In Episode 104, Jamie talks with Leslie Ferris Yerger (founder/CEO of My Density Matters and Susan LePlae Miller (VP of Partnerships & Programs) about why breast density matters, how women can better advocate for themselves, and why some cancers, especially lobular breast cancer, can be harder to detect on standard imaging.

Leslie shares her story of being diagnosed with stage IV lobular breast cancer after an “all-clear” mammogram and ultrasound, and why trusting your intuition and pushing for answers is critical. Susan breaks down practical steps anyone can take, including using patient portals to read your actual reports (not just the letter) and asking questions, collaboratively, so you can be an active partner in your care.

My Density Matters’ annual awareness campaign, Find Out My Breast Density Day, takes place February 18. This year’s focus is “Did You Know?” featuring breast density education plus resources from partner organizations across the breast health journey.

[email protected]

[email protected]

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My Density Matters Website

https://mydensitymatters.org/programs/my-story-matters/

Find Out My Density Breast Day February 18, 2026

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Disclaimer:
I am not a doctor, and not all information shared on this podcast comes from qualified healthcare providers. This content does not replace medical advice. For personalized care, please consult your own healthcare providers and/or the qualified professionals interviewed on this podcast.

Andréa Gonzalez shares her journey before, during, and after breast cancer, highlighting the resilience and strength in survivorship. She emphasizes the importance of advocacy and support in the breast cancer community, showcasing her own experiences and contributions to the cause. The conversation covers topics related to beauty and self-care during cancer treatment, survivorship and advocacy, advice for the undiagnosed, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. The importance of early detection and maintaining a healthy lifestyle for cancer survivors is emphasized throughout the conversation.

Takeaways

• Resilience and strength in survivorship
• The importance of advocacy and support Early detection is crucial
• Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is important for cancer survivors

Resources: Look Good Feel Better

We share Nancie Steinberg’s path from losing her mother to breast cancer to navigating her own diagnosis, CML management, and a new DCIS finding, translating hard-won lessons into everyday advocacy. Practical guidance on second opinions, seeing a breast surgeon, and building support grounds the whole conversation.

• Why a missed chemo recommendation changed how we view second opinions
• How to interview oncologists and assess fit
• Grief, work, and parenting through treatment
• Opening up about chronic myeloid leukemia after years of silence
• Advocacy that moves policy on screening and access
• Why to see a breast surgeon rather than rely only on OB-GYN exams
• MRI, mammogram and ultrasound roles for high-risk monitoring
• DCIS decisions, reconstruction options, and recovery planning
• Finding therapy, community, and momentum for better days

 Are you loving the Test Those Breasts! Podcast? You can show your support by donating to the Test Those Breasts Nonprofit @ https://testthosebreasts.org/donate/

Where to find Jamie:
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Jamie Vaughn in the News!

Thanks for listening!
I would appreciate your rating and review where you listen to podcasts!

I  am not a doctor and not all information in this podcast comes from qualified healthcare providers,  therefore may not constitute medical advice. For personalized medical advice, you should reach out to one of the qualified healthcare providers interviewed on this podcast and/or seek medical advice from your own providers .

We sit with Tiffany Williams, a survivor who found her lump, fought for results, chose surgery and radiation, and carried private grief after losing her daughter on day one of treatment. Strength, vulnerability, and self-advocacy weave through a candid talk about silence, support, and speaking up.

• life before diagnosis as a mover and shaker
• finding the lump and insisting on answers
• staging surprise and surgical choice
• why radiation without chemo for lobular cancer
• working through treatment and hiding fatigue
• losing her daughter and processing grief alone
• learning to share, not shoulder everything
• lessons from her mother’s cancer and caregiving
• practical tips on lymphedema and radiation limits
• younger patients, dense breasts, and ultrasound
• the caregiver’s role in appointments and anxiety
• trusting intuition and acting quickly

Sit back, grab a cup of coffee, or enjoy while driving! 

 Are you loving the Test Those Breasts! Podcast? You can show your support by donating to the Test Those Breasts Nonprofit @ https://testthosebreasts.org/donate/

Where to find Jamie:
Instagram  LinkedIn TikTok   Test Those Breasts Facebook Group LinkTree
Jamie Vaughn in the News!

Thanks for listening!
I would appreciate your rating and review where you listen to podcasts!

I  am not a doctor and not all information in this podcast comes from qualified healthcare providers,  therefore may not constitute medical advice. For personalized medical advice, you should reach out to one of the qualified healthcare providers interviewed on this podcast and/or seek medical advice from your own providers .

Send us a text

We sit with Tiffany Williams, a survivor who found her lump, fought for results, chose surgery and radiation, and carried private grief after losing her daughter on day one of treatment. Strength, vulnerability, and self-advocacy weave through a candid talk about silence, support, and speaking up.

• life before diagnosis as a mover and shaker
• finding the lump and insisting on answers
• staging surprise and surgical choice
• why radiation without chemo for lobular cancer
• working through treatment and hiding fatigue
• losing her daughter and processing grief alone
• learning to share, not shoulder everything
• lessons from her mother’s cancer and caregiving
• practical tips on lymphedema and radiation limits
• younger patients, dense breasts, and ultrasound
• the caregiver’s role in appointments and anxiety
• trusting intuition and acting quickly

Sit back, grab a cup of coffee, or enjoy while driving! 

Support the show

Are you loving the Test Those Breasts! Podcast? You can show your support by donating to the Test Those Breasts Nonprofit @ https://testthosebreasts.org/donate/

Where to find Jamie:
Instagram LinkedIn TikTok Test Those Breasts Facebook Group LinkTree
Jamie Vaughn in the News!

Thanks for listening!
I would appreciate your rating and review where you listen to podcasts!

I am not a doctor and not all information in this podcast comes from qualified healthcare providers, therefore may not constitute medical advice. For personalized medical advice, you should reach out to one of the qualified healthcare providers interviewed on this podcast and/or seek medical advice from your own providers .

For our 100th episode, we explore how storytelling helps reclaim body, mind, and spirit after cancer. Gillian Lichota, April Stearns, Melissa Andersen, and Sarah Zsak share how writing transforms fear into agency, supports embodiment, and creates space for healing and connection.

Featured book: Rising Above: Our Transformational Journey to Wholeness After Breast Cancer

Guests
• Gillian Lichota – Founder & CEO of iRise Above Foundation, breast cancer thriver, adventure traveler, and lead author of Rising Above
• April Stearns – Founder and Editor of Wildfire Magazine; breast cancer survivor and expressive writing facilitator
• Melissa Andersen – Nonprofit advocate and HER2+ survivor focused on healing, nature, and creativity
• Sarah Zsak – Speech-language pathologist, mom of four, Peace Corps alum, and Stage III survivor grounded in faith, connection, and hope

• P.ink Day (Personal Ink): https://p-ink.org/p-ink-days/
• American Cancer Society: https://www.cancer.org/
• Ohio State early signs article: https://cancer.osu.edu/news/most-breast-cancers-dont-start-with-a-noticeable-lump
• Dr. Lily Mundy (Johns Hopkins): https://profiles.hopkinsmedicine.org/provider/lily-mundy/2700651
• Dr. Nima Khavanin (Johns Hopkins): https://profiles.hopkinsmedicine.org/provider/nima-khavanin/3052769

Love the Test Those Breasts® Podcast? You can support this work by donating at https://testthosebreasts.org/donate/

Please rate and review wherever you listen — it helps more than you know.

This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. For personalized guidance, consult qualified healthcare providers.

Send us a text

You can feel perfectly fine, hear the word cancer, and watch your whole life tilt. For Veronika Bubenickova, a seasoned product leader, that moment redefined how she approached work, wellness, and what it means to heal. We talk about the HER2+ whirlwind, the shock of chemo, the fatigue that steals sleep, and the mindset shift that turned treatment from a threat into an ally. Veronika shares the simple tools that helped her stay grounded through it all: nourishing food, gentle movement, intentional laughter, and anchoring herself in nature to restore joy and normalcy.

Her greatest act of strength came through self-advocacy, asking hard questions, seeking the right specialists, and making choices that honored both her body and her future. Beyond the medical journey, Veronika opens up about the emotional and spiritual recovery that follows survival: naming the trauma that lingers, finding peace in uncertainty, and learning how to live fully again.

Through Lotus Journey, she now helps other women navigate that same in-between, after treatment, before life feels steady again. Her book, Diary of a Soul Reborn, offers her hard-earned insights and a gentle path toward rebuilding identity, trust, and purpose. If you’re ready to move from doom-scrolling to genuine healing, this conversation is your invitation.

Contact Veronika:

Socials: 

http://www.lotus-journey.com/ 

https://veronika-bubenickova.com/links

LinkedIn

YouTube

Facebook

Instagram

Are you loving the Test Those Breasts! Podcast? You can show your support by donating to the Test Those Breasts Nonprofit @ https://testthosebreasts.org/donate/

Where to find Jamie:
Instagram LinkedIn TikTok Test Those Breasts Facebook Group LinkTree
Jamie Vaughn in the News!

Thanks for listening!
I would appreciate your rating and review where you listen to podcasts!

I am not a doctor and not all information in this podcast comes from qualified healthcare providers, therefore may not constitute medical advice. For personalized medical advice, you should reach out to one of the qualified healthcare providers interviewed on this podcast and/or seek medical advice from your own providers .

Send us a text

Real talk, no ribbons, no fluff.
 Dr. Cari Croghan and Jamie Vaughn dig into the tough barrier topics: fear, cultural dismissal, bias, the absurd hoops we must jump through just to access care, and cultural barriers.
From breast changes to insurance denials, we’re done whispering about it.
This one’s about knowing your body, trusting your gut, and refusing to be brushed off.
Listen in and share it with someone who needs that nudge to speak up and push back, perhaps with a little help!

Episode Summary (Real Talk)

We get honest about what it takes to advocate for yourself in a system that too often says “wait and see.” Dr. Cari, an ER-vet turned telehealth advocate—joins me to talk about the barriers women face every day: lack of education, fear, access, bias, and insurance run-arounds.
 You’ll hear practical advice on getting the right tests, when to demand a diagnostic mammogram, how to appeal denials, and where to find care even without insurance.
 It’s raw, it’s real, and it’s here to help you move from fear to action.

Contact Dr. Cari: 775-745-9239

[email protected]

• Website: drcariffs.com
• Instagram: @dr.cari.ffs
• Facebook Dr. Cari FFS
• Dr. Cari on LinkedIn

Support the show

Are you loving the Test Those Breasts! Podcast? You can show your support by donating to the Test Those Breasts Nonprofit @ https://testthosebreasts.org/donate/

Where to find Jamie:
Instagram LinkedIn TikTok Test Those Breasts Facebook Group LinkTree
Jamie Vaughn in the News!

Thanks for listening!
I would appreciate your rating and review where you listen to podcasts!

I am not a doctor and not all information in this podcast comes from qualified healthcare providers, therefore may not constitute medical advice. For personalized medical advice, you should reach out to one of the qualified healthcare providers interviewed on this podcast and/or seek medical advice from your own providers .

Send us a text

Amanda Gunville, a mom, entrepreneur, author, and cancer thriver, shares her personal journey with breast cancer and how it led to writing her new book "Finding Hope and Joy in Cancer." Her story illustrates how humor, self-advocacy, and mental resilience can transform the cancer experience from purely traumatic to a journey with moments of unexpected beauty and growth.

• Amanda's pre-cancer life as a type-A perfectionist, new mom, and executive trying to be everything to everyone
• The importance of counseling for couples facing cancer—how it enhanced Amanda's marriage
• Taking control of hair loss by shaving her head before chemotherapy could take it and the humor she and her husband shared.
• How writing became therapeutic during treatment and evolved into a book to help others
• The struggle of balancing positivity with allowing yourself to feel grief and sadness
• The power of self-care and prioritizing your own needs before serving others
• Amanda's book drive initiative to donate books to newly diagnosed cancer patients
• The unexpected connections and "angel moments" that happen during cancer treatment
• The importance of allowing yourself to feel all emotions rather than forcing positivity

To support Amanda's book drive where $10 donations provide books directly to cancer patients, visit the link in our show notes. Amanda's book "Finding Hope and Joy in Cancer" launches October 1st.

Amanda Gunville on Instagram

Are you loving the Test Those Breasts! Podcast? You can show your support by donating to the Test Those Breasts Nonprofit @ https://testthosebreasts.org/donate/

Where to find Jamie:
Instagram LinkedIn TikTok Test Those Breasts Facebook Group LinkTree
Jamie Vaughn in the News!

Thanks for listening!
I would appreciate your rating and review where you listen to podcasts!

I am not a doctor and not all information in this podcast comes from qualified healthcare providers, therefore may not constitute medical advice. For personalized medical advice, you should reach out to one of the qualified healthcare providers interviewed on this podcast and/or seek medical advice from your own providers .

Send us a text

Kommah McDowell shares her powerful journey surviving triple negative inflammatory breast cancer diagnosed at age 29 after months of doctors dismissing her symptoms as "too young for cancer." Twenty years later, she's transformed her experience into patient advocacy and authorship.

• Diagnosed with inflammatory breast cancer at 29 after multiple doctors dismissed her symptoms 
• Received a 5% survival rate prognosis, showing how inflammatory breast cancer often gets diagnosed late
• Experienced medical gaslighting when symptoms including pain, redness, and breast growth were repeatedly dismissed
• Got married during treatment when she was bald and could barely walk
• Told she couldn't have children but experienced a "miracle pregnancy" between periods of treatment-induced menopause
• Founded a nonprofit to help cancer patients afford transportation to treatment and basic necessities
• Now an author of two books and professional speaker after celebrating 20 years of survival
• Emphasizes the importance of knowing your body, trusting yourself, and fighting to be heard
• Stresses that second opinions can be lifesaving, even with trusted doctors

If you're experiencing unusual symptoms, trust yourself. Know your body, and always fight to be heard. Remember that second opinions could be a matter of life or death, even if you trust your doctor.

Connect with Kommah:

[email protected]

http://linkedin.com/in/kommah-m-951662199

Www.kommahmcdowell.com

Instagram: @KommahMcDowell

Resources:

Silver Lining: Cancer was the best worst thing that ever happened to me. https://a.co/d/4VbMZz6

String of Pearls: Seeking God’s intentionality in our lives.
​​https://a.co/d/9X7d4Cx 

Are you loving the Test Those Breasts! Podcast? You can show your support by donating to the Test Those Breasts Nonprofit @ https://testthosebreasts.org/donate/

Where to find Jamie:
Instagram LinkedIn TikTok Test Those Breasts Facebook Group LinkTree
Jamie Vaughn in the News!

Thanks for listening!
I would appreciate your rating and review where you listen to podcasts!

I am not a doctor and not all information in this podcast comes from qualified healthcare providers, therefore may not constitute medical advice. For personalized medical advice, you should reach out to one of the qualified healthcare providers interviewed on this podcast and/or seek medical advice from your own providers .