The Big C

Join us as we talk to Nadine Pike.Nadine opens up about losing her mum to breast cancer after a seven year battle. While her friends were off exploring the world in their 20s, Nadine was at home, caring for her mum and supporting her dad, all while trying to make sense of an illness no one really talked about. Her mum kept the details private and Nadine carried the guilt of not asking more questions.Grief wasn't something Nadine had the space or tools to face back then, so she tucked it away, carrying on as best she could. Even 25 years later, the ache remains - especially around milestones where she longs for her mum's presence the most. Birthdays are the hardest, quiet reminders of all the moments she wishes she could have shared with her best friend.LINKShttps://thebigcpodcast.com/https://www.health.gov.au/our-work/breastscreen-australia-program/having-a-breast-screen/book-your-free-breastscreen-mammogram-appointment Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join us as we talk to Lisa Vergadin.At just 30 years old, Lisa's world was turned upside down when she was diagnosed with stage 4 cervical cancer. Doctors not only told her she had cancer but that she would not be able to have have children. For Lisa and her partner, it felt like their dreams had been shattered.Originally from Italy and living in Australia on a visa that made her ineligible for Medicare, Lisa faced challenges navigating treatment, finances, and the emotional toll of her diagnosis. But she refused to accept the limits placed on her future.Lisa shares her perspective on life, emphasising the importance of cherishing small moments, creating meaningful memories with others, and being mindful of where she invests her energy.LINKShttps://www.cancerchicks.org.au/https://thebigcpodcast.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join us as we talk to Courtney Mangan.Courts was 29 when she was first diagnosed with melanoma, after doctors discovered the mole on her right shoulder was cancerous. Since then, she has undergone multiple surgeries to remove melanomas from her arm, back, bowel, and thigh, along with 65 cancer treatment sessions.Through her journey, Courts has made it her mission to raise awareness about skin safety. She openly shares her experience of living with cancer online, educating her community on the importance of protecting their skin.She emphasizes a crucial message: melanoma is one of the most preventable cancers, and taking steps to protect our skin can save lives.Beyond the physical challenges, Courtney also speaks about the emotional toll of her diagnosis, especially as she watches friends around her getting married and starting families while she navigates her reality of life with cancer.LINKShttps://thebigcpodcast.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join us as we talk to Reece Carter.At 27, just six weeks after moving to LA, Reece was diagnosed with testicular cancer. In this episode, he shares the importance of trusting your instincts and seeking a second opinion if something feels off.Reece recalls spending the day before surgery at Disneyland - his right testicle's "last outing" - and shares his experience navigating treatment in the US, which was fortunately covered by his travel insurance.Reece now resides in Sydney, and this April will mark 10 years since his diagnosis. On April 1st, he will celebrate the release of The Lost Notes of the Soul Spinners, the third book in his series.LINKSPre Order The Lost Notes of the Soul Spinners here - https://amzn.asia/d/bl2jvg3https://thebigcpodcast.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join us as we talk to Jess Armstrong.After facing breast cancer in 2023, Jess - founder, and director of FUCA Organic Skincare - found herself frustrated by the lack of effective skincare for chemo and radiation sensitised skin.The products recommended to her were filled with unnecessary fragrances and fillers, ingredients she no longer wanted in her beauty and personal care routine.With a background in product development and marketing, Jess knew she could do better. She set out to create FUCA, a line of fragrance-free, sophisticated formulas designed for even the most reactive, irritated skin - without compromising on aesthetics.Beyond building her brand, Jess is passionate about giving back. She supports Breast Cancer Network Australia (BCNA) and donates FUCA products to those undergoing treatment in oncology wards, ensuring others facing similar challenges have access to the gentle, effective skincare they deserve. In this episode, she shares her journey from diagnosis to entrepreneurship, her passion for clean skincare, and how FUCA is redefining the industry for those who need it most.LINKShttps://fucaorganic.com/https://www.cancerchicks.org.au/ https://autumn2025.shitboxrally.com.au/unicorn-squad (Shit Box Rally that Nikki mentions in the intro)https://thebigcpodcast.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nikki and Sam are back with Season 2 of The Big C!Join Nikki and Sam for another season of raw, honest and inspiring converations with those impacted by cancer - whether having faced a diagnosis of thier own or supporting a loved one.LINKShttps://thebigcpodcast.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

THATS A WRAP! This episode is a really quick recap / wrap up of the very first season of The Big C.We not only shared our personal stories but brought on 14 inspiring guests who shared their powerful stories, and along the way, we learned so much.We have had an amazing time, and connected with so many wonderful people. The opportunities that have come our way have been truly humbling, and we're so grateful for all the support. We're taking a well-deserved break and can't wait to return in 2025 for more meaningful conversations. Stay tuned! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join us as we talk to Barry Du Bois.Many of you will know Barry as the co-host of the Logie award-winning lifestyle TV show The Livingroom, alongside Amanda Keller, Miguel Maestre and Dr Chris Brown.During that period of time, he also shared his own life experiences with Mental Health and Cancer.He talks to us about his experience with being diagnosed with two different types of Myeloma, 7 years apart.Barry is a proud board member of RUOK day and Leukemia Foundation ambassador who has become a sort after keynote speaker and coach specialising in Resilience, thriving after adversity and motivation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode Sam talks about her journey though surgery, post surgery and radiation.She shares what options she was given for surgery, how she was unexpectedly admitted back to hospital due to an infection and how recovery delayed her 3 weeks of radiation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join us as we talk to Anne Gately.Anne lived an average Aussie life - playing sport, spending long days on the beach, and falling in love with ocean swimming but in 2018 she was diagnosed with Stage IV melanoma and experienced first-hand the devastating effects of sun exposure.She is passionate about reducing the incidence of skin cancer in Australia by changing Australia's cultural narrative and recently released her book ‘Sunburnt. A memoir of sun, surf and skin cancer'.For more information or to buy a copy of Anne's book visit https://www.annegately.com.au/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join us as we talk to Eleanor Keil.Eleanor talks to us about her husbands battle with Leukemia and how she navigates widow life with a strong faith in Jesus, while raising 4 beautiful children. She is passionate about paying it forward, and raising awareness on the importance of donating blood & becoming a bone marrow donor. As mentioned in the episode, for more information on blood and stem cell donation visit https://www.lifeblood.com.au/organ-and-tissue/blood-stem-cell#register Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week's episode Sam shares details on the side effects she experienced throughout her 6 rounds of chemo.From her routine the evening and morning before treatment to how it impacted her mouth, the fatigue, a trip to the ED and a visit from the paramedics.Trigger warning: This may trigger my beautiful family as well as those that have been through chemo. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join us as we talk to Jodie Hampshire.Jodie is a mum of 4 and was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 37, out of the blue, only a couple of months into a new executive role in finance.10 years on, she is now cancer free, a non-executive director, speaker and meditation teacher, and is writing a book about ways of coping when life is tough.Jodie publishes monthly emails on intentional living and meditation, check out this one that covers cancer - https://view.flodesk.com/emails/65e6812854a01e47d01a2774 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join us as we talk to ElleElle is a Property Manager and Barre and Pilates instructor. On March 16th March 2023, at the age of 34 she was diagnosed with HER2 triple positive breast cancer and become one of the 58 women that are diagnosed every day in Australia.Elle says it has absolutely changed her life and she can confidently say she is now loving life and so excited for her future.Sam and Elle share a special bond as they quickly went from strangers to friends after being diagnosed with the same cancer and were connected by a mutual friend. Being on on the same treatment cycle, they supported each other every step of the way. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join us as we talk to Ben Smith.Ben shares his experience of loss, grief and guilt having lost both his Dad and his Sister to cancer.Ben was born in the UK, to his English dad and French mum. He lived in the UK until February 2022, when Ben and his young family made the decision to move to Australia. Ben now lives in Sydney with his wife and two young boys.Ben's Dad died from a glioblastoma in 2018, 3 months after the birth of his first child. Ben's sister died from Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma in 2022, 9 months after his move to Australia. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join us as we talk to Caitlin about living with stage 4 ovarian cancer.Caitlin is an IVF Scientist and leader in healthcare with 25 years' experience, Caitlin became ‘the patient' herself when diagnosed with stage 4 clear cell ovarian cancer in 2017. After witnessing the impact of compassion in healthcare she founded CareFully, a compassion education business which aims to empower and support healthcare professionals to deliver compassionate care - via webinars, keynote addresses and workshops.Caitlin is a passionate patient advocate for person-centred care and tirelessly campaigns for equity in access to best care for ALL cancer patients. Her advocacy work has led her to collaborate with numerous patient organisations and high-profile media campaigns, and to deliver keynote presentations including to the current and former Prime Ministers. Caitlin is on the Patient Advisory Boards of both the Chris O'Brien Lifehouse and Rare Cancers Australia and chairs the VCCC Alliance National Patient Advisory Committee. She is currently co-authoring a paper on compassion education, which will be published later this year.Visit https://www.care-fully.com.au/our-founder for more informationCheckout Caitlin sharing her story for the Camilla and Marc 'Ovaries Talk About Them' campaign here - https://www.instagram.com/camillaandmarc/reel/C_FnVrmPMIb/*Full disclosure, this was recorded back in May and Sam was sitting in a bedroom of an Airbnb she was staying in so apologies for her terrible audio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join us as we talk to Tim Baker.Tim is an award-winning and best-selling author and journalist specialising in surfing culture. He is a former editor of Tracks, Surfing Life and Slow Living magazines, and a two-time winner of the Surfing Australia Hall of Fame Culture Award. His latest book Patting The Shark documents his experience living with advanced prostate cancer and we chat to him about that in this episode.Visit https://www.bytimbaker.com/ for more information Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this epsidoe we pick up from where we left in episode 3.Nikki shares a little more of her story from when Mike was told his cancer had spread to his lungs to him passing away and within all of that, how she found her calling and created her company MyMuse.Visit https://www.mymuse.com.au/ for more information Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join us as we talk to Krystal Barter.Krystal is a pioneering healthcare advocate with over 20 years of experience. Diagnosed with the BRCA1 genetic mutation in her early 20s, she underwent a preventative mastectomy at 25, sharing her story publicly on 60 Minutes and inspiring many. Krystal founded Humanise Health, a global patient-led advocacy agency, and co-founded the Genomics Coalition, where she leads policy and strategy. Passionate about women's health, she continues to advocate for better access to hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and other crucial healthcare innovations.Visit https://wehumanisehealth.com/ or https://genomicscoalition.org/ for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join us as we talk to Christine Cockburn.Christine says that caring for her mum was one of the great privileges of her life, then when she had her own cancer experience, she realised that her Mum's rare diagnosis had been a whole different world. Now every day Christine gets to work with the rare community, and she couldn't feel more fortunate. After six years as Head of Patient Support, and then General Manager at Rare Cancers Australia (RCA), she now holds the position of Chief Executive Officer.Christine combines her expertise in sociology and public health with her drive to be bold and brave in leading RCA's advocacy efforts and its dedicated team in their mission – to improve the lives and health outcomes of Australians living with rare and less common cancers. She sits on several advisory bodies including for Australian Genomics and Patient Voice Initiative; and is proud to be supervising an industry PhD project in partnership with LaTrobe University on rare cancers and the provision of information.Visit https://www.rarecancers.org.au/ for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When you are diagnosed with Cancer and are told you require chemotherapy, you immediately think hair loss.In this bonus episode, Nikki and Sam discuss the journey of hair loss from when Sam was first diagnosed to almost 18 months later including using a cold cap, buying a wig (Mollie) and the stages of it growing back.We discuss the beautiful family business A Warriors Gift.If you are looking for gift ideas for someone who has recently been diagnosed with cancer, visit their website https://www.awarriorsgift.com/ to shop hampers, head scarves and other gorgeous gifts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join us as we talk to Erini Dinou about her cancer diagnosis, recurrence and dealing with 2 cancers at the same time.At 34 Erini was diagnosed with HER2+ breast cancer, then 8 years later the same breast cancer returned along side thyroid cancer at the start of Covid lockdown in Sydney.Erini chose to have a bi-lateral flat closure mastectomy at the same time as thyroid removal.Followed by chemotherapy for BC and radio active iodine treatment for thyroid.Erini moved back to NZ once the boarders were opened, and slowly restarted her life again, training in brow tattooing and opening up her own beauty salon in Wellington.Her health is great now but the on going effects from treatments still play a hard part in her daily life - finding a juggle of feeling great and not feeling so great which is probably the hardest part of her journey.Erini is an absolute injection of positive energy that everyone needs in their life. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join us as we talk to Nick Kelly about navigating losing the love of his life to a rare cancer and becoming a single parent to his 1 year old son, Xander. But also how life led him to meet Nikki and how his late wife's legacy lives on in their life each and every day. Visit https://mummyswish.org.au/ to find out more about the bears Nikki mentions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join us as we talk to Sam Hollier James. Sam is a proud wife, mother of two dynamic daughters and is a driving force behind positive change. Co-founding Tour de Cure in 2007, she transformed a personal loss into a powerful catalyst for creating an incredibly successful cancer foundation.Through her blend of business acumen, marketing expertise, and event management skills, Sam helped turned a simple idea into a major charity that has raised over $118 million since its inception. Tour de Cure's impact speaks volumes: 1,000 Australian Cancer Research, Support, and Prevention projects have been funded, leading to an impressive 150 major breakthroughs in cancer research.https://tourdecure.com.au Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join us as we talk to Molly Croft.Molly was a happy go lucky country kid whos world was flipped upside down on her 12th birthday when she was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma and went on to spend 292 nights in Ronald McDonald House, Westmead while she underwent chemotherapy and surgey.Molly is an absolute force to be reckoned with and since being told she was cancer free she has gone on to pay it forward raising $208,000 for Ronald McDonald House plus more recently starting her very own charity - The Tie Dye Project.The Tie Dye Project: https://tiedyeproject.com/Molly's Mission: https://help-molly-pay-it-forward.raisely.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nikki has quite a story, one that has meant that from her different journeys and paths, the company she founded MyMuse was formed as well as becoming co-host to The Big C Podcast.In this episode, Nikki shares her story of not only being a caregiver but hearing the second time round about a rare cancer - Osteosarcoma.Find out more about the company Nikki founded at www.mymuse.com.au Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At the age of 33, Sam was happy, healthy, fit and living her best life in Melbourne after moving from Sydney. In this episode she shares the story of D day, March 7th 2023 - when she heard the words 'you have breast cancer' and the few weeks that followed. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How it all started. Why we are here and what we are going to talk about on The Big C Podcast this season. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

And here we are! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.