Life after Cancer Podcast

"I didn't realise how misaligned I was. I had to figure out what was right for me." In this episode, Steph is joined by Georgina Mavris, who is six years post breast cancer treatment, to explore how cancer can change your identity, relationships and sense of purpose. Together, they discuss the transition from active treatment to everyday life, why so many people feel different afterw...

What is post-traumatic growth, and can positive change emerge from a cancer diagnosis without dismissing the challenges that come with it? In this episode, Steph is joined by Professor Nazanin Derakhshan, Professor of Experimental Psychopathology, and Gill McGuire, who was diagnosed with stage three rectal cancer in 2020, to discuss post-traumatic growth and how cancer can change our priorities, p...

"Returning to work is not a single episode. It's part of a much longer journey. It's almost like a Netflix series - each episode brings something different. So don't just prepare for that single episode - prepare for the series."Going back to work after cancer treatment can bring a lot of questions. What are my rights at work? What support can I ask for? What practical steps...

“The fatigue after cancer was far worse and lasted far longer than I expected. I couldn’t even lift a kettle.” In this episode, Steph sits down with Jonathan Parkyn, a writer from East London who is 18 months post treatment for head and neck cancer, to talk about severe fatigue, losing his sense of taste, and what helped him adjust to life after treatment. He shares how he learned to manage his en...

Talking about self-compassion after cancer. How to be less hard on yourself, soften self-criticism and navigate life after treatment when things feel harder than expected. Recovery isn’t always straightforward. Expectations change, things don’t go to plan, and sometimes, life isn’t what was expected. That can bring a lot of pressure and a really tough inner voice. In this episode of the Life after...

After cancer treatment ends, your body can feel completely different. You might feel frustrated by what it can and can’t do. You might feel older, weaker, or disconnected from yourself. And at the same time, you might also feel grateful for what your body has carried you through. In this episode, Steph sits down with Stephanie Thomas, who shares her experience after treatment for triple negative b...

Feeling afraid that cancer might come back is very common after treatment, and it can feel especially strong around symptoms, scans, anniversaries or other reminders. Blending lived experience with expert insight, Steph speaks with Tabitha Luxmoore-Styles about her experience of living with fear of recurrence, alongside Dr Lidia Schapira, medical oncologist and Professor of Medicine at Stanford Un...

When cancer treatment ends, it can feel like things are meant to get easier. For many people, this is when new challenges begin, and things can feel harder than the treatment itself. In this episode, Steph sits down with Alison Carter, a member of the Life after Cancer community, to talk about what life after cancer treatment really felt like for her. Alison was diagnosed with breast cancer in 201...

Have you ever walked into a room and forgotten why you’re there? Lost your words halfway through a sentence, or read the same email three times and still not taken it in? ​ At some point, you might start wondering: Why is my memory worse? Is this normal? Will it get better? ​ In this episode, Steph is joined by Rosie Grainger and Professor Nazanin Derakhshan to talk about cancer-related cognitive...