The 30 Stories Podcast

Erin’s story begins with a small but unsettling observation: a lump in her neck that she initially tried to explain away. After seeing a video about checking the thyroid, she realized what she noticed might be worth taking seriously. What followed was a period of uncertainty, urgent care visits, imaging, a biopsy and eventually surgery, all while she tried to manage the anxiety of not knowing what...

Patricia shares how her own cancer diagnosis in her early 30s changed the way she understood healing, fear and the need for support. Diagnosed with uterine cancer at a young age, she remembers feeling overwhelmed by uncertainty, including questions about fertility, relationships and her future. In the absence of formal support groups, she turned to what felt natural to her: writing, doodling, brea...

Steven’s story begins with a chance conversation that changed the course of his health. After reconnecting with a friend who survived a sudden cardiac arrest, Steven decided to schedule routine cardiology tests. His heart checked out well, but the exam revealed an incidental thyroid nodule. What seemed like a small, low-risk finding eventually led to a diagnosis of medullary thyroid cancer, settin...

In this episode, I spoke with Dr. Mahadi Baig, a medical oncologist and oncology leader whose work focuses on advancing research for people with recurrent and metastatic head and neck cancer. Mahadi reflected on how growing up in India shaped his understanding of cancer, access to care and the devastating impact of disease when patients do not have the support or treatment options they need. His e...

When Symptoms Are Dismissed as Anxiety Yesenia shares how her thyroid cancer journey began with symptoms that felt alarming but were repeatedly dismissed as anxiety. She describes hair loss, air hunger, mood changes, irregular periods, hot flashes and extreme fatigue, yet says multiple providers told her she was young, healthy and simply stressed. After seeking support through online thyroid commu...

A Doctor Who Felt Right Wendy opens the conversation by reflecting on a life she genuinely enjoys: retirement, travel and reading anything she can get her hands on. That sense of fullness makes what came next feel even more jarring. After noticing a small lump in her cheek, she found herself moving from doctor to doctor without real answers. One of the most interesting parts of her story is how cl...

A Life Changed By One Unexpected Call Maureen reflects on how a rare osteosarcoma diagnosis began with jaw pain that did not initially raise concern. What followed was a long and difficult path through surgery, chemotherapy, recurrence and proton radiation. One of the most affecting parts of her story is how quickly life split into two versions, the life she had before diagnosis and the life she h...

When Life Changed in an Instant Jay’s story begins with a moment so ordinary it feels almost impossible in hindsight: noticing a lump on his neck in the shower, then hearing just days later that it was squamous cell carcinoma. What follows is the kind of shock many listeners will recognize, where life narrows quickly into tests, decisions and the need to keep moving before there is even time to pr...

Diagnosis, Shock & the Start of a New Reality Hanley shares the story of his son Duke’s neuroblastoma diagnosis with the kind of detail only a parent can carry for decades. What begins as a snapshot of family life and a multigenerational business quickly shifts into a moment that changed everything, when Hanley noticed something was wrong and a frightening diagnosis followed just before Duke’s...

Jennifer’s story begins with a moment she could not ignore. On a drive home in 2013, she discovered a lump on her neck and, drawing on her experience as a dental hygienist, felt almost immediately that something was wrong. What follows is one of the most compelling parts of the episode: a long stretch of dismissal, inconclusive tests and repeated reassurances from clinicians who told her it was no...

Laura shares a deeply reflective account of living with stage 4 metastatic parotid carcinoma, a rare cancer that began in her parotid gland and later spread to her lungs. One of the most striking moments in the episode is her description of going in for what she thought would be a routine surgery and waking up to learn that the tumor was cancerous, had affected her facial nerve, and had changed th...

Stef shares the shock of realizing something was seriously wrong while still being told she was too young and healthy for cancer. She talks about working as a nurse, noticing a lump, pushing through pain, and having to fight for answers until a specialist moved quickly and confirmed squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue. One of the most affecting parts of the episode is how she describes the diagn...

Christine Fader shares a deeply personal caregiving story shaped by love, advocacy and extraordinary emotional complexity. She reflects on her husband Michael’s head and neck cancer diagnosis, the long path to getting answers and the shock of learning that a specific throat pain was something far more serious. One of the most striking parts of the episode is her account of how his childhood trauma...

Jean LaMantia, a registered dietitian and cancer survivor, shares how her early clinical nutrition training shaped her love of problem-solving and patient care. She then reflects on her own Hodgkin’s lymphoma diagnosis, which escalated quickly and gave her a deeply personal understanding of fear, uncertainty and the physical toll of treatment. That experience changed the way she thinks about patie...

Michael and Michelle open by sharing a grounded portrait of their life together: they met in law school, built separate law practices, and are raising 2 children while holding tightly to everyday joys like boating, reading, running, cooking and family time. That sense of normalcy matters because the episode quickly shifts into a very personal account of cancer returning, and how a family’s identit...

Lori shares how her oral cancer journey began with a sore on her tongue that would not go away. Although one early evaluation minimized the issue, her dentist pushed her to seek further care, which led to a diagnosis on the spectrum between severe dysplasia and microinvasive cancer. From the start, Lori emphasizes the importance of listening to your instincts, getting multiple opinions, and choosi...

Cancer treatment can reshape everyday life in ways many people never anticipate, including what happens inside the mouth. Jill Meyer-Lippert shares what she’s learned as the founder of Side Effect Support and why her mission centers on comfort, confidence and quality of life during and after treatment. This episode connects the clinical blind spots with practical solutions patients, caregivers and...

In this episode, Avi shares what it was like to grow up with cancer so early in life that survivorship became his version of normal. He opens up about family, identity, marriage and the quiet ways a childhood diagnosis can shape adulthood. It is a thoughtful conversation about perspective, purpose and what it means to build a meaningful life after cancer.  

Ebony shares what life looks like after finishing treatment for adenoid cystic carcinoma, a rare salivary gland cancer. She talks candidly about recovery after radiation, including fatigue, sleep issues, facial tightness, daily exercises, and the “half-life” reality that symptoms can keep unfolding even after you ring the bell. She walks through the long arc of her diagnosis and treatment, from an...

30 Stories is a podcast from the THANC Foundation featuring honest conversations with cancer survivors and caregivers, created to reduce isolation and remind listeners they are not alone. So please join us in April when we launch our first full episode.   If you want to share your own story, either in writing or in this podcast format, we would love to hear from you. Submit your story online at… h...