be long but is supported by a great medical team.
• Post-surgery recovery involves physical limitations and emotional challenges.
• Body image changes are a significant part of the recovery process.
• Holistic health approaches can aid in recovery and healing.
• Humour and support are essential in navigating the cancer journey.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to the Journey

02:54 Understanding the BRCA1 Mutation

05:32 The Decision for Surgery

08:22 Preparing for Surgery

11:22 The Surgery Experience

13:55 Post-Surgery Recovery

17:05 Navigating Emotional Challenges

19:52 Physical Recovery and Mobility

22:57 Reflections on New Body Image

25:40 Holistic Healing Approaches

28:14 Final Thoughts and Advice

In this episode, Anna Priest opens up about the deep emotional journey that followed after her Breast Cancer diagnosis. From her mastectomy, a journey shaped less by the physical changes and more by the loss of what her body once allowed her to do. She speaks candidly about the grief of losing the ability to breastfeed, the anger that surfaced in unexpected ways, and the complex, often overlooked emotional landscape of women navigating cancer and its aftermath.Through honesty and vulnerability, Anna sheds light on a side of recovery that isn’t talked about enough, offering comfort, validation, and connection to anyone who has felt that their loss goes far beyond the physical.

Episode Takeaways

• ​The emotional impact of a mastectomy can be far deeper than the physical changes.
• ​Losing the ability to breastfeed can feel like a profound and unexpected grief.
• ​Anger, sadness, and a sense of being “robbed” are normal emotional responses.
• ​Breastfeeding isn’t just functional — it represents bonding, identity, and motherhood.
• ​Navigating this loss requires compassion, support, and space to feel everything.
• ​Women’s health experiences are deeply personal and deserve to be spoken about openly.