What do you do when the unthinkable happens? When a parent receives a terminal diagnosis, the world stops. This episode of Before Our Visit Ends confronts the overwhelming reality of losing a parent to cancer. Eunice sits down with her childhood friend, public health researcher Elyse, for a deeply personal and honest conversation about her family's journey after her father was diagnosed with stage four colon cancer. This is a story about navigating a complex medical system, the strength of family bonds, and the quiet questions that arise during care, grief, and remembrance.

How do you make impossible decisions about treatment? How do you balance hope with reality? In this episode, Elyse shares the raw experience of her family as they rallied together after her father's shocking diagnosis. She discusses the practical and emotional challenges of supporting a parent with stage four cancer, from deciphering medical jargon to coordinating care among six siblings. We explore the incredible importance of family support during cancer, as Elyse recounts how her siblings, mother, and extended family created a network of care that became their lifeline. The conversation delves into the difficult but crucial topic of patient autonomy in end-of-life care, highlighting the family's commitment to honoring her father's wishes, even when it was heartbreaking. Elyse and Eunice also touch upon the cultural silence that can surround a cancer diagnosis in some communities and the critical need for open conversations about prevention and screenings. More than just a story of illness, this is a look at finding moments of joy amidst the pain, from sunny afternoons outside to celebrating one last birthday together. Ultimately, Elyse offers her perspective on navigating grief after a parent dies, sharing how she learned to celebrate her father's life and legacy of kindness. This episode is a powerful guide for anyone facing the journey of losing a parent to cancer, offering solace, solidarity, and invaluable insight.

About Our Guest:

Elyse is a researcher in the public health nutrition space, focusing on health programs in low and middle-income countries. In this episode, she steps outside of her professional role to share her personal story of her family's experience navigating her father's diagnosis, treatment, and eventual passing from stage four colon cancer, offering a vulnerable and honest account of love, loss, and resilience.

Timestamps / Chapters:

(00:00) Introduction: Living a Life Not Defined by Cancer

(02:56) Receiving a Stage Four Colon Cancer Diagnosis

(04:24) Navigating Treatment Decisions and Family Support

(08:05) The Difficult Balance of Patient Autonomy in Cancer Care

(10:12) Community Support and Breaking Cultural Silence Around Cancer

(14:15) Finding Moments of Joy Amidst the Illness

(16:00) Processing Grief and Finding Meaning After Loss

(18:06) Lessons Learned About Family, Resilience, and Asking for Help

(19:19) Remembering a Father’s Legacy of Kindness

(21:16) Final Advice for Those Supporting a Loved One Through Cancer

What happens when your doctor dismisses your symptoms, only for you to discover you have advanced cancer? In this powerful episode of Before Our Visit Ends, our guest Lee shares their deeply personal stage four colon cancer diagnosis story, a journey that began with vague symptoms in their 40s being brushed off as "general constipation" and led to a life-altering moment of waking up from a colonoscopy to the words, "You have cancer." This is a story about navigating shock, fear, and a medical system that doesn't always listen, ultimately finding the strength to become your own best advocate.

Lee walks us through the entire whirlwind experience, from the initial misdiagnosis and the critical decision to get a second opinion, to the colonoscopy diagnosis shock and being thrust onto a "roller coaster" of rapid scans, tests, and major surgery just weeks after diagnosis. This episode provides an invaluable look at the realities of a modern cancer battle. Lee details the crucial cancer support systems that made all the difference, from a life-saving nurse navigator who provided a list of questions to ask oncologists, to invaluable peer groups like COLONTOWN. We dive deep into the specific challenges of treatment, including a comprehensive breakdown of the FOLFOX chemotherapy side effects like chemo-induced neuropathy and debilitating nausea. Most importantly, Lee shares a vital message on the power of colon cancer patient advocacy, recounting how they went from feeling like they would rather die than face another chemo round to completely transforming their quality of life by pushing past dismissive doctors to find a palliative care specialist who truly listened. This is a must-watch for anyone facing a health crisis, their loved ones, and medical professionals alike, offering a raw and honest look into a stage four colon cancer diagnosis story filled with resilience, hope, and actionable advice.

About Our Guest:

Lee is a 45-year-old Director of Operations who was unexpectedly diagnosed with Stage 4 Colorectal Cancer. Throughout their treatment, they discovered the critical importance of self-advocacy and the power of community.

Chapters:

(00:00) Introduction

(02:07) "It's Just Constipation": When a Doctor Ignores Colon Cancer Symptoms

(04:21) The Shock of a Stage Four Colon Cancer Colonoscopy Diagnosis

(07:38) The Post-Diagnosis Roller Coaster: From Scans to Surgery in 3 Weeks

(10:44) Why I Stopped Googling My Cancer Diagnosis

(12:01) The Nurse Navigator and the Questions That Changed Everything

(15:15) Building Your Support System: COLONTOWN, Support Groups & More

(17:39) How to Actually Support a Loved One With Cancer

(20:58) A Detailed Look at the FOLFOX Chemotherapy Regimen & Side Effects

(29:31) Be Your Own Best Advocate: The Most Important Lesson from Cancer

Episode Resources:

• Explore the COLONTOWN community for colorectal cancer patients
• Create a support network with the Lotsa Helping Hands app

In this episode of Before Our Visit Ends, we sit down with yoga teacher and mom Emily, who shares her incredible story of facing a Hodgkin's lymphoma recurrence seven years after being declared in remission. Emily’s journey sheds light on the unique challenges of a young adult cancer diagnosis, the difficult decisions that come with aggressive treatment, and the profound power of self-advocacy. How do you find the strength to fight cancer a second time, and how does it reshape your entire outlook on life, family, and what it means to be healthy?

Emily's story is a powerful testament to resilience. Initially diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma at just 18 years old, she went through treatment and embraced life, believing cancer was in her past. Seven years later, living in Hawaii and newly engaged, subtle but persistent symptoms led her to suspect something was wrong. This episode details the critical moments of advocating for yourself as a cancer patient, as Emily had to push for the scans that would ultimately confirm a "bulky disease" Hodgkin's lymphoma recurrence. We explore the emotional and physical toll of a more aggressive treatment plan, including 12 rounds of ABVD chemotherapy and radiation, and discuss the long-term side effects of cancer treatment that she still monitors today. A central theme of our conversation is the crucial decision-making around fertility after chemotherapy, a concern that is top-of-mind for many young patients. Through it all, Emily provides an honest look at life after cancer, sharing how her experiences have influenced her approach to health, motherhood, and her career as a movement specialist.

About Our Guest:
Emily Peretti is a yoga teacher, movement specialist, and mother of two. Her personal health journey deeply informs her work, where she specializes in prenatal, postnatal, and aerial yoga. After facing a young adult cancer diagnosis and a later recurrence, Emily has become a passionate advocate for knowing your body and living a conscious, low-toxin lifestyle. She shares her knowledge and life experiences to help others move their bodies correctly and find happiness and health in every stage of life.

Timestamps:
(00:00) Introduction to Emily's Story
(01:39) Meet Emily: Yoga Teacher, Movement Specialist, and Mom
(06:32) An Unexpected Young Adult Cancer Diagnosis at Age 18
(11:06) A Surprising Hodgkin's Lymphoma Recurrence Seven Years Later
(13:31) Recognizing Relapse Symptoms & Advocating for a Diagnosis
(16:12) Navigating Aggressive Treatment and Long-Term Side Effects
(17:41) The Caregiver’s Journey: Supporting a Loved One Through Cancer
(21:34) Making Critical Decisions: Fertility Preservation Before Chemotherapy
(22:58) Finding Support: Resources, Communities, and Cancer Camps
(27:12) Life After Cancer: A New Perspective on Health and Happiness
(30:03) Emily's Final Advice: “Know Your Body and Be Your Own Advocate”

Learn More From Our Guest / Episode Resources:

• Follow Emily on Instagram
• Our Badass Lymphomy Family (Facebook Support Group)
• Camp Mak-A-Dream (Free camp for young adult cancer survivors)
• First Descents (Free adventure travel for young adults with cancer)