Four cancers, three strokes, two brain aneurysms, a divorce, and 27 surgeries — and she came out on the other side with a book, a podcast, and a whole lot of laughter.
Teresa Baglietto joins Brigitte Cutshall on Real Things Living for a raw and deeply relatable conversation about surviving the unsurvivable. From her first cancer diagnosis in 2008 through a decade of medical crises, Teresa shares how she leaned on her faith, her village of friends, and her sense of humor to keep going.
She opens up about raising three boys through it all, writing her book, The Ripple Effect, and launching her podcast In Shock — both rooted in the belief that our hardest moments don't have to define us, but they can absolutely shape us.
Takeaways:
(1) Laughter is medicine. Teresa credits her community of funny, loving friends as one of her most powerful healing tools. Giving yourself permission to laugh — even in the darkest moments — releases stress, shifts your energy, and brings moments of joy when you need them most.
(2) Suppression creates disease. Teresa and Brigitte both emphasize that keeping your struggles hidden can catch up with you. Being vocal and open about what you're going through isn't weakness — it's a survival strategy.
(3) Your anchors matter. Rather than just talking about resilience, Teresa's book, The Ripple Effect, focuses on the anchors — the specific habits, people, and mindsets that actually carry you through. Resilience is the outcome; the anchors are the practice.
Check out Teresa's book "The Ripple Effect" - https://www.amazon.com/Ripple-Effect-Teresa-Baglietto/dp/B0G2SXSLXG
Her podcast "In Shock" on YouTube and all major platforms https://www.youtube.com/@inshock.podcast
Connect with her on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/inshock.podcast/
Visit her website at https://teresabaglietto.com
And if you loved this episode, share it with someone who needs a reminder that joy is always worth fighting for.