Why I Started a Podcast

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Today Sarah Hall, a fellow young survivor, mentor in our Fortify Peer Mentorship Program, and now my friend and podcast partner, and I went to a Lavender farm. You heard correctly; I said Lavender farm.  I swear it was a scene out of a 1990’s romantic comedy. We walked in the gardens, perused the gift shop, and grabbed a latte from the farms café.

It was over coffee that chemo brain came up when Sarah relayed how she knew she was forgetting something the other day and didn’t realize it was getting her daughter from school until her doorbell rang. “Oh my gosh, you have no idea how much better that makes me feel, I exclaimed. This has to be something we discuss on our podcast. I forgot to pick my friends kids up from the school bus stop once; it was mortifying!”

These are the little things that often impact those receiving cancer treatments but are rarely discussed but that’s about to change. Sarah and I are on a mission to demystify the cancer experience and to discuss our experiences in a thoughtful and often humorous way. The goal of the podcast, aptly called Besties with Breasties, is to entertain and inform patients about what they can expect after a breast cancer diagnosis, provide insights to make the road a bit easier, and point them to resources that will empower them to live their best life. 

Faith Through Fire was fortunate when COVID 19 hit because our emotional wellness programs were designed with simplicity and ease of participation in mind. Neither our Fortify Peer Mentorship program nor our partnership with Build A Bear require face to face interaction.

In an instant, the Coronavirus dramatically changed the cancer care landscape. Patients began experiencing heightened anxiety related to contracting the virus as well as fear related to changes in their treatment plans or the ban on supportive family or friends accompanying them to treatment. These changes made continuing our tradition of providing emotional support to breast cancer patients simply and safely a top priority. Besties with Breasties is another way for us to do that.

Even though Faith Through Fire programs are handled remotely, connection is our driving force. We know a cancer diagnosis is overwhelming, and we use this podcast to share our own experiences as a means to validate what so many patients are feeling. The interesting thing to note about our program is we receive lots of feedback from listeners who are not breast cancer patients and enjoy the show nonetheless. I’d like to think it’s because our message is universal- life is going to throw some curveballs, and overcoming those challenges lies in your ability to be vulnerable and ask for help.

Besties with Breasties is a way of building our community through laughter, trust, and support. If you or someone you know is going through breast cancer treatment or in survivorship, please share this link and subscribe!