The CancerLand Podcast

Season 1, Episode 19 | Reclaiming Voice, Resilience, and Hope with Seema Hoover In this powerful episode, we sit down with advocate and fighter Seema Hoover for a raw, honest conversation about navigating profound adversity, finding light in the darkest corners of survival, and reclaiming personal agency. True strength rarely looks like being unbroken—it is found in the courage to keep moving forw...

The CancerLand Podcast | S1 E18: Turning Loss into Legacy with Michelle Ware-Ivy​When healthcare strategist Michelle Ware-Ivy lost her husband, Malcom, to multiple myeloma, she made a promise to ensure no family walks that path unseen or unheard. In this deeply moving episode, Michelle joins Danny, Jeff, and Jamie to share Malcom’s story—from missed early warning signs to the realities of navigati...

From a Cinco de Mayo diagnosis in "CancerLand" to the frontlines of national advocacy, this episode features powerful insights from community educator and stage 2 anal cancer survivor Daniel G. Garza. Join the conversation as Daniel opens up about navigating the realities of a rare diagnosis as a Latino and HIV-positive man, breaking down stigmas with humor, dismantling toxic positivity,...

Turn pain into purpose with this powerful episode of The Cancerland Podcast (S1 E16), where Danny, Brian, Jeff, and the new mental health addition Jamie, are joined by James Kiesewetter—a nearly 23-year colorectal cancer survivor, permanent ostomate, author, and founder of Keys Coaching. James shares his incredible journey of discovering his own tumor during a colonoscopy at age 31, navigating bru...

Turning Pain into Purpose with Dave Diaz, a retired Army veteran and nine-year stage 4 prostate cancer survivor, who discusses his journey of resilience and rebuilding after a life-altering diagnosis. As the Executive Director of the nonprofit Reluctant Brotherhood, Diaz shares his deeply personal experience with aggressive treatments, the subsequent loss of his career as an air traffic controller...

S1 E14 Turning Pain Into Purpose with Michael VasalloJoin us for a powerful conversation with Michael Vasallo, a high school principal who transformed his diagnosis of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer into a global mission of advocacy. Mike shares his raw, honest journey from the "gut punch" of his initial diagnosis at age 46 to finding a vibrant community online. In this episode, we e...

S1 E13 – Turning Pain Into Purpose with Dave Bjork  Welcome back to The CancerLand Podcast , where we turn pain into purpose. In this episode, hosts Jeff,Danny, and Brian sit down with the ultimate "Research Evangelist,"Dave Bjork. Dave is a lung cancer survivor, community builder, and dedicated patient advocate who has spent over 25 years bringing the patient's voice directly to clinical trials a...

What does true recovery look like when clinical treatment ends? In this episode of The CancerLand Podcast, patient advocate and 3-time cervical cancer survivor Samantha Russell joins Danny, Jeff, and Brian to break down the reality of life after cancer. Samantha opens up about breaking free from post-treatment anxiety, dismantling the social stigma surrounding gynecological health, and turning pai...

In this powerful episode of The CancerLand Podcast, hosts Jeff, Brian, and Danny welcome Dr. Aurora Lucas, who was diagnosed with EGFR-positive lung cancer at just 28 years old. Aurora opens up about confronting medical gaslighting, navigating complex health insurance hurdles, and dealing with the unique emotional weight placed on young adults and people of color. The conversation also takes a dee...

In this episode of the Cancer Land podcast, we are honored to welcome Linda Trummer, a stage 4 blastoid variant mantle cell lymphoma survivor, storyteller, and poet ( 0:40 ). After facing an aggressive cancer diagnosis in 2015, being given 18 to 24 months to live, and spending three months in hospice, Linda not only defied the odds to survive but turned her hard-fought battles into a lifeline for...

Don't miss this powerful conversation—hit play to listen to an incredible story of resilience, self-advocacy, and hope.​The CancerLand Podcast | S1 E9: Nikki Moreland – Mycosis Fungoides​In this episode, the hosts are joined by Nikki Moreland, a South Jersey native, nurse, phlebotomist, and resilient health advocate. Nikki shares her powerful 12-year journey to finally receiving a correct diag...

In this episode, the guys sit down with Leah Phillips, a Stage 4 EGFR-positive lung cancer survivor, advocate, and the co-founder of the Young Lung Cancer Initiative. Leah shares her powerful journey from a shocking diagnosis at age 43 to turning her personal trial into a mission of education and support. Together, they discuss the vital need to dismantle the stigmata surrounding lung cancer, the...

In this episode of  The CancerLand Podcast , co-hosts Danny Gereg, Jeff Stibelman, and Brian O’Sullivan sit down with bladder cancer warrior, patient advocate, and author Michelle "Chelle" Reed. ​Michelle shares her raw and deeply personal journey following her 2018 diagnosis of chronic non-muscle invasive bladder cancer. From navigating early misdiagnoses and medical gaslighting to mana...

S1 E6: Turning Pain into Purpose with Maria Mickiewicz​What happens when your life changes in an instant, right in the middle of postpartum motherhood? In this deeply honest episode of The CancerLand Podcast, hosts Jeff Stibelman, Danny Gereg, and Brian O'Sullivan sit down with patient advocate, storyteller, and survivor Maria Mickiewicz.​Maria is widely known as a trailblazer in hyperhidrosis...

The CancerLand Podcast​Season 1, Episode 5: The Unfiltered Road to Resilience: Navigating Prostate Cancer with Alvin FieldsDiagnosis/Advocacy Focus: Prostate Cancer Survival, Patient Self-Advocacy, and Men's Health Awareness​ When life forces you to cross the border into CancerLand, your reality shifts overnight. In this deeply poignant and factually honest episode, Danny, Jeff, and Brian sit...

In this powerful episode of The CancerLand Podcast , hosts Danny Gereg, Jeff Stibelman, and Brian O'Sullivan bridge the gap between physical and mental health advocacy with guest Jamie Kodra. Jamie is an author, host of the Hope in the Chaos podcast, dedicated mental health advocate, and the parent of a childhood liver cancer survivor. ​After more than three decades of misdiagnoses, dismissed symp...

Season 1, Episode 2: The Resilient Mindset with Mark Kim​Welcome back to The CancerLand Podcast, where three heads share one light. In this powerful second installment, hosts Danny Gereg, Jeff Stibelman, and Brian O'Sullivan sit down with the deeply inspiring Mark Kim for a masterclass in psychological resilience.​When a diagnosis hits, it changes the landscape of your life instantly. But how...

The CancerLand Podcast: Resilience and Recovery with Anetra BeyAt a Glance:In this powerful installment of The CANCERLAND Podcast, we are joined by the inspiring Anetra Bey (also known as Rose Garden). This episode delves into the profound personal journey of navigating "Cancerland," offering listeners an intimate look at the challenges, triumphs, and the unwavering spirit required to fa...