Rebel Rootz Show Episode #85 with Stef Devilbiss, Nancy Salzman, and Angel Cribb. Three women. Three different breast cancer journeys. Stef, Nancy, and Angel each heard the words “you have breast cancer,” but their diagnoses, treatments, recoveries, and emotional experiences looked completely different. In this episode, they sit down with Evonne to share what actually happens after those words change your life. They talk honestly about mammograms, denial, double mastectomies, chemotherapy, reconstruction, losing their hair, medical menopause, intimacy, scars, complications, and learning to advocate for yourself when something does not feel right. They also open up about the things people rarely talk about, including how treatment can change your relationship with your body and why finishing treatment does not mean everything suddenly goes back to normal. This conversation is also a reminder of why knowing your body, getting screened, asking questions, and seeking second opinions matter. Stef, Nancy, and Angel have each turned their experiences into a reason to help other women feel more informed and less alone. Breast cancer is not one story, and there is no “best kind” of cancer. This episode is the real, unfiltered conversation about breast cancer, survivorship, and life after treatment that more women deserve to hear. Timestamps: [00:00] Trailer + Intro [02:28] Three Breast Cancer Stories [04:10] The Mammogram That Changed Everything [05:29] Family History, Denial, and Recurrence [08:45] Hearing “You Have Cancer” [12:19] Choosing a Double Mastectomy [14:37] Understanding Triple-Negative Breast Cancer [22:27] Why You Have to Advocate for Yourself [24:51] What Women Aren’t Warned About [32:07] The Reality of Mastectomy Recovery [34:19] Breast Reconstruction Complications [42:44] How Cancer Changes Your Body [45:00] Intimacy After a Mastectomy [49:15] Reconstruction vs. Going Flat [53:50] What NOT to Say to Someone With Cancer [54:39] Treatment Ends, But Recovery Doesn’t [01:02:47] Turning Hair Loss Into a Celebration [01:06:09] Know Your Body and Don’t Wait Key Takeaways: • “There's no best kind of cancer. You're not lucky it got caught at this stage. If I was lucky, I wouldn't have ever gotten cancer at all.” ~ Angel Cribb • A mastectomy isn’t a “free boob job.” It’s an amputation of a body part. ~ Angel Cribb • “My grandmother had breast cancer. My father, which is very rare, had breast cancer. My sister had breast cancer when she was 38. And I still went into denial.” ~ Nancy Salzman • “My biggest thing is don't worry until there's something to worry about. It's better to have the test than to not have it and die of something that you could have prevented.” ~ Stef Devilbiss • “My surgery was so bad. I literally, my breasts looked like they were square. It was awful.” ~ Stef Devilbiss • Three women can hear the same breast cancer diagnosis and have completely different experiences with treatment, reconstruction, intimacy, and recovery. ~ Evonne Varady • “I think it's important to celebrate living. And it gives me an excuse to remember and to feel blessed and lucky.” ~ Nancy Salzman Keep In Touch with Stef Devilbiss: St. Baldrick’s: https://www.stbaldricks.org/participants/mypage/1184040/2026 Keep In Touch with Nancy Salzman: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nsalzman5Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nsalzman5/ Keep In Touch with Angel Cribb: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1EM3RcAJvD/?mibextid=wwXIfr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/angelcc79/ Connect with Evonne Varady: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/evonnevarady/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/evonne-varady-461243a5/ Follow Rebel Rootz Social Media… Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Rebelrootzshow/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rebelrootzshow/ Tune in to every episode on your favorite platform: Website: https://www.rebelrootzshow.com/
