When We Had Cancer

Season 3. 4: Kathleen Haden, ANP

Ms. Kathleen Haden, ANP, is a nurse practitioner who now focuses mainly on cancer prevention strategies in clinic. But her journey is an interesting one: training to be a nurse practitioner when it was very uncommon (and not nearly as straightforward!), working in HIV/infectious disease units at the NIH alongside Dr. Fauci, independently figuring out what wellness strategies work for her, and now teaching nursing students how to figure out what works for them. Tune in to this episode of When...

Season 3. 3: Craig Slingluff, MD

Dr. Craig Slingluff is a surgical oncologist and immunology researcher who treats and investigates melanoma, respectively. But he also was diagnosed with cancer, himself. Two years ago, he found out he had metastatic prostate cancer. With family and faculty support, Dr. Slingluff has a new perspective on life, which includes better work-life balance and gratitude exercises. Tune in to this week's episode to hear more about the intersections of work, disease, and coming to terms with one's ow...

Season 3. 2: Ann Marie Smith, MDiv

Her breast cancer diagnosis in 2008 did not just have her thinking about death and dying, it inspired a second career: chaplaincy. Ms. Ann Marie Smith, MDiv, began volunteering with hospice care after her breast cancer journey, and eventually got her masters in divinity before doing her chaplain residency. Now a chaplain with the UVA Cancer Center, Ms. Smith provides care to cancer patients with a unique perspective given her similar position 15 years prior. Tune in to this week’s episode to...

Season 3. 1: Fumiko Chino, MD

Starting off the 3rd season of "When We Had Cancer," which newly features providers (in the general sense) of cancer patients, is an interview with Dr. Fumiko Chino. Dr. Chino is a radiation oncologist in Manhattan, New York City, at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Daughter of a radiation oncologist and sister to two radiation oncologists, Dr. Chino discusses many things that fall under the emotional wellbeing and challenges of cancer providers, including 1) the tribulations of growi...

Season 2. 7: Maggie Walsh

Maggie is a 34-year old cancer survivor who, frankly, isn’t thankful she ever was diagnosed. Maggie’s cancer compromised her fertility, brought upon anger, and played awful waiting games with biopsy results. Tune in to this week’s episode to hear about a rare cancer diagnosis, family planning, second opinions from doctors, and the role of therapy.      Song Credits:  Easy on Me, by Adele Clair de Lune, by Claude Debussy   

Season 3. 2: Colleen Bergin

Colleen is a 3-year retiree and a two-time breast cancer survivor. Living in rural Virginia with her four animals and husband, Bill Collins, of almost 48 years (who gets credit for being her rock through it all), Colleen recommends that you be there for your loved ones on cancer journeys. Saying "I'm here if you need anything" may not be enough, take a more active approach like grabbing ice cream with a group of friends.   In this episode, we discuss the financial burden of cancer care, th...

Season 2. 6: Colleen Bergin

Colleen is a 3-year retiree and a two-time breast cancer survivor. Living in rural Virginia with her four animals and husband, Bill Collins, of almost 48 years (who gets credit for being her rock through it all), Colleen recommends that you be there for your loved ones on cancer journeys. Saying "I'm here if you need anything" may not be enough, take a more active approach like grabbing ice cream with a group of friends.   In this episode, we discuss the financial burden of cancer care, th...

Season 2. 5: Michelle St. Germaine

This episode is a little different. Instead of interviewing a cancer survivor, I read a chapter from my book, "Six Women." This chapter is a story about a beautiful woman named Michelle called "Coffee Shop Miracles." Welcome to Season 3.        Featured Songs Easy on Me by Adele  Clair de Lune by DeBussy 

Season 3. 1: Michelle St. Germaine

This episode is a little different. Instead of interviewing a cancer survivor, I read a chapter from my book, "Six Women." This chapter is a story about a beautiful woman named Michelle called "Coffee Shop Miracles." Welcome to Season 3.        Featured Songs Easy on Me by Adele  Clair de Lune by DeBussy 

Season 2. 4: Deborah Clarkston

Deborah, Deb, or Debby—depending on who you are—is a 5year cancer survivor from triple negative breast cancer, s/p double mastectomy. An ER/ICU nurse by training, Deborah took the diagnosis seriously: time to figure it out, get treatment, and move on. She now volunteers with the UVA Cancer Peer Support Group, along with Margarita (featured in S2E3), and also teaches/coordinates at a nursing program. Word of advice from Deborah, go schedule that mammogram! You'll thank yourself later!     ...

Season 2. 3: Margarita Figueroa

Margarita shares about self care, trusting your gut (and your research!), and being a two-time cancer survivor. Part of the UVA Cancer Peer Parter Support Group, Margarita helps other folks who are first starting their cancer journeys. 

Season 2. 2: Farah Contractor

Season 2. 1: Kate Franklin

Foster mom of puppies, spin class extraordinaire and excellent storyteller Kate Franklin sits down with me to tell us about her Leukemia diagnosis at age 4 and life since. Listen and learn about how cancer survivorship can be thought of as a pizza topping along with other parts of your life, and many more pockets of insight from my UVA School of Medicine classmate, Kate!

9: LaTonya Bennett

Full of energy and youthfulness, LaTonya is a natural storyteller with the perspective and story to match. One of the best things about having breast cancer was the self realization of her tenacity (immediately after being diagnosed LaTonya drove to the grocery store to buy everything organic, sparking a radical lifestyle change) and the worst thing by far was her chemotherapy treatment. Yet to be mentioned in this podcast, the long-lasting impact of chemotherapy, including neuropathy in you...

8: Brenda Washington

Brenda is a bit more soft spoken than past cancer survivors on this podcast, her journey a bit more private and her circle a bit more intimate. Nonetheless, Brenda had a challenging but ultimately triumphant journey battling breast cancer and looks forward to her five-year survivorship celebration this summer. Initially fearful and in disbelief, Brenda found support in her doctors, children, and God. 

7: Sheri Denkensohn-Trott

Sheri is a 10-year breast cancer survivor. Sheri is also a quadriplegic after a diving incident at age 16.  Injury coupled with illness, Sheri's challenging journey ten years ago was wrought with disability accommodations, familiarity with recurrent appointments (she calls herself a “frequent flyer”), and theories about cancer onset. A frequent storyteller, herself, Sheri shares the story of her battles with health.

6: Jacqueline Beale

Jacqueline is your unconventional cancer survivor- true alone from the fact that throughout our conversation about her breast cancer diagnosis she sat across from me with a beaming smile, giggling between anecdotes. Losing her mother and grandmother to breast cancer and brain cancer, respectively, convinced Jacqueline to approach her own cancer diagnosis years later with positivity including love, laughter, and stories with happy endings, including her own happy ending: almost 18 years of be...

5: Ify Nwabukwu

Ify is an immigrant health advocate (and an African immigrant herself) who founded and serves as director of the organization, The African Women’s Cancer Awareness Association. Her spirituality, family, friends, and gentle spirit have gotten her through what has become five surgeries since her difficult decision: to do a lumpectomy in her right breast only or do a double mastectomy to essentially eliminate her risk of breast cancer reoccurrence. On the one hand Ify had only stage 0 breast can...

4: Jourgette Reid-Sillah

Ms. Reid-Sillah is a current D.C. resident who advocates on behalf of the underserved communities of the metropolitan area. In episode #4 of "When We Had Cancer," Ms. Reid-Sillah approaches her breast cancer journey from a unique perspective, believing it was the best thing that could have happened to her. Listen to this week's episode to hear why.

3: Vatesha Bouler

A kindergarten teacher born and raised in Chester, South Carolina, “Tesha” Bouler moved to the D.C. area seven years ago. At age 36, she found a lump in her breast and assumed it was a benign cyst. The breast cancer diagnosis came as a devastating shock that was followed by fears of death, the freezing of eggs, the loss of beloved curls, and a powerful spiritual journey. Now a survivor, Tesha shares her remarkable story on Episode #3 of “When We Had Cancer.”

2: Susan Banta

Not a “survivor" and technically not said to be in remission either, Susan has been N.E.D. ("no evidence of disease") since her last surgery in January 2017. A local from northwest D.C. and the mother of Sarah’s childhood friend, Isabel, Susan shares her story about how a rare breast cancer diagnosis days after President Trump’s election was tackled pragmatically with the support of family, friends, and the January Ladies.

1: Gigi El-Bayoumi

Dr. Jehan "Gigi" El-Bayoumi is the founder and director of the GWU Rodham Institute, a clinical professor and internal medicine physician at GWU Hospital, and 15 years in remission since her double-mastectomy.