The C Word

Helen speaks to Cancer Society Auckland & Northland's CEO Andrew Young who lost his mum Shirley to lung cancer.

What happens when the glue that keeps your family together dies? Mindfulness practitioner Emma Woodham lost her mum, Sally in 2020. She joins Helen to talk about the pain and beauty of being present for a loved ones final months.

https://www.emmakate.co.nz/

https://www.facebook.com/emmakate.wellbeing/

https://www.thebraingardentrust.nz/

https://gawler.org/

Theme music - Songwriter: Mahoney Jane Harris - Song Title: “That Day” - Published by Songbroker Music Publishing

Male breast cancer is rarely spoken about leaving some men who get the disease feeling like a blue dot in a sea of pink. Helen is joined by Ron Rapaport and Greg Sargeaunt, members of the international organisation The Male Breast Cancer Coalition to talk about the work they do to break down the stigma of male breast cancer. Ron was enjoying the start of his retirement in sunny Florida when he was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2018 and now volunteers with the coalition to educate men all over the world. Greg is the only man in New Zealand to be part of the national mammogram programme after being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2016. The Male Breast Cancer Coalition: https://malebreastcancercoalition.org/ Male Breast Cancer Coalition FB: https://www.facebook.com/MaleBreastCancerCoalition

Theme music: "That Day" by Mahoney Jane Harris. Published by Songbroker Music Publishing

In the final installment of Not Today Cancer! Helen talks to Australian author and advocate Elle Veitch about her upcoming book 'Hey Cancer Fuck You!' Elle was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2019 when she was 27 - she started her Instagram page 'Breasties for Life' where she shares an honest account of life after a breast cancer diagnosis. Elle noticed many people lost their voice after their diagnosis and uses her platform to encourage real conversations about cancer. Her book features letters from 40 people about their breast cancer. Elle is a National Breast Cancer Foundation Australia ambassador.

Sex is often the last thing on your mind when you are going through breast cancer treatment. For Molly Kochan a terminal diagnosis triggered her sexual exploration - much to her best friends, Nikki Boyer, surprise. Her story was captured in the hilarious, honest and confronting podcast 'Dying For Sex'. Molly passed away in 2019 leaving a lasting legacy in the podcast and her memoir 'Screw Cancer, Becoming Whole'. Nikki joins Helen to talk about experiencing the death of your soul mate and what she learned from Molly.

Molly's memoir - https://www.amazon.com/Screw-Cancer-Becoming-Molly-Kochan-ebook/dp/B08FXVPQRC -

Molly's blog https://everythingleadstothis.com/ - Dying for Sex podcast - https://wondery.com/shows/dying-for-sex/

Podfest tickets - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/podfest-global-2021-virtual-tickets-97379335213 - Promo code - CWORDPODFEST for a free entry level ticket

Theme music - Songwriter: Mahoney Jane Harris - Song Title: “That Day” - Published by Songbroker Music

Not Today Cancer is a three part series with a focus on breast cancer and women who have given the middle finger to the big C. Each episode features a woman who has created something special that inspires or supports other people going through breast cancer.

Episode one features Brit Helen Addis, the woman behind the successful Change and Check campaign. During chemo she traveled around in a boob themed bus encouraging people to check their breasts.

LINKS

Helen Addis Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thetittygritty/?hl=en

Blog The Titty Gritty https://thetittygritty.com/

Libby Porter is 36 and has incurable breast cancer. She lives in Calgary, Canada with her husband and 2-year-old daughter. Violet was only a few months old when Libby was initially diagnosed with breast cancer. Libby joins Helen to talk about living with terminal cancer and preparing her daughter for after she's gone.

Netballer Kelly Hutton started a new life in Bahrain in 2019 when she noticed something wasn't right. Seven months later she was back in New Zealand having chemotherapy for aggressive ovarian cancer. Kelly talks to Helen about facing her biggest challenge.

When your child is diagnosed with cancer you walk through the fire with them. Bay of Plenty parent Rata Campbell joins Helen to talk about her two-year-old son's diagnosis of leukemia in 2020. They discuss the challenges of parenting a sick toddler and how Rata and her husband Mark have coped as a couple.

Produced at Planet FM 104.6, community access media in Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland