Our BC Life

A cancer diagnosis can feel like a profound betrayal, but for many young adults (AYA), that betrayal deepens with an infertility diagnosis. In this deeply personal and informative discussion, we explore the unique fertility challenges faced by those diagnosed with cancer under 40 for both male-at-birth and female-at-birth individuals.

Guests Megan Scherer, Executive Director & Co-Founder of the nonprofit Worth the Wait, and Kara...

As we celebrate AAPI Heritage Month in May, listen to this heartfelt and enlightening conversation with my guest, Winnie Chung, Director of the ChineseSHARE Breast Cancer Program and former medical language interpreter, who discusses the unique challenges Chinese breast cancer patients face when coming to the United States for treatment and care. From her beginnings as an interpreter for Mandarin and Cantonese speakers to her curre...

Our Breast Cancer Program Director and host of the Our BC Life podcast, Megan-Claire Chase, is not only an advocate in the breast cancer space but also an Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) breast cancer survivor. In oncology, AYA refers to individuals diagnosed with cancer under 40 facing unique challenges that set them apart from pediatric and older adult patients.

To raise awareness of AYA Cancer, Megan-Claire is thrilled to be joi...

Guest Haley Pollack knows the deep impact of cancer — first as a daughter, then as a mother. After her mom died of breast cancer during her 20s, Haley faced her own colon cancer diagnosis at 37, just months after giving birth to her second daughter. In this heartfelt conversation, she opens up about navigating motherhood and cancer, the pain of stopping breastfeeding due to treatment, and the loneliness of not finding resources for...

French-born beauty restoration expert Delphine Breyne knows firsthand the power of appearance in self-confidence. As the youngest of eight in a family with a strong history of breast cancer, she underwent genetic testing and remains vigilant about her health. Her deep personal connection to breast cancer fuels her passion for helping others feel like themselves again.

Born with a condition that prevents eyebrow growth, Delphine unde...

Welcome back to Part II of our incredible conversation with Ash Davidson, a transmasculine nonbinary advocate who courageously shares their breast/chest cancer journey. In this episode, Ash opens up about the mental and emotional toll of navigating a cancer diagnosis while in the midst of their gender transition.

We dive into the challenges they faced, including an experience about being misgendered at the oncologist's office—a...

In this first episode of season three, I talked with Ash Davidson. I am presenting their story as a two-part series to fully explore their experience as a transmasculine non-binary person navigating breast/chest cancer. 

In Part One, Ash shares their journey of self-discovery, gender transition, and the challenges transgender individuals face in healthcare. The conversation delves into feelings of euphoria post-top surgery and ...

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-s...

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 te...

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, heal...

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...

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 s...

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...

Breast/chest cancer can take away a lot, but it can also give a lot. Spencer Hayward, a transgender man and survivor of invasive ductal (IDC) breast cancer, shares his journey from diagnosis to experiencing surgical frustrations and what it is like to receive gender-affirming care. The weight that lifted after his double mastectomy was physical and Spencer shares an amazing moment where his nurse recognized him as a man. His life m...

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 (ILC) 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” t...

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 muta...

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&a...

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...

Season one of Our BC Life is now available! We are grateful for the courage and strength of the survivors who have shared their inspiring stories with us. We encourage you to share this podcast with your friends and family who may also be interested in hearing about the world of early-stage breast cancer survivorship. This compilation of all 2023 episodes aims to give our listeners a bird's-eye view of the journey of a breast ...