What happens when a life-threatening medical diagnosis comes wrapped in cultural silence and shame? Aiona is a card-carrying Tongan, a mother, and a hospitality manager from Petaluma who suddenly found herself facing Stage III breast cancer. But when she first felt that 11cm tumor, her immediate instinct wasn't just fear—it…
"The last one is maybe going to be the hardest. But I'll finish the race." The anxiety of a cancer diagnosis doesn't just evaporate when the clinical treatment plan ends. As my sister Brenda shares in the conclusion of her story, true survivorship means facing an entirely new set of…
"The anxiety comes with the not knowing... When you know the end of the story, maybe that's when the anxiety goes away. I don't have as much anymore... I've jumped over every single hurdle. The last one is maybe going to be the hardest. But I'll do it and I'll…
No Evidence of Disease. It’s the milestone every patient prays for, and the moment you think you finally get your life back. But for my sister Brenda, crossing that finish line was just the beginning of a completely different battle. If you haven’t listened to Part 1 yet, pause right…
We’ve all heard the aggressive vocabulary of survival: Fight the cancer. Kill the cancer. Overcome it. But what does "fighting" actually look like when you are deep in the trenches of treatment? My sister Brenda is pulling back the curtain on a reality that rarely gets talked about in public…
There is a version of this podcast that Dr. Randi Paynter imagined making before she started. She would sit across from strangers, ask them to trust her with the hardest thing that ever happened to them, and there would be a clean line between host and guest. This is not…
There is a version of this podcast I imagined making before I started. I thought I’d sit across from strangers, ask them to trust me with the hardest thing that ever happened to them, and maintain a clean line between us. This is not that episode. This is my sister,…
Rachel is a two-time ovarian cancer survivor, an 18-year veteran of the cancer journey, and the author of The No-Bull**** Guide to Dealing with Cancer (written with co-author Dr. Mercedes Castiel). She was 32 years old when persistent, progressing symptoms led her to an OB-GYN, an ultrasound, a CAT scan,…
Have you heard of ring theory? It might be the most useful framework for anyone supporting a loved one through cancer — or any crisis. Two-time ovarian cancer survivor and author Rachel breaks it down in our upcoming episode of Changed By Cancer. Episode drops 6/10/2026. #ChangedByCancer #RingTheory #CancerSupport #CancerCommunity…
Women are conditioned to be polite, to not make a scene, to be 'good girls' — even in the doctor's office. But as two-time ovarian cancer survivor Rachel reminds us: It is not more important to be good than it is to be alive. Rachel doesn't hold back on why…
Sasha's cancer was never supposed to be found when it was. Invasive lobular carcinoma — the second most common form of breast cancer — grows not in a lump, but in sheets and lines of cells. It only shows up on mammograms about thirty percent of the time. Sasha's first…
What does it look like when the system actually works for you — and it's still overwhelming? Sasha is a non-binary business owner, parent, and self-described science nerd living in San Francisco. When a routine mammogram missed their cancer entirely, it took a chance biopsy to find it. The diagnosis?…
Renee was 50 when her first mammogram came back with a diagnosis: ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). She had a lumpectomy, radiation, and got on with her life. Two years later, the DCIS was back -- same breast, more aggressive, with a feature called comedonecrosis that changed the calculus entirely.…
What do you do when cancer comes back, and you've already done the hard work of healing? Renee was diagnosed with breast cancer for the second time, just when she'd finally found her footing again. Her response? Refuse to cancel her life. Channel her fear into aerial circus performance. And…
We're letting you know about our upcoming podcast with episodes coming soon. If you live in the US and are going through cancer, please consider sharing your story on our platform. Visit www.changedbycancer.com.