WE Have Cancer

In this powerful interview Matt Newman shares his story of how he came to be diagnosed and ultimately survived brain cancer. He shares the power of a positive mindset, the importance of exercise and how his cancer experience reshaped his view of life.

Links Mentioned In the WE Have Cancer Podcast

Matt's website - https://matthewsnewman.com/

Matt's book, Starting at the Finish Line: My Cancer Partner, Perspective and Preparation - https://www.amazon.com/Starting-Finish-Line-Perspective-Preparation-ebook/dp/B07BWCVSBN/ref=sr_1_1?crid=36VVHT0UR2YFO&keywords=starting+at+the+finish+line&qid=1580172291&s=books&sprefix=starting+at+the+%2Cstripbooks%2C160&sr=1-1

 

Follow Matt on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/startingatthefinishlineMattNewman/

Follow Matt on Twitter - https://twitter.com/FinishLine_Matt

Follow Matt on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/startingatthefinishline/

WE Have Cancer LinksSubscribe to the WE Have Cancer Podcast - https://pod.link/wehavecancerFollow WE Have Cancer on Social Media

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Join our private Facebook group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/wehavecancershow/

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Know someone touched by cancer who has an inspiring story?

Nominate a guest to appear on the podcast - https://wehavecancershow.com/guest

Email Lee

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Maureen Famiano was originally diagnosed with Colorectal Cancer in 2010. Six weeks after colon resection surgery she learned her cancer had spread to her lymph nodes. During our conversation we discussed:

• Why asking questions of your doctor and advocating for your care is so important.
• The specific questions to ask your doctor after a cancer diagnosis.
• The complications she experienced after her treatment and the choices she needed to make.
• Why she chose to get a 2nd, 3rd and 4th opinion and why the 4th opinion was her best option.
• How she evaluated her treatment options, including a possible permanent ostomy, and what she ultimately decided on.
• The lifestyle changes she was required to make moving forward.

 

Links Mentioned In the WE Have Cancer Podcast

Connect with Maureen on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/maureen.famiano

WE Have Cancer LinksSubscribe to the WE Have Cancer Podcast - https://pod.link/wehavecancerFollow WE Have Cancer on Social Media

Like our Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/wehavecancershow/

Join our private Facebook group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/wehavecancershow/

Follow us on Twitter - https://twitter.com/wehavecancerpod

Follow us on Instagram - https://instagram.com/wehavecancerpod

Follow us on LinkedIn - https://linkedin.com/company/wehavecancer

Know someone touched by cancer who has an inspiring story?

Nominate a guest to appear on the podcast - https://wehavecancershow.com/guest

Email Lee

[email protected]

One month after retiring as a news correspondent with NBC, Mark Potter found himself in the role as cancer caregiver for his wife Judith. As a way to find some solitude during this difficult time, /mark began photographing the beautiful sunrises of Miami, Florida. After Judith's death in April of 2019, Mark found this early morning routine to be a source of comfort, or as he put it, his "church without a roof."

During our conversation we discussed:

• How he transitioned from a "hard news" correspondent to "photographer."
• The reason why he chose to photograph sunrises.
• How time alone helped him be a better caregiver to his wife, Judith.
• How this time of solitude helps him cope with the loss of his wife.
• The community he's become a part of during these early morning shoots.
• The possibility of his photos being selected for display at a local hospital.

Links Mentioned In the WE Have Cancer Podcast

The Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center - https://umiamihealth.org/en/sylvester-comprehensive-cancer-center

View Mark's incredible sunrise photos on Instagram - https://instagram.com/markpottermiami

WE Have Cancer LinksSubscribe to the WE Have Cancer Podcast - https://pod.link/wehavecancerFollow WE Have Cancer on Social Media

Like our Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/wehavecancershow/

Join our private Facebook group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/wehavecancershow/

Follow us on Twitter - https://twitter.com/wehavecancerpod

Follow us on Instagram - https://instagram.com/wehavecancerpod

Follow us on LinkedIn - https://linkedin.com/company/wehavecancer

Know someone touched by cancer who has an inspiring story?

Nominate a guest to appear on the podcast - https://wehavecancershow.com/guest

Email Lee

[email protected]

Kandis' mother succumbed to cancer in 2014. Not only was she her mother's caregiver she also was charged with caring for her younger siblings. During this time she was literally burning the candle at both ends. During our conversation we discussed:

• How she wished she knew of the resources available to support her during such a difficult time in her life.
• The importance of reaching out to people in similar situations as a source of support.
• The importance of self-care when serving as a caregiver and the enormous challenges she faced while caring for both her sick mother and her younger siblings.
• How her relationship with with her mother blossomed during her illness.
• The stigma in the African-American community around going to psycho-therapy and what motivated her to seek support.
• How she coped with her mother's passing.

Links Mentioned In the WE Have Cancer Podcast

Therapy For Black Girls - https://www.therapyforblackgirls.com/

Follow Kandis on Instagram - https://instagram.com/kandi_koated

WE Have Cancer LinksSubscribe to the WE Have Cancer Podcast - https://pod.link/wehavecancerFollow WE Have Cancer on Social Media

Like our Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/wehavecancershow/

Join our private Facebook group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/wehavecancershow/

Follow us on Twitter - https://twitter.com/wehavecancerpod

Follow us on Instagram - https://instagram.com/wehavecancerpod

Follow us on LinkedIn - https://linkedin.com/company/wehavecancer

Know someone touched by cancer who has an inspiring story?

Nominate a guest to appear on the podcast - https://wehavecancershow.com/guest

Email Lee

[email protected]

Tatiana Suarez started wrestling when she was three years' old. Right before she was to compete in the 2012 Olympics in London, she was diagnosed with Thyroid Cancer. During our conversation we discussed:

• Why she got into wrestling at such a young age.
• How she came to be diagnosed with thyroid cancer
• Her reaction to missing out on the London Olympics due to her thyroid cancer
• How she found faith just prior to her diagnosis
• Her discovery of holistic medicine at a young age
• How the removal of her thyroid has impacted her
• How cancer changed her life and brought her closer to her family
• Her love of competition

Follow Tatiana Suarez

Follow Tatiana Suarez on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tatianasuarezufc/

Follow Tatiana Suarez on Twitter - https://twitter.com/tatianaufc

Like Tatiana Suarez' Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/TatianaSuarezPadillaMMA/

WE Have Cancer LinksSubscribe to the WE Have Cancer Podcast - https://pod.link/wehavecancerFollow WE Have Cancer on Social Media

Like our Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/wehavecancershow/

Join our private Facebook group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/wehavecancershow/

Follow us on Twitter - https://twitter.com/wehavecancerpod

Follow us on Instagram - https://instagram.com/wehavecancerpod

Follow us on LinkedIn - https://linkedin.com/company/wehavecancer

Know someone touched by cancer who has an inspiring story?

Nominate a guest to appear on the podcast - https://wehavecancershow.com/guest

Email Lee

[email protected]

*** Please note - Just prior to publishing this episode, Christy emailed me to inform me that she'd just learned that her cancer had returned and had metastasized to her lungs.

In 2017 while traveling in Ireland, Christy had a seizure. The doctors traced the source of the seizure to a tumor in her brain which had metastasized from her rectum. She was 37 years old and had stage 4 rectal cancer.

During our conversation we discussed:

• Her experience attending colorectal cancer conferences and cancer "camps"
• How cancer impacts the control one has over their life
• How she came to be diagnosed
• The importance of exercise in her life
• How her cancer impacted her marriage

Links Mentioned In the WE Have Cancer PodcastWE Have Cancer Links

Christy's story on Cancer Grad - http://www.cancergrad.org/yearbook-1/2019/6/21/rectal-cancer-grad-christy

First Descents - https://firstdescents.org/

The Cassie Hinds Shoe Cancer Foundation - https://www.cassiehinesshoescancer.org/about/cassies-story/

Follow Christy on Instagram - https://instagram.com/christylorio

Follow Christy on Twitter - https://twitter.com/christylorio

Subscribe to the WE Have Cancer Podcast - https://pod.link/wehavecancerFollow WE Have Cancer on Social Media

Like our Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/wehavecancershow/

Join our private Facebook group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/wehavecancershow/

Follow us on Twitter - https://twitter.com/wehavecancerpod

Follow us on Instagram - https://instagram.com/wehavecancerpod

Follow us on LinkedIn - https://linkedin.com/company/wehavecancer

Know someone touched by cancer who has an inspiring story?

Nominate a guest to appear on the podcast - https://wehavecancershow.com/guest

Email Lee

[email protected]

In 2005 Wendi was diagnosed with stage 3 metastatic ovarian cancer. She also tested positive for the BRCA 1 gene. After treatment, which included a hysterectomy and prophylactic double mastectomy, she was pronounced "cured" after five years.

Early in 2019, after 14 years her cancer returned. During our conversation we discussed:

• How a case of appendicitis led to the diagnosis of her cancer recurrence.
• The challenges she now faces with the metastasis to her peritoneum.
• HIPEC as an option for treatment of her cancer recurrence.
• The long-term side effects of her initial treatment and how it's impacted her life.
• How her cancer recurrence has impacted decisions on her life moving forward.
• How turning to her faith has brought her comfort.

Links Mentioned In the WE Have Cancer Podcast

Connect with Wendi - http://wendicooper.com/

WE Have Cancer LinksSubscribe to the show - https://pod.link/wehavecancerFollow WE Have Cancer on Social Media

Like our Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/wehavecancershow/

Join our private Facebook group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/wehavecancershow/

Follow us on Twitter - https://twitter.com/wehavecancerpod

Follow us on Instagram - https://instagram.com/wehavecancerpod

Follow us on LinkedIn - https://linkedin.com/company/wehavecancer

Know someone touched by cancer who has an inspiring story?

Nominate a guest to appear on the podcast - https://wehavecancershow.com/guest

Email Lee

[email protected]

Dr. Jamie Aten is the Founder and Executive Director of the Humanitarian Disaster Institute and Chair of Humanitarian and Disaster Leadership at Wheaton College. A survivor of colorectal cancer, he's also the author of A Walking Disaster: What Surviving Katrina and Cancer Taught Me About Faith and Resilience.

During our conversation we discussed:

• How Terror Management theory explains why some people struggle to support those going through traumatic experiences like cancer.
• How he struggled to ask for help during his treatment and how he overcame this challenge.
• Redefining "strengths" and "weaknesses."
• How growing up in a small, blue collar town impacted his view of the world and his career choice.
• How he came to be diagnosed with colon cancer in 2014.
• Why those touched by cancer should be cautious of optimism.
• How Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) can affect cancer patients.

Links Mentioned In the WE Have Cancer Podcast

Jamie's book, A Walking Disaster: What Surviving Katrina and Cancer Taught Me About Faith and Resilience - https://www.amazon.com/Walking-Disaster-Surviving-Resilience-Spirituality-ebook/dp/B07M6QL56C/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1ZRLYE0B9A1PN&keywords=a+walking+disaster+by+jamie+aten&qid=1571591927&sprefix=a+walking+dis%2Caps%2C170&sr=8-1

CancerToday article, Coping With Trauma - https://www.cancertodaymag.org/Pages/cancer-talk/Coping-With-Trauma.aspx

Humanitarian Disaster Institute - https://www.wheaton.edu/academics/academic-centers/humanitarian-disaster-institute/

Lotsa Helping Hands - https://lotsahelpinghands.com/

Follow Jamie on Twitter - https://twitter.com/drjamieaten

Follow Jamie on Instagram - https://instagram.com/drjamieaten

WE Have Cancer LinksSubscribe to the show - https://pod.link/wehavecancerFollow WE Have Cancer on Social Media

Like our Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/wehavecancershow/

Join our private Facebook group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/wehavecancershow/

Follow us on Twitter - https://twitter.com/wehavecancerpod

Follow us on Instagram - https://instagram.com/wehavecancerpod

Follow us on LinkedIn - https://linkedin.com/company/wehavecancer

Know someone touched by cancer who has an inspiring story?

Nominate a guest to appear on the podcast - https://wehavecancershow.com/guest

 

Email Lee

[email protected]

As a breast cancer survivor, Sylvie Leotin understands the the unseen needs of cancer patients. As a former ballerina and computer scientist, Sylvie seeks to integrate the mind, body and heart to live a more meaningful life.

During our conversation we discussed:

• The importance of mindfullness and meditation and the role it plays in her healing.
• Why she wakes up in the middle of the night to meditate.
• How her training as a ballerina helped her to become self-compassionate.
• Why it's difficult for patients to hear phrases like "congratulations on finishing treatment" and "you beat cancer!"
• How working in Lean Innovation in Silicon Valley has changed how she looks at cancer treatment centers and how they interact with patients.

 

Links Mentioned In the WE Have Cancer Podcast

Sylvie's Blog, The Voice of the Cancer Patient - https://sylvieleotin.com/

Sylvie's article in the Journal of Patient Experience, "An Insider View of the Cancer Radiation Experience Through the Eyes of a Cancer Patient." - https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/2374373519832604

Connect with Sylvie on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/sleotin

Connect with Sylvie on Twitter - https://twitter.com/sleotin

Connect with Sylvie on Instagram - https://instagram.com/sleotin

WE Have Cancer LinksSubscribe to the show - https://pod.link/wehavecancerFollow WE Have Cancer on Social Media

Like our Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/wehavecancershow/

Join our private Facebook group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/wehavecancershow/

Follow us on Twitter - https://twitter.com/wehavecancerpod

Follow us on Instagram - https://instagram.com/wehavecancerpod

Follow us on LinkedIn - https://linkedin.com/company/wehavecancer

Know someone touched by cancer who has an inspiring story?

Nominate a guest to appear on the podcast - https://wehavecancershow.com/guest

Email Lee

[email protected]

Janet Fanaki created Resilient People, Stories to Inspire while caring for her husband who was diagnosed with an aggressive form of Brain Cancer in 2016.

During our conversation we discussed:

• How she came up with the idea for Resilient People.
• Why building a community has benefited her.
• How her husband came to be diagnosed with Glioblastoma and the treatment that was prescribed for him.
• The current state of her husband's health.
• How she finds the stories to profile on Resilient People.
• The story of Jason Fiorotto, who founded the Tory Day Fund in memory of his wife who passed away from Breast Cancer.
• What she's learned from the Resilient People project.
• The story of the 90 year-old Holocaust survivor profiled on her site.

Links Mentioned In the WE Have Cancer Podcast

Resilient People - http://www.resilientpeople.ca/

Resilient People on Instagram - https://instagram.com/resilientpeopleca

Resilient People on Twitter - https://twitter.com/resilientpeopl

Resilient People on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/resilientpeopleca/

The Tory Day Fund - http://www.toryday.org/

WE Have Cancer LinksSubscribe to the show - https://pod.link/wehavecancerFollow WE Have Cancer on Social Media

Like our Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/wehavecancershow/

Join our private Facebook group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/wehavecancershow/

Follow us on Twitter - https://twitter.com/wehavecancerpod

Follow us on Instagram - https://instagram.com/wehavecancerpod

Follow us on LinkedIn - https://linkedin.com/company/wehavecancer

Know someone touched by cancer who has an inspiring story?

Nominate a guest to appear on the podcast - https://wehavecancershow.com/guest

Email Lee

[email protected]