Our MBC Life

Meditation, Mindfulness, and MBC: Finding Your Inner Calm

Can mindfulness and meditation help many of us living with MBC tame anxiety, improve emotional balance, and experience more joy? Expert guests and our patient panel share how this ancient practice can make a daily difference. Bonus: our podcast includes a special guided meditation created with MBC patients in mind.

Laughter as Medicine

Is laughter good medicine? These breast cancer survivors/thrivers say: Yes!

Systemic Racism and MBC in Clinical Trials

Jumping hurdles to get the treatments you want is the reality for people living with MBC. Add systemic racism into the healthcare mix and it’s clear that more needs to happen, and soon, to create equity and greater diversity in one of the most important tools in the MBC toolbox: clinical trials. In this episode, we check in with Stephanie Walker, who led the BECOME project and spearheads the Black Wo(Men) Speak Symposium, patient advocate and clinical trial participant Rev. Dr. Tawana Davis, and Patient Navigator Valarie Worthy. How does systemic racism affect what Black patients learn about MBC clinical trials? And how can those who need it most break down barriers to the best care?

ASCO 2022: When The Dust Settles, What Are My Treatment Options For ER+/HER2- MBC?

Welcome to the second part of our post–2022-ASCO analysis of the state of affairs in the HR-positive MBC. It was not so long ago that our only options were single-agent endocrine therapy and systemic chemo. We have come a long way over the last couple of decades. Today we are asking Drs. Stephanie Graff, Sara Hurvitz, and Kevin Kalinsky to talk about how they make decisions in the clinic in selecting and sequencing treatments, specifically CDK4/6 inhibitors and the newly approved targeted therapies.

RTAC: FES/Cerianna Screening for Estrogen Positive MBC

There’s a FDA- approved diagnostic imaging agent developed to comprehensively evaluate estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) lesions in recurrent or metastatic breast cancer as an adjunct to biopsy. By creating a “whole-body” picture of ER+ lesions, Cerianna may be a helpful diagnostic tool in helping oncologists better determine the most appropriate course of treatment. Learn more in this episode.

Caregivers: We Can’t Do This Without You!

Celebrate OMBCL’s 100th episode and National Family Caregiver Month by listening to our candid conversations with three committed and courageous caregivers.

Caregivers: ASCO 2022: When the Dust Settles, Will ADCs Change MBC?

While HER2-Low and DESTINY-Breast04 garnered most of the headlines from the ASCO 2022 in June, it was not the only reason for optimism. Our MBC Life takes a deeper dive with Dr. Stephanie Graff and Dr. Hope Rugo in this first episode of our two-part series.

We Remember

We Remember honors all who died from metastatic breast cancer over the past year—parents, children, spouses and partners. In this episode, the MBC community gives voice to both the grief and the love that endures after each death.

Dr. Shanu Modi: How to Get a Standing Ovation at ASCO?

MSK’s Dr. Shanu Modi, lead investigator on the DESTINY-Breast04 trial, talks with the Our MBC Life team about the trial’s standing ovation at ASCO, how to know if we’re HER2-low, and what this all means for us.

MBC101: The HER2-Low Show

The DESTINY-Breast04 trial at ASCO 2022 introduced many people to the term “HER2-low.” But how do you know if you’re HER2-low? In this episode, with the help a breast pathologist and a clinical oncologist we dive into this subtype and what it means to us.

The Legacy of Lisa Laudico

Lisa Laudico, who created and spearheaded the Our MBC Life podcast series, died on August 6, 2022 from MBC. In this episode, Lisa’s friends, family, and colleagues remember her amazing life and celebrate the many ways she fostered connection, resilience, and hope throughout the MBC community.

Psilocybin-assisted Therapy: One Patient vs. the DEA

Welcome to the third and final episode in our series on the potential of psilocybin-assisted therapy. We speak with two women taking action to increase legal access to psilocybin-assisted therapy in the United States. Erinn Baldeschwiler and attorney Kathryn Tucker of the Emerge Law Group tell us about their lawsuit against the Drug Enforcement Agency, who is denying Erinn access to psilocybin in the palliative care setting. They discuss what it’s been like to deal with all the legal proceedings on top of a progressing MBC diagnosis and why psilocybin should be immediately available to patients suffering from distress, anxiety, depression.

Psilocybin-assisted Therapy: Patient Experiences

In this episode,the podcast talks to two women with breast cancer who had legal access to psilocybin-assisted therapy: Journalist and writer Erica Rex participated in a clinical trial at Johns Hopkins after being diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer and Mari Singfield, a young Canadian woman living with MBC, gained access through an exemption to Section 56(1) of the Canadian Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, a process facilitated by the organization, TheraPsil. Both women share the process that they went through to gain legal access to psilocybin-assisted therapy and what the treatment was actually like for them.

Healing our Distress: The Potential of Psilocybin-assisted Therapy

Welcome to our series on the potential of psilocybin-assisted therapy to help us live as well as possible with metastatic breast cancer.

In this first episode, co-host and producer of this series, Dr. Paula Jayne and co-host Lynda Weatherby interview Dr. Boadie Dunlop, Director of the Mood and Anxiety Disorders Program at Emory University. Dr Dunlop shares existing and emerging data on how psilocybin may help those of us living with MBC and discusses an upcoming pilot trial of psilocybin-assisted therapy at Emory University’s Palliative and Supportive Care Clinic.

MBC & Parenting Expert Panel

How does one even begin to bring up the topic of metastatic breast cancer to a child? On this third episode of our MBC & Parenting series, we’ll talk to three experts that can give us some insight and guidance on how to talk with our children in the most open and safe ways. First up, Co-host Martha Carlson and Senior Co-host Victoria Goldberg speak with Dr. Leeza Park, psychiatrist, clinical researcher, and Deputy Director for the Comprehensive Cancer Support Program at the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill. Finally, Senior Co-host and Producer, Lisa Laudico and Co-host Martha Carlson have an illuminating conversation with Morgan Livingstone, Certified Child Life Specialist based in Toronto, Ontario Canada, and Amanda Celeste, Parenting Expert for Project Life, mother, wife, and teacher.

MBC & Parenting: The Kids Are Alright

What does a metastatic diagnosis mean for our children?

Dr. Nancy Lin: Are CNS Mets Becoming More Treatable? What’s New with STOP-HER2?

Brain metastases are unfortunately an all too common and devastating complication of breast cancer. The blood-brain barrier has long been a key obstacle to developing effective systemic therapies; however, newer agents are showing signs of overcoming this challenge. Dr. Nancy Lin explains.

MBC & Parenting: The Parents Are Hanging In

Remember all those birth and parenting books we poured over as newly minted parents? Well, I bet if we checked there would be nothing on how to parent while living with MBC. This episode is one of three in our series of “MBC & Parenting” where we will address all things related to being a parent living with a metastatic breast cancer diagnosis.

ER Progression and Resistance: Causes, Consequences, and Hope

Endocrine therapy is an effective way to treat hormone-sensitive breast cancers, but de novo and acquired resistance to this treatment remains a major challenge. In this episode, the Our MBC Life team hears from two dynamic MSK oncologists Dr. Pedram Razavi and Dr. Komal Jhaveri on treatment strategies and the latest research around the problem of endocrine resistance.

Dr. Stephanie Graff: Understanding Progression

What does it mean when our cancer shows progression? And how do we know when that happens? The Our MBC Life team gets the lowdown from Dr. Stephanie L. Graff.

Grief, Loss, & Faith

All of us approach life and death from the perspective of our faith, family, and culture. This episode of Our MBC Life is an open discussion with the hosts and faith leaders on grief, loss, and end-of-life. Hear messages of love and hope from those at the front lines of faith and spirituality, whatever your faith or spirituality may be. We recognize that all of us approach life and death in general from the perspective of our faith traditions, our family cultures, and the traditions and culture we choose as adults. All this shapes how we approach our end-of-life planning.

Dr. Lidia Schapira: Hey Doc, What Are You Telling Me?

What can we, as patients, do to strengthen our communication and relationships with our oncologists? This episode of Our MBC Life, the first in our MBC 101 series, includes perspectives, insights and suggestions from both sides of the critical doctor-patient relationship.

Doing End-Of-Life Right

How does one do things right at the end of life? There are many ways to answer this question, as varied as all of us.

Dr. Priya Kumthekar: Glimpses of Hope for Leptomeningeal Metastases

Co-hosts Victoria Goldberg and Dr. Paula Jayne sit down with neuro-oncologist Dr. Priya Kumthekar to talk about leptomeningeal metastases: what they are, how they are treated, and what research is upcoming, including a discussion on ANGled, the new Phase 3 trial for MBC patients newly diagnosed with leptomeningeal metastases.

Ambiguous Loss & Dr. Pauline Boss

This episode has something for everyone – not just those of us living with MBC or a terminal diagnosis. All of us have experienced a wide range of loss and grief from the last 2 years of life under a pandemic. In this second installment of our focus on Grief and Loss, host Lisa Laudico speaks with leading social scientist, family therapist, professor, and writer Dr. Pauline Boss about all of her research and her latest book, The Myth of Closure: Ambiguous Loss in a Time of Pandemic & Change.

Dr. Timothy Pluard: The Future of MBC Care is Already Here

The future of personalized care for those living with MBC is already here, and it is happening in Kansas City, Missouri. Dr. Timothy Pluard, Medical Director of the Kansas City’s Saint Luke’s Koontz Center for Advanced Breast Cancer joins the podcast to talk about how he and his team create an individualized, completely comprehensive plan for each woman.

Lara MacGregor: How To Decline Well With Hope

This interview doesn’t shy away from the hard conversations that MBC patients have when diagnosed. Lara MacGregor, founder of Hope Scarves, spoke with the pod before she passed in January, and she shared the unvarnished truth of declining well with hope. Always hope, as she would say. We also speak with April Stearns, founder and editor of Wildfire Magazine and The Burn Podcast, who had been working with Lara on her book “A Hopeful Life”.

Black History & Health Equity Every Month, Every Day

Join Co-host Sheila Johnson for a very special panel in honor of Black History Month. Sheila speaks with Rev. Dr. Tawana Davis, Ricki Farley, Kellee Southern, and Stephanie Walker. We’re digging into what it is like to be a Black woman seeking medical treatment for breast cancer or metastatic breast cancer, and what these incredible women are doing to improve health equity for Black women and men.

Report Back from SABCS 2021: What’s the Latest in MBC Research?

Learn about the most recent information released at the annual San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium regarding metastatic breast cancer research with Dr. Peter Schmid, Professor of Cancer Medicine at Barts Cancer Institute in London, England. Dr. Schmid will provide a comprehensive update and answer your questions about these new developments.

MBC 101: What happens when MBC spreads to the brain?

Lianne Kraemer, an MBC patient advocate living with brain mets, and SHARE Cancer Support hosted a discussion on managing breast cancer brain metastases back in November of 2021. Today we are bringing you this webinar with our additional commentary. If you’re looking for a deep dive into the basics of breast cancer brain metastases, this is the episode for you.

Does Advocacy Matter? The New Breast Cancer Brain Mets Website

Lisa Laudico is joined by Musa Mayer, Christine Hodgdon and Lianne Kraemer, three inspiring women to discuss the importance of being your own advocate and the brand new breast cancer brain mets website. MBCBrainMets.org is a one-stop website resource hub for individuals living with brain mets or leptomeningeal disease. Let’s go over everything that’s changed for people living with MBC, and the work that still needs to be done.

Road to a Cure: Drug Resistance

Our 7th and last stop before the SABCS is back to NYC. Co-hosts Lisa Laudico and Ellen Landsberger talk with Dr Sarat Chandarlapaty, a leading Physician Scientist at MSKCC. As both a physician treating patients and a scientist in the lab, Dr. Chandarlapaty gives us an understanding of translational medicine, transferring what he learns from his patients back into the lab to answer questions that advance the treatment of metastatic breast cancer.

November Trailblazer and a Dash of Joy

The Season of Giving is upon us. Purely by chance, we may be starting a new tradition here on the Trailblazer series - guests bearing gifts. This gift will be symbolically unwrapped during this interview with this month’s Trailblazer - national nonprofit United for HER and Susan Weldon, Founder and CEO.

Living with a De Novo MBC Diagnosis

In this episode, we’re hosting a panel to discuss what it’s really like to be diagnosed stage 4 from the beginning or de novo MBC. Those of us diagnosed de novo don’t get an introduction to breast cancer at earlier stages and that presents some unique issues.

Road to a Cure: ABC with Dr. Fatima Cardoso

On the sixth stop in our series, Co-hosts Victoria Goldberg and Lisa Laudico sit down with the creator and Director of the Breast Unit of the Champalimaud Clinical Center in Lisbon, Portugal, Dr. Fatima Cardoso.

Road to a Cure: ADC & SARM

How famous is Dr Hope Rugo? She belongs to a tiny elite group of oncologists who have their own Wikipedia page. No surprise that we can’t wait to hear what she has to say about a new class of drugs, known as ADCs and specifically, the first ADC for mTNBC that already has a nickname – Sassy (sacituzumab govitecan). Do you know what a SARM is? It is a special class of drugs for those who are Androgen Receptor (AR) positive. Listen and find out.

Body Image & Diet Culture

This episode will focus on body image and diet culture, both within society and the breast cancer community, and how treatment can affect our feelings about our bodies. Co-host Natalia Green moderates a panel of women currently living with MBC who discuss and share their experiences.

Road to a Cure: Use of Immunotherapy

This week we are visiting Dr Stephanie Goff at the NIH in Bethesda, Maryland. Dr. Goff is a surgical oncologist and a senior member of a research team led by Dr. Steven A. Rosenberg, a man widely regarded as the father of immunotherapy.

A friend, who knows a thing or two about this place is joining us on this trip. Her name is Judy Perkins, and she is the first MBC patient who has been cured by a revolutionary immunotherapy treatment, known as adoptive cell therapy, that was administered by Dr Goff and her colleagues at the NCI.

Road to a Cure: Dr. Heather Parsons & Dr. Nancy Lin

The Road to a Cure series heads to Boston to speak with Dr. Nancy Lin and Dr. Heather Parsons about the possibilities and the current barriers for a cure for HER2+ MBC.

While an amazing gift, long-term survival among some HER2+ patients can also sometimes bring special challenges. Drs. Lin and Parsons discuss current research on brain mets, along with areas of promising overall MBC research for each subtype.

We Remember

In this episode our Senior Producer and Co-host, Lisa Laudico, interviews Dr. Andrew Silver, widower of the poet Anya Krugovy Silver, who died of MBC in 2018. Andrew speaks to us about her posthumous publication of her last book of poetry, St. Agnostica and we have our friend Abigail Johnston do a selected reading for us.

We also hear from Lauren Hocum, the daughter of our beloved co-host Chawnte Randall who died last November.

Lisa is joined with Senior co-host, Natalia Green, as we lift up this prayer of sorts to all of you – we remember, we bear witness to what a single name represents – the joys, the trials, the mundane, the magnificent. Not one of these beautiful souls are forgotten. Ever.

Road to a Cure: Dr. Sara Hurvitz

Co-hosts Victoria Goldberg and Kate Pfitzer sit down with the Medical Director of the Clinical Researcher Unit of the Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Director of the Breast Cancer Clinical Trials Program at UCLA, Dr. Sara Hurvitz.

Dr. Hurvitz has won numerous awards over the past few years, among them the Marni Levine Memorial Breast Cancer Research Award 2008 through 2015.

Join us as we make over 10 stops all over the U.S. (with one stop in Europe) on this Road to a Cure - every Monday until the start of the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium in December!

Road to a Cure: Dr. Larry Norton

Larry Norton is the Norma S. Sarofim Chair of Clinical Oncology, Senior Vice President in the Office of the President, and Deputy Director for Clinical and Translational Science in the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Dr. Norton’s also the Medical Director of the Evelyn H. Lauder Breast Center at MSK and a founder of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, serving as Scientific Director and then Founding Scientific Director since the foundation's inception in 1993.

Dr. Norton has dedicated his life to the eradication of cancer by activities in medical care, laboratory and clinical research, advocacy, and government.

Senior Producer & Host Lisa Laudico and co-host Dr. Ellen Landsberger speak with Dr. Norton on what he sees happening with Metastatic Breast Cancer research today, what lines of research are most exciting to him, and how he cares for his own mental health.

Road to a Cure: What It Means to Us

One of the first questions a newly diagnosed cancer patient usually asks is: “Will I die from this disease?” The very first question a newly diagnosed metastatic patient asks is: “How long do I have?”

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in women. It is estimated that over 44,000 will die from breast cancer this year. Simply put, 116 of our MBC brothers and sisters will die today, tomorrow, and the day after. These numbers are grim and they have not changed dramatically in the last 20 years.

In this episode, we sit down with a group of the Our MBC Life co-hosts and friends of the podcast to discuss what it means to live with an incurable disease and consider the possibility of a cure.

MBC Around the World

Without the jetlag, we had great conversations with Vesna Zic-Cote, Advisory Board Member of Canada’s RETHINK Breast Cancer, Aiko Brody of Japanese SHARE, Dr. Rania Azmi of Kuwait’s Fadia Survive and Thrive Cancer Association, Rod Ritchie of Breast Cancer Network Australia, Chris Chukwunyere of Nigeria, Lesley Kailani Glen of Project Life & Kenya’s Faraja Cancer Support, and Jo Taylor of METUPUK.

Everyone here at the pod is sending out love during this month of October. It can be tough, we know, for so so many reasons. We have more than a little love in our heart for you.

Trailblazers of Charlotte

Our first stop on Trailblazer on the Road is Go Jen Go. We spoke with the late Jen Pagani’s husband Joe, who shared Jen’s story and her amazing legacy. Susan Sears, the Executive Director of Go Jen Go, explained how this one person is making an impact on those in the Charlotte area who have encountered financial difficulty while living with cancer.

We were also joined by Maren Coffman, PhD, RN, CNE, Associate Professor at UNC Charlotte, and a member of the Charlotte Metsters Support Group, as well as Lynn Erdman, Executive Director of Carolina Breast Friends. This organization was born from the desire of one woman, Kristy Adams-Ebel, to speak with others who were going through breast cancer like her. While Kristy passed in 2006, her legacy lives on.

Relationships and Intimacy

To start this season off right we have real conversations about the stuff we don't talk much about - relationships and intimacy while living with MBC. Co-hosts Lisa Laudico and Natalia Green speak with fellow Co-host, Deltra James about how she is looking for something new, with Tim & Dione who navigated their early dating when Dione was diagnosed with MBC, and with Brittney Beadle who was diagnosed with MBC at 18 and who now at 26 is in a loving relationship of her own. Lisa & Natalia then speak with Dr. Kelly Shanahan, ObGyn & leading MBC advocate, along with Dr. Don Dizon, Professor of Medicine at Brown University and a medical oncologist specializing in breast and pelvic malignancies, and survivorship as it pertains to sexual health. This episode also has a very informative session with Dr. Jordan Rullo, PhD, AFPP is a Board Certified Clinical Health Psychologist, Certified Sex Therapist (AASECT) & adjunct Assistant Professor at the University of Utah. If you ever wanted to have some time with a sex therapist look no further.

A Dash of Joy Summer Bonus

Need a dash of Joy in your day? Join Dar as she takes us on a joyful journey. Dar's Dash of Joy airs the last Friday of each month along with our Trailblazer episode. So on this final Friday of July we have a special bonus episode to share with all of you. And be sure to check out our all of Trailblazer episodes. Season 3 starts Sept. 20.

A Conversation with Shirley Mertz

This is a very special summer bonus episode with MBC Advocate and friend of the podcast Shirley Mertz. Shirley joined us earlier in the season in “Policy and the Power of Patient Advocacy.” She could have been on any number of episodes including “Searching for Unicorns” as Shirley is nearing two decades living with MBC. Our conversation with her was full of stories, advice, laughs, and remembrances. Please join us for our full conversation with Shirley.

Report Back from ASCO: What’s The Latest in Metastatic Breast Cancer

Are you living with ER+/HER2- or TNBC MBC and tired of hearing about new HER2 therapies and wondering when it will be your turn? This podcast is for you. Welcome to this bonus episode of Our MBC Life. The 2021 ASCO Annual Meeting was held during the first week of June. After the meeting SHARE welcomed Dr. Timothy Pluard, University of Missouri-KC School of Medicine, to a webinar highlighting promising data from trials and labs across the globe presented at this year’s meeting.

Twisted Pink and a Dash of Joy

We are ending season 2 on a positive note with a dash of joy from Dar Finkelstein and a conversation with our Trailblazer of the Month, Caroline Johnson, founder of Kentucky-based non-profit organization Twisted Pink, whose sole mission is to raise funds for MBC.

MBC & the LGBTQ2S+ Community

Join us for our discussion on the LGBTQ2S+ community and MBC. Co-host Natalia Green moderates a panel with Bob DeVito and Rainy Orteca, two guests living with MBC, who are also part of the LGBTQ2S+ community. We also have the co-founder of Queering Cancer, Dr. Evan Taylor, and Kimiko Tobimatsu, Canadian human rights lawyer and an award-winning graphic novelist whose book.

Facing Mortality

In April of 2021, a prominent clinical psychologist Dr Anne Kane joined SHARE’s Program Project Manager Deb Hackenberry to discuss the implications of facing mortality while also living as Dr Kane says: fully, richly, and deeply as possible. This episode is an audio version of the webinar about a very real, yet seldom discussed issue.

The Magic of Palliative Care: Our Stories

Want to know why we call it “magic?” Hear from people living with MBC about their experiences. While they all agree and encourage others to seek Palliative Care they also are aware of the barriers to access. Our guests cover it all. And it gets real.

Project Life and A Dash of Joy

“It is very important for us who are living with MBC to be able to go to a place where we know it’s safe to just be who we are.” This month’s Trailblazer is Project Life, a virtual wellness house that recently set up residence in cyberspace. The co-hosts Victoria Goldberg and Dar Finkelstein speak with the founder and CEO, Leslie Glenn, and its COO, Jackie Seiner, about the origin of the project, MBC wellness and survivorship.

Introducing the BECOME Project & Survey

This month we have focused on quality-of-life issues and this episode is part one of a two part series on the “Magic of Palliative Care.” At times the term “palliative care” is misunderstood, so we also use a newer term, “supportive care,” to better explain how this care supports your quality of life as you go through MBC treatment. We first turn our focus to the medical providers who help us manage symptoms and treatment side effects and, by doing so, improve multiple aspects of our lives.

Introducing the BECOME Project & Survey

The MBC Alliance asks the question “How can we ensure Black people are better represented in cancer research? Finding the answer starts with patient voices.” The BECOME Project is positioned to do just that. BECOME project lead Stephanie Walker and committee member Sheila Fuhs join Lisa Laudico to talk about the important initiative and how YOU can get involved.

The Healing Power of Writing - Live Readings

Following up from last week’s episode, April Stearns, Editor of Wildfire Magazine, writer and psychotherapist, Erin Weiss, and the poet and writer Ilene Kaminsky, are joining us today for a special bonus episode of readings from the Wildfire magazine community. These readings were given throughout this past year of isolation through Zoom events that brought our very special community together. So grab your walking shoes, or sit down in a comfy chair with a glass of something fun, and enjoy the lovely bits of prose floating into your ears from each of these writers.

The Healing Power of Writing

During Mental Health Awareness Month, we want to take a deep dive into the healing power of writing for those in the MBC community. In this episode, we speak about the writing process with the founder and editor of the Wildfire Magazine writing community, April Stearns, a writing workshop participant & psychotherapist Erin Weiss, and poet and writer Ilene Kaminsky.

Like all good writing - we laugh, we cry, and we get inspired.

Advocacy from a Legislator’s Perspective - Rep. Debbie Wasserman Shultz

Following our episode on policy and the power of patient advocacy, we felt it important to hear from someone on the receiving end of our advocacy work. Specifically, we wanted to speak with Representative Debbie Wasserman Shultz, a breast cancer survivor herself and someone who has worked hard for more than a decade on laws to help Americans impacted by breast cancer. We were joined by Metavivor Stage IV Stampede Florida captain Abigail Johnston, who is an inspirational advocate in her own right. Also joining us is Maimah Karmo, President of the Tigerlilly Foundation, speaking about her friendship and work with Rep. Wasserman Shultz over the years.

April Trailblazer & A Dash of Joy

Have you ever asked yourself if Wonder Woman was real? Ask no more. She lives and her name is Jamil Rivers. Jamil was diagnosed with MBC at age 39. She is a mother of three, a caregiver, board president of METAvivor and if that’s not enough, she has recently embarked on a new venture—The Chrysalis Initiative. Also in this episode is a Dash of Joy from Our MBC Life’s own Dar Finkelstein. Dar is committed to living a life of joy and she shows us all how to do it. An episode full of hope, inspiration and joy.

Policy and the Power of Patient Advocacy

It does not take long after a diagnosis of MBC to see that policies and legislation have a tremendous impact on the resources that are available. In this episode, Our MBC Life is joined by patient advocates who make it their mission to cause change.

MBC & Latinx Issues

Co-host Natalia Green and her sister, Carla, share their experiences as patients and caregivers. They explore MBC issues and experiences in the Latinx community along with Oncologist Dr. Mabel Mardones and Sara Carbajal-Salisbury, executive director of Alliance Community Services.

A Conversation with Judy Perkins

Judy Perkins joins co-host Victoria Goldberg to share her incredible story. She is a unicorn and clinical trial success. Judy tells the whole story--the good, the bad, the joyful, the difficult, the grief, and the friendship.

Clinical Trials: The Patient Perspective Part 2

In part 1, Our MBC Life outlined the challenges and barriers to clinical trial recruitment. Now in Part 2, we explore solutions with patient advocates and medical professionals who are working to find ways forward.

Trailblazer and Dash of Joy

Welcome to Our MBC Life’s Trailblazer of the month: 305 Pink Pack in Miami, Florida. Rosemary Carrera joins host Victoria Goldberg to talk about her story, starting Pink Pack, and how she discovered the unique needs of people living with metastatic disease.

Clinical Trials: The Patient Perspective Part 1

What is it like to try and find a clinical trial as a patient? What are the challenges and hurdles to overcome? Our MBC Life shares the perspective of patients. Part 1 of a 2 part series on Clinical Trials.

A Dash of Joy

Season 2 of Our MBC Life introduces Dar Finkelstein and her monthly segment “A Dash of Joy”. Hear how she finds joy in a life filled with doctors, shots, pills and scans. As well as how she stays focused on creating the feeling of Joy as a professional clown.

Searching for Unicorns: Exceptional Survivors and Responders

Our MBC Life spoke with five extraordinary "unicorns" living with MBC who have far surpassed prognosis expectations. The hosts also spoke with Dr. Mark Burkard and Dr. Stephanie Graff to find out what we can learn from these outliers.

Meet our Season 1 Trailblazers

Meet Our MBC Life's season 1 Trailblazers! Hear from these amazing women who are making a difference in their communities. Taking inspiration from their own experiences, they have created organizations to support others, close gaps, and give back.

What Cancer Patients Need to Know about COVID-19 Vaccines

We are thrilled to highlight another important program presented by SHARE Cancer Support. For many of us living with cancer, there are numerous questions about COVID-19, the vaccines, and what we need to know to best take care of ourselves. Dr. Joshua A Hill discusses this and more on the podcast.

Best of 3Black Docs

In this bonus episode we have the outstanding Dr. Tiffany Avery, Dr. Zanetta Lamar, and Dr. Karen Winkfield, who have developed their own podcast called the 3 Black Docs. They give their professional take on racial disparities in healthcare and address structural barriers that lead to disparities in treatments and outcomes - plus even more content that couldn’t fit in our initial season 1 episode.

A Conversation with Carol Evans

Carol Evans joined SHARE as CEO and Executive Director one year ago. Our MBC Life sat down with her in one of their newest bonus episodes to talk about her background as a visionary and leader of the working mother movement, and how she is helping to take our organization to the next level.

Report Back from SABCS

Our MBC life highlights the early stage and metastatic breast cancer research discussed in SHARE’s Report Back from SABCS program with Dr. Neil Iyengar of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

We Remember Chawnte

In the final episode of season one, Our MBC Life remembers co-host Chawnte Randall, who passed away from metastatic breast cancer in November of 2020.

GRASP: Guiding Researchers and Advocates to Scientific Partnerships

Our MBC Life co-host Natalia Green sits down with Christine Hodgdon and Julia Maués, co-founders of GRASP (Guiding Researchers and Advocates to Scientific Partnerships) to discuss bridging the gap between researchers and MBC advocates in the pursuit of better research connections.

#TheRightDose

Learn more about the Patient-Centered Dosing Initiative (“The Right Dose “) with MBC advocate and author, Anne Loeser and Dr. Aditya Bardia, Attending Physician at Massachusetts General Hospital and Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School.

#InclusionPledge One Year Later

Co-hosts Sheila McGlown and Lisa Laudico have a conversation with Maimah Karmo, founder of the Tigerlily Foundation along with Christine Hodgdon and Julia Maues, co-founders of GRASP, to find out what has happened since the launch of the #InclusionPledge and find out more about the #KnowMoreDisparities and #PullUpASeat initiatives.

Just Gotta SHARE November

Listen to Our MBC Life’s “Just Gotta SHARE” listener roundup of the month. We are wishing all of our listeners a safe and happy holiday season.

Working While Living with MBC

Producers and co-hosts, Victoria Goldberg and Anne Woodward, facilitate a discussion with two women who have continued to work while raising young children and living with MBC. In addition, we sat down for a conversation with the CEO of SHARE Cancer Support, Carol Evans.

Parenting While Living with MBC

Hear about the challenges and accomplishments of those parenting while living with MBC from different perspectives, including insights from co-host Natalia Green.

Interview with Adiba Barney

Co-host Natalia Green sits down with the inspiring MBC advocate and author of “When Life Hands You Cactuses, Make Margaritas,” Adiba Barney.

Re-release - Our Inaugural Episode

Join us as we revisit our inaugural episode with Maimah Karmo of the Tigerlily Foundation to discuss the creation and importance of the #InclusionPledge.

Just Gotta SHARE - Trailblazer

Join us for our third Trailblazer of the Month, Tiah Tomlin and My Style Matters. Co-host, Jersi Baker interviews Tiah about how she started her foundation and how they are working with individuals living with MBC, early-stage breast cancer patients and caregivers in the Greater Atlanta area.

We Remember

In this very special episode, listeners join our hosts and podcast team in sharing remembrances of friends and loved ones who, due to MBC, are no longer with us.

All About Lobular Breast Cancer

Join us for an engaging hour with the new Executive Director of the LBCA, Laurie Hutcheson, the LBCA Scientific Advisory Board Founder and Chair, Dr. Steffi Oesterreich, and Dr. Adrian V. Lee, who with Dr. Oesterreich runs the Lee/Oesterreich lab. We discuss why ILC (Invasive Lobular Cancer) is so hard to research and what looks promising for the future.

Bonus Episode - Kate Petrides

In honor of Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day, Lisa Laudico is joined by special guest co-host Emily Veach to interview Kate Petrides, who has been an MBC Advocate since her early-stage breast cancer diagnosis in 2012 at age 25.

Male Breast Cancer & Remembering Ryan Keith

Join co-hosts Kirby Lewis and Lisa Laudico for our interview with Male Breast Cancer advocate, Michael Singer, and Kate Keith, widow of Male MBC advocate, Ryan Keith.

Ricki Fairley and TOUCH, The Black Cancer Alliance

Join us for our talk with Ricki Fairley, founder of TOUCH Black Breast Cancer Alliance – who is one of those incredible early stage advocates working hard to make a difference for Black breast cancer and for everyone in the MBC Community.

Mets Monday Advocate Spotlight on Katherine O’Brien

Kicking off Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we interview Katherine O’Brien, a leading force in MBC advocacy since her diagnosis in 2009.

Just Gotta SHARE September

Join us for a new Just Gotta SHARE (JGS) podcast highlighting the voices of the podcast listeners and this month’s guests.

Dept. of Defense Breast Cancer Research Program

Dr. Gayle Vaday, Program Manager of the Department of Defense Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs focused on Breast Cancer, joins co-host Sheila McGlown and Lisa Laudico for a conversation on this important funder of MBC Research.

Breast Cancer Research Foundation

Dr. Dorraya El-Ashry, the Chief Scientific Officer for the Breast Cancer Research Fund (BCRF), joins host Lisa Laudico to discuss the many exciting MBC research initiatives that BCRF is undertaking.

Metavivor and #LightupMBC

Co-host Chawnte Randall interviews Metavivor's new President, Jamil Rivers, the first Black President of an MBC organization, to discuss the many ways Metavivor fundraises for much needed MBC Research & the way this foundation evaluates research grants.

The Cancer Couch

Join us for a look into the legacy and work of Dr. Rebecca Timlin-Scalera and The Cancer Couch Foundation with her husband and new Executive Director, Tom Scalera. The conversation covers advocacy, fundraising for MBC Research, and living with grief during COVID.

Just Gotta SHARE August

Join us for our first podcast highlighting the voices of you, our listeners, this month, and a special introduction to the Our MBC Life team, who all are living with MBC while making this podcast.

Nancy U. Lin, MD

Dr. Nancy Lin, the Director of the Metastatic Breast Cancer Program at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, joins Lisa Laudico and co-host, Chawnte Randall, for a conversation on the issues with brain mets, the latest research and trials for brain mets, Dr. Lin's reflections on tele-health and COVID-19.

Brain Mets Advocates

Meet two leading MBC advocates who are focused on addressing issues related to Brain Mets and MBC. Christine Hodgdon and Nunny Reece speak with Lisa Laudico on the MBC Alliance Marina Kaplan Project, living with Brain Mets, treatment side effects, advocacy, mental health, and more.

Meet 3 Black Docs

Dr. Karen, Dr. Zanetta, and Dr. Tiffany bring their professional take on our ongoing conversation about racial disparities in healthcare and addressing structural barriers that lead to disparities in treatments and outcomes.

A Conversation with Emily

Listen to host Lisa Laudico and Emily’s conversation from January, 2020, as we continue to honor her life and legacy. Emily inspired the hosts of Our MBC Life to create this podcast and we want to help fulfill her goal.

Honoring Emily

Join our conversation with Emily’s husband, Christian Garnett, and her dear friend and fellow MBC advocate, Abigail Johnston, as we discuss Emily's legacy projects, grief, caregiver supports, and mental health, as we remember Emily, who passed away in March 2020 after living with MBC for 2.5 years.

Racial Disparities in Healthcare

In this episode we speak with leading MBC advocates, Sheila McGlown and Chawnte Randall, and with the social media breast cancer leaders, Jasmine Souers and Marissa Thomas of For The Breast Of US about their own experiences and how they advocate for their own treatment and for those in their communities.

Voices Challenging Racial Disparities in MBC and Healthcare

In this first episode, our conversation with two women, Jersi Baker and Maimah Karmo, discusses how they’re using their voices to ask questions, challenge norms, and demand a change to who is sitting at the table and striving to create racial equity in the MBC and BC community.