What do you do when you're 40, building a "perfect on paper" life, and a routine first mammogram turns into a stage 4 cancer diagnosis? In this episode, Jen sits down with Chelsea Hassink, who was diagnosed with HER2-positive breast cancer that had metastasized to her liver — and later her brain — at just 40 years old, with two young kids at home.

Chelsea takes us through her entire journey: the intuition that told her it was worse than the doctors first said, six rounds of chemo, her decision to stop treatment and spend a year going fully integrative, and her transformative three weeks at Hope for Cancer in Mexico. She opens up about the brain tumor that led to a craniotomy, temporary paralysis, and a recovery she credits as much to mindset as to medicine.

This is a raw, hopeful conversation about refusing to be put in a box, advocating fiercely for yourself, and merging the medical and integrative worlds on your own terms. Chelsea shares the exact framework she lives by, the role faith and prayer have played in her healing, and why she believes the stress she was carrying — not genetics — created the terrain her cancer thrived in.

In this episode, we cover:

• Chelsea's original diagnosis and the "boring" checkup that missed every red flag
• Why she trusted her intuition over her initial stage 2 diagnosis
• Stopping chemo after 6 rounds and going integrative for a full year
• What Hope for Cancer is really like — and the mind, body, spirit work that changed her
• The bold, specific prayer and the "messenger in the parking lot" that led her to her craniotomy
• Losing and regaining mobility after brain surgery
• Where her scans stand today — and how she handles a curveball
• Finding an oncologist who meets you where you are (without guilt or scare tactics)
• Her 4-bucket healing framework: Nutrition & Movement, Emotional & Spiritual, Non-Toxic Therapies, and Detoxification
• Specific therapies: mistletoe, high-dose vitamin C (and how to do it safely), SPDT / sono-photodynamic therapy, hyperthermia, coffee enemas, sauna, red light, vibration plate, acupuncture
• Her go-to supplements and why supplementation is deeply individual
• The #1 thing she wishes someone had told her at diagnosis: you have time to pause

Resources & mentions:

• Hope for Cancer (integrative clinic, Mexico)
• SPDT — sono-photodynamic therapy (light + sound device)
• Supplements mentioned: black seed oil, beta-glucan, PectaSol (modified citrus pectin), Vitamin D3, curcumin with K2, greens powder
• Follow Chelsea on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hassink_health_bites/
• Chelsea's book — currently in the works
• Community: Not Today Cancer — The Inner Circle
• GET BrocElite: Mara Labs supplements - Use code NotTodayCancer for 20% off
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jendelvaux/
• Email me: [email protected]

A note: This episode shares personal experiences and is not medical advice. Always work with your own care team before changing your treatment, diet, or supplement routine — especially while on chemo.

Don't forget to share this episode so it reaches more people who need it. And as always — not today, cancer. 💛

If you've ever laid awake at 2 or 3 in the morning wondering, "What if it comes back?"...this episode is for you. You are not alone, and you are not weak. In fact, nearly 6 in 10 cancer survivors report a fear of recurrence, and among young survivors that number jumps to 88%. It's the most common unmet need in survivorship...and almost no one talks about it openly.

In this episode, Jen shares honestly where she is five years after her breast cancer diagnosis, what the fear of recurrence used to look like, and what's changed. Spoiler: the fear didn't disappear, but it's no longer running the show.

• Why fear of recurrence is the most common (and most under-discussed) part of survivorship

• The research and statistics behind fear of recurrence in cancer survivors

• How to build your own trigger inventory so you stop getting ambushed

• The lifestyle, environmental, and spiritual shifts that helped Jen take her power back

• The one mindset shift that changes everything: from "What if it comes back?" to "If it comes back, here's what I do"

• Small, doable practices for when the fear shows up at 2 AM

• Why naming the fear out loud takes its power away

• How to choose the one person you can be totally honest with

• (00:03) Why this thought is the most normal thing in the world

• (01:00) The research: 6 in 10 survivors carry this — and women carry it more

• (02:00) Building your trigger inventory: scans, anniversaries, Facebook memories, headlines

• (04:00) The work that changed everything — diet, environment, toxins, lifestyle

• (07:00) Becoming more spiritual and making peace with the unknown

• (09:30) Why breast cancer treatment in 2026 is night-and-day from 5–10 years ago

• (10:30) The shift: from "What if?" to "If it does, here's what I'll do"

• (11:30) Three small things to try when the fear shows up

• (14:00) The truth: the fear doesn't leave, but it stops being the loudest voice

Connect with Jen:

Community: Not Today Cancer — The Inner Circle GET BrocElite: Mara Labs supplements - Use code NotTodayCancer for 20% off Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jendelvaux/ Email me: [email protected]

This episode is not medical advice and not a prescription. It's one survivor's story and the tools that have helped her. Always work with your own care team on what's right for you.

What if joy was part of your healing plan?

Today's guest, Shantel Behroozan, has 243,000 followers on Instagram — and the moment you hear her story, you'll understand why. Beverly Hills-based and seven years cancer-free, Shantel was diagnosed with breast cancer at 36 after being told three separate times that she was "fine." She kept advocating for herself, and that decision likely saved her life.

But what she did next is what stopped Jen in her tracks: Shantel went to dance class every single day before her radiation treatments — walking in sweaty, red-faced, and happy while others sat exhausted in the waiting room. That refusal to let cancer steal her joy became the seed for Exit 33, her 4,000-square-foot dance studio in Beverly Hills, where she's now danced with thousands of women over the past seven years.

In this episode, Shantel and Jen talk about:

• The "small pebble" she felt under her shirt at dinner — and why she refused to wait for the test results
• The lymph node sign her doctors missed (twice) and what every woman should know
• Why she chose a lumpectomy at 36 — and what she'd reconsider today
• How she danced through chemical menopause, Lupron injections, and aromatase inhibitors
• Turning her backyard into a 75-woman dance party during COVID
• The grief of losing the choice to have a fourth child
• Breaking Persian cultural norms by dancing publicly and speaking openly about cancer
• Why she now says "now I know why me"
• Practical advice for women newly diagnosed (spoiler: it starts with movement)

Whether you're navigating a diagnosis, supporting someone who is, or just need a reminder that joy is still available to you — this conversation will leave you wanting to turn the music up and dance in your kitchen.

Connect with Shantel:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/free.by.shantel/
• Studio: Exit 33 Dance, Beverly Hills
• Website: exit33dance.com

Resources mentioned:

• Not Today Cancer Inner Circle (Thursday Calls!) JOIN HERE
• GET BrocElite: Mara Labs supplements - Use code NotTodayCancer for 20% off

Connect with Jen:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jendelvaux/

• Email me: [email protected]

If this episode spoke to you…

Please take 30 seconds to follow the show and leave a review—it truly helps more women find this podcast when they're newly diagnosed, in treatment, or trying to rebuild life after cancer. And as always, remember: Not today, cancer. Medical Disclaimer: Jen Delvaux is not a medical doctor, and nothing in this episode constitutes medical advice. Always consult your oncologist or healthcare provider before making any changes to your treatment plan.

If this episode moved you, please share it. You never know who needs to hear that joy is still available to them. Not today, cancer.

Cortisol after cancer is the conversation nobody on my care team had with me. I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2021 — invasive ductal carcinoma, stage one, grade two. I went through lumpectomy, radiation, ovarian suppression, and two years on an aromatase inhibitor before I had to come off because my bones were already in osteoporosis. Throughout all of it, my nervous system was screaming. My cortisol was running hot all day long, confirmed by a Dutch test. And not one doctor told me what stress was doing to my body or how to mitigate it.

In this solo episode of Not Today Cancer, I'm walking you through the seven activities that lowered my cortisol...broken into the things that don't cost a dime (meditation, breathwork, walking outside, unplugging) and the things that do (acupuncture, energy healing, therapy). I'm also sharing the actual research behind each one, so you know this isn't woo...it's documented science.

What you'll learn:

• Why cortisol is wrecked after a cancer diagnosis (and why mine was high long before)

• The symptoms of high cortisol most breast cancer survivors miss

• How mindfulness meditation protected the cortisol rhythm of breast cancer survivors in a randomized controlled trial

• Why a single session of slow breathing drops cortisol immediately

• The "nature pill" research showing 20–30 minutes outside lowers cortisol 21% per hour

• Why the NCCN officially recommends acupuncture for cancer survivors

If you're a breast cancer survivor, caregiver, or anyone whose body has been running on fumes...this episode is for you. We don't get the option of not mitigating stress. Pick one thing on this list and start tomorrow.

Disclaimer: This episode reflects my personal experience and a summary of public research. It is not medical advice. Always consult your care team.

📋 RESOURCES + LINKS

📿 Free 10-minute meditation for survivors: CALM

💚 Free Facebook community: JOIN HERE

🌟 Paid Community ($19.99/mo): INFO HERE

📖 Nontoxic Home Guide: SWAPS

💪 DNA Test: INFO HERE

🎙️ Not Today Cancer Podcast — new episodes every Tuesday + Friday

🌐 Website: jendelvaux.com

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jendelvaux/

If this episode helped you, please leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Reviews are how more women in this situation find the show...and they take less than 60 seconds.

Subscribe so you don't miss Tuesday and Friday episodes.

📋 RESEARCH CITATIONS

MEDITATION + CORTISOL:

• Carlson et al. — Mindfulness-based stress reduction maintains healthy diurnal cortisol rhythm in distressed breast cancer survivors. Published in PMC. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5430085/

• MBSR reduces salivary cortisol immediately following class — PMC

BREATHWORK + CORTISOL:

• "The Effect of Breathing Exercise on Stress Hormones" — Cyprus Journal of Medical Sciences

• Slow breathing at ~6 bpm boosts heart rate variability up to 40% — International Journal of Psychophysiology

WALKING + NATURE:

• Olafsdottir et al. — Walking in nature vs treadmill: cortisol comparison. Sage Publications

• Hunter et al. — "Nature pill" research: 20-30 minutes outdoors drops salivary cortisol 21% per hour. Frontiers in Psychology

• Repeated forest walking reduces hair cortisol (chronic stress marker) — Scientific Reports, 2025

ACUPUNCTURE:

• NCCN (National Comprehensive Cancer Network) guidelines recommend acupuncture for cancer survivors

• Acupuncture modulates HPA axis, serotonin, GABA, melatonin — Frontiers in Endocrinology, 2022

• Bayesian network meta-analysis — Frontiers in Oncology, 2023

Melissa Mariano is a 43-year-old Canadian flight attendant living in Dubai who was diagnosed with triple positive (ER+, PR+, HER2+) breast cancer after a routine mammogram...zero symptoms, zero lumps. She almost skipped her follow-up appointment. In this episode, she shares how she went from stage 0 DCIS to navigating Herceptin without chemo, low-dose "Baby Tam," the Dutch test, and a radical people-pleasing wake-up call that changed everything.

In this episode we cover:

• How calcifications on a mammogram went from "nothing to worry about" to a biopsy — and why she delayed 4 months

• The vacuum-assisted biopsy that may have removed her invasive cancer entirely before surgery even happened

• Why her final pathology came back DCIS only, stage 0 — and what triple positive actually means

• 18 rounds of Herceptin (anti-HER2) with NO chemo — and the NCCN guideline that made that possible

• The Italian Clancy study on "Baby Tam" (5mg Tamoxifen) and why she's tapering down from 20mg

• Dutch test results: high estrogen, good methylation — what it means and what she's doing about it

• Supplements she's using: L-theanine, Relora, liposomal glutathione, DIM (cycled), NAC

• Sauna 2x/week, red light therapy, hyperbaric oxygen, yin yoga, sound healing, Reiki, breathwork — her full protocol

• Egg freezing for fertility preservation before starting Tamoxifen

• The people-pleasing pattern she believes contributed to her diagnosis — and the shift that changed everything

• Why she says: "I'm no longer a phony — but I am my priority"

Links & Resources:

• Clancy Study on Low-Dose Tamoxifen (Baby Tam / 5mg): READ HERE

• NCCN Guidelines for Breast Cancer: READ HERE

• Connect with Melissa Mariano: https://www.instagram.com/melidubai/

• Not Today Cancer Inner Circle (weekly live calls, community support): [INFO HERE]

• BrocElite: 20% off here Chapter Markers (estimated)

  • 00:00 — Intro: Meet Melissa — Dubai life, flight attendant, Italian roots

  • 04:00 — The mammogram that almost didn't happen: calcifications and a delayed follow-up

  • 08:30 — Biopsy results: triple positive, Grade 2 IDC + high-grade DCIS

  • 13:00 — MRI showed no mass enhancement — the biopsy may have removed the cancer

  • 19:00 — Surgery, clear margins, final pathology: stage 0 DCIS

  • 22:00 — 20 rounds radiation — spinning and yoga the whole way through

  • 25:00 — Herceptin without chemo: the NCCN guideline that changed everything

  • 28:00 — Tamoxifen side effects, Baby Tam, and the Italian Clancy study

  • 34:00 — Dutch test results, functional gynecologist Dr. Maria, supplement protocol

  • 38:00 — Sauna, red light, hyperbaric oxygen, yin yoga, sound healing

  • 44:00 — "I'm no longer a phony — but I am my priority": the people-pleasing shift

  • 50:00 — What cancer gave her: resilience, perspective, advocacy

  • 54:00 — Closing: the "Nope. Not Today." shirt moment + not today cancer

Medical disclaimer: This episode is for informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult your own oncologist, physician, or qualified healthcare provider before making any decisions about your diagnosis, treatment, or supplement protocol.

Jen sits down with her husband Darren for a real, unscripted life update..no highlight reel, no polished answers. Between Darren's grade 2 astrocytoma in 2009, his recurrence as grade 4 in 2019, and Jen's own breast cancer diagnosis in between, this couple has lived through more than most. And yet...here they are. Talking about upcoming scans, their daughter's wedding, what fear actually feels like years in, and what "thriving" means when you've stared down the worst.

This is the conversation that happens after the treatment ends. The one nobody makes a podcast episode about. Until now.

In this episode:

• Darren opens up about how his relationship with scans and scanxiety has changed over the years...and what it feels like going into an MRI now vs. in the beginning

• What it means to hit a milestone like your daughter's wedding when your first goal was just to see the kids graduate

• Whether the fear ever actually goes away — and what they both do when those thoughts creep back in

• Darren's honest take on all the lifestyle changes Jen has made since her diagnosis — did he ever think she was going too far?

• The 3 biggest changes Jen made that she believes had the most impact on their family's health and quality of life

• What to do when you're overwhelmed and don't know where to start....a simple, grounded answer for anyone in the thick of it

• The exhaustion of "doing all the things"...and how to stay motivated when you're running on empty

• What thriving looks like now vs. before — answered together, and it's powerful

• What they're each most grateful for today

This episode is for you if:

• You're walking through a diagnosis right now and wondering if life ever feels normal again

• You're the partner or caregiver who is holding it all together and feeling invisible

• You're on the other side of treatment and trying to figure out who you are now

• You just need proof that hope is real and people do get to the other side

Links & Resources:

• Not Today Cancer Inner Circle (Thursday calls) — JOIN HERE

• Non-Toxic Guide — Download Here

There was a time when the goal was just to get through the day. Just to get to the next appointment. Just to hear good news. And now they're talking about weddings and what it means to actually live again. Not perfectly. Not without fear. But with a completely different perspective. Not today, cancer.

Medical Disclaimer: Nothing shared in this episode constitutes medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider regarding your personal treatment plan.

If you finished cancer treatment and then felt completely abandoned when it came to what happened to your body next...this episode is for you.

Jen sits down with Dani Binnington, founder of the global non-profit Menopause and Cancer, host of the Menopause and Cancer podcast (212+ episodes), and author of Navigating Menopause After Cancer. Dani was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer at 33...a young mom to three children under five — and later pushed into sudden surgical menopause after her oophorectomy as a BRCA1 carrier. No one counseled her. No one warned her. So she built the resource she wished had existed.

This conversation covers everything nobody tells you...and everything you deserve to know.

In this episode:

• Dani's diagnosis at 33 with triple negative breast cancer, her BRCA1 mutation, and the decision to have a double mastectomy and oophorectomy

• What makes cancer-induced menopause fundamentally different from natural menopause...and why it's a harder experience

• The difference between chemotherapy-induced, surgical, and medically-induced menopause...and what each means for your body

• Why 50% of women on endocrine therapy don't complete their full 5–10 year course because of menopausal side effects...and what to do if that's you

• The truth about vaginal estrogen for breast cancer survivors — why over 88% struggle with genitourinary symptoms and why this treatment is safer than most oncologists let on

• Jen's own story: years of fear around vaginal estrogen, the nearly-didn't-make-it-to-the-bathroom moment that finally changed her mind

• HRT after cancer — what the guidelines actually say, and how to have an informed conversation with your doctor

• The "beautiful platter" framework: Dani's approach to menopause management that includes lifestyle, medical options, complementary therapies, and everything in between

• Phytoestrogens, Mediterranean diet, exercise, acupuncture, SSRIs for hot flashes....the full evidence-based toolkit

• Simple tweaks that can make a huge difference if you're struggling on hormone-blocking medication right now

• How Menopause and Cancer started as a Facebook group and grew into a global community with 212 podcast episodes, in-person events, and an international book written with 20 doctors

• Why the burden of figuring all this out should NOT fall on patients alone...and what Dani is doing to change that

Links & Resources Mentioned:

• Navigating Menopause After Cancer by Dani Binnington — https://a.co/d/0dxiGTR5

• Menopause and Cancer podcast — Listen HERE

• Dani Binnington on Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/menopause_and_cancer/

• Not Today Cancer Inner Circle — INFO HERE

• BrocElite - 20% off LINK

You are not stuck. Your symptoms will fluctuate. And you have more options than anyone has probably told you. Not today, cancer.

Medical Disclaimer: Nothing shared in this episode constitutes medical advice. Always consult your oncologist or healthcare provider before making any changes to your treatment plan.

Nobody in the cancer and wellness space wants to talk about this one. Today, Jen goes there.

This isn't a lecture. It's not a guilt trip. It's the honest, real conversation Jen wished someone had with her...about what alcohol actually does to your hormones, why it matters specifically for breast cancer survivors, and what she personally does when she chooses to have a drink.

Because information that feels like power is very different from information that makes you feel afraid.

In this episode:

• Jen's personal relationship with alcohol before and after her breast cancer diagnosis

• Why alcohol raises estrogen (and what that actually means for your body)

• The liver connection...why your body can't clear excess estrogen when it's busy processing alcohol

• How your genetics determine how your body handles alcohol and why two women can drink the same amount and have completely different experiences

• Acetaldehyde — the toxic byproduct of alcohol metabolism most people have never heard of

• The DNA testing Jen recommends to understand your own metabolism (and the one she used herself)

• Exactly what Jen does before, during, and the morning after she chooses to drink — her full harm reduction protocol

• The two supplements she takes every time: sulforaphane (Brock Elite) and NAC — what they do and why

• The mindset piece — why guilt the next morning is information worth paying attention to

• How she used her DNA test results + a Dutch test + AI to build a supplement protocol specific to her body

Links & Resources Mentioned:

• Brock Elite sulforaphane supplement + 20% off code - Mara Labs supplements - Use code NotTodayCancer f

• NAC supplement Jen recommends — Amazon Link

• Pique green tea — Disocunt link Pique Tea

• The DNA Company - DNA testing Link

• Not Today Cancer Inner Circle — Join Here

You don't have to white-knuckle it. You don't have to be reckless. There's a middle space — and that's where informed choices live. Not today, cancer.

Medical Disclaimer: Jen Delvaux is not a medical doctor and nothing shared in this episode constitutes medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider before making changes to your health routine.

Today Jen welcomes cancer survivor, business owner, and holistic health advocate Stephanie Rouzee to Not Today Cancer. Stephanie calls herself a "corporate dropout turned cancer thriver" after leaving a high-pressure mortgage career to prioritize healing, purpose, and time with her family.

Stephanie shares how she was originally told "cancer doesn't hurt" when she reported painful breast symptoms, despite having dense breasts and feeling a clear lump. Months later, severe pain finally led to a same-day mammogram, biopsy, and a diagnosis of stage 1, grade 2 invasive ductal carcinoma. She opens up about navigating endless appointments, portal results that quietly revealed "invasive ductal carcinoma," and the moment she chose to see cancer as an "opportunity" instead of a life-ending sentence.

You'll hear:

• The exact symptoms she felt (including pain) and why dense breasts plus "it doesn't hurt so it's fine" can be such a dangerous combo.

• Her treatment path: lumpectomy, 22 rounds of radiation, medically induced menopause, and why radiation fatigue hit her harder than she expected.

• Why she ultimately stopped hormone-blocking meds after joint pain, brain fog, and the terrifying moment she couldn't remember her own son's name.

• How she uses food as medicine now—focusing on plants, organic grass‑fed meats, mushroom coffee, low‑sugar, low‑processed eating, and specific bio‑nutrients to support hormones and healing.

• The role of exercise, walking, and strength training in lowering inflammation, regulating hormones, and supporting her mental health post-treatment.

• Her experience with hyperbaric oxygen therapy and functional testing (like the Dutch test) to uncover high estrogen, cortisol issues, and estrogen detox challenges.

• Why she quit her corporate job after her doctor warned that her high stress and poor nutrition could raise her risk of recurrence—and how working alongside her husband changed everything.

  Connect with Stephanie:

  • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/direct/t/113784370013536/

  Resources mentioned:

  • Not Today Cancer Inner Circle (Thursday Calls!) JOIN HERE

  • GET BrocElite: Mara Labs supplements - Use code NotTodayCancer for 20% off

  • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jendelvaux/ Email me: [email protected]

  If this episode spoke to you…

  Please take 30 seconds to follow the show and leave a review—it truly helps more women find this podcast when they're newly diagnosed, in treatment, or trying to rebuild life after cancer. And as always, remember: Not today, cancer. Medical Disclaimer: Jen Delvaux is not a medical doctor, and nothing in this episode constitutes medical advice. Always consult your oncologist or healthcare provider before making any changes to your treatment plan.

Jen Delvaux shares her personal decision to come off Letrozole after being diagnosed with full osteoporosis at her 2-year DEXA scan. She walks through everything she's doing instead: her complete natural bone health protocol covering nutrition, supplements, movement, lifestyle, and the key labs every woman on hormone-blocking medication should know about. Real talk, real research, real options. Not today, cancer.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Personal Story 02:21 Understanding Hormone Blocking Therapy 04:14 Experiencing Side Effects and Pain 07:15 Healing and Exercise Journey 09:06 Bone Density Testing and Results 10:00 Research on Bone Loss and Fracture Risk 15:13 Deciding to Stop Medication and Risks 16:33 Supporting Bone Health Through Diet 21:22 Exercise Recommendations for Bone Strength 24:28 Lifestyle Factors and Bone Rebuilding 25:21 Monitoring Bone Health and Questions to Ask Doctors 26:48 Community Support and Final Thoughts

Links & Resources Mentioned:

• Free Bone Health PDF — Grab it HERE

• Not Today Cancer Inner Circle (Thursday Calls!) JOIN HERE

• AlgaeCal supplement — algaecal.com

• Protein powder (Icelandic blue spirulina, third-party tested) + discount code —> USE CODE HELLO10

  Medical Disclaimer: Jen Delvaux is not a medical doctor, and nothing in this episode constitutes medical advice. Always consult your oncologist or healthcare provider before making any changes to your treatment plan.