Navigating Cancer TOGETHER

When Valarie Traynham was first diagnosed, she did what a lot of us do. She said yes to the first treatment she was offered because she did not know she was allowed to ask for anything else. Then a second cancer arrived, triple-negative breast cancer, before she had caught her breath from multiple myeloma. And this time, she was ready.

Somewhere in that journey, Valarie learned the lesson that now anchors her work: the patients who get answers are the ones who ask. She started bringing a spiral notebook of questions to every appointment, and she still remembers the day a doctor sighed at the sight of it, and how that sigh told her she had finally become a patient he would take seriously. In this honest, warm conversation with host Talaya Dendy, Valarie talks about surviving two cancers, how genetic testing shaped her treatment decision, the questions every patient should ask but usually does not, and the reframe that carried her through: that cancer happened for her, not to her. It is a conversation about finding your voice, and refusing to let cancer have the final word.

✨ Episode Highlights

5:00 Facing breast cancer before she had recovered from multiple myeloma, and what she did differently the second time.

14:08 The notebook, and the line that changed her care: "I'm the patient, and you essentially work for me."

15:16 The one question Valarie wishes every patient knew to ask.

21:22 "This is just a chapter, not the full story," and why she says cancer happened for her, not to her.

36:46 Thriver, not survivor: why cancer does not define you.

Transcript: https://bit.ly/podscript189

Connect & Engage with Valarie

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

Instagram/Facebook: https://www.instagram.com/myelomavalarie

Call to Action

If this conversation spoke to you, subscribe and follow Navigating Cancer TOGETHER so you never miss an episode, and share it with someone who is facing cancer and needs to hear it. It is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and this is the kind of honest conversation that helps people feel less alone. New episodes on Wednesday on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or your preferred podcast app. https://bit.ly/NCTpodcast

Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by On the Other Side, a cancer doula and survivor strategist helping leaders redefine life after cancer. If you finished treatment and you are wondering what comes next, connect with an experienced cancer doula at ontheotherside.life.

Hosted, Produced, Written, and Edited by: Talaya Dendy

Video Editor: Shawn Smith

⚠️ Disclaimer: The information shared on this podcast is for general informational purposes only and SHOULD NOT be used as a substitute for sound professional medical advice, evaluation, or care from your physician or other qualified health care provider.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Erica White was lying in bed one evening, raised her arms, and when they came back down, she felt something that was not quite right. She almost talked herself out of it. Two weeks later, just after her 39th birthday, that quiet instinct turned out to be breast cancer, caught early.

What makes Erica's story different is that cancer was not her first fight. She had been living with Hashimoto's, an autoimmune thyroid condition, since she was 13. In this honest, grounding conversation with host Talaya Dendy, Erica talks about carrying a chronic illness and a cancer diagnosis at once, the surprise of having to rebuild her health after treatment, the fear of recurrence that lingers even nine years later, and the reframe that changed everything: that her body was never betraying her; it was trying to talk to her. Now a national board-certified health and wellness coach and the founder of Grace Wellness, Erica helps women cut through the noise, reconnect with their bodies, and find their way back to feeling well. If you have ever felt let down by your own body, this one is for you.

✨ Episode Highlights:

4:54 Finding the lump herself at 39, before she was even old enough for a mammogram.

9:38 Carrying Hashimoto's since age 13, and then a cancer diagnosis on top of it.

18:13 Why rebuilding your health after treatment is harder, and lonelier, than anyone warns you.

21:46 The reframe that changed everything: your body is not an “it,” and it is not your enemy.

33:51 Her advice to the newly diagnosed: it's okay to not be okay.

Transcript: https://bit.ly/podscript188

Connect & Engage with Erica

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

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

Email: [email protected]

Call to Action

If this conversation spoke to you, subscribe and follow Navigating Cancer TOGETHER so you never miss an episode, and share it with a woman who needs to hear it. It is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and Erica's story is a reminder to listen to your body and give yourself grace. New episodes on Wednesday on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube:

https://bit.ly/NCTpodcast

Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by On the Other Side, a cancer doula and survivor strategist helping leaders redefine life after cancer. If you finished treatment and you are wondering what comes next, connect with an experienced cancer doula at ontheotherside.life.

Hosted, Produced, Written, and Edited by: Talaya Dendy

Video Editor: Shawn Smith

⚠️ Disclaimer: The information shared on this podcast is for general informational purposes only and SHOULD NOT be used as a substitute for sound professional medical advice, evaluation, or care from your physician or other qualified health care provider.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

In April 2013, Roberta Albany was told her mammogram was clean. That December, she was diagnosed with stage 2B breast cancer. It never showed on the mammogram because she has dense breasts. The reason it was caught while still early is that Roberta, training for a half-marathon, lay down on her dining room floor, did a self-exam, and felt a lump the scan had missed. An ultrasound confirmed it.

That experience turned Roberta into a force. A 13-year survivor, founder and CEO of Cancer in the Know, and a breast cancer coach with the Chrysalis Initiative, she fired the doctors who dismissed her, pushed her way into the clinical-trial spaces where Black patients are too often missing, and built a life around helping others advocate for themselves. In this honest conversation, she and host Talaya Dendy talk about dense breasts, self-advocacy, survivorship, grief, and the word she chose from the book she co-authored, Bruised, Broken, and Blessed. Blessed, she says, because she is still here.

✨ Episode Highlights:

[6:52] The self-exam that caught what a “clean” mammogram missed.

[14:28] What dense breasts are, and why they can hide cancer on a mammogram.

[17:43] Firing her medical team: what self-advocacy really looks like.

[33:58] What she tells a woman who is “the statistic”: give yourself grace.

[45:33] Her first step for the newly diagnosed: breathe.

Transcript: https://bit.ly/podscript187

Connect & Engage with Roberta

Website: https://www.cancerintheknow.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roberta-a-albany-609a2735/

Call to Action

If this episode moved you, do two things: subscribe and follow Navigating Cancer TOGETHER, and share it with the women and men you love. And if you have dense breasts, ask your doctor about an ultrasound or MRI. New episodes on Wednesdays on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or your preferred podcast app. https://bit.ly/NCTpodcast

Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by On the Other Side, a cancer doula and survivor strategist helping leaders redefine life after cancer. If you finished treatment and you are wondering what comes next, connect with an experienced cancer doula at ontheotherside.life.

Hosted, Produced, Written, and Edited by: Talaya Dendy

Video Editor: Shawn Smith

⚠️ Disclaimer: The information shared on this podcast is for general informational purposes only and SHOULD NOT be used as a substitute for sound professional medical advice, evaluation, or care from your physician or other qualified health care provider.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

A cancer diagnosis or an end-of-life transition can be one of the heaviest moments a person ever faces. Most people go through it without knowing what support is out there for them.

This special episode of Navigating Cancer TOGETHER is a replay of the webinar Holding Space Through Life's Transitions: How Cancer and Death Doulas Can Support You. Host Talaya Dendy is a cancer doula, and she is joined by Reverend Shewon McGee, a death doula.

They share why they do this work and who they serve. They explain how cancer doulas and death doulas work with the medical team without replacing it, and they bust common myths about both roles.

✨ Episode Highlights:

06:12 "I had to become the person that I needed." Talaya was diagnosed with stage 3 Hodgkin's lymphoma a year after her first doctor dismissed the lump on her neck. She explains how that experience gave birth to Talaya the advocate.

09:04 A father's wishes left unhonored. Reverend Shewon lost her father to cancer in 2020, and his end-of-life plan was never carried out. That loss led her to become a death doula who advocates for what each person wants.

20:01 "There is no manual on how to receive a cancer diagnosis." Talaya explains why survivors, especially leaders, often feel they can't show weakness once treatment ends.

29:10 "The hearing is one of the last things to go." Reverend Shewon encourages families not to step out of the room. Share memories, laugh, and let your loved one hear it.

Letter of Medical Necessity: https://www.metlife.com/stories/benefits/letter-of-medical-necessity/

The 2nd session in this series will be released on December 2, 2026.

Connect with our guest:
Reverend Shewon McGee, Death Doula
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alternativeevolution/

Connect with Talaya:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/talayadendy

Transcript: https://bit.ly/podscript186

Call to Action

If this episode moved you, do two things: subscribe and follow Navigating Cancer TOGETHER so you never miss an episode, and forward this to someone who may need support during life's transitions. New episodes on Wednesday on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or your preferred podcast app. https://bit.ly/NCTpodcast

Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by On the Other Side, a cancer doula and survivor strategist helping leaders redefine life after cancer. If you finished treatment and you are wondering what comes next, connect with an experienced cancer doula at ontheotherside.life.

Hosted, Produced, Written, and Edited by: Talaya Dendy

⚠️ Disclaimer: The information shared on this podcast is for general informational purposes only and SHOULD NOT be used as a substitute for sound professional medical advice, evaluation, or care from your physician or other qualified health care provider.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

For Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, host Talaya Dendy sits down with James Waddington, a prostate cancer survivor, longtime educator, and advocate for early detection. James was diagnosed in 2020 after a routine PSA test flagged something he was not aware of, caught during blood work for his diabetes. Having lost his own father to late-stage lung cancer just four months after diagnosis, James knows exactly what early detection bought him. In this honest and warm conversation, he talks about getting the news by phone while walking past his own house, choosing surgery after a second opinion at Sloan Kettering, why so many men, especially Black men, stay silent about their health, and how he redefined manhood after losing his prostate. His message is simple and urgent: early detection can save your life, and you do not have to go through this alone.

✨ Episode Highlights:

[8:20] No symptoms at all. How a routine PSA during a diabetes check caught James's prostate cancer.

[12:03] Why his late father's four months made early detection everything.

[18:07] The silence around men's health.

[22:49] Faith and purpose: why he calls his cancer "a mission, not a curse."

[33:09] The one thing James wants every newly diagnosed man to do first.

Transcript: https://bit.ly/podscript185

Key stat: About 1 in 8 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer. If caught early, the five-year survival rate is nearly 100 percent. If caught late, it drops to about 38 percent. Black men are about 70 percent more likely to be diagnosed and roughly twice as likely to die from it. (Source: American Cancer Society)

About the guest: James Waddington is a public school educator with 34 years of experience, a husband and father of two, a prostate cancer survivor, and an advocate with the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network.

Call to Action

If this episode moved you, do two things: subscribe and follow Navigating Cancer TOGETHER so you never miss an episode, and forward this one to a man you love. It could be the nudge that saves a life. New episodes on Wednesday on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or your preferred podcast app. https://bit.ly/NCTpodcast

Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by On the Other Side, a cancer doula and survivor strategist helping leaders redefine life after cancer. If you finished treatment and you are wondering what comes next, connect with an experienced cancer doula at ontheotherside.life.

Hosted, Produced, Written, and Edited by: Talaya Dendy

Video Editor: Shawn Smith

⚠️ Disclaimer: The information shared on this podcast is for general informational purposes only and SHOULD NOT be used as a substitute for sound professional medical advice, evaluation, or care from your physician or other qualified health care provider.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Recorded live at the Healing Pen & A Mic journaling workshop in St. Paul, this episode brings you straight into the room.

Nancy stepped out of a afternoon of writing alongside fellow cancer patients and survivors to sit down with host Talaya Dendy. Diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia in 2018, Nancy speaks with quiet honesty about the specific kind of isolation that can follow you even in a crowded room. She shares what happened when treatment ended and the appointments stopped, how her perspective on healing transformed, and what keeps her grounded when disconnection creeps back in.

If you have ever felt isolated after a diagnosis or wondered what comes next when treatment stops, this conversation offers a space to process those feelings alongside people who understand.

✨ Episode Highlights:

01:32 Nancy shares her 2018 leukemia diagnosis and its sudden onset

01:45 What it feels like to write in a room surrounded by people who understand: "a freeing sensation and just a validation"

02:37 The reality of feeling alone even when supported by medical staff and family

03:33 Redefining healing as an ongoing practice rather than a quick fix

04:03 Practical advice for navigating isolation after a diagnosis

04:33 The abrupt transition after chemo ends and the quiet that follows

About the Guest: Nancy Tepley-Mimbach was diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia in 2018. She joined the Healing Pen & A Mic workshop seeking the community connection that felt missing after her active treatment ended.

Take the Next Step

• Attend a Workshop (Twin Cities): Join us for the next Healing Pen & A Mic journaling workshop on Saturday, October 4th. Save your spot: https://bit.ly/healingpenwaitlist

• 🎧 Listen, Subscribe, & Share: Follow the podcast on your favorite platform so you never miss an episode. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Your preferred podcast app

• Pass It Along: If Nancy’s story spoke to you, share this episode with someone who might need to hear it today.

Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by On the Other Side. I appreciate your support! It helps to bring these critical conversations to life.

Hosted, Produced, Written, and Edited by: Talaya Dendy

Recorded live at Vera Fitness in St. Paul.

⚠️ Disclaimer: The information shared on this podcast is for general informational purposes only and SHOULD NOT be used as a substitute for sound professional medical advice, evaluation, or care from your physician or other qualified health care provider.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

This Men's Health Month, Navigating Cancer TOGETHER sits down with Clarence Jones, prostate cancer survivor and one of Minnesota's most trusted names in community health.

Clarence Jones, MA, CHW, CPH, CPE, is the Executive Director and Community Health Strategist of the Hue-MAN Partnership, a founding member of the organization he helped build into one of Minnesota's most trusted voices in public health. He serves as an Adjunct Instructor of Medicine at Mayo Clinic, is a founding member of the Minnesota Fathers and Families Network, has served as the Mayor's Representative and co-chair of the Public Health Advisory Committee for the City of Minneapolis, and holds affiliations with the CTSI Executive Leadership team and the University of Minnesota's CEARCH initiative. He is also a fatherhood doula, the host of the Community Health Dialogue radio show on KMOJ 89.9 FM, and co-host of the Health Chatter podcast.

In this warm, honest, and personal conversation, Clarence opens up about his own journey through prostate cancer, from watching his PSA numbers climb year after year and practicing watchful waiting, to eventually choosing surgery. He shares why the digital exam scares men, and why early detection is the greatest gift you can give your family.

But Clarence's story doesn't stop at survival. He shares how his experience deepened his mission to make sure the men and families in his community have access to credible, culturally relevant, evidence-based health information. That's the heartbeat of everything Hue-MAN does.

You'll also hear him talk about what he wants every man facing a cancer diagnosis to know right now.

✨ Episode Highlights:

00:04:38 The Moment He Knew: Clarence's Prostate Cancer Journey

00:09:22 How to Invite Men into Health Conversations Without Lecturing Them

00:14:44 What Young Men Need to Know About PSA Screening and Biopsies

00:27:45 Fatherhood Doula: What That Means and Why Fathers Matter

00:36:55 What 'Navigating Cancer TOGETHER' Really Means

Transcript: https://bit.ly/podscript184

Connect & Engage with Clarence

Website: www.huemanpartnershipalliance.org

Health Chatter Podcast: www.healthchatterpodcast.com

KMOJ Community Health Dialogue: 89.9 KMOJ FM

📩 Stay Connected: Download your free Support System Checklist: Who to Call for What, a simple guide to help you build a clear and reliable support system while navigating a cancer journey: https://bit.ly/supportsystemlist

Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by On the Other Side. I appreciate your support! It helps to bring these critical conversations to life.

🎧 Listen, Subscribe, & Share: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Your preferred podcast app

Hosted, Produced, Written, and Edited by: Talaya Dendy

⚠️ Disclaimer: The information shared on this podcast is for general informational purposes only and SHOULD NOT be used as a substitute for sound professional medical advice, evaluation, or care from your physician or other qualified health care provider.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

This Men's Health Month, Navigating Cancer TOGETHER sits down with Samuel "Sam" Simmons, a trauma-informed healing advocate with over 36 years of experience supporting men and their communities. Sam is the author of Just Sam: A Black Man's Journey to Healing, the visionary behind the 18th Annual Community Empowerment Through Black Men Healing Conference, co-host of Voices Radio Show on 89.9 KMOJ, and the 2024 NAMI Minnesota Professional of the Year. In this powerful conversation, Sam opens up about his own journey through trauma, addiction, and healing, and shares why telling the full truth is the first step toward freedom.

✨ Episode Highlights:

00:01:08 Meet Sam Simmons: 36 Years of Healing Work

00:08:07 Growing Up Angry: Sam's Personal Trauma Story

00:36:54 Male Trauma, Silence, and Why Men Don't Ask for Help

00:52:25 The 18th Annual Black Men Healing Conference

00:56:47 A Message for the Black Man Who Just Got a Cancer Diagnosis

Transcript: https://bit.ly/podscript183

Connect & Engage with Sam Simmons

Website: samuelsimmonsconsulting.com

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

18th Annual Community Empowerment Through Black Men Healing Conference: June 25 & 26 at St. Paul College — Register at brothershealing.com

Book: https://a.co/d/03IvmBdM

📩 Stay Connected: Download your free Support System Checklist: Who to Call for What — a simple guide to help you build a clear and reliable support system while navigating a cancer journey: https://bit.ly/supportsystemlist

Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by On the Other Side. Thank you for your support! It helps to bring these critical conversations to life.

🎧 Listen & Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Your preferred podcast app

Hosted, Produced, Written, and Edited by: Talaya Dendy

⚠️ Disclaimer: The information shared on this podcast is for general informational purposes only and SHOULD NOT be used as a substitute for sound professional medical advice, evaluation, or care from your physician or other qualified health care provider.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

In this special National Cancer Survivor Month episode of Navigating Cancer TOGETHER, host and 15-year cancer thriver Talaya Dendy brings together seven survivors at different stages of their journey to explore what survivorship truly means. From newly diagnosed to 20 years out, Vanessa, Shoni, Savio, Jerry, Ebonie, Christopher, and Heather share their challenges, unexpected blessings, and the raw, unfiltered truth about life after a cancer diagnosis. Together, they redefine what it means to truly live. Whether you are a survivor, a caregiver, or someone who loves a person carrying this story, this episode is for you.

✨ Episode Highlights:

00:00:37 What Does It Mean to Be a Cancer Survivor?

00:02:26 The Growing Number of Survivors and Why It Matters

00:04:09 The Physical, Emotional, and Financial Challenges of Survivorship

00:09:00 Vanessa Berrueta | Breast Cancer Survivor | Adapting Like a Butterfly

00:13:55 Shoni Brown | 10-Year Breast Cancer Survivor | Going Through It, Not Around It

00:31:22 Savio Clemente | Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma Survivor | Permission to Heal

00:37:58 Jerry McCormick | Prostate Cancer Survivor | It's a Bump, Not a Pothole

00:51:47 Ebonie Michelle | Bilateral Breast Cancer Survivor | Thrivership Over Survivorship

01:03:04 Christopher Shaddock | Stage 4 Prostate Cancer Survivor | Big Boy Pants On

01:14:01 Heather Von St. James | 20-Year Mesothelioma Survivor | Speaking for Those Who No Longer Can

01:18:34 Closing | What If You Were Always Becoming This?

Transcript: https://bit.ly/podscript182

📖 Sources referenced in this episode:

American Cancer Society: cancer.org/research/cancer-facts-statistics/survivor-facts-figures.html

American Association for Cancer Research: cancerprogressreport.aacr.org

National Cancer Survivors Day Foundation: ncsd.org

📸 Photo of Heather Von St. James by Bump Opera.

🎙️ Connect with Our Guests: Review the transcript for this episode to connect with our guests. https://bit.ly/podscript182

Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by On the Other Side. Thank you for your support! It helps to bring these critical conversations to life.

📩 Stay Connected: Cancer touches millions of lives, and so does this community. Subscribe to the Navigating Cancer TOGETHER newsletter for conversations, resources, and support for the cancer community delivered straight to your inbox: https://bit.ly/OTOSNewsletter

🎧 Listen & Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Your preferred podcast app

Hosted, Produced, Written, and Edited by: Talaya Dendy

⚠️ Disclaimer: The information shared on this podcast is for general informational purposes only and SHOULD NOT be used as a substitute for sound professional medical advice, evaluation, or care from your physician or other qualified health care provider.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

In this special rebroadcast, we honor the memory of Kelly U’Ren Moody, a devoted advocate and colleague who passed away on January 16, 2026. This conversation, originally recorded in September 2021, captures Kelly’s extraordinary spirit as she navigated a terminal oral cancer diagnosis. After being told in 2016 that she had only four to six months to live, Kelly went on to live a full, impactful life for nearly another decade.

Kelly’s story is a testament to the power of gratitude and the unfiltered reality of long-term survivorship. She shares how she transitioned from a career in finance to health coaching just as her diagnosis changed her life, and how she chose to "face it head-on" every single day.

In this Episode:

• Navigating the Terminal

• The Reality of Side Effects

• The Power of Gratitude

• Communicating with Loved Ones

Transcript: https://bit.ly/podscript181

About Kelly: Kelly was the creator of the blog Face It Head On, where she shared her journey with head and neck cancer to provide hope to others worldwide. Her legacy lives on through the lives she touched and the advocacy work she championed within the cancer community.

Visit Kelly's Socials
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KellyURenMoody

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

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

Book: https://a.co/d/09KgBORm

Original recording: https://podcast.ausha.co/navigatingcancertogether/living-looking-beyond-6-months

Video: The Fight of my Life, https://youtu.be/DmcXbbUDzyk

Support the Podcast: If this episode resonated with you, please consider sharing it with someone who needs a dose of hope today. You can also rate and review Navigating Cancer TOGETHER on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to help more people find these stories.

Connect & Engage with Talaya: https://solo.to/cancerdoula

💜Let's Keep Navigating Cancer TOGETHER

Hosted, Produced, Written, and Edited by: Talaya Dendy

Disclaimer: The information on this podcast is for general informational purposes only and SHOULD NOT be used as a substitute for sound professional medical advice, evaluation, or care from your physician or other qualified health care provider.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.