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Breast Cancer Conversations

Breast Cancer Conversations

By: SurvivingBreastCancer.org
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Breast Cancer Conversations is a podcast produced by Survivingbreastcancer.org where we inject positivity into the very fabric of a breast cancer diagnosis. Breast Cancer Conversations provides education, and inspiration, and offers hope. You will hear stories from those diagnosed with breast cancer, interviews with medical professionals, and thought-leadership emerging from the oncology field. Welcome to our breast cancer community! Welcome to the conversation.© 2026 Breast Cancer Conversations Biological Sciences Hygiene & Healthy Living Physical Illness & Disease Science
Episodes
  • 315. What's Missing in Breast Cancer Care? | Special Edition Roundtable

    315. What's Missing in Breast Cancer Care? | Special Edition Roundtable
    Oct 11 2026
    Love the podcast? Send us a text!A breast cancer diagnosis brings far more than medical decisions. There are emotional challenges, treatment side effects, financial pressures, questions about clinical trials, and the ongoing need for trusted information and community. Yet many of these needs fall outside the traditional healthcare system.So who's filling those gaps? And how can we make sure people diagnosed with breast cancer can find the right resources when they need them?In this special roundtable episode of Breast Cancer Conversations, host Laura Carfang, co-founder and CEO of SurvivingBreastCancer.org, brings together three leaders from national breast cancer nonprofits:• Ellen Friebert Schupper, Executive Director of After Breast Cancer Diagnosis (ABCD), an organization specializing in personalized, one-to-one emotional support.• Kelly Shanahan, MD, President of METAvivor, an organization dedicated to metastatic breast cancer research, advocacy, and community.• Sue Weldon, Founder and CEO of Unite for HER, an organization expanding access to integrative therapies and whole-person care.Together, they explore an important reality: No single organization can meet every need of someone diagnosed with breast cancer.The conversation moves beyond individual programs to examine the larger ecosystem of breast cancer support, including where patients continue to fall through the cracks and what it will take to build a more connected, accessible, and sustainable system of care.Kelly shares her experience living with metastatic breast cancer, the urgency of funding research, and why people with advanced disease need better access to clinical trials and specialized care.Sue discusses the role of integrative oncology in supporting quality of life, why these services remain financially out of reach for many patients, and how partnerships with cancer centers can expand access.Ellen explains why personalized peer support remains essential and how collaboration between organizations can help people find trusted resources without navigating a fragmented system.Laura also brings her perspective as both someone diagnosed with breast cancer and a nonprofit CEO, reflecting on the challenges of building sustainable programs, prioritizing limited resources, and addressing needs that traditional cancer care may overlook.In this episode, we discuss:• Why breast cancer care needs to extend beyond medical treatment• The importance of peer support, community, and emotional well-being• Gaps in access to integrative oncology and supportive care• Why metastatic breast cancer research and advocacy remain critical• The need for better clinical trial navigation and access to specialists• Financial barriers and disparities in breast cancer care• How nonprofits, healthcare providers, and industry can work together• Why nonprofit collaboration matters more than duplicating services• The realities of funding and sustaining patient support programs• What the future of breast cancer support could look likeOne of the most powerful themes throughout this conversation is that better breast cancer care requires more than better treatments. It requires connecting people to the information, services, and support that make living with and beyond a diagnosis more manageable.Whether you're newly diagnosed, living with metastatic breast cancer, navigating life after treatment, supporting a loved one, or working in cancer care, this conversation offers a broader perspective on the resources available today—and the work still ahead.Explore the organizations featured in this episode:SurvivingBreastCancer.org — https://www.survivingbreastcancer.orgAfter Breast Cancer Diagnosis (ABCD) — https://abcdbreastcancersupport.orgMETAvivor — https://www.metavivor.orgUnite for HER — https://uniteforher.orgBreast Cancer Conversations is a podcast from SurvivingBreastCancer.org, sharing lived experiences, expert perspectives, and evidence-informed conversations to support people diagnosed with breast cancer and their families. Support the showListener FeedbackPlease share a review with us! If this episode resonated with you, we invite you to leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and share some stars! You can also click the link in the show notes that says "Love this episode? Send us a text" to share feedback.Messages are completely anonymous.If you would like us to follow up directly, please include your email address in your message so we can respond.Latest News: Join our Mailing List - New content drops every Monday! Discover FREE programs, support groups, and resources from SurvivingBReastCancer.org! Enjoying our content? Please consider supporting our work.
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    59 mins
  • 314. Is CBD Safe During Breast Cancer Treatment? What the Evidence Actually Shows

    314. Is CBD Safe During Breast Cancer Treatment? What the Evidence Actually Shows
    Oct 5 2026

    Love the podcast? Send us a text!

    Many people turn to CBD hoping for relief from pain, nausea, anxiety, sleep problems, and other side effects of cancer treatment. But CBD isn’t risk-free, and “natural” doesn’t necessarily mean harmless. It can be biologically active, product quality varies widely, and it may interact with medications used during breast cancer treatment. magic-episode-02

    In this episode of Breast Cancer Conversations, we take an evidence-focused look at CBD and breast cancer: what research currently tells us, where evidence is still limited, and what patients should know before adding CBD to their supportive care routine.

    We’re joined by Dr. Shannon Arora and Dr. Priyanka Sharma for a conversation about how CBD works in the body, why people with cancer are using it, and what the evidence shows for symptoms including pain, nausea, anxiety, and sleep. The conversation also explores the important difference between using CBD for supportive care and using it to treat cancer. CBD is not a cancer treatment and should not replace evidence-based breast cancer therapies. magic-episode-02

    One of the most important topics we address is CBD and drug interactions. The discussion explores why CBD may affect the way the body processes certain medications, including tamoxifen and other drugs commonly used in breast cancer care—and why your oncology team needs to know about CBD even if you purchased it over the counter. magic-episode-02

    We also dig into an increasingly confusing CBD marketplace. What’s actually in the product you’re buying? What is the difference between CBD, THC, hemp, and marijuana? How do you evaluate product quality? And what does regulation mean for people trying to make informed decisions about cannabinoid products? magic-episode-02

    In this episode, we discuss:

    • What CBD is and how it differs from THC
    • Why people with breast cancer are turning to CBD
    • What research shows about CBD for pain, nausea, sleep, and anxiety
    • Why CBD should be considered supportive care—not a cancer treatment
    • Potential interactions between CBD and tamoxifen
    • Other cancer medications that may interact with CBD
    • Why it’s important to tell your oncology team what you're taking
    • Oral versus topical CBD
    • How product quality and labeling can vary
    • What to look for when evaluating CBD products
    • Why evidence matters more than anecdotal advice
    • The evolving regulatory landscape surrounding cannabinoids

    The biggest takeaway? You don't need to feel embarrassed or judged for asking about CBD. But your care team does need to know.

    If you're considering CBD during breast cancer treatment, bring the conversation to your oncologist, pharmacist, or healthcare team. The goal isn't to tell patients simply “yes” or “no”—it's to help you ask better questions and make informed decisions based on your medications, symptoms, and individual health needs. magic-episode-02

    Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. CBD can interact with medications. Always talk with your healthcare team before starting, stopping, or changing CBD, cannabis products, supplements, or prescribed medications.

    Support the show

    Listener Feedback

    Please share a review with us! If this episode resonated with you, we invite you to leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and share some stars!

    You can also click the link in the show notes that says "Love this episode? Send us a text" to share feedback.

    Messages are completely anonymous.

    If you would like us to follow up directly, please include your email address in your message so we can respond.

    Latest News:

    • Join our Mailing List - New content drops every Monday!
    • Discover FREE programs, support groups, and resources from SurvivingBReastCancer.org!
    • Enjoying our content? Please consider supporting our work.


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    49 mins
  • 313. Tamoxifen Changed My Body: The Side Effects We Don't Talk About with Lindsey Campbell

    313. Tamoxifen Changed My Body: The Side Effects We Don't Talk About with Lindsey Campbell
    Sep 20 2026

    Love the podcast? Send us a text!

    For many people with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer, taking a daily medication like tamoxifen can become part of life for years. But what does it actually feel like to live with the side effects day after day?

    In this candid episode of Breast Cancer Conversations, Laura Carfang sits down with Lindsey, who was diagnosed with DCIS at age 37 after finding a lump herself. Following surgery and radiation, Lindsey began taking tamoxifen—and quickly discovered that the experience involved much more than simply taking a pill every morning.

    Lindsey shares the difficult fertility conversation she and her husband faced before treatment, why she took a trip before starting tamoxifen, and how she has learned to adjust her expectations of what her body can do.

    Laura shares her own experience with endocrine therapy and the complicated emotions that can come with years of treatment—even when you understand why you're taking the medication.

    The conversation ultimately becomes about more than tamoxifen. It's about learning to give yourself grace when your body changes, letting go of the expectation that you should simply "go back to normal," and realizing that you still deserve to take up space exactly as you are.

    Support the show

    Listener Feedback

    Please share a review with us! If this episode resonated with you, we invite you to leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and share some stars!

    You can also click the link in the show notes that says "Love this episode? Send us a text" to share feedback.

    Messages are completely anonymous.

    If you would like us to follow up directly, please include your email address in your message so we can respond.

    Latest News:

    • Join our Mailing List - New content drops every Monday!
    • Discover FREE programs, support groups, and resources from SurvivingBReastCancer.org!
    • Enjoying our content? Please consider supporting our work.


    Show More Show Less
    27 mins
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