64 episodes

“If Car Talk was about cancer and hosted by two millennial women.”-Stef’s Oncologist’s Husband“It’s honest, vulnerable, and unexpected.” -Portland Monthly Climb in, honey, we’ve got room! Join Amy and Stef as we laugh—or shake our fists—at the stuff only cancer people truly get. The gals put words to living the cancer experience, all while taking care to be gentle with listeners’ tender hearts. Then, it’s relatable letters from fellow cancer people, followed by cool RATS (Recent Advances in Treatments and Science) showcasing promising research that’ll leave you feeling pumped. https://linktr.ee/CancerforBreakfast
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Cancer for Breakfast Cancer for Breakfast

    • Health & Fitness
    • 5.0 • 132 Ratings

“If Car Talk was about cancer and hosted by two millennial women.”-Stef’s Oncologist’s Husband“It’s honest, vulnerable, and unexpected.” -Portland Monthly Climb in, honey, we’ve got room! Join Amy and Stef as we laugh—or shake our fists—at the stuff only cancer people truly get. The gals put words to living the cancer experience, all while taking care to be gentle with listeners’ tender hearts. Then, it’s relatable letters from fellow cancer people, followed by cool RATS (Recent Advances in Treatments and Science) showcasing promising research that’ll leave you feeling pumped. https://linktr.ee/CancerforBreakfast
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    ‘Nother Nature

    ‘Nother Nature

    Extra! Extra! Stef’s coming out of the Emetophobia closet—just as Amy’s out of the bathroom holding the dreaded bowl. In even more disgusting news, we’re telling you about the Portland pathologist whose benign results are anything but. Grab your barf bags for this news report. (Note: the count is now up to 12 patients.) Then, Letters hurls us into the guilt, recurrence fear, and uncertainty of survivorship. One thing is certain, though: RATS have infested Amy’s (other) ducts and the only thing stinkier? Getting a second cancer when you’re trying to outsmart your first. Take a ride with us, but buckle up. Is CAR T cell therapy safe enough? 
    About the Providence pathologist: https://www.kptv.com/2024/02/29/providence-patients-plan-sue-over-lab-errors/?outputType=amp
    CAR T cell therapy black box warning: https://www.onclive.com/view/fda-requests-class-wide-boxed-warning-for-car-t-cell-agents-regarding-secondary-t-cell-malignancy-risk
    Cancer for Breakfast is hosted by Amy Dials and Stefanie LeJeunesse and produced by Nathan McGehee. Theme music is by Vyvyvyr. RATS theme song by Jessica Boudreaux.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    • 1 hr 8 min
    Stars: They’re Just Like Us!

    Stars: They’re Just Like Us!

    Alert! Alert! This is NOT a test of the emergency cancer broadcast system. Tumour has it that the worst club with the best members has a new recruit from across the pond and we’re having a chin wag about it. The gals share differing opinions on keeping an illness under royal wraps, but we can all agree that nobody’s hiring Kate’s PR team. What do other cancer commoners think about all this? Well, we’ll tell you. From triggered to intrigued, our listeners’ responses run the gamut. And what’s the Olivia Munn of it all? We stan a queen who uses her platform to educate. So pull up a tuffet, grab a crumpet, and stay out of the comments sections, babes. 
    Cancer for Breakfast is hosted by Amy Dials and Stefanie LeJeunesse, and is produced by Nathan McGehee.
    Our theme music is by Vyvyvyr. RATS theme song is by Jessica Boudreaux. 
    Want to support the podcast? We’re on BuyMeACoffee and Patreon. We appreciate it so much when you rate, review or subscribe on Apple Podcasts, you can do that RIGHT HERE! 
    Follow us on Instagram @cancerforbreakfastpod
    Email us at cancerforbreakfast@gmail.com

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    • 37 min
    Cancer for Breakfast Second Opinion: Flora

    Cancer for Breakfast Second Opinion: Flora

    It’s time for another Second Opinion! This one features friend of the podcast Flora, a metastatic PNET patient with an unexpected new living situation. First, hear the real deal about PNETs (Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumor). She’ll tell us just how this wacky cancer functions, where you’ve heard of it, and why it’s an insidious foe. Then, put the mirrors on the ceiling and pop some pink champagne on ice! Flora generously tells us how surprising it is when hospice is (literally AND figuratively) just what the doctor ordered. What is happening to Flora is sad, for sure, but this is not a sad episode; it’s a closer look at the human condition, spirituality as medicine, and a chapter of life we will—ready or not—all face. With her humor and wisdom, she’s a sage for the ages. May we introduce you to a chaos goblin better known as Flora (and sometimes Fler)? 
    Here is the Vermont organization Flora mentioned, which helps cancer people access cannabis: https://www.highly-rooted.com/vccn
    Cancer for Breakfast is hosted by Amy Dials and Stefanie LeJeunesse, and is produced by Nathan McGehee.
    Our theme music is by Vyvyvyr. RATS theme song is by Jessica Boudreaux. 
    Want to support the podcast? We’re on BuyMeACoffee and Patreon. We appreciate it so much when you rate, review or subscribe on Apple Podcasts, you can do that RIGHT HERE! 
    Follow us on Instagram @cancerforbreakfastpod
    Email us at cancerforbreakfast@gmail.com

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    • 52 min
    Nothingburger

    Nothingburger

    Here’s the (sacred) dirt! Stef’s got a scan update, and it’s hard to node what to think! Is it cancer—or just a socially starved coworker? The trials and tribulations never end! Amy’s had a (don’t worry) breast biopsy (it’s not what it sounds like) and boy is this room dimly lit. Perhaps she needs an EMBER to light things up. In RATS, cancer cells in space grow at the figurative speed of light. Hey, some of us go to the moon to study cancer, and some of us just get cancer and go on NPR— guess which ones we are? The NPR ones! Check out Stef and Amy on OPB’s Think Out Loud, and then hear us appear again during their end of the year Best of 2023 episode! It was an honor just to be nominated! We’d like to thank our producer Nathan, and YOU for rating us! 
    LA Times on the Chimayo dirt: https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2023-04-13/they-come-to-this-new-mexico-shrine-in-search-of-miracles-and-some-holy-dirt
    Cancer cells in space from the International Space Station: https://www.issnationallab.org/iss-national-lab-cancer-moonshot-initiative/
    Listen to us on Think Out Loud! https://www.opb.org/article/2023/10/30/cancer-for-breakfast-stefanie-lejeunesse-amy-dials/?outputType=amp
    And stream the great round-up of producer faves: https://www.opb.org/article/2023/12/21/best-stories-of-2023/?outputType=amp

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    • 57 min
    Close Your Bones

    Close Your Bones

    Close Your Bones
    In the final chapter of our ongoing financial roller coaster, a hero arrives—in a white coat, not a cape. It’s a bird, it’s a plane…actually, is that Air Force One?! Then, a letter from a rectal cancer survivor whose fertility didn’t make it. How do we honor that grief and explore closure (literally)? Stef outs herself as a full moon hippie (we knew it, didn’t we, listeners?) and Amy’s biting on others’ cultural rituals? Amy! We’ve talked about this! Then, a *deeply* touchy topic with major science potential: harvesting hard-to-get tumors. The gals spitball how to help a study find its subjects. It’s body talk that no one knows how to broach. Ahem, yes we said BODIES (fair warning). And in RATS, a travel grant took Stef to the Lobular Breast Cancer Symposium and she’s back to tell the tale. What happens when you see yourself as a data point on a screen? In this case? It’s thrilling! 
    This episode is dedicated to Rach. 
    The full booklet of abstracts from the ILC Symposium is available for free here: http://ilcsymposium.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/ILC2023_AbstractBooklet_v2.6_comp.pdf
    And the posters presented are available to download (PDFs) here: http://ilcsymposium.com/ilc-2023-posters

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    • 1 hr 7 min
    The Downward Spiral

    The Downward Spiral

    The Downward Spiral 
    The cycle continues! Spin™️ Teachers — They’re Just Like Us! and Amy’s wheels are spinning. Stef’s got a twinge of doubt about how her upcoming scan will pan out, but two things are for sure: bills are high and morale is low going into this one. The gals remember a few fallen friends whose losses are looming large. Luckily, a letter writer brings us her ritual to combat scanxiety, along with a few examples of what not to say. RATS discusses new findings about cancer in 9/11 first responders. Now shake your lime green salt shaker over to Apple and leave us a review!

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    • 52 min

Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5
132 Ratings

132 Ratings

ludamelin ,

Therapy, only cheaper

These two get it. They get the ups; they get the downs. They get the fear and the absurdity that comes with a young cancer diagnosis. They are like wise younger sisters who just know what’s up. Take a listen!

Liliana Lucca ,

Come for the sisterhood, stay for how Amy mispronounces molecules

This podcast is so many amazing things and that includes really insightful on research and science. I am a cancer immunology researcher and I have been learning a lot from the RATS segments and never noticed the slightest scientific inexactitude. Incredible work ladies!

Mamalifehacks ,

Therapeutic and so relatable

I feel closer to Amy and Stef than I do my own friends and family when it comes to the subject of cancer. I love how they keep it REAL and have really met me where I’m at throughout my breast cancer treatment.

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