Breast Friends Cancer Support Radio

Our guest, Antoinette Martin, will take you through her first year with breast cancer. Her memoir, Hug Everyone You Know: A Year of Community, Courage, and Cancer chronicles her first year with breast cancer as a wimpy patient. Through journaling and the help of her community—Her Everyone, she was able to hone needed courage to face the beast and be part of life’s stories.

Bob Carey is a commercial photographer based in New York City. In 2002, as part of a new project exploring stereotypes and transformation, Bob began photographing himself in a pink tutu. When his wife, Linda, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2003, the project took on a different meaning. It became a powerful tool for self-therapy; expressing vulnerability, isolation, and humor.

Intimacy after cancer is difficult to navigate. Today we will talk about developing intimacy after cancer; What it means to healing emotionally, mentally, physically and individually, with your partner and being support for your lover and not shutting them out.

The show will address how frequently as women we think once the cancer is gone or the wounds have healed it is over physically and emotionally when in reality the healing process has just begun. The importance of physical rehabilitation is rarely advised by doctors as rehabilitation and if so, the focus is only on short term range of motion. However, the body takes a year to heal from the trauma and the mind sets its own pace. Methods of connecting the mind/body experience to complete the healing process will be focused on.

Remember when turning 40 was considered being “over the hill” marked by a symbolic tombstone engraved “RIP” on top of a birthday cake? Today, turning 40 is more synonymous with “running up a hill” especially for women in this age bracket who tend to be at their peak of busyness. Surveys and census data show more women over the age of 40 are starting families, getting married (for the first or second time) and are at the pinnacle of their careers. But could running at such a fast pace at this age lead to fatal mistakes when it comes to your health and longevity? Natural health expert, Dr. Christine Horner, author of “Radiant Health, Ageless Beauty” says there isn’t just one cause of aging, but rather many factors that simultaneously contribute to the overall aging process, however she says the silver lining is that we all have tremendous influence on our own health and longevity, no matter what the genetic lottery has dealt or how bad your health habits were in your 20s and 30s.

Certified Lymphedema Therapist Kathleen Lisson shares information on lymphedema, a side effect of cancer treatment that catches many survivors by surprise. She will let us know how to reduce our risk and offer tips and advice for dealing with lymphedema. Kathleen focuses on holistic treatment for her clients, including advice on meditation, balancing their immune systems and more.

Pilates has been found to be a gentle yet effective form of exercise that can benefit breast cancer survivors throughout treatment as well as post treatment. Pilates breathing and movements can enhance lymphatic flow and increase stabilization of the scapula and core musculature. Learn some of the basic principles, and experience a chair pilates session through this session. (Please have a chair without wheels nearby to participate and dress comfortably to move)

Fortunately, survival is the new normal in cancer care. Unfortunately, the rapid growth of individuals surviving cancer results in suboptimal care for cancer survivors, who are frequently overlooked by the healthcare system. According to the National Cancer Institute, this situation creates an urgent need for clinical strategies to address cancer survivorship. To address these issues, and to manage additional complex healthcare needs, cancer survivors require a comprehensive cancer survivor plan.

Some people feel that Breast Cancer Awareness month is a negative thing. That all the pink makes light of a serious disease. For those of us who have battled this disease, we think of it has hope. Meet some of our partners who are raising money this month to help us meet our financial goals so we can continue to support women with cancer.

The Cancer Experience Registry is a unique online community that allows people facing cancer to share their experience, identify the issues that impact their lives, take surveys, access resources and learn from each other.

Being told you have cancer is a life changing experience. Hearing those words changes your life in so many ways. Anne Llewellyn heard those words on November 24, 2014 when she was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Since that time, she has undergone brain surgery, harsh chemotherapy, lost her job and had to rehabilitate her body to be able to do simple activities of daily living. The good news is that she is alive today and working her way back after her life changing detour. Anne will share how she has done this and provide some tips that others can when faced with a major life change.

After the whirlwind of a breast cancer diagnosis and its subsequent treatments, long after the physical wounds have mended, the inner scars can remain raw. Rebecca Pine will delve with us into the inner healing process. We will explore body image, self-acceptance, and reclaiming wholeness. Practical ways of cultivating inner awareness, welcoming vulnerability, and releasing difficult emotions will be shared. Rebecca was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2009, and has a unique approach to healing through mindfulness, nature, and creative expression.

Lisa Crites showered in a garbage bag following her mastectomy. She realized this was unacceptable and developed a company and a product that has changed her world. Join us for her fascinating story.

Dr. Wilkinson will discuss the advances in radiation therapy for breast cancer, as well as, the advantages of proton therapy. Proton therapy is an advanced form of radiation therapy that uses a single beam of high-energy protons to treat various forms of cancer. Provision CARES Proton Therapy Center is a member of the Provision CARES Cancer Network, nestled in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Did you know prostate cancer in a male member of your family can be an early warning sign that you, or a woman you know, may be highly pre-disposed to developing breast cancer. Join us today with our guest, Dennis Golden, Ceo and Founder of the National Prostate Cancer Awareness Foundation, as we explore this subject.

We will explore how DeepLook Technology works using 2D mammograms, claiming that Tomosythesis (3d) mammograms are unnecessary. Can it save lives with better results and save money? Our guest Ken Boulange is CEO of DeepLook Technology.

Give Stage 4 Metastatic Breast Cancer Women and their families a reason to rejoice TODAY & TOMORROW by gifting them a fully-paid week-long luxury vacation; Providing Fun & Happiness for families TODAY and offering LESLIE’S WEEK child participants with Educational Assistance toward a degree or vocation of their choice, thereby creating a better TOMORROW. To provide Stage 4 families a place to gather their spirits in a celebration of life where they Make Memories That Outlast Cancer. Our intent is to ease the end-of-life transition for every woman facing this devastating disease by allowing them this (potentially) last vacation away from cancer with their families.

It is common to experience high levels of anxiety once initial treatment is complete. Will I be okay? Will it come back? What does my future hold? Guided meditation to relieve anxiety is a powerful tool for managing these feelings.

Cancer Rehabilitation is an essential part of high quality cancer care. This is one survivorship care service that can accelerate a person to maintaining their highest quality of life throughout their cancer journey. This segment discusses common side effects and physical impairments from cancer and its treatments, benefits of cancer rehabilitation during surgery, chemotherapy and radiation and understanding the role of each rehab team member involved in the cancer journey.

Are you ready to author a new story of your life? To take all that you’re learning about yourself and this disease and make a choice in this moment to start anew. Let’s talk about how to pick up the pieces after breast cancer diagnosis and treatment and put them back together into the new you.