Cancer and Courage

Gisele Gambi

There are moments in life that stop you in your tracks. Cancer is one of them. This podcast is here to meet you in the fear, the unknown, the loss of control… and in the part of you that knows there is something deeper here. Something that calls for courage. Because here, mindset is not just mindset… mindset is medicine. This is Cancer and Courage. This podcast is for informational purposes only and not medical or professional advice. By listening, you accept responsibility for your choices and actions.

Episodes

  1. Sep 17

    Do not underestimate your resolve

    I have witnessed something again and again in people living with cancer who have experienced excellent - and sometimes extraordinary - results. Resolve. I hear it in their words. “I will not be the one in 100.” “Have you ever seen someone with my diagnosis go into remission? You have? Then I’ll be the next.” “I have no alternative but to be okay.” There is a conviction in the way they speak. A decision in the way they meet their treatment. A resolve about what they are available to believe is possible for them. Can resolve guarantee remission or no evidence of disease? Of course not. But I will not dismiss what I have witnessed either. Alongside medical treatment, I have seen the extraordinary way people can lead themselves through cancer when fear is allowed to be present - but it is not given the final word. So if you recognise that resolve in yourself, don’t underestimate it. Trust it. Observe it. Strengthen it. And let it lead the way you participate in your cancer journey. Mindset is Medicine is my six-part active meditation series created specifically for people impacted by cancer. These meditations are designed to support your conscious and active participation in your cancer journey - and you can listen while sitting, resting or walking. https://www.giselegambi.com.au/cancer-mindset-is-medicine-meditation-program To explore coaching 1:1 with Gisele https://www.giselegambi.com.au/cancer-coach Follow Gisele on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠ Follow Gisele on Facebook ⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠ Email Gisele at gisele@giselegambi.com.au TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Welcome to Cancer & Courage00:54 The conversation that compelled me to record this01:15 The common denominator I see: resolve02:01 “I will go all the way to 12 rounds”02:29 “I will not be the one in 100”02:48 “I will be your next radical remission”03:04 “I have no alternative but to be okay”03:27 The conviction behind extraordinary results04:16 “I think I’m going to be okay”04:45 If you have a knowing, trust it05:13 The power of resolve in a cancer journey06:13 Do not underestimate your resolve and conviction #CancerAndCourage #CancerMindset #CancerCoach #LivingWithCancer #CancerSupport #CancerJourney #MindsetIsMedicine #CancerRemission #NoEvidenceOfDisease #CancerHope #CancerHealing #CancerCourage

  2. Sep 14

    If You Know You’re Going to Be Okay, Trust That Knowing

    What if, despite your cancer diagnosis or prognosis, something inside you knows you’re going to be okay? Maybe you’ve said it out loud. Maybe you’ve only whispered it to yourself. Maybe you’re almost afraid to trust it because the evidence around you appears to say something different. This episode is for you. For more than two decades as a coach - and since 2021 specifically in the cancer space - I have held a flag I call Nothing But Miracles. Not miracle as fantasy. Not denial of diagnosis, prognosis or medical reality. I define a miracle as a shift in perception from fear to love. And when cancer enters your life, that shift matters. Fear will arise. You are human. A scan, a prognosis, a symptom or even somebody’s seemingly innocent comment can send you there. The invitation is not to deny fear, suppress it or pretend it isn’t happening. It is to not let fear lead. In this episode, I speak directly to the person who has an intuitive knowing that they are going to be okay. I explore what it means to honour that knowing while remaining grounded in your medical care, and why surrender, radical responsibility, humility, trust and active participation can become profound parts of the cancer journey. I also explore the possibility that cancer can be a catalyst - asking us to see the identities, lifestyles, patterns and ways of being that are no longer sustainable. There are no guarantees here. Miracles come in many forms, and they do not always look like remission or no evidence of disease. But if there is a knowing inside you - or this episode ignites one - I see you. I validate you. And I invite you not to turn your back on it. Trust the knowing. There is often an extensive treatment plan for the body after a cancer diagnosis, but what about a treatment plan for the mind? Mindset is Medicine is my six-part active meditation series created specifically for people impacted by cancer. These meditations are designed to support your conscious and active participation in your cancer journey - and you can listen while sitting, resting or walking. https://www.giselegambi.com.au/cancer-mindset-is-medicine-meditation-program To explore coaching 1:1 with Gisele https://www.giselegambi.com.au/cancer-coach Follow Gisele on Instagram ⁠⁠here⁠⁠ Follow Gisele on Facebook ⁠⁠here⁠⁠ Email Gisele at gisele@giselegambi.com.au 00:00 — Welcome to Cancer & Courage00:49 — What if you have a feeling you're going to be okay?01:14 — The flag I've flown: Nothing But Miracles01:38 — What I actually mean by a “miracle”02:17 — Cancer and the human default of fear02:49 — When medicine can't validate your inner knowing03:34 — Don't turn your back on what you know04:20 — Trusting your knowing doesn't mean fear disappears05:15 — Feel the fear, but don't let it lead05:53 — “I see you. I acknowledge and validate that knowing.”06:18 — Cancer as a catalyst: shifting from fear to love07:08 — What in your life may no longer be sustainable?08:11 — Radical responsibility and the work beneath the diagnosis09:05 — The possibility of a fundamental shift in identity09:27 — What 22 years of coaching chaos and crisis has taught me10:20 — What I've witnessed coaching people with cancer11:09 — Miracles don't always mean remission11:47 — Surrender, trust, faith, presence and authenticity12:12 — The life-changing power of humility12:38 — If you have that knowing, I'm with you13:11 — Staying medically grounded while leading from knowing13:31 — Mindset is Medicine: a treatment plan for the mind14:20 — Using active meditation through your cancer journey #CancerAndCourage #CancerMindset #CancerSupport #CancerJourney #CancerCoach #MindsetIsMedicine #NothingButMiracles #RadicalResponsibility #TrustYourKnowing #CancerHealing #LivingWithCancer #CancerCommunity

  3. Aug 19

    I Am Not Cancer | Julie Gabrielson

    Julie Gabrielson has been living with cancer for 18 years. Her journey has included multiple recurrences, numerous surgeries, a mastectomy, cancer spreading to different parts of her body, and in 2024, the discovery of a golf-ball-sized tumour in her brain. And yet, very early in her journey, Julie made a decision: “I am not cancer.” Cancer was something she was experiencing. It was not who she was. Julie is the author of Dancing With Cancer, a raw and deeply human account of what this extraordinary 18 year journey has taught her about intuition, emotion, control, gratitude, mortality and how she wants to live. In this episode, we talk about the woman Julie was before cancer and the woman she has become through it; why she does not resonate with the language of fighting or battling cancer; the extraordinary role intuition has played throughout her journey; and why courage doesn't require you to be positive all the time. We also explore something Julie embodies so beautifully: allowing cancer to transform you without allowing it to define you. Because Julie has been frightened. She's been angry. She's fallen in a heap. She's questioned why. And she has also developed a profound gratitude for what this journey has revealed about herself and about life. Toward the end of our conversation, Julie says something extraordinary. If she could erase the last 18 years of cancer, but doing so meant also losing everything she has learned and the woman she has become, she wouldn't do it. And from there, our conversation goes somewhere neither of us expected. This is a rich conversation about cancer and courage, but also identity, intuition, surrender, emotion, mortality, gratitude and what it means to keep choosing how you will live - whatever life places in front of you. Cancer is part of Julie's story. It is not who she is. ~ Julie's world below ↓ Purchase Dancing With Cancer through Amazon here or through her website here Follow Julie on Instagram here Follow Julie on Facebook here Email Julie at hello@juliegabrielson.com Gisele's world below ↓ If you want support strengthening your mindset as you navigate cancer, Gisele's six-part Mindset is Medicine meditation series is an intimate experience designed to support you through the emotional and inner journey of cancer. Access Mindset is Medicine here Coaching Follow Gisele on Instagram here Follow Gisele on Facebook here Email Gisele at gisele@giselegambi.com.au 00:00 Welcome to Cancer & Courage 00:45 Meet Julie Gabrielson, author of Dancing With Cancer 03:35 Julie’s 18-year cancer journey 09:20 Writing a book while the story is still unfolding 13:50 Who Julie has become through cancer 15:30 “I am not cancer” — refusing to let cancer define her 19:20 Why Julie stopped seeing cancer as something to fight 22:20 Julie’s mother, emotional suppression and learning to feel 27:15 Being an empath, people-pleasing and putting yourself second 30:35 The intuition that may have saved Julie’s life 36:10 Can we really change who we are? 38:15 Letting go of control 40:45 What people with cancer actually need from those around them 45:30 Facing mortality and choosing to live in the present 48:25 Who would Julie be without cancer? 49:15 “I wouldn’t give back who I’ve become” 50:10 An unexpected paradigm shift 53:35 What if the partnership with cancer is complete? 54:25 We are so much more than our physical bodies 55:30 Closing reflections and Julie’s latest MRI results - better news than anticipated #CancerAndCourage #IAmNotCancer #CancerPodcast #CancerJourney #LivingWithCancer #CancerMindset #DancingWithCancer #CancerSupport #MindsetIsMedicine #CancerAndIdentity #Intuition #Courage #JulieGabrielson

  4. Aug 12

    When You Can No Longer Pretend You Don’t Know

    Cancer can be a threshold moment. A moment when the life you were living, the person you have been, or something you have carried within yourself can no longer remain unseen. Sometimes, we recognise the threshold before a diagnosis. We already know something needs to change - a relationship, a career, the pace at which we're living, the way we've been treating ourselves, or an identity we've outgrown. Other times, cancer itself becomes the catalyst that brings what we know into consciousness. In this episode of Cancer & Courage, Gisele explores what it means to find yourself at a threshold - crossing from one version of your life, and one version of yourself, into another. She explores the parts of ourselves that can rise to the surface during cancer: grief, loss, resentment, anger, anxiety, sorrow and even pride. Not as things to fix or push away, but as parts of our human experience that may finally be asking to be met. Because there can be enormous power in simply recognising the context: I am at a threshold moment in my life. That orientation doesn't mean fear, anxiety or uncertainty disappear. It means we can stop fighting the fact that something profound is happening and begin asking: What can I no longer pretend I don't know? Gisele also shares why this understanding of a cancer diagnosis as a threshold became particularly poignant after her recent conversation with Julie Gabrielson, author of Dancing with Cancer, whose 18-year cancer journey beautifully embodies the crossing from who we were into who we become. And ultimately, this is what Gisele means when she says: Mindset is medicine. 00:00 — Welcome to Cancer & Courage00:52 — What does it mean to be at a threshold?01:34 — Why cancer can represent a threshold moment02:03 — Crossing from one version of yourself into another02:34 — When you knew something needed to change before diagnosis04:24 — When cancer makes the threshold visible05:01 — Relationships, career, purpose, health and identity05:42 — Meeting grief, anger, anxiety, resentment and sorrow07:17 — The extraordinary power of context08:30 — Gisele's own experience of finding orientation in chaos09:51 — Allowing cancer to be a threshold without denying the fear10:49 — Julie Gabrielson and Dancing with Cancer12:03 — Why this is mindset — and why mindset is medicine12:19 — The Mindset is Medicine meditation series13:23 — Closing If you want support strengthening your mindset as you navigate cancer, Gisele's six-part Mindset is Medicine meditation series is an intimate experience designed to support you through the emotional and inner journey of cancer. Access Mindset is Medicine here https://www.giselegambi.com.au/cancer-mindset-is-medicine-meditation-program Coaching https://www.giselegambi.com.au/cancer-coach Connect with Gisele: gisele@giselegambi.com.au Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cancer_and_courage/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61590163836476 #CancerAndCourage #MindsetIsMedicine #CancerMindset #CancerSupport #CancerJourney #LivingWithCancer #CancerCoach #CancerDiagnosis #EmotionalWellbeing #CancerWellbeing #CancerCourage #LifeAfterDiagnosis #CancerCommunity #MindsetMatters #WhenYouCanNoLongerPretendYouDontKnow

  5. Jul 15

    Control, Perfection & Obligation: The Identities Cancer Challenges

    After coaching people with cancer for more than six years, I've noticed three common identity patterns that often emerge. Not in everyone. But often enough that they're worth paying attention to. The need to control. The need to be perfect. The need to fulfil obligations. Then cancer arrives. Suddenly the diagnosis can't be controlled. Perfection feels impossible. Obligations begin to fall away. In this episode, I explore how humility can help us to honestly observe ourselves, soften our attachment to who we believe we need to be, and discover what truly matters. If cancer has become a catalyst for questioning who you are and how you want to live, I hope this conversation offers both insight and compassion. Mindset is MedicineA six-part guided meditation series to help you lead yourself through cancer from love instead of fear. ⁠https://www.giselegambi.com.au/cancer-mindset-is-medicine-meditation-program⁠ Coaching https://www.giselegambi.com.au/cancer-coach Connect with Gisele: gisele@giselegambi.com.au Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cancer_and_courage/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61590163836476 00:00 Welcome to Cancer & Courage 00:52 Three common identity patterns I've observed in cancer coaching 02:30 Identity #1 — The need to control 02:54 Identity #2 — The need for perfection 03:10 Identity #3 — The need to fulfil obligations 03:28 Why cancer challenges each of these identities 05:10 Why humility becomes the medicine 06:25 Letting go of who we believed we needed to be 06:45 The questions humility invites us to ask 08:29 From control to freedom, authenticity and self-love 09:32 Mindset is Medicine: supporting the inner journey through cancer 12:07 How to use the guided meditation series

  6. Apr 29

    The Energy Behind Your Healing (Why It Matters More Than You Think)

    If healing from cancer is your priority, this is an important episode. In this conversation, I speak to something that is often overlooked, yet deeply influential in both business and healing: The energetics from which you hold yourself. Not just what you do…But the energy from which you: see yourselfrespond to your circumstancesmove through your journeyI begin by sharing a personal story from my business. There was a time when I was doing everything “right”—learning from experts, implementing strategies, working hard—yet nothing was shifting. Why? Because I had unknowingly outsourced my power. The moment I returned to my intuition, self-trust, and inner knowing… everything changed. Almost overnight.  From there, I bring this same lens into the cancer journey. Because in a diagnosis, it is so natural to hand our power over:to the system,to the experts,to the protocols. And while we deeply honour the medical path… there is something essential that must remain with you: Your self-agency.Your inner knowing.Your ability to lead yourself through this. We also explore the role of fear. Fear is human.Fear is natural.Fear will arise—especially at the beginning of a diagnosis. This episode is not about eliminating fear. It is about not allowing fear to become the only voice leading your journey. Because when fear becomes the predominant state: it shapes how you see yourselfit shapes how you engage with treatmentit shapes what feels possibleAnd when you begin to access even a small degree of: self-trustpresenceinner leadershipsomething begins to shift. This episode invites you to reflect: From what energy am I holding myself right now?Where have I handed my power away?What would it look like to reclaim even a small part of it?Because while you may not control everything that happens… you do have a say in how you meet it. And that is more powerful than most people realise. Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor FranklEnergetics is not separate from your healing. It is part of it. May this episode be the medicine you didn’t know you were looking for. 🧘 Mindset is Medicine 6-part Meditation Series because an unmanaged mind can work against everything you're doing to heal: https://www.giselegambi.com.au/cancer-mindset-is-medicine-meditation-program ✨ Explore coaching here: https://www.giselegambi.com.au/cancer-coach ✨ Listen to my previous podcast: The Intuitive Pull Apple Podcasts ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-intuitive-pull/id1895330215⁠ Spotify ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/4lJ6GCfm0qSwhnLWPDw3dO?si=4d1046c4bdc946cd⁠ 00:00 – Welcome + why you’re here00:46 – Why this episode matters for your healing01:14 – What “energetics” actually means01:53 – Business analogy: when nothing was working03:15 – Outsourcing power to experts06:07 – The epiphany: returning to intuition09:52 – Where we give our power away in healing10:57 – Fear as the dominant state13:28 – Reclaiming self-agency and inner leadership15:09 – Crisis as a catalyst for remembering who you are17:19 – Different forms of healing and “miracles”20:16 – What fear-driven action creates23:50 – Reference to Viktor Frankl24:51 – Why energetics influences everything26:02 – Addendum: fear is human26:56 – Early diagnosis shock and overwhelm27:42 – How to relate to fear with compassion Disclaimer: This podcast shares perspectives, experiences, and guidance to support you through your journey. It is intended for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Gisele Gambi is not a medical doctor. Always seek the advice of your physician or qualified healthcare provider regarding any medical condition or decisions about your care. Never disregard or delay seeking medical advice because of something you have heard on this podcast. This podcast is designed to support the emotional, mental, and spiritual aspects of your experience alongside your medical care.

  7. Apr 28

    Why I Created Cancer & Courage | My Story, My Mission, My Calling

    If you’ve found your way here… this is not by accident. In this deeply personal episode, I open my heart to share why I created the Cancer & Courage Podcast—and the journey that led me here. This is more than a podcast about cancer.It’s a space where we honour both the medical path and the inner journey—because mindset is medicine. I share: The unexpected path that led me into cancer coachingMy mission to support people navigating fear, overwhelm, and uncertaintyWhy self-leadership, intuition, and radical responsibility matter deeply in the cancer journeyHow cancer can become a catalyst for deeper living, not just something to surviveMy personal story of loss, transformation, and the moment that changed the course of my life foreverThis episode is an invitation… To remember:You still have power.You still have choice.You are not alone. And perhaps…This may be the medicine you didn’t know you were looking for. 🧘 Mindset is Medicine 6-part Meditation Series because an unmanaged mind can work against everything you're doing to heal: https://www.giselegambi.com.au/cancer-mindset-is-medicine-meditation-program ✨ Explore coaching here: https://www.giselegambi.com.au/cancer-coach ✨ Listen to my previous podcast: The Intuitive Pull Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-intuitive-pull/id1895330215 Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/4lJ6GCfm0qSwhnLWPDw3dO?si=4d1046c4bdc946cd 00:00 Welcome + why you’re here00:15 Mindset is medicine + honouring the inner journey00:33 Why I created Cancer & Courage01:16 My intention for this episode02:17 My background as a transformation coach02:36 Becoming a cancer coach (unexpectedly)02:58 My mission in the cancer space03:37 The importance of self-leadership during cancer04:01 The inner journey: mental, emotional, spiritual04:49 You still have choice in how you respond05:52 Radical responsibility, intuition & self-advocacy06:26 Cancer as a catalyst for deeper living07:18 This calling chose me08:58 My personal story begins09:15 Losing my son Joshua10:28 Life support and letting go11:35 Leaving an abusive marriage12:10 Personal development changed everything13:08 Discovering radical responsibility13:26 Uncovering unconscious beliefs14:41 Reclaiming self-love and freedom15:19 Awakening intuition16:23 The message that changed my life17:23 “You’re here to ignite people’s spirits and hearts”18:13 Leaving my corporate career18:52 Finding my path19:24 Wanting to give others freedom20:33 Early work in corporate21:24 Realising I’m not here for everyone22:40 Who this podcast is for23:33 Trusting what’s meant to unfold23:58 How cancer coaching began24:16 Working with an integrative oncologist24:38 The impact of this work25:00 Clients defying odds25:26 Stories of remission and courage26:13 Supporting people at end of life26:34 What this podcast will offer27:39 Meditation as a powerful tool28:54 Upcoming 5 meditations29:18 8-week group program30:04 1:1 coaching30:24 The Intuitive Pull podcast31:46 Closing message + love #CancerAndCourage#MindsetIsMedicine#CancerSupport#HealingJourney#EmotionalHealing#SpiritualHealing#CancerCoach#YouAreNotAlone#RadicalResponsibility#SelfLeadership#InnerHealing#CancerAwareness#PersonalTransformation#HealingBeyondThePhysical#LoveIsTheMedicine Disclaimer: This podcast shares perspectives, experiences, and guidance to support you through your journey. It is intended for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Gisele Gambi is not a medical doctor. Always seek the advice of your physician or qualified healthcare provider regarding any medical condition or decisions about your care. Never disregard or delay seeking medical advice because of something you have heard on this podcast. This podcast is designed to support the emotional, mental, and spiritual aspects of your experience alongside your medical care.

  8. Apr 16

    I’ve Just Been Diagnosed With Cancer - Now What?

    Being diagnosed with cancer can feel like the ground has been pulled from beneath you. Shock. Fear. Overwhelm. Uncertainty. In this episode, Gisele speaks directly to that moment - the moment everything changes - and offers a grounded, compassionate way to begin navigating what comes next. This is not about forced positivity or having all the answers. It’s about: Allowing the full human responseUnderstanding what is within your controlReconnecting to your inner sense of agencyBeginning to meet this experience with presenceIf you are at the beginning of your cancer journey, or supporting someone who is, this episode will help you take your first step. You are not alone. Connect with Gisele: Website: ⁠https://www.giselegambi.com.au/cancer-coach⁠ Instagram: ⁠https://instagram.com/cancer_and_courage⁠ Email: gisele@giselegambi.com.au 🧘 Mindset is Medicine 6-part Meditation Series because an unmanaged mind can work against everything you're doing to heal - https://www.giselegambi.com.au/cancer-mindset-is-medicine-meditation-program 00:00 – Welcome to Cancer & Courage00:37 – The moment of diagnosis01:29 – How do you hold yourself in this moment?02:01 – Allowing your emotional response02:50 – You are not a passive participant03:49 – What you actually have control over05:03 – Choosing self-agency05:51 – It’s not about forced positivity06:14 – Presence, intuition, and your medical path07:28 – Real client outcomes & choosing differently07:55 – You are not alone08:12 – Closing #cancerjourney#cancersupport#cancercoach#mindsetismedicine#healingjourney#emotionalhealing#youarenotalone#cancerawareness#selfhealing#mentalhealthsupport Disclaimer: This podcast shares perspectives, experiences, and guidance to support you through your journey. It is intended for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Gisele Gambi is not a medical doctor. Always seek the advice of your physician or qualified healthcare provider regarding any medical condition or decisions about your care. Never disregard or delay seeking medical advice because of something you have heard on this podcast. This podcast is designed to support the emotional, mental, and spiritual aspects of your experience alongside your medical care.

  9. Season 1, Episode 1 Trailer

    Welcome to the Cancer and Courage Podcast

    Welcome to Cancer and Courage. This is a space for those impacted by cancer - through diagnosis, treatment, remission, and end of life - and for those who walk beside them. Hosted by cancer coach Gisele Gambi, this podcast meets the experience of cancer beyond the physical. Because while medical treatment matters deeply, there is another layer that profoundly shapes how you move through it - your inner world. Your thoughts.Your emotions.Your relationship with fear… and with love. Here, we explore the truth that mindset is also medicine - not as a replacement, but as a powerful and vital companion to your treatment. This is a space of presence, radical responsibility, and courage.A space to meet what is here honestly… and to discover what becomes possible when love leads. Because cancer doesn’t just interrupt life - it invites a deeper question:What truly matters now? And what is cancer catalysing? You don’t have to walk this alone. Welcome to Cancer & Courage. Connect with Gisele:Website: https://www.giselegambi.com.au/cancer-coachInstagram: https://instagram.com/cancer_and_courage Email: gisele@giselegambi.com.au Disclaimer: This podcast shares perspectives, experiences, and guidance to support you through your journey. It is intended for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Gisele Gambi is not a medical doctor. Always seek the advice of your physician or qualified healthcare provider regarding any medical condition or decisions about your care. Never disregard or delay seeking medical advice because of something you have heard on this podcast. This podcast is designed to support the emotional, mental, and spiritual aspects of your experience alongside your medical care.

    Welcome to the Cancer and Courage Podcast

Trailer

About

There are moments in life that stop you in your tracks. Cancer is one of them. This podcast is here to meet you in the fear, the unknown, the loss of control… and in the part of you that knows there is something deeper here. Something that calls for courage. Because here, mindset is not just mindset… mindset is medicine. This is Cancer and Courage. This podcast is for informational purposes only and not medical or professional advice. By listening, you accept responsibility for your choices and actions.