Lung cancer survivor Terri Conneran shares her story of creating a non-profit to help connect with fellow patients and survivors who have the KRAS biomarker. 

S5 Ep15: Creating an Advocacy Group at the Onset of a Global Pandemic: KRAS Kickers Founder Shares Her Story

A childhood cancer survivor now works raising funds for Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, the same hospital where she received treatment for Ewing sarcoma at 12 years old.  

S5 Ep14: Childhood Cancer Survivor Pays It Forward at the Same Hospital She Received Treatment

When Sean Korbitz was a 20-year-old college student, his life trajectory changed with a rare cancer diagnosis, resulting in the removal of 40 tumors; fifteen years later, a new drug made him feel like a “medical miracle.”  

S5 Ep13: Welireg Made a von Hippel-Lindau Survivor Feel Like a ‘Medical Miracle’

After Marshall Morris was diagnosed with a rare cancer and given only six months to live, he created a charity that empowers people with terminal illness and provides them with counseling and support. 

S5 Ep12: Creating a Charity 8 Days After a Rare Cancer Diagnosis: Dying Defiantly Founder Shares His Story

A nurse shares what it was like when her daughter was diagnosed with an aggressive cancer during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

S5 Ep11: A Nurse and Parent Explains Navigating Pediatric Oncology During COVID-19

A 17-year survivor shares her experience getting diagnosed with mesothelioma, a rare and deadly cancer, at 36, when people with this cancer are typically diagnosed at a much older age and given months to live. 

S5 Ep10: From a 15-Month Prognosis to 17 Years of Survivorship: Heather Von St. James' Mesothelioma Story

For Tara Rolle, the treatment was the easy part of her cancer experience. 

Diagnosed with small-cell neuroendocrine cervical cancer, a rare and aggressive form of cancer, at 37, Rolle was initially shocked but then jumped into planning mode. She rallied her family for support, figured out the most appropriate way to explain the situation to her teenage daughter and even managed to continue her job as a San Francisco school superintendent while undergoing treatment. 

At The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Rolle received overlapping cancer treatment. After undergoing six rounds of chemotherapy, 30 rounds of external-beam radiation and three brachytherapies (when radioactive sources are placed inside the patient to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors), Rolle was officially declared free of cancer in July 2020 — five months after first being diagnosed. 

While Rolle’s family was relieved and ready to move on, Rolle was unable to join them. 


Fears of cancer recurrence plagued her, and she found herself taking long walks and writing down these thoughts, which she dubbed “the white noise of survivorship,” in an attempt to give them less power over her mindset. 

Realizing that these long messages could help communicate her feelings of anxiety to her family and help other survivors in similar situations, Rolle decide to put them into a book, “The White Noise of Survivorship: and Other Unsolicited Lessons I Learned From Cancer.”

In today’s episode of the “Cancer Horizons” podcast, Rolle shares the unexpected upsides of undergoing cancer treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic, why she chose to not initially go public with her diagnosis, how writing her book helped process her fears of cancer recurrence and more.  


For more news on cancer updates, research and education, don’t forget to subscribe to CURE®’s newsletters here.

S5 Ep9: Writing a Book Helped a Survivor Process Fears of Cancer Recurrence

Kelly Thomas wasn’t expecting to be on this side of the breast cancer experience. 

Thomas worked in finance and the company she was employed at regularly partnered with the American Cancer Society. Throughout the years, she routinely volunteered to collect donations for the American Cancer Society during breast cancer walks. 
 
 
Despite not having a family history of breast cancer, she remained diligent about self-exams but never noticed anything. Everything changed one December morning in 2017, when she sat down to watch TV and felt a large lump on her left breast. Thomas, who was 33 at the time, immediately made an appointment to see her gynecologist who then referred her to get a mammogram.  A week later, she was diagnosed with stage 3 triple-negative breast cancer.

In today’s episode of the “Cancer Horizons” podcast, Thomas breaks down her journey from volunteer to patient to advocate, the isolation she felt navigating breast cancer as a younger woman, starting an Instagram account to promote positive stories of patients living with triple-negative breast cancer and more.   
 
For more news on cancer updates, research and education, don’t forget to subscribe to CURE®’s newsletters here. 

S5 Ep8: From Volunteer to Patient to Advocate: How a Breast Cancer Survivor’s Life Has Changed Over the Years

Has anyone ever thought that reading the fine print of a document would save their life? 

When David Sturges, an attorney from New Ulm, Minnesota, went to the doctor for a CT scan to assess his risk for heart disease, he wasn’t expecting a lung cancer diagnosis. After all, he had quit smoking almost 20 years ago and was only 53 years old. 
However, when the scan came back with a footnote noting there was a mass on the lobe of his right lung, Sturges immediately went in for a biopsy. In February 2002, he was diagnosed with stage 1A non-small lung cancer and shortly after, had a lobectomy (the removal of the lower lobe of the right lung). 

A year later, his doctor noticed a new suspicious mass and recommended another surgery. When Sturges sought a second opinion, the new oncologist stated that he did not recommend surgery at that time. With regular screening that monitored the growth of the tumor, Sturges was able to avoid another surgery until 2017. 

On today’s episode of the “Cancer Horizons” podcast, Sturges, who is now 75, shares how cancer treatments have changed in the past 21 years, his advocacy work with the Lung Cancer Foundation of America (a research foundation based in New Ulm, Minnesota), the importance of seeking genetic testing, decreasing the stigma around smokers getting lung cancer and more. 


For more news on cancer updates, research and education, don’t forget to subscribe to CURE®’s newsletters here. 

S5 Ep7: Reading the Fine Print: How a Footnote on a CT Scan Led to an Unexpected Lung Cancer Diagnosis

Jeffery Battles, a 53-year-old with stage 4 lung cancer, says that he feels lucky for having a rare genetic mutation.

The father of three from Connie Lake, Pennsylvania, wasn’t expecting lung cancer to become part of his life. Even when he started experiencing chest pains in February 2021, Battles originally dismissed the pains as lingering symptoms from an earlier case of COVID-19.

Once he finally saw his doctor, he was diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer, the most common type of lung cancer. He then immediately underwent genetic testing, which revealed that Battles had an EGFR exon 20 insertion mutation — information his doctors used to modify his cancer treatment. 

EGFR exon 20 insertion mutation is a mutation in the cells that increases the growth of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), a protein on cells that helps cancer cells grow. Of note, cancers with an EGFR exon 20 insertion mutation doesn’t respond to tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), the typical treatment for EGFR-positive lung cancer.

In today’s episode of “Cancer Horizons,” Battles describes how he feels fortunate to know the status of his mutation, and how it helped him be proactive with his cancer treatment, finding support from his family and online communities.

S5 Ep6: Patient With Lung Cancer ‘Stays One Step Ahead’ of His Rare Mutation

What do you do when your professional training tells you that something might be off with your body, but your doctors disagree?

That’s the position Kate Laseter found herself in last August. As a histology technician — someone who is trained to turn tissue samples into microscopic slides for a pathologist to read for research or diagnostic purposes — Laseter was very diligent with her health. And since she worked for a lab in Golden, Colorado, that specialized in breast cancer research, she noted she was diligent with self-breast exams. She was also well informed about Ki-67, a protein that is expressed when tumor cells divide. A high Ki-67 index indicates aggressive tumor growth. The median Ki-67 score is 15%.

After finding a lump, she tried to get a mammogram but was denied due to her age (she was 29 at the time). When doctors dismissed the findings of her ultrasound and said to wait three to six months to get a biopsy, Laseter had to fight to get it done right away. Eight weeks after finding the lump, Laseter was diagnosed with HER-2 positive stage 2 invasive ductal carcinoma with a grade 3 histological score and a Ki-67 score of 65%. 

Of note, grade 3 histological score indicates abnormal cancer cells that may spread more aggressively. After receiving chemotherapy and a double mastectomy, she was declared cancer-free in March 2022.

In today’s episode of the “Cancer Horizons” podcast, the 30-year-old Thornton, Colorado, resident shares her cancer journey, how her job as a histology technician helped guide her through her diagnosis and treatment, the important role Ki-67 scores can play in breast cancer treatment, the significance of self-advocacy as a patient with cancer and more. 


For more news on cancer updates, research and education, don’t forget to subscribe to CURE®’s newsletters here. 

S5 Ep5: A Patient With Breast Cancer Explains How Her Job Saved Her Life

A patient with metastatic breast cancer shares how she learned that her disease was recently reclassified as HER-2 low, and what it was like to first learn about the FDA-approved drug years before she would be prescribed the treatment.

S5 Ep4: Coming Full Circle: How a Patient Worked With a Breast Cancer Drug Years Before Reclassification of Her Disease Led to the Same Treatment

On the final day of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, CURE® revisited Micah Bernstein, an 11-year-old, three-time survivor of neuroblastoma, whom we last interviewed in 2018.  
 
In this episode of “Cancer Horizons”, Micah and Jeff provide an update on their lives since 2018, discuss how the childhood cancer space has changed over the past 10 years, their ongoing advocacy efforts and partnering with the St. Baldrick’s Foundation to raise over $100,000 for neuroblastoma awareness and research.  

While Micah continues to use her voice to help other children with cancer, she said she also hopes to carve an identity for herself outside of cancer as a “normalish” child who eats snack food, plays clarinet and works on a novel. She shares tips for dealing with fears of cancer recurrence, what she wishes people knew about childhood cancer survivors and more.  


For more news on cancer updates, research and education, don’t forget to subscribe to CURE®’s newsletters here. 

S5 Ep3: A 3-time Neuroblastoma Survivor Reflects on How Childhood Cancer Has Changed Over the Past 10 Years

When Angelia Carpenter was diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma in 2009, she thought she knew what to expect. After all, her mother was diagnosed with the same cancer just four years ago. She went to the doctor and followed the recommended steps.  

But everything changed seven years later, when she noticed what she thought was just a pimple on her breast.    
 
In this episode of “Cancer Horizons,” the 62-year-old Missouri resident recounts her experience of being diagnosed with secondary angiosarcoma after undergoing breast cancer treatment, traveling to multiple oncologists to seek treatment for her extremely rare cancer, writing a book with her family about her experiences and more. 


For more news on cancer updates, research and education, don’t forget to subscribe to CURE®’s newsletters here. 

S5 Ep2: When Cancer Treatment Leads to a Secondary Cancer: Survivor Shares Her Story of Secondary Angiosarcoma

Christine Whelchel wasn’t going to let breast cancer slow her down. The Tennessee native and piano teacher was diagnosed with breast cancer in March 2021 and less than a year later, she was a “Jeopardy!” champion. 



Whelchel made headlines in March when she appeared in the Feb. 28, 2022, episode of “Jeopardy!” without her wig to normalize what cancer recovery looks like. This decision was applauded by “Jeopardy!” fans and cancer survivors around the world.  



On her decision, Whelchel said, “My hair had just gotten to that point where I was more comfortable. I was getting less self-conscious about it, but then the idea of being on national TV with (my short hair) was a big step. I'm thinking, do I really want to do this? ... I decided this is something I need to do. This is something that people need to see, that this is what we (cancer survivors) go through.” 

Whelchel won four consecutive games and racked up $73,602 in winnings. 



On today’s episode of Cancer Horizons, Whelchel discusses her cancer and “Jeopardy!” journeys, as well as what it was like to audition for “Jeopardy!” the day before her double mastectomy and much more.




For more news on cancer updates, research and education, don’t forget to subscribe to CURE®’s newsletters here.

S5 Ep1: ‘Jeopardy!’ Champion Christine Whelchel Recalls Why She Removed Her Wig on National TV

After being diagnosed with kidney cancer — which was a possible result of exposure to the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York City – Steven Edwards realized that he had to be his own advocate. Pivotal to his advocacy was asking questions and getting as many professional opinions as possible. 

“I probably would consider whether it was the right doctor for me in the first place if a doctor was upset about getting a second opinion, because it’s all about gathering education and becoming educated yourself,” Edwards said in an interview with CURE®. 

Edwards went through multiple different treatments, including the participation on a clinical trial, and continues to push for better outcomes for himself and other survivors through being an advocate for the Kidney Cancer Association and KidneyCAN. 

Through cancer setbacks like a diagnosis of metastatic disease in 2017, classifying Edwards’ disease as stage 4, he continues to seek information in this rapidly changing field. After all, “There’s only way to go, and that’s forward,” Edwards said. 


For more news on cancer updates, research and education, don’t forget to subscribe to CURE®’s newsletters here.

S4 Ep123: On Kidney Cancer Advocacy: ‘There’s Only One Way to Go, and That’s Forward’

Sara Montiel was 36 when she received a diagnosis of breast cancer. She recalls that genetic tests to identify any targetable mutations came back negative. And so, Montiel, a wife and mother of a daughter, made the decision to undergo a double mastectomy.



Montiel described her choice as wanting to only pass through this journey once, which she says is ultimately why she went with a double mastectomy. 



At the time, she decided she was going to undergo breast reconstruction surgery after the double mastectomy. However, Montiel developed an infection and after consultations with her care team, made the choice to go flat. 



In this episode of the “Cancer Horizons” podcast, Montiel discusses the body image issues she developed after her double mastectomy and subsequent infection, but she also concludes by saying how cancer was ultimately a blessing in disguise.



“Having cancer is a blessing,” Montiel said in an interview with CURE®. “Because if you have the opportunity to find yourself again, we (then) have the opportunity to love ourselves from the inside. And I think that … when this love emerges again, then the outside will glow also. It doesn’t matter if we lose our hair; doesn’t matter if we lose one boob or two boobs … (as long as we are) glowing from the inside, that is the value.” 

S4 Ep122: Although Cancer Can Damage Body Image, One Survivor Sought to 'Love Herself From the Inside'

In this episode of the “Cancer Horizons” podcast, the founder of Jack’s Caregiver Coalition, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting men throughout the caregiving experience, explores the layered sociological factors which can affect men in unique ways when they are supporting a loved one with cancer.

S4 Ep121: Exploring the Dynamics of a Male Cancer Caregiver in a Society That Encourages Men to Be Independent

On this episode of the “Cancer Horizons” podcast, former NFL linebacker Chris Draft discusses his wife’s experience with cancer, which led to her untimely death, and describes why advocacy is so important in the cancer world, especially with Cancer Moonshot bringing disparities to the forefront.

S4 Ep120: Losing His Wife to Cancer Brought Chris Draft From the NFL to the White House

On this episode of the “Cancer Horizons” podcast, a cancer nurse explains how her son’s leukemia diagnosis transformed her work, her research and her outlook on life.

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