Our MBC Life

Send us a textIn this episode of Our MBC Life, we sit down with Dr. Kelly Shanahan, the president of METAvivor, a U.S. nonprofit solely dedicated to funding research for metastatic breast cancer (MBC) while also supporting patients through advocacy and community. Our guest shares METAvivor's mission, their biggest milestones, and how their work is driving critical research that aims to extend lives and improve quality of life for those living with MBC.We dive into how METAvivor prioritizes research funding, the importance of patient involvement in advocacy initiatives, and the Stage IV Stampede—a powerful advocacy event raising awareness and amplifying the voices of the MBC community.Tune in to hear how METAvivor is shaping the future of MBC advocacy and how you can get involved to make an impact

Send us a textThis episode of Our MBC Life features Stephanie Walker and Julia Maués of the Patient-Centered Dosing Initiative team who have been working on the 2025 reboot of its groundbreaking 2020 patient survey. Julia and Stephanie break down how treatment doses are typically determined during clinical trials and why individualized dosing, based on more than your diagnosis, is so important for people living with metastatic breast cancer. They also chat about the newly launched 2025 Patient Dosing Survey that you can take right now, where to find it and why your experience about metastatic breast cancer treatment matters.Be sure and visit OurMBCLife.org  to check the episode notes for links and more information.

Send us a textSenior Producer & Host Martha Carlson interviews Josh Newby, the founder of Theresa's Research Foundation. Josh has been a leader in the world of metastatic breast cancer advocacy for over a decade, focusing energy on bringing MBC research scientists and patient advocates together in an effort to improve our lives. To paraphrase Josh, researchers need patients and patients need researchers—a synergy he recognized early and brought to the fore of advocacy. This year, Josh and Theresa's Research Foundation is doubling down on a cure for MBC. In this episode, he talks about the work the Foundation is doing and what “cure” means to him. He also talks about the effects of current federal policy on research and what it may mean for the young MBC investigators he champions. To check out the episode notes, please visit ourmbclife.org. 

Send us a textWelcome to our Season 10 opening episode! Today we're discussing some of the big updates in metastatic breast cancer research from the 2024 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS). Joining us today is Dr. Debu Tripathy, breast oncologist at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center who will break down into understandable terms some of the most impactful findings shared at SABCS, from advances in endocrine therapy and HER2-targeted treatments to exciting developments in PI3K inhibition and nausea control. 

Welcome to our first "Our MBC Life Unplugged" episode, where we wrap up the fall season with an honest, unscripted conversation. What happens when someone is told they might actually be cured? It's what we all dream of hearing, but when we started talking, it opened a Pandora's box of questions and concerns:Is a cure really possible?Should I go off treatment?What if the doctor is wrong and my cancer comes back?This episode dives deep into these complexities and more. So, grab your favorite beverage and join us for a raw, heartfelt discussion you won't want to miss.

If you've never heard of Postpartum Breast Cancer (PPBC) – well, you are not alone. This episode is a personal one for many on our podcast team – it is all about this little-known subset of breast cancer called Postpartum Breast Cancer (Postpartum means “following childbirth”) – how it happens, and why it creates a higher risk for metastatic spread and death. The doctors we interview here have proven that Postpartum Breast Cancer is a distinct category of breast cancer diagnosed in women within 10 years of having a baby. It affects 18,000 women in the US a year (that's almost the same as ovarian cancer diagnoses in the US), and can happen across all subtypes, like hormone +/-, HER2+/-, or triple negative disease. *50%* of women diagnosed with breast cancer under age 45 in the US are actually diagnosed within a 10-year Postpartum window – 50%! Postpartum breast cancer also carries a higher risk for metastasis and death than breast cancer diagnosed outside this 10-year window. Now, Dr. Virginia Borges & Dr. Pepper Schedin are ready to move all their lab findings into the clinic by launching the first-in-human clinical trial to prevent Postpartum Breast Cancer – by giving healthy moms ibuprofen – yes, ibuprofen, for a brief period of time as they wean their babies from nursing. This is a groundbreaking clinical trial idea, with huge potential global impact, and they need the public's help to make it happen.To learn more about this project and read the episode notes, visit our website, Our MBC Life. 

Have you ever wondered how our cancer metastasizes? Why is it that some treatments just don't work? Can we as patients living with MBC alter cellular level activity? In this episode, you will hear the answers to these questions and more. Join us as we take a step back to the basics of tumor microenvironment with our guest, Dr. Amy Beumer, who will break down the science to smaller, digestible bites. In this lively discussion, Dr. Amy explains the how and the why of this tough topic. You will hear her say “This is fun” and use engaging, relatable metaphors like “Picture your neighborhood and that one neighbor…..”  By the end, I assure you that you'll walk away with a deeper understanding of tumor microenvironment than when you started. Pull up a chair, listen in your car or on your daily walk, we are with you wherever you listen to your podcasts. Terms and other resources are provided  in the episode notes on the episode web page,  www.ourmbclife.org/episodes/tumor-microenvironment-dr-beumer.

Each October, Our MBC Life marks Breast Cancer Awareness month with a special episode dedicated to all those who died from metastatic breast cancer over the past year. To live with your own diagnosis or to be a loved one, caregiver, or friend of someone with MBC is to inhabit a community of loss. Every day, we confront the reality of mortality and struggle to balance fear with hope, and sorrow with joy. “We Remember” is OMBCL's opportunity to give voice to the profound grief we share and to honor and celebrate each person we've lost. It's a chance to express our gratitude for the extraordinary and unique ways they made our lives richer and our often collective grief over their loss.    We invite you to bear witness with us to this outpouring of love for those lost to MBC over the last year.  Above all, may you find the space and tools to tend to your grief as you continue to love and honor those lost.   

In this episode, Senior Producer and Host Martha Carlson embraces the hope that we can do something to help our closest relatives avoid metastatic breast cancer and even early-stage breast cancer. Despite living with no known inheritable mutation associated with breast cancer risk, Martha has MBC and her Mom recently died of the same disease. Now, her 20-something oldest child has discovered an additional factor that puts her at increased risk. Listen along as they discuss risk reduction and what steps have been recommended, followed by an informative interview with Dr. Sagar Sardesai of Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center. He is the Co-Director of OSU High Risk Breast Clinic, along with Dr. Doreen Agnese, where they see people of all ages who are at elevated risk for breast cancer, whether due to known or unknown inheritable factors, family history, previous treatments, and more. We talk about what it means to live with high risk, the options for monitoring, when and how to begin, and why it matters. It's another great episode from OMBCL, and we hope you learn a lot.

On today's episode, we are thrilled to discuss an important and often misunderstood area of oncology: Biosimilars and their increasing use in cancer care.You might be curious, what exactly are biosimilars? How are they developed and approved? And most importantly, how are they transforming the lives of patients diagnosed with cancer? We will break down these questions and more with an overview from Dr. Julie Gralow, a breast medical oncologist and chief medical officer at the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

For our Season 9 opening episode, we're learning about agnostic treatments in cancer with Dr. Richard Schilsky of ASCO, who discusses the TAPUR Study. You may wonder, what is TAPUR and how does it relate to agnostictreatments?  The pioneer behind the study, Dr. Schilsky, explains clinical trials for agnostic therapeutics, how you can join a TAPUR trial, and what to expect.

Tumor-agnostic therapies represent a radical shift in oncology. They abandon the traditional way of treating tumors based on cancer type and, instead, provide personalized options based on the genetic mutations. Today's podcast is the 1st part of a 2-part series dedicated to agnostic treatments in cancer. Join us as Dr. Joshua Drago of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center shares his expertise about the agnostic approach to cancer care. In this episode he discusses agnostic research and points out the advantages as well as the treatment limitations of agnostic therapeutics.

Today, we're bringing you a very special episode created in partnership with SHARE Cancer Support. This is an audio version of our Webinar Report Back from ASCO 2024: Latest Updates on Metastatic Breast Cancer (MBC). We're excited to present this report from the 2024 ASCO Annual Meeting, highlighting the latest advancements and research in hormone receptor positive (HR+)  metastatic breast cancer. In today's episode, you will hear from Dr. Kevin Kalinsky, a medical oncologist and investigator from Emory. We will dive deep into the findings from the DESTINY-Breast06 trial and the postMONARCH trial. We'll explore the implications of these studies, how they could impact treatment strategies, and what this means for us. 

Research has shown that self-advocates are more likely to receive better care and have their medical questions and problems addressed. We're excited to bring you this episode, focusing on a crucial aspect of managing metastatic breast cancer—understanding blood test results. Blood tests are vital in cancer care, offering insights into our health, monitoring treatment effectiveness, and guiding our medical team's decisions. However, interpreting these results can be challenging. Joining us today is Dr. Alfredo Torres, who will help us break down the common types of blood tests, explain what the numbers mean, and discuss their impact on your treatment plan. Knowing how to interpret these results can empower you to advocate for yourself more effectively and enhance your overall care. Whether you're newly diagnosed or have been living with metastatic breast cancer for some time, this episode aims to empower you with valuable knowledge. Grab a cup of our favorite beverage and get comfortable as we dive into the mysteries of blood test results together.

There's a lot of research about how diet and exercise can have a positive effect on survivorship for those with early-stage breast cancer, but what about those of us with MBC? In this episode, we are delighted to bring you a conversation with Dr. Neil Iyengar, a prominent oncologist and researcher known for his deep interest in how lifestyle affects a variety of outcomes. Emerging research and patient experiences are showing that exercise and diet can play a vital role in improving quality of life and may even enhance treatment outcomes. We discuss the science behind diet and exercise along with strategies for balancing lifestyle changes while prioritizing what matters most to us. Whether you're a patient, a caregiver, or a healthcare professional, this episode is packed with valuable information and insights!

In the third of our special series on living with bone metastases, we are turning to one of the most frequent questions and concerns we hear: Can I exercise?? To get the answers, OMBCL co-hosts Ashley Fernandez and Martha Carlson spoke with Dr. Kathryn Schmitz, who has led the way in understanding and implementing exercise for people with breast cancer, including those of us with metastatic breast cancer. Dr. Schmitz founded the Moving Through Cancer initiative of the American College of Sports Medicine, which has a bold goal of making exercise standard of care in oncology by 2029.  She fills us in on the science of exercise – why it's important and how it can be done with bone metastases. In this interview, she provides straightforward advice about what can be done, what to watch for, and connects us to resources that can help you get started after getting the okay from your oncologist. Interspersed into the interview with Dr. Schmitz are the stories of people living with bone metastases, providing hope and inspiration that exercise is possible. We reached out to the incredible Facebook community called Active with MBC, a private group for people who already exercise and stay active and those who aspire to it. Many thanks to the women who responded to our survey with honesty and insight and to Angel, Quinn, and Glenda, who joined us with interviews and sent videos to inspire us. This episode is close to the hearts for all of us at OMBCL, whether living with bone mets ourselves or not. We have all witnessed how this particular type of progression can be both invisible and life-changing. We hope that you feel supported and seen. And know that whether you simply walk to the mailbox or run a marathon, we are with you! Check out our website for detailed show notes and links to some great online resources on exercise/fitness!

In this second of three episodes on managing bone metastases in MBC, we bring you a broad review of the major interventions to treat and manage bone mets. We explain the differences among the specialties of Radiology (think x-rays and PET/CT scans) vs. Radiation Oncology (external beam, Stereotactic Radiation Surgery (SRS) or Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT) and Interventional Radiology (Biopsies, Cryoablation, Radiofrequency Ablation among others). The majority of patients with MBC have bone metastases and may have been treated with some form of radiation.  For patients with "oligometastatic" disease, where the number of distant sites of metastatic spread is generally considered to be 5 or less, radiation treatment may be “curative”. It gets a little less clear in those of us with heavier tumor burden and more widespread disease. In that case, radiation is often offered for pain and neurologic considerations, such as preventing a tumor from pressing on the spinal cord, possibly resulting in serious spinal cord compression. But, can different radiation strategies be helpful in disease management, beyond pain management? We ask these questions of both experts here – the first Dr. Shalom Kalnicki, Professor of Radiation Oncology and Associate Director of the Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center in New York City. Our second expert clinician is Dr. Rory Goodwin, who leads the Duke Center for Brain and Spine Metastasis in Durham, North Carolina. He'll talk about this innovative Center's approach to managing bone mets, including offering some lesser-known treatment approaches like Cryoablation (freezing the tumor), and Radiofrequency Ablation (heating the tumor). We also address an emerging therapy called “Theranostics” which is when a radioactive tracer (like the ones used in PET/CT scans) is bound to a radiation treatment that can deliver a lethal dose directly to the bound cancer cell. So listen here and learn with us, and check out the more detailed show notes on our website for the links to what's covered in the episode. 

Today's episode is the first in a three part series covering all things related to bone metastasis. In our first episode, we're covering the basics starting with some bone education. We're joined by Dr. Azeez Farooki, an endocrinologist at MSK, who discusses his role on treatment for bone disease stemming from breast cancer. We're also joined by Dr. Monica Fornier, a breast medical oncologist also at MSK, who treats people living with metastatic breast cancer. Both doctors will be diving into bone disease & the latest in breast cancer bone metastasis research. Topics include theories on why breast cancer spreads to the bones, as well as the future of bone metastasis research and treatment. We unlock the wisdom of these top experts as they bridge the gaps between advancing research and patient care in a thought provoking conversation.

Even though breast cancer research is comparatively well-funded, researchers still don't fully understand the many different ways metastatic cancer eventually evades currently available treatments.  Just like a detective can learn much from studying the scene of a crime, researchers need to understand how breast cancer causes death to better understand how to stop it from doing so.  One of the quickest ways for them to do that is through something called a tissue donation program.Many of us are familiar with organ donation programs, but as metastatic patients, we are  no longer eligible to donate our organs to another person. We can, however, donate tissue while we're still alive and tissues, including organs, soon after we die to aid thousands of future patients by helping researchers better understand the process of metastasis. Understanding the way cancer evades current treatments is key to developing more effective and more targeted treatments that let us live longer (and with a better quality of life) with the hope that one day we can stop MBC from prematurely ending our lives.To learn more about tissue donation programs and why they are so essential to scientific discoveries, we talk with patient advocates, Stephanie Walker and Christine Hodgdon, along with breast cancer researcher Dr. Steffi Oesterreich and clinical coordinator Lori Miller about the topic of tissue donation in general and the specific program they're all involved with called Hope for Others at the University of Pittsburgh. 

Did you know that in the US rural communities have lower cancer rates but higher death rates from cancer? Did you know that  only 3% of medical oncologists practice in rural communities?When it comes to cancer, living in a rural area puts people at a disadvantage.They face limited access to quality healthcare,  long travel times,  and low recruitment to clinical trials, all of which affect quality of care and health outcomes. Join our producers Stephanie Walker and  Martha Carlson, along with their guests, in the deep dive into this important topic.

The landscape of medication to treat ER+, HER2 negative or low is changing rapidly as patients experience progression on CDK4/6 inhibitors and look for next steps.  Now that biomarker testing is more readily available (both tissue and liquid), there are more options particularly in the PI3 kinase pathway.  In this episode we will discuss biomarker testing, the PI3 kinase pathway, and an exciting new patient initiative, the PIK3CA Pathbreakers.

Today we are bringing you a special episode that we created in partnership with SHARE Cancer Support. It's an audio version of a live webinar that was done this past February called Report back from San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium 2023. SABCS is the world's leading breast cancer research meeting where scientists, patient advocates, and others dedicated to working in the field of cancer gather.In this podcast, Dr. Timothy Pluard, director of the Saint Luke's Koontz Center for Advanced Breast Cancer, breaks down the promising research, targeted therapy, the evolving treatment after CDK 4/6 inhibitors, liquid biopsy and more.

We wanted to start this season with an episode dedicated to our friend and team member, Natalia Green. Natalia passed away from MBC at the age of 39 on November 29, 2023. She was an integral part of the podcast team, having been a senior producer/host and right-hand woman to Lisa Laudico, our founder. She became involved in the podcast through her advocacy work, starting first after her early-stage breast cancer diagnosis, then becoming more involved in the metastatic breast cancer community after she received her MBC diagnosis. She was a devoted mother to her daughter Rosy and son Iggy, and a loving wife and friend to her husband of 19 years, Danny.  She was a daughter, a mother, and a cousin, holding a special place in the lives of everyone she met. Lastly, she was our friend. We'll miss hearing her speak with passion about topics she wanted to cover on the podcast, we'll miss seeing Iggy & Rosy pop their heads into our Monday meetings, but mostly we'll miss seeing her beautiful smile. The entire OMBCL podcast team is lovingly dedicating our 8th season to Natalia. We hope it holds a modicum of the impact that Natalia has had on the world.The team would love to extend our heartfelt thanks to Danny Green for all his help in creating this episode.MUSIC CREDITS:-'Meditation I' by Sufjan Stevens-'Fare Thee Well (Dink's Song)' by Oscar Isaac and Marcus Mumford

The winter holidays are here, bringing all the joyful festivities with them. I thought this might be a great time to chat a bit about the joy of celebrations - the good, the bad, and the ugly. I know many of us right now are scurrying around with the Christmas and New Year holidays at the top of our mind, but today I'd like to spend more of our focus, not only on the typical winter holidays, but on all the myriad of celebrations we encounter in our lives. We will reflect on how we love them, how we dread them and how we can experience joyful celebrations no matter where our lives are at the moment. 

For many of us living with MBC, travel provides a much-needed respite from the day-to-day realities of living with our disease. But balancing trips with treatment and side effects can be challenging. In this episode, you'll hear from members of the OMBCL team, along with some remarkable MBC frequent flyers as they share places they've been, the places they want to go, and the advice they have for those times when a journey really is a journey. We hope you'll find inspiration and encouragement for your own adventures!Travel ResourcesTravel Insurance: Compare products at InsureMyTrip Note: To insure the trip for all reasons, you need to purchase within 14 days of first payment for trip to cover pre-existing condition.Destinations Mentioned by our Guests:Disney locations - check out Disability Access Services, DAS, to “join” a line virtually, allowing you to wait in a comfortable space before getting on the ride.Cruises - Consider taking advantage of a cruise with medical services available Cruise to the Arctic, Svalbard: several lines from Finland, NorwayHavasupai Indian Reservation in ArizonaOrganizations Providing Free Vacations and Retreats for People with Cancer:(Note: most require participants to pay for their own transportation to the location) This is not an exhaustive list! Explore online yourself to see if there is a vacation retreat offered near you or in a destination you are eager to visit.Little Pink Houses of Hope:  Week-long beach retreats for people with breast cancer (Mentioned in our podcast)Casting for Recovery:  Connects people living with breast cancer with nature through the therapeutic sport of fly fishingSend me on Vacation:  Covers hotel/lodgings and some other costs at different destinations including Italian winery, beaches (Mentioned in our podcast)Harmony Hill Healing Retreat:  Free 3-day retreats in the Pacific Northwest for people living with cancer and their companionsMary's Place by the Sea:  Free 2-day night and day spa retreats near the beach in Ocean Grove, NJLive by Living:  Free retreats in the Rocky Mountains in Colorado for people with cancer and their care giversCamp Mak-a-Dream: Free retreats in Montana for people with cancer and their caregivers"

New therapeutic options are now available for HR+ MBC.  Dr. Virginia Kaklamani will discuss endocrine therapy resistance, liquid biopsy/blood test, mutations, and treatment sequencing of targeted therapy. You will learn about oral selective estrogen receptor degraders (SERDS), clinical trials, and more. 

Research for triple negative breast cancer is growing, but current treatments still continue to fail the vast majority of people living with triple negative MBC.  Data from the National Cancer Institute gives a five-year relative survival of only 12.8% of women diagnosed with triple negative MBC. Those women have what's called an exceptional response to treatment; more simply, we call them “unicorns” – beings that can bring wonder & hope.  The stories of well-known triple negative MBC unicorns such as Karen Peterson and Barbara Bigelow bring inspiration.  Today, we share the stories of two additional women: Dr. Toni Willis and Colleen Broughton have both lived for 8 years with TN metastatic breast cancer.  Being an exceptional responder is what everyone with MBC hopes for – we wanted to give a chance for Colleen and Toni to share the miraculous, the miserable, and the mundane of surviving far longer than they expected to.MUSIC CREDIT:The Things That Keep Us Here · Scott Buckley

Lisa Manning and Tony Laudico met in Tokyo,  Japan where they were both working at the time. It was a serendipitous encounter of a Canadian and an American, and the beginning of their version of a modern fairy tale romance.  They lived happily for 27 years in many countries around the globe and made thousands of memories with their extended families, friends and two wonderful sons.  But unlike many fairy tales that end when a couple dies on the same day after a long life together, Tony and Lisa's fairy tale had a different ending.  Lisa Manning Laudico died on August 6th 2022 after five years of living with metastatic breast cancer. She died quickly and unexpectedly within one week.  Tony was suddenly faced - as it turns out totally unprepared - with the stunning reality of becoming a widower and the future without the love of his life,  his partner and best friend. A year later, soon after the one year anniversary of Lisa's passing, Tony got in touch with our Executive Producer Victoria Goldberg and suggested that they meet and talk about Lisa's last days and how he was able to survive these past 12 months without her.  It is remarkable and at times a heart wrenching account of Tony's struggle to comprehend a life without the partnership that had sustained and defined him for 30 years, his whole adult life.He will talk about  the anguish of loss, a nightmare of "death-duties", the true meaning of grief, and the solace of friendship.Although not always easy listening, it is an uplifting testament to the power of love.*Special thanks to John Martyn for the use of his song 'Small Hours' - One World (1977)

With the holiday season fast approaching, it is a great time to talk about gratitude and how important it is to have a joyful life. Making gratitude a part of your life, just like breathing, is such a huge help if you are searching for joy. But you can't just conjure up a life lived in gratitude. Unlike being thankful, which exists in the mind, gratitude is an appreciation that comes from the heart. It has to be cultivated and practiced. Today's 'Think Joy Thursday' explores ways to do this and even offers some helpful hints to make joy a habit in your life.

Young Adults & MBC is an episode that explores the lives of those diagnosed under the age of 40 with Stage IV breast cancer. First up, our Senior Producer, Natalia Green, interviews Angelica Valadez, initially diagnosed with early stage breast cancer in 2020 then diagnosed with MBC in 2022. Next, she interviews Sooz Stever, a YSC State Leader for Utah diagnosed with early stage TNBC in 2016 and MBC ally, dedicated to improving the lives of those living with metastatic breast cancer.We'll discuss how we as young women focus on finding a community, overcoming obstacles and learning to navigate life as a young person with metastatic breast cancer everyday.

 Welcome to the  episode 7 of our Meditation Mondays series, created with MBC patients in mind. In today's meditation, we will be focusing on our life and the 10,000 joys and the 10,000 sorrows that have passed through it and all of our livesSit back and prepare to become calm and relaxed for the next 12 minutes Inspired by a very enthusiastic response to monthly meditation sessions from one of SHARE's MBC support groups. These sessions are on average  under 20 minutes long. Our meditation leader is Barbara Chutroo,  an MBC patient herself and a member of the group.Barbara is a longtime meditator and experienced meditation teacher. She's also a movement therapist and a clinical social worker.Thanks for listening!To find all the past episodes  for this series, click  on the MeditationMondays tab at the top of our landing or follow this link:  https://www.ourmbclife.org/vault/meditation Do you like this series? We welcome feedbackEmail:ourmbclife@sharecancersupport.org Send us a voice recording via email or through SpeakPipe on our website.  Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @ourmbclife

Each October, Our MBC Life marks Breast Cancer Awareness month with a special episode dedicated to all those who died from metastatic breast cancer over the past year. But one podcast can't begin to encompass and reflect the true toll of all of the lives cut short by this ruthless and terminal disease. Here's the hard truth about MBC, according to advocacy and research organization Metavivor: In the US alone, an estimated 42,360 women and 530 men will die from the disease in 2023—117 per day. And despite the optimism around early detection and prevention that infuses “Pinktober” and its focus on survivorship, one in three diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer will eventually progress to become metastatic. Only 10% are metastatic at their first breast MBC diagnosis. This painful and sobering reality—that so many of us ultimately develop the kind of breast cancer that kills—needs to be part of the annual month-long conversation about breast cancer. Most importantly, it should help to guide decisions about how breast cancer research funds are invested. Shockingly, the estimated share of breast cancer research dollars that go to MBC is 5%. And while new treatments are extending survival for many with MBC, the disease is still terminal. To live with your own diagnosis or to be a loved one, caregiver, or friend of someone with MBC is to inhabit a community of loss. Every day, we confront the reality of mortality and struggle to balance fear with hope, and sorrow with joy. “We Remember” is OMBCL's opportunity to give voice to the profound grief we share and to honor and celebrate each person we've lost. It's a chance to express our gratitude for the extraordinary and unique ways they made our lives richer. And it is also an opportunity to channel some of our grief, fear, and anger into advocacy for the attention, support, and research needed to truly put us on the Road to a Cure.MUSIC CREDITS:'Memories' by Maroon 5'Mandy Love Theme' by Jóhann Jóhannsson'Season Suite: Late Winter, Early Spring' by John Denver 'Fly Me To The Moon' by Frank Sinatra 'Rêverie, L 68' by Claude Debussy 'Songbird' by Fleetwood Mac'All Boundaries Are Conventions' by Tom Tykwer, Johnny Klimek, and Reinhold Heil

On this episode of Think Joy Thursday, we will be exploring the relationship between perspective and joy. Choosing the way you look at the world is a major key in having a joyful life. You can learn that it is possible to hold joy and sorrow in the same hand by using perspective. It's not always easy to do this, so we will explore ways to incorporate perspective into your life, as well as some tips and tricks to make it become your go-to reaction when confronted with difficult situations.

This episode of our podcast is about and with a very special group of MBC patients. This group is increasing in numbers and yet it is underrepresented in clinical research, and its unique needs are not well understood. In fact, we don't even agree on what to call this group - aging, elderly, older adults, geriatrics. We are talking about those of us who are living with metastatic breast cancer and are over 65 years old.Did you know that breast cancer has the highest incidence in the aging population?  It is estimated that 21% of newly diagnosed patients are over 70 years old. It has been extensively reported that breast cancer-related mortality increases with age, regardless of disease stage. Geriatric oncology is emerging as a subspecialty of cancer care focused on older patients. So today, co-hosts Dr. Ellen Landsberger and Victoria Goldberg are talking to Dr Rachel Freedman, medical oncologist at Dana Farber about the challenges of caring for older adultsThe second part of the episode is a panel discussion about the issues of living and aging with MBC with the members of the MBC support groups at SHARE.Thanks for listening! More info about the show and past episodes is available on our website: www.ourmbclife.orgGot something to share? Feedback? Email: ourmbclife@sharecancersupport.orgFollow us on Facebook, Instagram, and twitter @ourmbclife

 Welcome to the  episode 6 of our Meditation Mondays series, created with MBC patients in mind. In today's meditation, we will be focusing on how in meditation we're listening to ourselves and finding space to open up and offer ourselves the attention and the care.Sit back and prepare to become calm and relaxed for the next 19 minutes Inspired by a very enthusiastic response to monthly meditation sessions from one of SHARE's MBC support groups, this episode is our third in the series of meditation sessions recorded over the last year. These sessions are on average  under 20 minutes long. Our meditation leader is Barbara Chutroo,  an MBC patient herself and a member of the group.Barbara is a longtime meditator and experienced meditation teacher. She's also a movement therapist and a clinical social worker.Thanks for listening!You will find all the past episodes  for this series  in The Podcast Vault, on our website:  https://www.ourmbclife.org/vault/meditation Do you like this series? We welcome feedbackEmail:ourmbclife@sharecancersupport.org Send us a voice recording via email or through SpeakPipe on our website.  Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @ourmbclife

Today we're bringing you a very special podcast episode that we create every year in partnership with SHARE Cancer Support called “Report Back From ASCO”, a webinar that occurred earlier this summer. ASCO, or the American Society for Clinical Oncology, is the world's leading professional organization for physicians and oncology professionals. The society organizes an annual meeting that serves as a platform for sharing the latest advancements in oncology research, clinical practice, and treatment strategies.In this podcast, Dr. Sherry Shen breaks down all the exciting developments in research and presentations at ASCO 2023.

Welcome to the 'Think Joy Thursday' series with Dar Finkelstein, created to help not just MBC patients,  but anyone dealing with difficult situations, learn tools to put into practice to help achieve a happier mindset. On this episode of  Think Joy Thursday, we will be exploring the relationship between perspective and joy. Choosing the way you look at the world is a major key in having a joyful life. You can learn that it is possible to hold joy and sorrow in the same hand by using perspective. It's not always easy to do this, so we will explore ways to incorporate perspective into your life, as well as some tips and tricks to make it become your go-to reaction when confronted with difficult situations.

This is a pilot episode brought to you in part by LatinaSHARE, meant for those needing resources and information about MBC in Spanish. Below you can read the episode's description in both Spanish and English:Únase a nosotros para darle la bienvenida una vez más al Dr. Jesús D. Anampa MD, oncólogo médico en el Centro Montefiore Einstein para la Atención del Cáncer. En su presentación nos enseñará sobre inmunoterapia, así como nuevas estrategias utilizadas para el tratamiento del cáncer de seno metastásico.Join us in once again welcoming Dr. Jesus D. Anampa MD, who is a medical oncologist at the Montefiore Einstein Center for Cancer Care. In his presentation, he will teach us about immunotherapy, as well as the new strategies used for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer.Please share this episode with anyone you may know who would benefit from a podcast in Spanish about MBC.  Thanks for listening and sharing! 

When Roberta Lombardi, a Connecticut mom of three, heard her diagnosis of early-stage triple-positive breast cancer, she had 14 months of treatment but found herself changed after the experience. She formed a nonprofit, Infinite Strength, to support breast cancer patients of all stages but she quickly pivoted toward the lives of moms with metastatic breast cancer: Specifically, single mothers of kids under 18, with financial need and MBC. The need is great and the response has been as well. Roberta took her regional nonprofit from serving people in Connecticut, to the Northeast, then including the South, and soon its focus on changing the picture for these women spread nationwide. Infinite Strength had beneficiaries in 27 states in late August and there is a lot planned for the end of 2023 and into 2024. Roberta is laser focused on removing barriers so that both moms with MBC and their kids can make the most of their time together, and she's not afraid of causing waves to reach that goal.infinitestrength.orgAid application:https://www.infinitestrength.org/apply-for-aid

 Welcome to the  episode 5 of our Meditation Mondays series, created with MBC patients in mind. In today's meditation, we will be focusing on having a sense of being in community, having the support of the community. Sit back and prepare to become calm and relaxed for the next 16 minutes Inspired by a very enthusiastic response to monthly meditation sessions from one of SHARE's MBC support groups, this episode is our third in the series of meditation sessions recorded over the last year. These sessions are on average  20-25 minutes long. Our meditation leader is Barbara Chutroo,  an MBC patient herself and a member of the group.Barbara is a longtime meditator and experienced meditation teacher. She's also a movement therapist and a clinical social worker.Thanks for listening!You will find all the past episodes  for this series  in The Podcast Vault, on our website:  https://www.ourmbclife.org/vault/meditation Do you like this series? We welcome feedbackEmail:ourmbclife@sharecancersupport.org Send us a voice recording via email or through SpeakPipe on our website.  Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @ourmbclife

Welcome to  our second episode of the Summer 23 season.  Awhile back we introduced  the new series  under the  brand #OMBCLShorts.    As the title implies, these are shorter episodes. Our second OMBCL Shorts features Dr. Erika Hamilton answering questions about her top takeaways from ASCO23.  In this 20-minute interview we covered important updates on the CDK4/6 inhibitors for both early-stage and metastatic breast cancer, as well as research on a new HER3 ADC and the first AKT inhibitor for MBC.Listen in, enjoy, and let us know what you think by sending us a message on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram! @ourmbclifeAnd don't forget to rate and review the podcast! Thanks so much for listening! 

Welcome to the Our MBC Life Summer Season 2023. In this episode Victoria Goldberg  is joined by clinical psychologist and author Sarah Mandel to discuss her beautiful, honest, and thoughtful memoir  Little Earthquakes and her insights into life and death, trauma and healing. parenting and hope.  When Sarah  was pregnant with her second child, her daughter Sienna, she began preparing for her maternity leave, juggling the demands of her soon-to-be-new baby and her little daughter Sophie with the needs of her patients. Noticing a lump in her breast, she assumed it was most likely a clogged milk duct. But a biopsy revealed that it was breast cancer. When she went into labor, she learned that her cancer had already spread to her bones —horrible news that forced her to confront terminal illness as she was bringing new life into the world.Take a listen. We promise you, you will love meeting Sarah.More info about the show and past episodes is available on our website: www.ourmbclife.orgGot something to share? Feedback? Email: ourmbclife@sharecancersupport.orgFollow us on Facebook, Instagram, and twitter @ourmbclife

 Welcome to the  episode 4 of our Meditation Mondays series, created with MBC patients in mind. Being with the truth of whatever is here in this moment with compassion and without judgement and knowing that we're not any one thing because we are constantly changing, is at the heart of this practice.   Join us!As we say at the start of every meditation session, sit back and prepare to become calm and relaxed for the next 19 minutes Inspired by a very enthusiastic response to monthly meditation sessions from one of SHARE's MBC support groups, this episode is our third in the series of meditation sessions recorded over the last year. These sessions are on average  20-25 minutes long. Our meditation leader is Barbara Chutroo,  an MBC patient herself and a member of the group. Barbara is a longtime meditator and experienced meditation teacher. She's also a movement therapist and a clinical social worker.Thanks for listening!You will find all the past episodes  for this series  in The Podcast Vault, on our website:  https://www.ourmbclife.org/vault/meditation Do you like this series? We welcome feedbackEmail:ourmbclife@sharecancersupport.org Send us a voice recording via email or through SpeakPipe on our website.  Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @ourmbclife

In today's episode, Anne Woodward sits down with a special guest to discuss the in's and outs of having MBC while living in the public eye. Get ready folks you are not going to want to miss hearing from Kelly Crump. She is the first ever sports illustrated swimsuit model photographed while posing on a picturesque beach in a gorgeous swimsuit with a mastectomy scar for all the world to see. In this incredible interview Kelly explains how she embraced social media to live out loud and in doing so harnessed all the attention to be an inspiration and help her 30,000 + followers.CoppaFeel- Is the first breast cancer charity in the UK to solely create awareness amongst young people, with the aim of instilling the knowledge and tools they need to get to know their bodies. We like to talk about a serious message in a light-hearted way, empowering people to start healthy habits for life.https://coppafeel.or    

 Welcome to the Meditation Mondays series, created with MBC patients in mind and designed for people who want to assist their body's natural tendency to repair and heal. It's not a substitute for medical treatment, but a compliment to it.Inspired by a very enthusiastic response to monthly meditation sessions from one of SHARE's MBC support groups, this episode is our third in the series of meditation sessions recorded over the last year. These sessions are on average  20-25 minutes long. Our meditation leader is Barbara Chutroo,  an MBC patient herself and a member of the group. Barbara is a longtime meditator and experienced meditation teacher. She's also a movement therapist and a clinical social worker.

Introducing OMBCL Shorts! This new feature of our podcast brings you memorable outtakes from the amazing interviews we do with people living with MBC and the many incredible people who support us. Our inaugural OMBCL Shorts features Dr. Stephanie Graff talking about what she does when someone is newly diagnosed with MBC. This season, we had a 3-part series for people newly diagnosed and we couldn't resist getting her take on the topic. And we're so glad we asked! Listen in, enjoy, and let us know what you think by sending us a message on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram! @ourmbclifeAnd don't forget to rate and review the podcast! Thanks so much for listening! 

If you don't hear much about the rising rates of all stages of breast cancer, including MBC, in young women, you're not alone. De novo MBC rates (when Stage 4 MBC is found at the first diagnosis) are rising "exponentially", and fastest among women between the ages of 25 and 39, but not in older women. These trends are alarming to researchers. Perhaps most shocking of all: half of young women diagnosed with breast cancer under 45 have a postpartum diagnosis, defined as being within 10 years from their youngest child's birth, and that is something that rarely gets covered or explained. We'll explore it all in this episode, including the possible causes, recommendations for testing and even contraception for young women, and the research and clinical leaders working to make this a top priority in the BC & MBC space. It's difficult to consider, and dense, we know. But so important and important to share with all the young women in our lives. Not to scare them, but to inform and empower them.

In 2021, the estimated number of women in the United States living with metastatic breast cancer rose to about 168,000 from 155,000 the year before, according to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. The good news is that survival rates are also climbing, Over the last 20 years, advances in HER2 targeting treatments, ADCs, immune checkpoint inhibitors, and CDK4/6 inhibitors have prolonged survival and changed the breast cancer treatment landscape. New treatment paradigms and advances invariably lead to more questions about optimal drug sequencing, mechanisms of resistance, and how to overcome that resistanceIn this episode we attempt to tackle these questions and review new advances and trends in MBC with assistance from Dr. Stephanie GraffTake a listen. It is going to be an exciting discussion.More info about the show and past episodes is available on our website: www.ourmbclife.orgGot something to share? Feedback? Email: ourmbclife@sharecancersupport.orgFollow us on Facebook, Instagram, and twitter @ourmbclif

Welcome to the Meditation Mondays series, created with MBC patients in mind and designed for people who want to assist their body's natural tendency to repair and heal. It's not a substitute for medical treatment, but a compliment to it.Inspired by a very enthusiastic response to monthly meditation sessions from one of SHARE's MBC support groups, this episode is our second in the series of meditation sessions recorded over the last year. These sessions are on average  20-25 minutes long. Our meditation leader is Barbara Chutroo,  an MBC patient herself and a member of the group. Barbara is a longtime meditator and experienced meditation teacher. She's also a movement therapist and a clinical social worker. The focus of this episode  is practice of awareness.   When we meditate, what do we learn about ourselves?

Living with metastatic breast cancer is hard enough, but for those who are single or do not have a primary caregiver, living alone with MBC can be especially challenging. Even if you're used to being independent, having cancer and going through treatment when you live alone raises many challenges.  Making space for all that you are feeling & managing the practical things of day to day may sometimes feel overwhelming but with some extra planning and working out who can support you, it is possible to continue to live alone and well even when you have MBC.In this episode, we have a panel of four amazing ladies who share their experiences with living alone while navigating their MBC diagnosis and treatment. Then, we talk to Dr. Jane Lowers, Monica Bryant of Triage Cancer, and Lesley Glenn of Project Life about resources that can help us live alone and well with MBC.   There are many ways to make things easier emotionally and practically. We hope that in this episode you feel seen. *Note: individuals in this episode share their thoughts on medical aid in dying as one part of this rich discussion.  MUSIC CREDITS: "Honey Jam" by Massobeats"Onion" by LuKremBo"Exit to Nowhere" by DRG1991

The first days, weeks, and months after being diagnosed with MBC can feel like you've been dropped into a dangerous and alien landscape, one whose inhabitants speak a new and confusing language. Numb and bewildered, you face a mountain of medical decisions—each of them seemingly high stakes.If that sounds all too familiar, take a deep breath. Our goal for this third episode in our 3-part series for newly diagnosed patients is to help our listeners: 1. Understand the Basics of their diagnosis2. Make Informed Decisions about the tests their doctors order—and understand what the results mean3. Feel Confident and Empowered to ask their doctors and other medical providers questions and to advocate for their best treatment OMBCL senior producer Martha Carlson began by asking newly diagnosed MBC patients about what was most difficult with their medical care. The responses shaped this episode because what she heard back touched on everything from hearing the news to treatments to tests. Martha turned to leading medical oncologist Rebecca Shatsky, MD from UC San Diego Health for her take on these real-life, patient-focused topics. Dr. Shatsky not only demystified doctor-speak, she gets into the details of first steps and first tests for MBC subtypes, the differences between CTs and PET scans, what blood biopsies and tissue biopsies tell our oncologists and so much more. Because few things connect us better than sharing our stories, Martha also asked experienced MBC patients a single question: What do you wish you knew when you were first diagnosed? Throughout the episode, we hear from experienced patient advocates Dr. Kelly Shanahan, Joan Mancuso, Sheila Johnson, Marissa Holzer, and Ashley Fernandez.