The C Word

Helen goes solo for the first time in an episode to share her story with cancer.

Randi Brown reconnected with her faith after her cancer become metastatic. She used a great phrase 'framily' for her friends and family who have supported her as she's walked through her cancer experience. Who is in your framily?

Three years after being diagnosed with breast cancer, Rebecca Van Dijk is undertaking IVF. She and Helen share the impact of cancer on fertility and what it has meant for them.

June is Cancer Survivors Month, which got Helen thinking about what the term survivor means to people who have had cancer. Here she's joined by former surgeon Dr Anitha Ranganathan to discuss how being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2020 changed what 'survivor' means to her. Anitha shares the life altering moment of being told she had breast cancer and how decades in medicine didn't prepare her to process the news. Recovering from a breast cancer diagnosis is challenging - Anitha talks about the toll it took on her mental & emotional health and how the focus on her health led her to train as a holistic sleep expert. For many cancer patients sleep is difficult, and she discusses the main issues impacting the quality of sleep post-cancer.

Anitha's Instagram: @_all.about.sleep

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Theme: 'Happy Days' Scott Holmes

During May the Brain Tumour Support Trust held their 'Go Grey in May' campaign to raise awareness and funds to brain tumour sufferers in New Zealand. Kate Coatsworth knows all too well the huge impact a brain tumour diagnosis has on the person and their family. Kate was a few months out the other side of treatment when she embarked on a huge trek the length of the North Island with a group of supporters. Kate joined Helen to talk about her epic walk and what it's like to be diagnosed with stage four brain cancer in your 30s.

More info on Brain Tumour Support: https://www.braintumoursupport.org.nz/beating-the-track

Theme music: 'Happy Days' Scott Holmes

In this episode Helen is joined by Sacha Coburn, COO of Coffee Culture, motivational speaker and fellow member of the one titted club. Diagnosed with breast cancer in 2009, Sacha has taken her experience and created a way to encourage others to chase their goals.

Links:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sachacoburn/?hl=en

Website: https://thecompanyyoukeep.co.nz/

Podcast The Not So Breakfast Show https://www.buzzsprout.com/1426954

Theme music: "Happy Days" Scott Holmes

For New Zealand music month, Helen is joined by Auckland based musician Molly Rowlandson who was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia when she was 20 years old. Molly's life was turned upside down when she went from uni student to cancer patient overnight. Five years later Molly is cancer free but not free from cancer.

Twenty two years ago Michelle Treadaway-Ohia was grieving the loss of a pregnancy when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Her doctor told her the prognosis wasn't good and to prepare for the worst. Michelle joins Helen to talk about how her cancer experience impacted her and her journey to getting her moko kauae.

Award winning journalist, writer and host of 'Thank You, Mama' Ana Tajder shares how she has managed multiple cancer diagnosis within her family.

In 2015 Greg Taipari thought a persistent cough was from allergies. It turned out to be throat cancer. Three years later when he had recovered from treatment and a stroke his wife Claire was diagnosed with breast cancer.

Greg was well into his treatment before he told his whanau (family) he had cancer, but when Claire was diagnosed he took a different approach and they walked through the experience together.

Helen chats with the couple about how cancer has changed them and why they became vegetarians after a wellness retreat.

Aratika Trust https://www.aratikatrust.co.nz/

Music track: Happy Days Scott Holmes