Love the podcast? Send us a text! In this episode of Breast Cancer Conversations, host Laura Carfang speaks with Annick Pyfferoen about her experience being diagnosed with de novo metastatic breast cancer and navigating several lines of treatment including targeted therapy, chemotherapy, a clinical trial attempt involving tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, Enhertu, and Xeloda. She speaks openly about what it felt like to experience rapid progression and why having a plan, even one that may...

Love the podcast? Send us a text! In this episode of Breast Cancer Conversations, Laura Carfang speaks with Kacie Flaherty and Joyce Dini about life with oligometastatic breast cancer. They share how their diagnoses unfolded, what treatment decisions looked like, and how they’ve learned to navigate uncertainty while staying grounded in what matters most. Together, they discuss: The differences between metastatic and oligometastatic breast cancer.What curative-intent treatment can look like in...

Love the podcast? Send us a text! In this episode of Breast Cancer Conversations, Laura speaks with Virginia Rodriguez, who was diagnosed with stage 4 de novo metastatic breast cancer after experiencing progressive weakness, digestive issues, dehydration, and a dramatic decline in her ability to walk and function. Virginia shares what it was like to go from hiking the Camino de Santiago to struggling to climb the stairs in her own home, the emotional experience of finally receiving a dia...

Love the podcast? Send us a text! Jennifer Tipton was in her mid-forties, running a yoga business in California, teaching indoor cycling classes, and training clients when she was diagnosed with stage 3 estrogen-positive breast cancer at the start of 2021. Her entire year — AC chemotherapy, then Taxol, then a lumpectomy, then a double mastectomy with a DIEP flap reconstruction, then 33 rounds of radiation — was consumed by treatment. By the end of it, she was exhausted in a way most people ca...

Love the podcast? Send us a text! Every breast cancer treatment plan is highly personalized, and understanding potential side effects can help patients feel more prepared, informed, and empowered throughout care. In this episode of Breast Cancer Conversations, Laura speaks with Debbie Ciak, a breast cancer survivor diagnosed with Stage 2B ER/PR-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer with lymph node involvement. Due to features associated with a higher risk of recurrence, Debbie’s care team rec...

Love the podcast? Send us a text! What happens when the person trained to care for others suddenly becomes the patient? In this deeply meaningful episode of Breast Cancer Conversations, Laura speaks with Bron Watson — a registered nurse, educator, and entrepreneur whose life changed dramatically after being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2018, followed by a blood cancer diagnosis in 2023. Bron brings a powerful perspective shaped by both clinical expertise and lived experience. As some...

Love the podcast? Send us a text! What does it really mean to support your body during and after breast cancer treatment? In this episode I am joined by returning guest Dr. Amy Comander and Meg McSherry, a breast cancer patient under Dr. Comander's care, for a thoughtful conversation about lifestyle medicine and breast cancer survivorship. Together, we explore the very real physical and emotional toll of treatment, including fatigue, weight gain, loss of taste, joint pain, hot flashes, sleep ...

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Love the podcast? Send us a text! What happens when breast cancer leaves behind more than physical scars? In this episode of Breast Cancer Conversations, Laura sits down with Dr. Jim Jackson to explore the hidden emotional impact of cancer, including medical trauma, PTSD, fear, triggers, and healing. Dr. Jackson is a licensed psychologist, neuropsychologist, and Director of Rehabilitation and Recovery at Vanderbilt’s Critical Illness, Brain Dysfunction, and Survivorship Center, where he works...

Love the podcast? Send us a text! Cancer treatment is hard enough — but dealing with insurance denials and medical bills can make it even harder. In this episode of Breast Cancer Conversations, host Laura Carfang sits down with board-certified patient advocate Jenni Nolan to uncover the hidden financial challenges cancer patients face when navigating insurance, billing, and prior authorizations. Jenni has spent more than two decades working inside the healthcare system and now helps patients ...