Our BC Life

Welcome to the wrap-up of season two of Our BC Life! I can’t believe we’ve already made it through another season. A huge thank-you to all our incredible guests for trusting me with their stories of survivorship, sharing their experiences to remind others they’re not alone.

This special episode brings you highlights from all our previous episodes—offering a bird’s-eye view into the diverse and complex world of early-stage breast cancer survivorship. Because as we know, it’s more than just pink—it’s our BC life.

In 2013, Bobbie Menneg was diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer and had 15 positive lymph nodes removed, but fortunately, did not develop lymphedema. With a strong family history of breast and kidney cancer, she hesitated to pursue genetic testing—until a doctor encouraged her to take the step. After falling down the “Dr. Google” rabbit hole, she realized it wasn’t what she needed. Confident in her medical team, she fully trusted that they were providing the best possible care. Her message? Advocate for yourself, build a care team you trust, and always come prepared with questions for your doctors.

Recognizing that many patients needed financial support beyond medical expenses, she founded Beyond the Ribbon. The organization helps ease the burden by covering everyday bills, providing medical equipment, and offering gift cards for groceries, gas, etc. She’s seen the stress visibly lift from patients’ shoulders as they receive much-needed support.

Our guest, Cathy Leman, MA, RD, is a registered dietitian nutritionist with a specialty in eating disorders and an invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) breast cancer survivor. At the time of her diagnosis, Cathy had just completed the Chicago Half-Marathon and felt at the peak of her health—she was a personal trainer in addition to being a dietitian. Cancer, especially breast cancer, was the last thing on her mind given her active, healthy lifestyle, making the diagnosis all the more shocking.

After completing surgery and 20 rounds of radiation- her surgery didn’t require a reconstruction option; it required skin grafting to “rebuild” the area from where the tumor was removed -Cathy felt compelled to combine her personal experience with breast cancer and her professional expertise as a dietitian to help others navigate life after breast cancer. She recognized the unique challenges survivors face, particularly when their cancer is hormone-driven, and this led her to create the Peaceful Plate program, designed specifically for breast cancer survivors looking to make lifestyle changes and adopt healthier eating habits.

In our conversation, we also explore the key differences between a registered dietitian and a nutritionist, along with their distinct specialties and how they can complement each other in patient care.

Imagine being just eight years old and seeing your mother disfigured from a Halstead radical mastectomy due to breast cancer because reconstruction wasn’t an option back then. That was Deb Hackenberry’s first introduction to the harsh reality of breast cancer. Later in life, Deb would face her own diagnosis—very early-stage invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC)—largely due to her family history. But it wasn’t just her family history. Environmental factors such as living near factories in New York and being close to the World Trade Center during 9/11 also potentially played a role in her diagnosis.

Motivated by her passion for research and compassion for others, Deb dedicated 14 years to volunteering at SHARE Cancer Support, leading a support group for DCIS patients, and assisting callers on the breast cancer patient support line. She also shares insights into where she is now on her advocacy journey.

When a family member is diagnosed with breast cancer, it can impact the whole family. Our guest, Barbara Spears (Barb), understands this well. Her diagnosis of invasive ductal breast cancer (IDC) changed the course of her daughter Chrissy’s career from pharmacy school to becoming a genetic counselor. Barb shares how her diagnosis took her by surprise and how the support of her husband Bill and daughter helped her through the surgeries and treatments. We also discuss the importance of participating in breast cancer research, having a trustworthy medical team, and how the experience strengthened her bond with her daughter.

You may recall her daughter Chrissy Spears, who was also a guest on our show this season. You can listen to her episode from earlier this year titled “Her Mom’s Breast Cancer Diagnosis Changed Trajectory of Her Career” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Buzzsprout, or any other podcast platform of your choice.

We all have some shared breast cancer experiences, but everybody’s walk is different. Invasive ductal carcinoma (ILC) survivor Dr. Michele D. Clark, LMSW, has a breast cancer experience with so many unexpected twists and turns that it will have you on the edge of your seat to hear what happens next. She survived two massive strokes and then was diagnosed with breast cancer all before she was 40 years old. She had moments where she felt like her world was crumbling around her but soon realized it was actually falling into place. Listen to how she had to pause in her pain to pull out the passion and the purpose in her life that led to the creation of LIFT After Breast Cancer, LLC.

It is crucial to establish a strong partnership with your care team following a breast cancer diagnosis. In this episode, Doretha Burrell, a 17-year stage II invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) survivor, emphasized the significance of the trust and rapport she built with her oncologist, which greatly contributed to her healing and participation in a clinical trial. She also shared a lighthearted anecdote about using the “cancer card” to get out of a speeding ticket. Doretha highlights the importance of sharing our stories because they bring hope to our loved ones and even strangers while helping to humanize us to our medical team.

In your 20s and 30s, you may not have had many interactions with the healthcare system besides visiting a family member in the hospital. There exists a group of people called Adolescents and Young Adults (AYA), who are underrepresented when it comes to being diagnosed with a serious medical condition before the age of 40. Our guest, Kelsey Litwin, was diagnosed with stage IIIB triple-negative (TNBC) breast cancer and the BRCA1 mutation when she was only 24 years old. If it had not been for her family, especially her mom who is a TNBC survivor, she wouldn’t have known what to do next after she felt a lump. Kelsey shares her story to emphasize the importance of health literacy, finding community for healing, and the need for a discussion around fertility preservation.

When someone in your family is diagnosed with breast cancer, it can affect the entire family. Our guest Chrissy Spears, knows this well because her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer her senior year of college. When she and her mother received genetic testing, she was impressed by their genetic counselor’s compassion and insight. It’s interesting to learn how one experience can change the trajectory of someone’s career. Chrissy had initially planned to attend pharmacy school after graduation but ended up becoming a genetic counselor instead. Today, she is an Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine and a Certified Genetic Counselor at The Ohio State University, Division of Human Genetics. Some of the topics we discussed include the intricacies of genetic testing and counseling, dealing with situations where one does not know one’s family history, and gender-affirming care and training, as well as the criteria used to determine if a patient is a good candidate for genetic counseling.

Guest Gail May never missed getting her annual mammograms. At first, her doctor spotted something suspicious and originally diagnosed her with DCIS, and after a second MRI, her cancer had become invasive, and she was diagnosed with invasive ductal (IDC). The impact of getting a single mastectomy filled her with anxiety because she had to adjust to not being symmetrical when using the prosthetic. She learned to be comfortable in her skin again. Gail always used writing as a coping mechanism in the past. Writing poetry and short stories continues to help her cope emotionally and mentally as she processes her breast cancer experience.