I'm Still Here: Real Conversations About Living with Metastatic Breast Cancer

Heather Jose
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I’m Still Here: Real Conversations About Living with Metastatic Breast Cancer is a podcast about the real-life experience of living with metastatic breast cancer (MBC). Hosted by long-term thriver Heather Jose, diagnosed at 26 and living with metastatic disease for over 25 years, the show explores what life actually looks like beyond treatment. Topics include identity, relationships, work, uncertainty, quality of life, and the emotional realities of metastatic cancer. Episodes feature long-term survivor stories, caregiver perspectives, listener questions, and expert conversations.

  1. 1D AGO

    Episode 265: Real Conversations About Living with Metastatic Breast Cancer

    After a short break, the podcast is back with a refreshed focus and format. In this episode, Heather shares why the podcast subtitle has changed to Real Conversations About Living with Metastatic Breast Cancer and what listeners can expect moving forward. Living with metastatic breast cancer is about much more than treatment. It touches work, relationships, finances, identity, energy, and the day-to-day realities of life with an incurable illness. This podcast is a space for honest conversations about those experiences — the hard parts, the meaningful parts, and the ways people continue building full lives while living alongside metastatic disease. Moving forward, the podcast will include a mix of: • Long-term survivor stories• Listener Q&A episodes• Caregiver conversations• Occasional expert guests• Solo episodes about the realities of living with metastatic breast cancer Heather was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer at 26 and has now been living with the disease for more than 25 years. Through this podcast she shares perspective, lived experience, and conversations that help people navigate life with metastatic cancer. Sensational Survivor SeriesIf you have been living with metastatic breast cancer for 10 years or more and would like to share your story on the podcast, you can apply here: https://forms.gle/6H9K7NXMAeN1QEv87 Listener QuestionsHave a question you'd like answered in a future episode? Submit it through the contact form: https://heatherjose.com Connect with HeatherInstagram: https://instagram.com/heatherbjoseWebsite: https://heatherjose.com MusicIntro and outro music for the podcast was created by Heather’s son, Ty. You can find his music here: Instagram: https://instagram.com/tyjosee

    23 min

  2. FEB 11

    I Was Diagnosed With Stage 4 Breast Cancer at 26 — What 27 Years With Metastatic Disease Taught Me (Part 2)

    Last week in Part 1, I shared the story of being diagnosed with metastatic (stage 4) breast cancer at just 26 years old — the shock, fear, and life-altering moment that changed everything. In Part 2, I talk about what came next. After living with metastatic disease for 27 years, my perspective on life, time, fear, and what truly matters has shifted in ways I never expected. This episode is about:• learning to live fully inside uncertainty• letting go of waiting for life to feel safe• naming the hard stuff without being consumed by it• and discovering meaning alongside ongoing treatment It’s not about staying positive.It’s about staying present. If you’re living with cancer, loving someone who is, or navigating a season of life that feels uncertain or heavy, I hope this conversation reminds you that life can still be meaningful — even here. Available Now!👉 Break the Cancer Spiral – Heather’s 15-minute guide to reset your mindset anytime life feels overwhelmingYou can grab Heather’s new 15-Minute Reset guide and her 5 to Thrive series at https://shop.heatherjose.com/stop-the-cancer-spiral 🎧 About the Podcast:I’m Still Here: Lessons from Life with Metastatic Breast Cancer is hosted by Heather and Larry Jose. Each week, they share honest, hopeful conversations about living fully with cancer — the messy, meaningful, real-life parts of survivorship that don’t always make it into the brochure. 🌐 Connect with Heather:Website: HeatherJose.comInstagram: @heatherbjoseFacebook: Heather JoseYouTube: @ImStillHereCancer Podcast available on: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube | Amazon Music To Life! 💚Listen, subscribe, and share with someone who could use a little calm and encouragement this holiday season.

    30 min

  3. FEB 4

    I Was Diagnosed With Stage 4 Breast Cancer at 26 — Living With Metastatic Disease for 27 Years (Part 1)

    At 26 years old, I was diagnosed with metastatic (stage 4) breast cancer — a moment that changed everything in an instant. In Part 1 of my story, I share what led up to my diagnosis, the shock of hearing the words “stage four,” and what those early days of fear, uncertainty, and life-altering decisions were really like. This isn’t a clinical cancer story.It’s the human side — the emotions, the questions, the grief, and the beginning of learning how to live inside a life I never planned for. If you’re newly diagnosed, supporting someone you love, or walking through something that feels overwhelming, this episode is for you. Part 2 will dive into how those early experiences shaped the way I live fully with metastatic disease today. Available Now!👉 Break the Cancer Spiral – Heather’s 15-minute guide to reset your mindset anytime life feels overwhelmingYou can grab Heather’s new 15-Minute Reset guide and her 5 to Thrive series at https://shop.heatherjose.com/stop-the-cancer-spiral 🎧 About the Podcast:I’m Still Here: Lessons from Life with Metastatic Breast Cancer is hosted by Heather and Larry Jose. Each week, they share honest, hopeful conversations about living fully with cancer — the messy, meaningful, real-life parts of survivorship that don’t always make it into the brochure. 🌐 Connect with Heather:Website: HeatherJose.comInstagram: @heatherbjoseFacebook: Heather JoseYouTube: @ImStillHereCancer Podcast available on: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube | Amazon Music To Life! 💚Listen, subscribe, and share with someone who could use a little calm and encouragement this holiday season.

    28 min

  4. JAN 28

    Episode 264: From Feeling Different to Finding His Voice — My Son Ty’s Story

    In this special episode of I’m Still Here, Heather sits down with her son Ty to talk openly about his adoption journey, growing up as a brown child in a rural community, and what it’s been like navigating identity, belonging, and difference. Ty shares his story of being adopted from India, what family means when you don’t share DNA, and the moments that shaped how he sees himself and the world. Together, they talk about racism, being pulled over, finding confidence, developing empathy, and how music became Ty’s way of expressing his life experiences. This is an honest, real conversation about growing up different, learning to be comfortable in your own skin, and finding your people — even when it isn’t easy. Available Now!👉 Break the Cancer Spiral – Heather’s 15-minute guide to reset your mindset anytime life feels overwhelmingYou can grab Heather’s new 15-Minute Reset guide and her 5 to Thrive series at https://shop.heatherjose.com/stop-the-cancer-spiral 🎧 About the Podcast:I’m Still Here: Lessons from Life with Metastatic Breast Cancer is hosted by Heather and Larry Jose. Each week, they share honest, hopeful conversations about living fully with cancer — the messy, meaningful, real-life parts of survivorship that don’t always make it into the brochure. 🌐 Connect with Heather:Website: HeatherJose.comInstagram: @heatherbjoseFacebook: Heather JoseYouTube: @ImStillHereCancer Podcast available on: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube | Amazon Music To Life! 💚Listen, subscribe, and share with someone who could use a little calm and encouragement this holiday season.

    33 min

  5. JAN 28

    Episode 263: Eat This, Not That — 2026 Edition (Revised)

    Eat This, Not That — 2026 Edition What do I actually eat — and how do I think about food now? In this episode, Heather shares her Eat This, Not That — 2026 Edition, responding to one of the most common questions she gets. This is not about food rules, trends, or government guidelines — it’s about real food, real life, and what helps her feel steady and energized while living with metastatic breast cancer. In this conversation, Heather talks about: Why she doesn’t follow nutrition rules (even when new guidelines come out) The simple framework she uses instead: protein, fiber, and variety Eating real food, mostly plants — without rigidity Consistency over optimization Using ideas like “30 plants a week” as a gentle nudge, not a mandate Letting food support your life — not become another thing to manage This episode is honest, practical, and grounded in lived experience — not extremes. Need a quick reset when life feels overwhelming? Heather’s 15-minute guide, Break the Cancer Spiral, helps you steady your mindset anytime things start to spin. 👉 Get Break the Cancer Spiral and explore all of Heather’s guides here: https://shop.heatherjose.com/stop-the-cancer-spiral 🎧 About the Podcast I’m Still Here: Lessons from Life with Metastatic Breast Cancer is hosted by Heather Jose. Each week, Heather shares honest, grounded conversations about living fully with cancer — beyond survival. 🌿 Connect with Heather Website: HeatherJose.com Instagram: @heatherbjose YouTube: @ImStillHereCancer To Life! 💚 Subscribe, rate, and share with someone who could use a little steadiness today.

    26 min

  6. JAN 14

    Episode 262: What I Reached for in the Early Days—and How to Build a Library That Holds You

    While cleaning and decluttering, Heather came across a stack of books that carried her through the early years of living with cancer. Some were informational. Some were inspirational. And some simply helped her feel seen. In this episode, Heather and Larry talk through those books—not as prescriptions or promises, but as companions during a time when reaching for anything steady mattered. They reflect on why certain voices, stories, and practices were helpful, how repetition and slowing down supported Heather’s mindset, and how mental and emotional care became just as important as physical treatment. The conversation then expands into what building a “library” looks like today. Not just books—but audio, YouTube, meditation, journaling, saved resources, and non-cancer content that helps regulate fear, doubt, and overwhelm. Heather shares how she now thinks about choosing resources that feel safe, grounding, and accessible—and why what helps can (and should) change over time. This episode is an honest look at what it means to feed your mind with care, build a personal support library, and give yourself permission to reach for whatever helps you feel a little more steady. If you have books, videos, or resources that have helped you through a hard season, Heather invites you to share them—so we can help each other build libraries that hold us. Available Now!👉 Break the Cancer Spiral – Heather’s 15-minute guide to reset your mindset anytime life feels overwhelmingYou can grab Heather’s new 15-Minute Reset guide and her 5 to Thrive series at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://shop.heatherjose.com/stop-the-cancer-spiral⁠⁠⁠⁠🎧 About the Podcast:I’m Still Here: Lessons from Life with Metastatic Breast Cancer is hosted by Heather and Larry Jose. Each week, they share honest, hopeful conversations about living fully with cancer — the messy, meaningful, real-life parts of survivorship that don’t always make it into the brochure.🌐 Connect with Heather:Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠HeatherJose.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@heatherbjose⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Heather Jose⁠⁠⁠YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@ImStillHereCancer⁠⁠⁠⁠Podcast available on: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube | Amazon MusicTo Life! 💚Listen, subscribe, and share with someone who could use a little calm and encouragement this holiday season.

    29 min

  7. JAN 7

    Episode 261: What Do I Need This Year? Rethinking the New Year With Metastatic Breast Cancer

    A new year often comes with pressure to set goals, do more, and fix ourselves. But when you’re living with metastatic breast cancer, that framework can feel exhausting — and disconnected from reality. In this New Year episode, we talk about a different way forward. One that starts by asking a more honest question: What do I need this year? Because when cancer doesn’t reset on January 1st, the goal isn’t reinvention — it’s living. We explore: Why living with metastatic breast cancer is already enough Letting go of “shoulds” and redefining progress Shifting from performance to presence Creating anchors instead of rigid routines Trusting what your body and life are asking for right now Why rest matters — and why engagement still does too This is an honest, grounded conversation about living well with metastatic disease — without pretending it’s easy, and without waiting for life to begin “after.” You’re not behind.You’re not broken.And you don’t need to fix yourself to deserve a meaningful life. Living is the goal. 🎧 New episodes every Wednesday📩 Follow along on Instagram & YouTube: @imstillherepodcast💛 Mindset resources and guides available at heatherjose.com

    31 min

  8. 12/17/2025

    Episode 260: These Are My People: Finding Belonging in the Metastatic Breast Cancer Community

    After 27 years of living with metastatic breast cancer, I attended the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium for the first time — not knowing what to expect, or even if I would feel like I belonged. What I found was something I didn’t realize I’d been missing: connection, affirmation, and a growing movement focused not just on survival, but on living well with metastatic disease. In this episode, I share: What it was like attending SABCS as a patient advocate Why quality of life matters just as much as treatment advances How patient advocacy is evolving — and where I see myself in it What it means to finally feel like these are my people This conversation is about belonging, purpose, and using our voices — especially for those living with metastatic breast cancer who are navigating life beyond the early days of diagnosis. If you’re living with cancer, supporting someone who is, or wondering how to keep moving forward when the path feels uncertain, this episode is for you. If you’re looking for practical, compassionate support for living well with cancer, you can find my guides here:👉 Guides & Resources: https://shop.heatherjose.com/all-guides Each guide can stand alone, and many people choose more than one to support different phases of their journey. 📸 Instagram: @heatherjose🌐 Website: https://heatherjose.com🎙 Podcast: I’m Still Here: Lessons from Life with Metastatic Breast Cancer If this episode resonated with you, please follow the podcast and share it with someone who might need it. Episode DescriptionResources & SupportConnect With Me

    35 min
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About

I’m Still Here: Real Conversations About Living with Metastatic Breast Cancer is a podcast about the real-life experience of living with metastatic breast cancer (MBC). Hosted by long-term thriver Heather Jose, diagnosed at 26 and living with metastatic disease for over 25 years, the show explores what life actually looks like beyond treatment. Topics include identity, relationships, work, uncertainty, quality of life, and the emotional realities of metastatic cancer. Episodes feature long-term survivor stories, caregiver perspectives, listener questions, and expert conversations.

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