Regarding Me

Your personal history of disease is a PhD in you—and it deserves to be heard! How do you find your voice when your body’s in shock and your world’s just turned upside down? This is a powerful story of women’s health advocacy, integrative care, and navigating the real-world challenges of self-health advocacy during—and after—ovarian cancer treatment. In this episode, Luan speaks with Gill Stannard,...

In this deeply moving and powerful conversation, Luan speaks with Rena Patel, who was diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer at 40—just after her daughter turned four. Rena felt isolated, unsure where to turn, as she didn’t know anyone in her community who’d been through something similar. On top of that, she often felt unseen and unheard within a healthcare system that doesn’t always accoun...

What does it really mean to advocate for your healthcare—especially when you’re the expert? In this powerful episode, Luan speaks with Dr. Liz O’Riordan—former breast cancer surgeon, patient, author, and award-winning advocate. Diagnosed with the very disease she once treated, Liz quickly realised that clinical knowledge doesn’t prepare you for the lived experience of being a cancer patient—or how...

Self-advocacy isn’t necessarily about standing up to your medical team—it’s about speaking up so they understand what matters to you and working with them to make informed, shared decisions about your treatment and care. That’s exactly what Kate Hardman did. Diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer while pregnant, Kate faced unimaginable challenges, complex decisions, and a treatment path filled wi...

Advocating for yourself can feel uncomfortable—especially when your choices go against social norms. If you’ve ever felt pressured to justify a lifestyle change or struggled to hold your boundaries with family, friends, or colleagues, this episode is for you.   Today, I chat with Kath Elliott , an alcohol mindset coach who reassessed her relationship with alcohol after a breast cancer diagnos...

How do you make healthcare decisions that balance the biology of a diagnosis—the research-based facts and figures—with the biography of what matters to you and how you want to live your life?   Today, I talk with Dr. Susannah Graham, a leading breast surgeon who champions patient-centred care. She shares her insights on empowering patients to communicate their wants and needs effectively, fos...

Feeling stuck in your healthcare decisions? Need to figure out what’s right for you but feeling overwhelmed? This episode of Regarding Me is here to help!   Today, I’m joined by Marilyn Barefoot, an award-winning creative strategist and expert in problem-solving. Marilyn shares how the principles she’s used with global brands can help you get unstuck so you can make confident decisions that a...

How can you stay calm and make clear decisions when facing unexpected medical news? What happens to your brain in a health scare? And can you shift your mind from fear to clarity? In today’s episode Luan speaks with Josie Thomson, a neuroscience expert, and award-winning mindset coach who’s faced cancer twice, to explore how you can calm your mind in a health crisis and advocate for yourself with...

What do you do when you’re gaslit by your doctor? This episode is part one of your guide to reclaiming agency in your healthcare. Today, Luan sits down with Sonya Lovell, host of the Dear Menopause podcast, to discuss the critical role of self-advocacy, especially when navigating menopause and cancer treatment. Sonya opens up about her experience with breast cancer, the life-changing treatment dec...

In the very first episode of Regarding Me , Luan breaks down what self-advocacy really means and why it’s essential to receiving the healthcare that truly fits your needs—backed by research! Luan shares her deeply personal experience of navigating the healthcare system after her breast cancer diagnosis and the 'aha moment' that changed everything for her. And she talks about the common anxiety poi...

Have you ever left a doctor’s office with more questions than answers? Have you ever felt lost in the maze of medical jargon or overwhelmed by decisions you need to make about your health? Do you break out in a sweat at the mere thought of asking for a 2nd opinion?   My name’s Luan and I’m a women’s health advocate with a personal history of breast cancer. I learned the hard way that navigati...