No Time to Waste

Meet my personal palliative care nurse, Cecilia Benns. If you don’t know what that is job is, or you associate it with hospice care for people who are like days out from dying, you’re not alone, and we’re here to help.

Hoping people walk away with some new knowledge - I myself had no idea about these kinds of resources for people in my situation - because the more I learn, the more comfortable and confident I feel when the fear creeps in about my eventual demise. Another reminder that bringing these conversations to light has the power to ease so much suffering.

And you’ll see how special this Georgia Belle is. Cecilia is a literal angel walking the earth who sees her job as one of the most honorable, treasured and deeply meaningful ones on the planet - and the universe paired her with me. I look forward to her care as she shepherds me through each stage of this process until I cross the earthly finish line and move on to my next adventure.

In our final AKTIV Against Cancer Spotlight, Ethan Zohn interviews gymnastics legend and ovarian cancer survivor Shannon Miller. Learn more about AKTIV Against Cancer and donate if you can on behalf of No Time to Waste!

TRU Community Care (www.trucare.org) serving Boulder County

Find Palliative Care Services Near You 

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Dr. Martin Inderbitzin is a world-renowned Swiss-German Neuroscientist and Mindset Specialist whose previous research focused on stress, emotions and understanding how the brain and the body processes it all.

Then 9 years ago, he received a gut-wrenching pancreatic cancer diagnosis which forced him to take his life’s work and put it into practice for himself as a patient now grappling with his mortality. Not to mention deciding to train for a triathlon - with zero experience in the sport - and transforming himself into an athlete which Ethan Zohn will talk to him about in this week’s AKTIV Against Cancer Spotlight.

@marbitz

www.martininderbitzin.com

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Brad Ludden was a young professional whitewater kayaker whose life was first touched by cancer at 12 years old when his aunt was diagnosed with breast cancer. By 18, he was sharing his passion for kayaking with pediatric oncology patients and soon after, founded First Descents to help young adults in the cancer community experience the adventure and community of the outdoors free of charge. 20 years later, the organization is still thriving, offering more than 70 programs across the county in 2021 including rock climbing, surfing, whitewater rafting and more. All this, started by a guy whose good looks and good heart earned him the title of Cosmo Magazine’s Bachelor of the Year back in 2008. True story! Check out our IG :) 

@bradludden

www.firstdescents.org

On this week's AKTIV Against Cancer Spotlight Segment, host Ethan Zohn interviews former NFL Star and Cancer Crusher Merril Hodge. Learn more at www.aktivagainstcancer.org/podcast and donate if you can on behalf of No Time to Waste!

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I’m sure you know Matthew McConaughey. He’s an Academy Award-Winning actor, a proud Texan, a Philanthropist, a new owner of Austin’s MLS team and most recently, a NYT bestselling author for his memoir, Greenlights.

What Matthew and I talked about in our conversation hit deep. We talked about my current cancer situation and how I’m doing what I can to make the most of it. We debated over how much fight to bring to life vs how much flow and how to know what’s needed when. And we agreed that the only certainty in life is death so you’d better be out living it.

In this week’s AKTIV Against Cancer Spotlight, host Ethan Zohn interviews XC Ski Star Kikkan Randall who three months after achieving a lifelong goal of winning an Olympic gold medal, got diagnosed with Stage 2 triple positive breast cancer. Learn how this amazing 5-Time Olympian and World Champion’s “dive” or “thrive” attitude and commitment to exercise helped her stay positive throughout her cancer journey.

@officiallymcconaughey

Buy his memoir Greenlights

Learn more about AKTIV Against Cancer and donate to the cause if you can!

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Oceana Sawyer is a former corporate trainer at companies like HP and Levi Strauss now turned death doula. Just like birth doulas who help bring babies into this world at the beginning of life, a death doula helps actualize the emotional and spiritual wishes of the dying at the end of life.

For anyone who’s ever wanted to know what dying’s like, in this conversation Oceana details every single step of her father’s passing and the experience was far more beautiful than I ever would have expected. The more I learn about what happens at the end of life, the more comforted I feel. Let’s get these conversations out into the light.

@oceanaendoflifedoula

www.oceanadeathdoula.com

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AKTIV Against Cancer Spotlight

American Tennis star James Blake lost everything and won his life back after a potential career ending injury and caring for his father Thomas Blake. On this week's AKTIV Against Cancer Spotlight, hear all about this Arthur Ashe Humanitarian of the Year Award Winner’s inspiring story of compassion and grit and the ways in which he’s supported the cancer community.

Learn more about AKTIV Against Cancer and donate to the cause if you can: www.aktivagainstcancer.org/podcast

There’s so much behind the 10,000 kilowatt smile of media mogul Katie Couric. More than just sunshine, Katie’s known tragedy and loss in her personal life and gained wisdom in hindsight from those experiences. After her first husband passed away from colorectal cancer, Katie founded Stand Up to Cancer which has since raised over $600M for cancer research. We talked about the need for us to bring honest conversation about mortality into the light, and the comfort it could bring to people if we did.

The episode wraps with our first AKTIV Against Cancer Spotlight featuring No Time To Waste Founder Alison Hadden as she talks with host Ethan Zohn about the role of exercise in her own cancer treatment and how she applies her athlete's mindset through its ups and downs.

@katiecouric

Next Question with Katie Couric on Apple Podcasts

Pre-Order Going There on Amazon!

www.katiecouric.com

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We’re going to take a little hiatus from the weekly podcast production machine which has been churning and burning for 6 months now. I don’t imagine it will be too long because #notimetowaste but follow @notimetowasteproject on IG for updates.

I shared a personal update and then announced an exciting new partnership with AKTIV Against Cancer led by previous pod guest Ethan Zohn! After we return from the break, at the end of select No Time to Waste episodes, Ethan will share stories of cancer survivors - professional athletes, Olympians and everyday people - who’ve benefited from integrating physical activity into their treatment. For more, visit www.AKTIVagainstcancer.org.

Hang tight. We’ll be back soon!

I only recently got introduced to Maggie Smith - the poet, not the actress - when I stumbled upon her book Keep Moving that I really loved. Whereas most books about navigating grief and loss have a somber, self-reflective tone, hers included short motivational quotes with more of a Ted Lasso vibe.

Maggie was not the tortured creative soul I expected from a poet. Thanks to her big energy, high wattage smile and sense of humor, we had a blast in our convo and now I’m thinking about getting into poetry.

@maggiesmithpoet

Keep Moving: Notes on Loss, Creativity, and Change 

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I genuinely believe my dad embodies much of what No Time to Waste is all about. I’ve witnessed first-hand his zest for life, his sense of adventure, his desire to help people and his evolution as a self-aware human. And I’ve realized only in recent years how proud I am to be my father’s daughter.

We talk about his non-linear career path from flower delivery truck driver to park ranger to attorney to therapist, how for a few short years we became a horse family (but not in the traditional sense), and why my dad sees heartbreak as the price to pay for big love.

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Chelsea Handler is a Comedian, television host, best-selling author and activist whose humor and candor have established her as one of the most celebrated voices in pop culture today.

She hosted E!’s top rated Chelsea Lately for seven years, launched docuseries Chelsea Does and talk show Chelsea on Netflix, and penned five #1 NYT bestsellers including 2019’s Life Will Be the Death of Me. Most recently, she released acclaimed stand up special Chelsea Handler: Evolution on HBO Max which touched on the personal growth she’s achieved in recent years by elevating her emotional intelligence and embracing empathy.

@chelseahandler

Chelsea: Evolution on HBO Max

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