Simplify Cancer

Look, I know that supporting someone you love through cancer can really be the toughest job in the world.  Not only do you have to support them through it, but you somehow have to try to find a way to deal with all the craziness and the uncertainty yourself.  Today, we get to hear what it’s like to be a caregiver from Honore, who went on this extraordinary adventure of supporting her husband through cancer.  Here are some things that we cover today: The shock of cancer diagnosis in your 20s The tough challenge of switching roles as a caregiver Top advice on keeping life and treatment apart How to deal with stress and uncertainty when your partner has cancer The importance of keeping to new rituals and much, much more! Links 128 Days & Counting: Website and Blog 128 Days & Counting on Amazon 128 Days & Counting on Goodreads Episode 015: When Your Loved One Has Cancer Full Transcript Joe:                What was your life like before cancer? Honore:            Life before cancer feels really s

In short: Resilience is not about being positive... It's doing your best to work around things that get in your way! And you need the ability to recharge it during the many ups and downs throughout your cancer adventure But where do you find it – I believe that it has to come from people in your life your life is in danger you don’t know what to expect or how things are going to turn out, so this is truly the time when you need your people the most It's makes sense to Accept that you should not deal with cancer on your own No need for drama - just being straight up and honest and direct about what’s going on for you People in your life want to help, but they don’t know how - guide your people on what they can do to be there for you to get support on your terms This support is now integrated into your life when you have real conversations They are going to feel included and they are going to be grateful And there are going to be people who won’t step up even you made it very clear about

In short: Some people in your life go missing just when you need them most There were people who let me down cancer treatment that put me on a quest to find out why Having collected and analyzed hundreds of reasons people have provided, I can share with you 3 top reasons why people fade away during cancer Reason #1: Their own fear of death and dying gets in the way of supporting you when it’s easier to turn away from Reason #2: People don't want to offend you by saying the wrong thing so they do the worst thing possible, which is nothing at all Reason #3: It can be hard to notice sometimes that we can grow distant with people and be close friends in name only and it may take a disaster like cancer to bring that to light To get the support you want, it's best to explain to your people exactly what you want from them to be there for you Those who truly care about you will be grateful for giving them the opportunity to support you on your terms Send an email with a list of practical things t

I’m super excited today because we have Linda who is a world-leading expert at applying mindfulness to dealing with worries and uncertainty, both during cancer and beyond.  Here are some things that we cover today: The truth about mindfulness Untangling past, present and future Two ways of coping with trauma Putting mindfulness into practice Step by step diaphragmatic breathing walk through and much, much more! Links About Dr Linda Carlson Mindfulness-Based Cancer Recovery Mindfulness Based Stressed Reduction Mindfulness-Based Cancer Recovery Book Am Mindfulness Mobile (Apple App store) Am Mindfulness Mobile (Google Play) Episode 029: What You Must Know About Clinical Trials Before Starting Treatment Full Transcript Joe:                 Tell me, what’s mindfulness and why is it important when you’re dealing with cancer? Linda:              Okay, well, let’s start with the basic question, what is mindfulness anyway?  If you look at the simplest definition, mindfulness is just paying attent

When it comes to making decisions about your cancer treatment, you expect your specialist to have all the answers so you know exactly what you need to do, but often, that’s not how things turn out. You may have different treatment options, each with its pros and cons. All of a sudden, you have to make life and death decisions over things you don’t really understand… So how do you go about making a decision that is right for you? This is what I learned from experience that may help. In short: You expect your specialist to lay out the treatment step by step, but often, there are you are the one deciding which road to take Yes, it's scary because you are asked to make life and death decisions over things you don't even understand... But it's also empowering because you now in charge of your life again, you are empowered to decide which road to take going forward Your specialist guides you through the process, but it helps to dig deeper to understand what's really going on under the hood Search

Waiting room hammers home the reality of cancer – yes, this IS actually happening, and it’s happening to you, of all people! Your entire life turns upside down when you are confronted with the ultimate uncertainty... But when you are prepared for what you need to bring with you and what you want to take away from your appointment, you create confidence for getting yourself through treatment in the best way possible. Here are some things that I am going to discuss in this episode: When it comes to oncology, it takes a lot of effort to not only become a specialist, but also to stay in this profession As an oncologist you are required to stay up to date with learning and latest research The advice you are getting is based on best practice from around the world You can I trust that they know what they are doing, trust the advice you're going to get, trust that there are solutions to most problems If there is trust, then you can ask any questions you want and have the confidence you are going to ge

With cancer comes uncertainty.  Often, you don’t really know what’s going on, yet, you have to make decisions over things that you don’t really understand.  How do you know what’s happening?  How do you know what’s the best option for you when it comes to treatment?  Is clinical trial the right way to go?  These are just some of the things we’re talking about to David who is a radiation oncologist and who also wrote a fantastic book called "Taking Charge of Cancer". Here are some things that we cover today: How taking charge of your treatment can improve your chances Why understanding medical reports can make a difference Simple strategy to get a (free!) second opinion How understanding treatment goals can shape your decision making and much, much more! Links Taking Charge of Cancer Episode 029: What You Must Know About Clinical Trials Before Starting Treatment Full Transcript Joe:                 David, you say that taking charge of your treatment can really improve your chances.  What does it

When you’re dealing with cancer, your oncology nurse is there for your every step of the way - asking you about your symptoms, administering treatment. Your nurse is answering the most pressing questions that you have right now and ultimately, helping you preserve your dignity at a time when you really need it the most. Right now, we’re talking to one amazing nurse, her name is Natasha and she’s helped so many folks like you and me to get through treatment in the best way possible.  Natasha also does a lot of really amazing work around clinical trials, so we get to find out what that’s really like, so let’s dig in! Here are some things that we cover today: Why self-compassion is critical throughout cancer treatment Dealing with uncertainty How clinical trials can work for you and much, much more! Links ANZUP Trials Group ANZUP ClinTrial Refer app Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry Episode 029: What You Must Know About Clinical Trials Before Starting Treatment Full Transcript Joe:  

I have a really special guest in Sami who is an expert in exercise and cancer who will share why exercise is so crucial during cancer, and how you can do it in a way that really helps you to get the outcomes that you want and also do it in a way that is safe and is really going to make you feel better over the long-term! Here are some things we cover today: Why exercise is crucial during cancer treatment Types of exercise that will help you most during recovery Surprising fact: doing exercise saves you money on health The key to living an active lifestyle that serves you Simple rules of thumb for better nutrition and much, much more! Links Cancer Wellness For Life weBuild Episode 012: Your Nutrition Needs During Cancer with Julie Lanford Full Transcript Joe:                 Sami, you know cancer and exercise, you don’t think of the two that go together.  Tell me, why is exercise important during cancer and after cancer?  Is it even safe? Sami:               Definitely, I’m going to address th

In her quest for life, Petrea has come through cancer to really find herself again.  She has discovered a unique approach to find peace of mind during the craziness and the certainty that comes with cancer. Here are some things we cover today: Finding peace of mind during cancer Responding rather than reacting to crisis situation How commitment to living makes you more resilient The best definition of forgiveness you are likely to come across 4 key characteristics that help you get through cancer The path to forgiveness and freeing yourself and much, much more! Links Quest for Life and Petrea King Programs and Workshops Petrea King Books Quest for Life - A Handbook for People with Life-Threatening Illness Spirited Women (for women with breast cancer) Your Life Matters - The Power of Living Now Petrea King and Quest for Life Foundation Episode 036: How To Be More Resilient During Cancer with Michael Carr-Gregg Full Transcript Joe:                Petrea, the first thing I really wanted to

Look, I know there are just a million things you need to worry about when you’re dealing with cancer - you have to plan around treatment, worry about side-effects, and keep your family and friends in check... It’s tough, but there are also many solutions out there to make life easier - and that’s what we’re talking about today with Haryana.  Haryana takes her incredible medical expertise and she’s transposing it over the real world, to find better ways of dealing with cancer, from the time that you’re diagnosed to the life after treatment. Here are some things we cover today: Why patient voice needs to be an integral part of clinical practice The criticality of clinical trials and what they can do for you Making decisions over treatment Best tips to prepare for your specialist appointment and much, much more! Links Dr Haryana Dhillon - The University of Sydney Cancer Council 13 11 20 Question prompt lists for people with cancer - Cancer Institute NSW Episode 007: How To Use Your Inner Resources

Having cancer blow up in your face is never easy, but it’s especially tough when you are only just beginning to make your way through life as a teenager or a young adult. Michael has been through cancer himself and he and went on to become a psychologist helping thousands of young people to deal with cancer.  He’s also built this incredible support system through CanTeen, an organisation that helps so many young people to deal with caner emotionally and socially.  Michael is simply an amazing person and a brilliant mind! Here are some things we cover today: 4 key developmental tasks teenagers struggle with the most during cancer Why peer support group is crucial during cancer 3 key factors that enable us to deal better with cancer Key approach to build resilience for young adults How to deal with uncertainty and much, much more! Links CanTeen Dr Michael Carr-Gregg The Grief Book Good Thinking: A Teenager's Guide to Managing Stress and Emotion Using CBT Change your Thinking by Sarah Edelman

Let’s be honest, it’s hard to be positive when cancer has turned your entire world inside out, but we can still look for ways to focus on things that make life a little bit easier, things that give you joy and sharing good times with people that you care about. That’s what we’re talking about today with Ros - she is a cancer survivor who is incredibly passionate about healing and wellness and wrote a book called: "Laughing at Cancer:  How to Heal with Love, Laughter, and Mindfulness".  Here are some things we cover today: Reframing the way we perceive cancer Staying connected in these trying times The healing power of laughter and mindfulness and much, much more! Links Laughing at cancer LaughLife Wellbeing Programs CancerAid: Australia’s No.1 Cancer Management and Support App Episode 021: Laugh Your Way To A Better Life Despite Cancer Full Transcript Joe:                 Ros, what I want to start with first is, I want to ask you how did you find out that you had cancer? Ros:                 I h

Isn’t it true that cancer brings home the reality that you’re not forever and so you ask yourself, what happens if I die?  Have I been the person that I’ve always wanted to be? How are people going to remember me?   Joseph answers these huge existential questions every single day. He’s a rabbi who does some unbelievable work in a hospice helping people who are facing cancer to bring out life and make peace with it. Here are some things we cover today: Universal questions about life and death Surprising path to forgiveness What happens after we die (according to Judaism) The right way to say sorry (and why we mess it up) How to reconcile heritage and modern life Why every new day is a second chance and much, much more! Links Never Long Enough by Rabbi Joseph Krakoff The Jewish Hospice and Chaplaincy Network Episode 011: Who Is Going To Stay With You Through Cancer Full Transcript Joe:                 Joseph, I’ve just read up on all the incredible work that you’re doing in the hospice, how di

Cancer sweeps into your life like a hurricane, and you’re not the same person you were before treatment, and sometimes it’s tough to adjust to those changes, and even tougher to open up about it with people you love, with people you care about.  And that’s where we need to talk about sexuality and intimacy and how it works through cancer so today you’re going to hear from Sage who has such an eloquent and down to earth way of working through things, you’re getting the best advice on the planet! Here are some things we cover today: Key distinction between sexuality and intimacy Separating sexuality from image Who is the best person to turn to speak about sex and intimacy Top online resources that can make a huge difference for you and much, much more! Links Sage Bolte Sex and Intimacy (Living Beyond Cancer) Sex and Intimacy After Breast Cancer Diagnosis (Young Survivor Coalition) National LGBT Cancer Network Self-Image and Sexuality (National Cancer Institute) Sex & Intimacy Discussions on St

When it comes to friends and family supporting you during cancer, it’s a tricky balance to maintain: on one hand, you don’t want to Impose or come off like you can’t handle it, but then again you want to let them in and help because they want to be there for you, but they don’t know how.  Today I’m talking to Rachael who went through cancer herself and created a solution a mobile app that can break those barriers and make it easy for people in your life to help out and for you to get the support you want, on your terms. Here are some things we cover today: How diagnosis turns your world upside down The hidden struggles of living through cancer The biggest challenge behind asking for help How CanDo helps you get the support you want and much, much more! Links CanDo app Garvan Institute of Medical Research Episode 023: Getting The Support You Need, On Your Terms Full Transcript Joe:                 Hey, Rachael, I love your app.  I must admit, I was thinking about this before, a way of getting peo

When you’re done with treatment, when you’re hopefully done with cancer, you don’t want to put yourself under too much pressure.  You want to have realistic expectations and look after yourself emotionally, physically and socially and connect with the people you care about. That’s really what we’re talking about today with Alene: Knowing your rights as a patient Approaching survivorship as a wellness opportunity The importance of connecting with other cancer patients and survivors Find the right physical activity after cancer How to take the recovery process into your hands and much, much more! Links Navigating the C: A Nurse Charts the Course for Cancer Survivorship Care Cancer Harbors Episode 025: How To Stop Cancer From Running Your Life Full Transcript Joe:                 Alene, listen, you’ve been an oncology nurse, you’ve seen a lot of folks go through treatment.  In your experience, what are the biggest myths and misconceptions that people have around cancer? Alene:              Well,

When it comes to treating cancer, we rush into it as early as possible, and rightly so, you want to get rid of it, but it’s easy to miss something crucial and that’s where we need to talk about fertility.  You want to make sure you’re clear about your options, even if you’re not thinking about having kids right now! To help you navigate the world of fertility and cancer, you’re going hear from Mahmoud, here is the expert in the field of oncofertility and is a representative of the Oncofertility Consortium.  Here is what we cover in this conversation: How awareness about cancer treatment can drive our choices Saving your fertility before treatment Breakthroughs in fertility preservation Fertility tourism: new global phenomenon and much, much more! Links Oncofertility Consortium Save My Fertility Reprotopia: Reproduction Education For All Episode 009: Why The Oncologist Is Your Guide Through Cancer Full Transcript Joe:                 Mahmoud, there are so many treatments for cancer that they all

The way I see it, a clinical trial is a bridge between research and the patient, this is an opportunity to access the latest treatment out there to get the best outcome possible, which is what it’s all about, right? So, in order to find out more about how it all fits together, I’m talking to Ian Davis who is the chair of ANZUP, a group of medical experts who look after clinical trials for below-the-belt cancers.  Here is what we cover in this conversation: The Guinea Pig myth Are clinical trials safe? When is placebo given (if at all) Clinical trials as decision support tools Why you should ask about one now and much, much more! Links ANZUP Trials Group ANZUP ClinTrial Refer app Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry Episode 007: How To Use Your Inner Resources To Better Deal With Cancer Full Transcript Joe:                Ian, it’s such a pleasure to meet you and to talk to you about clinical trials.  I’m really excited about it because to me, really, clinical trials are the front l

Yes, it’s hard to put up with cancer, but isn’t it also true that you’ve had to stand up to challenges before?   Isn’t it true that you’ve had to come up against problems, against pressure, you had to deal with uncertainty, so is there anything that’s helped you then? Something that’s made things easier? Something that you could perhaps apply to your life right now? This is just one cool strategy that you’re going to hear about from Lisa.  Lisa Beatty is a psychologist at Flinders University in Adelaide and she has developed this fantastic online program called: Finding My Way, that helps you and me to deal with cancer physically and mentally. Here is what we cover in this conversation: Common hurdles for all cancer patients (including you) How to deal with depression during cancer Why you should not put off things for later (during treatment and beyond) Building momentum in recovery How cancer stereotypes get in your way Why cancer is a family illness Getting distress help without leaving your