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Breast Cancer Now

Breast Cancer Now

By: Breast Cancer Now
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About this listen

 If you’re looking for authentic stories about life with and beyond breast cancer, we’re here. Welcome to the Breast Cancer Now podcast.

Join host Laura for open, supportive and honest conversations with guests who have personal or professional experience of breast cancer.

Laura Price is a writer, podcaster and author of the novel Single Bald Female. She’s living with secondary, incurable breast cancer.

We’re Breast Cancer Now, the research and support charity. If you’ve got questions about breast cancer, go to our website breastcancernow.org.

New episodes every other Friday.


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Episodes
  • S6 Ep22: Travel insurance with breast cancer might be easier than you think – with Fiona Macrae

    S6 Ep22: Travel insurance with breast cancer might be easier than you think – with Fiona Macrae
    Dec 19 2025
    Planning a holiday when you’re living with or beyond breast cancer can feel daunting, especially when it comes to getting travel insurance. In this episode, Laura speaks with Fiona Macrae, founder of the travel insurance brand Insurancewith. Diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005 and living with metastatic (secondary) breast cancer since 2020, Fiona shares her personal journey and why freedom to travel is so important to her.

    In a conversation full of hope and practical tips from their own experiences, Fiona and Laura get stuck into:

    • why travel insurance matters, especially when you have a cancer diagnosis,
    • how medical screening works and what insurers are really looking for,
    • common myths about being “uninsurable” after your treatment changes or a progression,
    • confusing terminology when applying for travel insurance and how to make sense of it,
    • practical tips for planning trips, timing holidays around treatment, and talking to your medical team,
    • Fiona’s own story, taking her frustration with the system and creating a travel insurance brand with people with cancer at its heart.

    If you'd like to find out more about Breast Cancer Now's support services, visit the Breast Cancer Now website or phone our free helpline on 0808 800 6000 (UK only).

    You can subscribe to this podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Every episode is available to watch or listen to on the Breast Cancer Now website. You can also watch it on YouTube.

    The discount code IWCommunity gives 20%* off an Insurancewith premium.

    * The discount code ‘IWCommunity’ offers you a 20% discount made up of our automatic 15% online discount price and an additional 5% discount against our Customer Service Centre prices. This is discounted from our core policy price before you add any additional cost of optional extensions or additional medical premium. Cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer.

    Insurancewith is a travel insurance brand. They are not an insurer or underwriter. Policies are underwritten by regulated insurers, and terms and conditions apply. Insurancewith is a trading name of Travel Insurance Facilities Plc, a travel insurance distributor. Policies are underwritten by FCA-authorised insurers. They do not offer personal advice. Always read your policy documents and ensure the cover meets your needs. Breast Cancer Now does not endorse, or recommend Insurancewith.

    If you're struggling to get travel insurance, you can also try the MoneyHelper directory, which lists specialist providers who may be able to help – including Insurancewith.


    Key Topics:
    2:24 Why is it important that we travel?
    3:33 Fiona's breast cancer diagnosis
    6:50 Dealing with a cancer diagnosis as a new mother
    7:44 Fiona's diagnosis of metastatic (secondary) breast cancer
    12:21 Fiona sets up travel insurance brand Insurancewith
    14:38 Do you need travel insurance?
    18:25 Declaring breast cancer on your travel insurance
    20:40 Getting cover with a new diagnosis or drug
    24:33 The importance of the health questionnaire when buying travel insurance
    31:45 More claims can be related back to cancer than you might think
    33:28 The cost of repatriation
    34:57 How does neutropenia affect travel insurance?
    39:29 Is flying detrimental to our health?
    42:07 Do you need travel insurance if you're staying within the UK?
    43:33 When should you book your travel insurance?
    44:55 Should you put friends and family on the same insurance policy as you?
    46:29 Does the destination country change how expensive insurance is?
    47:34 How does mental health work with travel insurance?
    50:38 Unhelpful terminology in travel insurance policies
    55:53 What about metastatic (secondary) breast cancer in the brain?
    1:00:49 High risk activities and insurance with breast cancer
    1:02:00 Going on holiday while on a clinical trial
    1:02:48 Business insurance and cancer
    1:04:57 Practical tips for travelling
    1:10:05 What it means to Fiona to "live well"
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 12 mins
  • S6 Ep21: Lucy on being diagnosed as a younger woman

    S6 Ep21: Lucy on being diagnosed as a younger woman
    Dec 5 2025
    Lucy Dawson was diagnosed with breast cancer aged 25.

    In this episode she talks to Laura about her experience of being diagnosed with breast cancer as a younger woman, and having fertility preservation treatment as a result of her breast cancer diagnosis. They talk about the importance of sharing positive stories, pregnancy, and starting a family after breast cancer.

    They also talk about the importance of spreading awareness of the signs and symptoms of breast cancer, and having the confidence to advocate for yourself in a medical setting.

    If you'd like to find out more about Breast Cancer Now's support services, visit the Breast Cancer Now website or phone our free helpline on 0808 800 6000 (UK only).

    You can subscribe to this podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Every episode is available to watch or listen to on the Breast Cancer Now website. You can also watch it on YouTube.

    Key Topics:
    02:00 Lucy's diagnosis
    08:40 How are you now?
    09:05 Family history of breast cancer
    10:55 Support services for younger women
    12:42 Fertility preservation treatment
    16:00 Starting a family
    19:15 Pregnancy after breast cancer
    21:20 Breastfeeding
    22:40 How did pregnancy feel for you?
    24:15 How are you finding motherhood
    25:00 How did your partner cope throughout your cancer and pregnancy
    25:49 What would you say to other younger women facing fertility challenges as a result of breast cancer treatment?
    26:45 Advocating for herself as a younger woman to be diagnosed and being confident in a medical setting.
    33:56 How do you look after your mental health
    38:57 Posters of the signs & symptoms of breast cancer in M&S changing rooms.
    42:15 Taking part in BCN's Pink Ribbon Walk
    43:25 What does it mean to Lucy to 'live well'.
    Show More Show Less
    45 mins
  • S6 Ep20: Caroline on talking with children about death and grief

    S6 Ep20: Caroline on talking with children about death and grief
    Nov 21 2025
    Caroline Leek is the founder of Fruitfly Collective, which empowers people with a cancer diagnosis to navigate family life and to support their children. Caroline set up Fruitfly Collective to give the kind of support she wished she’d had when her own father died when she was 12 years old.

    In this episode, Caroline focuses on talking to children and teenagers about death and grief, and how to communicate with children about being diagnosed with incurable cancer. She talks about strategies for communicating with teenagers, discusses whether it's OK to tell a white lie, and shares helpful tips and prompts to help children with death and grief.

    Find out more about Fruitfly Collective.

    Listen to Caroline's previous episode about parenting with cancer, or watch on YouTube.

    If you'd like to find out more about Breast Cancer Now's support services, visit the Breast Cancer Now website or phone our free helpline on 0808 800 6000 (UK only).

    You can subscribe to this podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Every episode is available to watch or listen to on the Breast Cancer Now website. You can also watch it on YouTube.

    Key Topics:
    0:16 Laura outlines the episode and shares her thoughts
    2:40 When a child visits a parent who is dying
    7:06 How to have a conversation with a child about an upcoming death
    9:42 How honest should you be when a child asks if you're going to die?
    14:10 Ways of starting a conversation with a child about the death of their parent
    25:54 Caroline reveals how her unprocessed grief came to light
    27:55 The tools Caroline used to process her grief and support her mental health
    31:15 "Pip" kits from Fruitfly Collective
    39:39 How to access Fruitfly Collective's excellent resources and support

    Links:
    Griefcast
    Kids' Guide to Cancer app
    Show More Show Less
    44 mins
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