Still I Rise Podcast

Send us Fan Mail An excerpt from Melissa's story: "Once we got home, I decided that was the moment I needed to tell her. Looking into her innocent blue eyes looking up at me made me realize that I needed to be as strong as I possibly could, and that I needed to fight with everything I had so I could be here and watch her grow up. I truly believe that my mom was sitting next to me on the...

Send us Fan Mail An excerpt from Britta's story:  "But, no one wins a war alone. I did have a lot of support from others while going through this arduous time. My husband, daughter, family, and friends supported me through the battles of chemotherapy and my surgery. Neighbors sent food and messages that meant a lot to me and kept me going. What I want others to know is that sometimes lif...

Send us Fan Mail An excerpt from Kara's story: "I continued living wild and free. I traveled, I visited many places and experienced many things. I met my life partner and settled down again. Everything was great until it wasn’t. I received a call from my mother that my dad had a heart attack, and I ran as fast as I could back home. My dad did not make it. We lost him this time. I lost my...

Send us Fan Mail An excerpt from her story: "Throughout my cancer journey, music has been my constant companion, guiding me through the darkest moments and lifting my spirits when all seemed lost. The lyrics of “Lean on Me” became a lifeline, reminding me that I was not alone. As I emerged from the depths of treatment, I realized that my life had been transformed into a triumphant symphony. T...

Send us Fan Mail Excerpt from Nelia's Story: "Amidst the barrage of treatments and doctor’s visits, there lies a quiet, unyielding force that propelled me to move forward. It was not found in the sterile halls of the hospital or the vast expanse of online medical literature. It was in the gentle, reassuring grip of my husband’s hand, the one that had not loosened since the day the words,...

Send us Fan Mail An excerpt from Anna's story: "Like a runner rounding the bases, I celebrated each small victory along the way. I cherished the moments of normalcy, the laughter and love that filled my home. I found solace in writing, pouring my heart into a memoir that would one day inspire others who were facing their battles. The support of my family and friends has been my dugout, a...

Send us Fan Mail An excerpt from Kayla's Story: "I had watched as matriarchs of my family received diagnoses of their own years earlier, well-on into their 70’s. I witnessed the toll treatments took and the way they rose to the occasion, each in her own way. Both reminding me that with the right amount of grit and grace, anything in life is possible. 5 years. 5 years since this journey b...

Send us Fan Mail An excerpt from Adrianne's story: "After surgery, and surgery and then another surgery, I had this feeling of, “Will it ever just end? How will I be able to get back to my old self and when will I feel and look ‘normal’ again?” I had run a ½ marathon just 4 months after my first initial surgery release date but, I wasn’t myself yet. I had tons of compliments and friends...

Send us Fan Mail An excerpt from Amber's Story: "Cancer took everything from me which has left me in a position to relearn everything anew. I have learned that if I can survive depression while battling cancer, I can overcome just about anything. I emerged from this battle more confident in my ability to navigate my mental health. The tree that had lost all its branches and leaves has st...

Send us Fan Mail An excerpt from Debi's story: "With his help, I stayed healthy throughout my chemo swim. This first transition was such a wonderful break from seeing so many doctors and lab work to some weeks of no appointments at all. I kept looking at my portal thinking I was missing something! My body progressed to where there would be no delay for surgery. A sense of peace and calmn...

Send us Fan Mail An excerpt from Heather's Story: "I found myself closer to Jesus and God, but drifting away from the church. I got on my knees once again, prayed, and cried for answers. My prayers were answered; a cancer nurse named Jamie, at the infusion center in New Orleans, saw me struggling and encouraged me to apply for You Night. I was not ready then, but I was ready in 2020, whe...

Send us Fan Mail Hello everyone! I wanted to come on with a special message today to check in and share info about our programs and a special project I'm working on. The Chalkboard Challenge is faith-based exercise where you take a chalkboard (or journal) and everyday you wake up and write a dash and say, "I trust you, God!".  Listen in to this podcast to learn more about why this i...

Send us Fan Mail "As I continued to move one by one through the stepping stones of this journey, I knew that God Himself had carried me and continues to do so. He gave me strength and peace that only He could give. Prior to surgery and during recovery, I would think about the precious little faces of my grandchildren, Benjamin and Noelle, and how I wanted to continue being blessed with creati...

Send us Fan Mail Excerpt from Michelle's Story:  "As I continue pressing ahead, I am embracing the truth that my victory belongs to God. He is my strength and defender. He sees my story from His rear view mirror. Even when my path might get a little dark I trust in Him. He will give me what I need to see me through to the other side. The battle is His, and with Him by my side, I have not...

Send us Fan Mail Excerpt from Laramie's Story: "But now as I sit here and finish this and really focus on what it will take for me to finally get and enjoy the lemonade from all these lemons. Makes me think of my kids, my family, my friends, my community and my extraordinary medical team, they are my happy thoughts, my happy place, my happy start to this new life I get to live! I am goin...

Send us Fan Mail An excerpt from Yer's story: "I had to put back on my worn-out boxing gloves. As I got into the boxing ring for another round to fight this demon, I could hear my dad cheering for me in the crowd. I will keep on fighting for my life. I know that my boxing gloves will shield me and guard me against the horrible disease.    My guiding light has always been my daughter and...

Send us Fan Mail An excerpt from Asja's story: "It’s funny how something so devastating is supposed to make you feel sad and give up, but little did breast cancer know I had already done the unthinkable. --the worst to me -- so this was just a cleansing process. Breast cancer literally cleared everything and everyone out my life that was not conducive for my health and growth. Needless t...

Send us Fan Mail An excerpt from Andreana's story: "At 31, this diagnosis was difficult to grasp. My young children had to witness all my struggles.  Getting a diagnosis of cancer makes you reflect on your life. I got married when I was 22 years old. We immediately had our first child and a few years later we had our second. I knew from a young age that I wanted to be a mom. Before my di...

Send us Fan Mail An excerpt from Amy's story: "As the river began to calm and the end of my treatment approached, I looked back on the journey with a profound sense of gratitude. My raft, composed of the love, strength, and support of my friends and family, carried me through the most challenging experience of my life. Over five years later, the river is still flowing and unpredictable,...

Send us Fan Mail An excerpt from Noel's story: "This realization was nauseating and liberating. I felt a peace I had never felt before. I had become this weak whimpering woman and suddenly I found a backbone. I found my voice. I learned what I am worth. And it was a lot more than he ever allowed it to be. My life is now uprooted, but it was MINE. I was empowered. I get to make decisions...

Send us Fan Mail Excerpt from Paula's story: "Time spent with family and friends is something I value. My circle has always been small. My husband and I have come to accept that family is not always family, sometimes less is best. Life is short, time is precious, don't take anything for granted because you don't know what tomorrow will bring.  The wisdom I have gained in the pa...

Send us Fan Mail An excerpt from Vicky''s story: "As life moves on, sunshine is starting to peek through those clouds again. I have overcome four surgeries. The scars I have now are not because I'm damaged; they are trophies of what I’ve overcome. I am not ashamed of them; they are the story of my journey. I had to learn to trust people and depend on others, something that,...

Send us Fan Mail Excerpt from Lisa's story: "I do not want to cry. I look beyond. Why am I not vulnerable? Why do I not shed tears? Maybe because I adopted the hang loose attitude from the islands. I thought about it– no. Maybe because I was a bulldog. I borrowed military ideals. I thought about it–no.  My heritage is that of Yankee, Irish and Italian. This is my pride. I am a lion! Lion...

Send us Fan Mail An excerpt from Jessica's story: "Knowing I would lose my breasts, I feared losing a part of me that I never really understood the importance of until it was going to be taken away; taking away what fed my son, taking away where he would rest his head for comfort, taking away a part of my femininity, and replacing it with something that wanted to make me numb. What has m...

Send us Fan Mail Hi everyone!  Thank you for following our podcast, filled with short interviews that we hope will inspire and inform.  We will feature a new story every Sunday and Thursday!  This story was the second story that I wrote - to help me come to terms with a failing marriage.  I used a lot of metaphors in this to illustrate my feelings and I really hope you enjoy listening to this!  I...