My Breast My Health

What to eat and what not to eat? That is the question. There is so much information and mis-information out there surrounding nutrition and food. Navigating through the noise can be really difficult, this is more so when you are looking for reliable and accurate information surrounding nutrition around a breast cancer diagnosis. Tamar Rothenberg is a nutrition dietician who specialises in nutritio...

We all know that exercise is good for you. However, this is especially true if you have had treatment for breast cancer. There is emerging evidence suggesting that regular exercise not only improves your general fitness, but it can also reduce cancer recurrence and improve outcome post treatment. Today's guest is Tom Cowan, an exercise physiologist who works closely with those affected by can...

So, 2020 has been no ordinary year. We have suffered loss, faced numerous challenges and setbacks, as well as experience inspirational moments and joy...all bundled into 12 extraordinary months. I wanted to share what I have learnt over the past year. The things that have resonated with me the most. The things that have inspired me the most. Taking time to reflect is always beneficial, for me at l...

Have you ever wondered what a mammogram is? Does it hurt? Can you have a mammogram if you have breast implants? Am I too young to have a mammogram? If you want to learn more about all things related to mammograms, breast ultrasounds, and breast screening, then this is the episode to listen to. In this episode, I have a conversation with Dawn McDonald who works as a consultant radiographer. Dawn ha...

In today's episode, I have a conversation with Kath Elliott. Kath, who is based in Melbourne, Australia, was diagnosed with breast cancer in her mid-40s, just over a year ago.  In this episode we talked about her she coped with her breast cancer treatment, how her family and friends got her through her chemotherapy, and that telling her 3 boys about her cancer was the hardest thing to do. Her...

Welcome to Season 2! In this episode, I have a conversation with Toral Shah. Toral is a chef, nutritionist and an advocate of functional medicine. She is passionate about the role of food in the prevention of diseases in general, and cancer in particular. In this episode, we talk about so many things, from what motivated her to become interested in food, her own breast cancer diagnosis at a young...

Welcome to the best bits of the My Breast My Health podcast. In this episode, I have collated snippets from all the guests who have appeared on the podcast so far and wrapped them into one lovely package for your listening pleasure. It was such fun editing this episode for you, and I have to say that you are in for a treat. Today you can listen to stories of those affected by breast cancer and exp...

Breast cancer is the commonest cancer that affects women. However, can it affect men too? The answer to this question is, yes it can! The incidence of male breast cancer is relatively low, however, it does exist.  This is not something men really think about as breast cancer has been so strongly associated as a disease that mainly affects women. Because the incidence is low, we don't talk abo...

Metastatic (stage 4) breast cancer is when the primary breast cancer has spread to other parts of the body and so the disease is therefore incurable.  The number of people living with stage 4, metastatic breast cancer (MBC) is increasing every year. It is estimated that around 35000 people in the UK are currently living with MBC. In this episode, I have a conversation with Mary Huckle. Mary is a p...

In this podcast episode, we talk about all things related to the benefits of fat in breast surgery.  Yes, you read that right, F.A.T. So, you may be wondering, how can we use this precious commodity in order to help the appearance of the breast following surgery? Today's guest is Dr Jacqueline Lewis. She is an oncoplastic breast surgeon, who has a background in plastic surgery. As a result, s...

The emotional effects of a breast cancer diagnosis can be life-changing. How can we cope with such varying emotions from fear, anxiety to depersonalisation and depression?  In this episode, I have a fascinating conversation with Nazanin Derakhshan who is a professor of experimental psychopathology at Birkbeck University London. Her academic work involves looking at the cognition and emotional inte...

In this episode, I talk to Juliet Fitzpatrick who opted to have a mastectomy and go flat and decided not to have breast reconstruction. Juliet was diagnosed with screen-detected breast cancer at the age of 54. She did not find or feel any lumps or abnormalities and so a breast cancer diagnosis came as a complete shock. We talk about how her initial operation was unable to remove all the cancer and...

Everything has changed. The way we live our lives, work and play. The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic is far-reaching and will no doubt be long-lasting. The way we are living our lives has changed, we all have had to adapt, including how we work. As a breast cancer surgeon, I continue to go to the hospital and provide a breast cancer service as best as we can given the circumstances.  In this podc...

Welcome to a new episode of the podcast. In this episode, I talk to Sarah Robart who is a genetics counsellor. Her role is to assess the risk of an individual of developing breast cancer based on their genetic makeup, as well as their family history of breast cancer and other related cancers.   It was a fascinating conversation where we delve deeper into what predetermines whether someone may be e...

Hello and welcome to this special episode of the podcast. In this podcast episode, I talk about what impact the Covid-19 pandemic has had on breast cancer services and treatment in the UK.  We are currently living in extremely difficult and uncertain times. The Covid-19 (coronavirus) pandemic has affected the world in unimaginable ways. Certain countries are being affected more than others. Wherev...

Welcome to episode 11 of the podcast.  When someone is diagnosed with breast cancer, I commonly get asked whether this cancer may be due to a genetic cause. In fact, only between 5-10% of breast cancer cases are due to a genetic predisposition. So, the majority of breast cancers are what we call sporadic cancers. It was a pleasure to have Dr Munaza Ahmed on the podcast today, who works as a consul...

Helen Deverell was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 29 years old. At a young age, her life was suddenly turned upside down. When you are in your 20s, cancer is certainly not something you even think about let alone consider happening to you. In this podcast episode, Helen talks openly about her cancer diagnosis and the story behind why she started to check and examine her breasts in the...

Being told you have breast cancer is devastating. At that moment in time, your life is turned upside down and you will need all the support and guidance you can get. This is where a breast care nurse specialist can be an amazing human to have in your life.  In today's episode, I talk to Sally Shanley, a breast care nurse with over 20 years of experience. We talk about why it is important for...

Welcome back to another episode of the podcast. Today I am talking to Helena Traill. Helena has recently published the 100 Stories book, that has curated 100 stories, from 100 people who were generous to share their cancer stories.  The aim of the book was to open up discussions surrounding the topic of talking about cancer. We know that cancer can be a difficult and challenging topic to discuss w...

In today's episode, I will be giving an overview of the possible options for breast reconstruction following a mastectomy. In the UK, anyone who has been recommended or choose to have a mastectomy should be offered the opportunity to have breast reconstruction as part of their treatment. In this episode, I go through the commonest options and explain in detail what the operations involve. You...

Welcome to this episode of the podcast. In this solo episode, I talk about the common side effects that may be experienced by those who have had breast cancer surgery. I explain the reasons why these side effects can occur and what steps you need to do if you have them.  As always, you can find all about this episode and the resources I mention, in the show notes at: www.mybreastmyhealth.com/surge...

In today's episode, Dr Tasha has a conversation with Sara Liyanage. Sara is a blogger, author and was diagnosed with breast cancer in her early 40s. In this episode, the conversation revolves around Sara's breast cancer diagnosis, treatment and the amazing website she created following her diagnosis. Sara has also recently written a book that chronicles her story. Dr Tasha and Sara had a...

Do you know how to do a breast examination? Many patients I see in the clinic ask me what is the best way to do a breast check for lumps and changes? A lot of people find it intimidating and confusing. They don't know where to start, what to look out and feel for and how best to do it. In this solo podcast episode, I will guide you step by step on how to do a breast examination, which you can...

Breast Cancer Pathology Results What does my breast cancer grade mean? What is ER positive and HER2 negative breast cancer? If you have had a breast cancer diagnosis, it is likely that you would have received a lot of information that may seem rather confusing and difficult to understand. In this episode, I have a conversation with a consultant breast pathologist, Dr Peter Davis. This is a fascina...

What happens in a breast clinic? Visiting a breast clinic appointment may feel a little bit daunting and stressful, but hopefully, once you listen to this episode, you will feel less intimidated. In this episode, I will guide you through what you may expect to experience. I will explain what happens when the doctor/surgeon sees you in the clinic room, as well as the various possible scans you may...