Our BC Life

In this episode, we meet Aastha Sagger, who was diagnosed with stage 3 invasive ductal breast cancer at just 24, after what she thought was simply a pulled muscle. She shares the shock and confusion of those early days, navigating unclear appointments and a flood of unfamiliar medical terminology, before walking us through her treatment journey of chemotherapy, a double mastectomy with expanders,...

 More adolescents and young adults (ages 18–39) are being diagnosed with cancer, and having to navigate challenges that look very different depending on where they are in life. This episode coincides with the Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Awareness Week, and we’re joined by Angelina Mangiardi Coulter, Senior Program and Partnerships Manager at First Descents, an organization helping young adul...

Turia Goggins shares her journey through an unexpected breast cancer diagnosis while navigating the strain of a spouse’s severe, undiagnosed mental illness. After years of benign tests, an August 2024 biopsy revealed stage 1 invasive ductal breast cancer. She reflects on telling her close-knit West Indian, Catholic family, making treatment decisions, and managing the intense stress of a volatile m...

In this episode, Alexandra French of Atlanta shares her journey from a breast cancer diagnosis at age 31 to navigating surrogacy after treatment. A young mother with no family history of cancer, Alexandra was diagnosed with stage III, estrogen-positive, HER2-positive breast cancer and faced chemotherapy, a double mastectomy, and urgent fertility preservation in a compressed timeline. During treatm...

In this final episode of the year, host Megan-Claire Chase reflects on a powerful Season 3 of Our BC Life , highlighting conversations on identity, caregiving, fertility, motherhood, and life beyond an early-stage breast cancer diagnosis. Megan-Claire also shares what’s ahead in Season 4, including deeper conversations on mental health, surrogacy, and the launch of Common Ground—a new series conne...

In this episode, we hear a powerful caregiver story from a husband who stood steady as his wife faced both triple-negative breast cancer and heartbreaking fertility challenges. He shares what it looked like to support her emotionally, practically, and spiritually through each twist in their journey—while also navigating his own grief, fear, and hope. Their honesty offers a rare, compassionate look...

In the second half of our conversation, Brooks Nelson, ovarian cancer survivor, and Yee Won Chong, breast cancer survivor, return to share how their documentary “ Trans Dudes with Lady Cancer ” evolved into a tool for systemic change. This episode highlights what institutions can learn from lived experience, why representation matters, and how providers can advocate for systemic equity rather than...

What happens when gender, health, and identity intersect? Within the same month, Brooks Nelson and Yee Won Chong each received life-changing cancer diagnoses. Brooks was diagnosed with ovarian cancer and Yee Won was diagnosed with breast cancer. Instead of retreating, they picked up a camera, and faced it together.  In the first half of this heartfelt conversation, we talk about gender, identity,...

In Part 2 of my conversation with Yanery Cruz, Director of Advocacy and Programs at the New York Transgender Advocacy Group (NYTAG), we examine the barriers trans and gender-expansive individuals encounter in healthcare and discuss effective strategies for true inclusion. Yanery offers valuable perspectives on topics ranging from OB-GYN care for trans masculine individuals to the need for a Trans...

In Part 1, I sit down with Yanery Cruz, Director of Advocacy and Programs at the New York Transgender Advocacy Group (NYTAG). Yanery, a transgender woman and fierce advocate, discusses NYTAG’s mission to dismantle outdated laws, protect and defend trans rights, and create spaces for healing and radical resilience in the trans community. We discuss why local, state, and federal elections matter for...

In this episode of Our BC Life , I sit down with the vibrant and resilient Kim Rumpf, an orthopedic registered nurse, a 23-year veteran of the Air National Guard, and a triple-negative breast cancer survivor. Kim opens up about her life before cancer, serving in the military, and the surprise discovery that her family history of breast cancer was on her father’s side. We talk about what it means t...

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 th...

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...

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...

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 lone...

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 pr...

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 misgender...

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...

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 dive...

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...

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...

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. Bu...

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 an...

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 ye...

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...