Not Your Grandma‘s Cancer Show

Bonus episode: When cancer is a marathon and not a sprint - living with chronic cancer

In this bonus episode, Tatum talks to Christopher, Maddie and Amber who are all living with cancer long-term. Christopher was diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia at 40. He watched and waited over a decade to start treatment. Maddie has had cancer for 8 years, after being diagnosed with a rare sarcoma at 18, while Amber, 21, is living with chronic myeloid leukaemia and will be coming off treatment in January 2025.
In this podcast, all of them reflect on the mental and physical stamina they've needed to live with a diagnosis few people understand. 

The emotion of numbers: Understanding cancer science and statistics

In this episode, we dive into the feelings that numbers and stats can bring up when you're diagnosed with cancer, and talk about how we can put them into context. Tatum speaks to Laragh, who was diagnosed with thyroid cancer at 24 after being told that the chance of having cancer was 'negligible'. She also speaks to Ceinwen, Shine's Co-CEO, who was diagnosed with Stage 4 non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 2010 and thought that the universe owed her some good luck after her diagnosis.
Tatum's final guest is Krishnan Bhaskaran, a statistical epidemiologist at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Krishnan talks about working with numbers and stats, and how he managed when his wife was diagnosed with cancer. He also gives tips on how to understand scientific studies and what to look for if you're trying to find good data on your diagnosis and treatment. 

Pride Special: Gender identity and cancer

This month we're looking at gender identity and cancer. Whether you're non-binary, trans or questioning, Tatum and our guests are here for you, and they're looking at what it feels like when cancer care is set up to affirm a gender that isn't yours. Matt and Angie tell their stories of cancer and treatment, how they coped with assumptions about what surgeries and drugs they should take, and how they've recovered a sense of self along the way. 

Mental health and cancer: Reconnecting with your mind

This episode looks at the mental health impact of cancer. Not feeling like yourself? Unable to "get back to normal"? You're not alone - and you're not losing it. Cancer is particularly tough for younger adults and in this episode Tatum speaks to three great guests:
- David talks about how he coped after his diagnosis, including scheduling in "crying time".
- Dr. Harriet Forbes talks about her research on the long-term impact mental health impact of cancer.
- Clare, Shine's Programme Delivery Manager, talks about her diagnosis, Shine's programmes, and how people within the Shine community have managed their mental health through cancer. 

Reconnecting with your body

Many people find that they feel different in their bodies after cancer - you might have lost trust in your body, or feel like your body has turned against you.
In this podcast, Tatum talks to Claudia Knowles, a Research Assistant in the Heathcote Lab / working with Dr Lauren Heathcote looking at the mind-body connection in people who have had cancer. They talk about interoception - they way that we understand our internal bodily signals - and how bodily signals can affect emotions. Claudia talks about how to foster a more helpful mindset after a cancer diagnosis.
The podcast ends with a short relaxation and breathwork session. 
Claudia is currently carrying out some research on 'interoception'. If you've been diagnosed with breast cancer, you can participate here:bit.ly/MyBodySurvey
X: @ClaudRKnowles
Instagram: @claudiaroseknowles 
Lauren's X: @LCHeathcote
 
 

Doctors get cancer too: hearing from healthcare professionals

Most of us are used to talking to healthcare professionals about our cancer but we don't usually talk to them about *their* cancer.  In this podcast, we hear about what it's like to go from being the person giving a diagnosis to being the one who receives it. 
Hannah, a GP, shares how she received the news of her brain tumour while at work with a waiting room full of people. Simon, a pediatrician, explains how he navigates how much of his own experience to share while at work. Mari, gynaecologist, was shocked at how other doctors often failed to acknowledge the impact of their words. And Mari's husband, Babur, a surgeon, talks about how he goes to work to fix others but the person he really wants to be able to fix is his wife.  

Living with the lasting effects of cancer

When your initial cancer treatment is over, your friends and family might think you're fine - but we know you can be left with many lasting effects and emotions. In this episode, Tatum talks to Matt who was diagnosed with a brain tumour at 17, and Roisin who was treated for osteosarcoma of the jaw after a diagnosis at 28. They talk how they managed treatment and the aftermath over the long term.
Roisin has also shared more details of her treatment and recovery on our website here.

Newly Diagnosed? This episode is for you!

If you're newly diagnosed with cancer, welcome, you're in the right place.  
In this episode, members of the Shine community share their top tips and what they wish they knew when they were in your position. We have two great guests, Matt, diagnosed just last year with bowel cancer, shares his whirlwind entry into the world of cancer and how important humour is, and Ceinwen, co-founder of Shine Cancer Support, shares the breadth of her knowledge. Having met hundreds of newly diagnosed younger adults she reminds us that however we are feeling we aren't alone and we're not doing it wrong.  

Living with genetic cancers

Tatum explores what it's like to carry a 'cancer gene' and speaks to Helen, who carries the BRCA gene, and Cara who has Lynch syndrome. 
Cara developed bowel cancer at 32 for which she was successfully treated. She later developed early stage womb cancer and had a hysterectomy and oophorectomy during the pandemic. Her father had also had bowel cancer. 
Three generations of Helen's family have been affected by cancer, including her mother who died of breast cancer in the 1990s. Helen tested positive for the BRCA1 gene mutation as a child and later developed ovarian cancer. 
Both Cara and Helen discuss what it's like to live with the constant awareness of cancer and how they continue to process their experiences.

Neurodiversity and cancer - how neurodivergence affects how we experience cancer

Tatum speaks to Dr. Char Goodwin and Neil MacVicar, both of whom are neurodivergent and have been diagnosed with cancer.
The quote Char references is from Dr Jac den Houting  @JacdenHouting  TED talk https://www.ted.com/talks/jac_den_houting_why_everything_you_know_about_autism_is_wrong?language=en