When Carly was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer at 37, it wasn’t her first encounter with cancer. With a family history of breast cancer and an unexpected discovery of the BRCA1 gene mutation, her diagnosis unfolded fast — from swollen lymph nodes to chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and a double mastectomy with DIEP flap reconstruction.

In this deeply honest conversation, Carly shares the reality of navigating an aggressive diagnosis, making treatment decisions, advocating for the right medical team, and undergoing major surgery during lockdown. She talks openly about fear of recurrence, learning to live in a changed body, grief, humour, resilience — and the unexpected ways cancer reshaped her identity.

We explore genetic testing, BRCA awareness, patient advocacy, mental health after treatment, preparing for surgery, and why joy, play, and self-compassion became essential parts of survivorship.

A conversation about courage that’s quiet, real, and hard-won.

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In this episode of Cups & Courage, we sit down with Emma, who was diagnosed with de novo stage four metastatic breast cancer after what she thought would be a routine mammogram.

Emma shares what it’s really like to live scan to scan — carrying a life-limiting diagnosis while feeling physically well, navigating constant uncertainty, and learning how to live alongside fear without letting it take over. We talk about genetic testing, late screening, advocacy, and the complicated relationship with a body that looks the same but no longer feels safe.

This is a conversation about quiet strength, trusting medical teams, and redefining what courage looks like when cancer isn’t something you “get through,” but something you live with.

A powerful, honest episode about awareness, autonomy, and choosing to live fully — even when tomorrow isn’t guaranteed.

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In this deeply honest conversation, Sam sits down with Sophie — diagnosed in 2020 with stage 3 breast cancer. Sophie shares her story with raw clarity: from a mammogram that missed her cancer, to the shock of finding it in 13 lymph nodes, the fear of a liver lesion, and the strange reality of chemo, menopause, and body changes no one prepares you for.

We talk about courage not as fighting, but as walking forward without knowing the outcome. Sophie reflects on reframing her experience, making friends with chemo (yes, really), navigating implants and body image after reconstruction, and the pressure to live a “new life” after cancer — even when you’re still figuring out who you are now.

This is one for anyone living in the messy middle: grateful to be here, but still carrying the weight of it. With biscuits (contentious choices were made), humour, vulnerability, and a whole lot of truth.

🫖 Expect: body talk, menopause chat, cancer reality, self-worth, hope, therapy, courage (real courage — not the inspirational quote version).
🍪 Biscuit of choice: fig rolls — surprisingly divisive.

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In this powerful conversation, we sit down with Jacqui — a Black Women Rising ambassador whose breast cancer diagnosis arrived just six weeks into a brand-new chapter of her life. Jacqui shares how shock, dismissal, and relentless side effects shaped her experience, and how she had to fight to be heard in a healthcare system that repeatedly minimised her pain.

She speaks openly about the pressure to return to work, the financial fear that pushed her beyond her limits, and the emotional cost of holding everything together for her family. Jacqui also explores the deep generational reasons why trust in healthcare can be fractured for Black women, and why visibility, representation, and safe spaces are vital.

From navigating endocrine therapy and complex side effects to discovering survivorship therapy, mindfulness, and community support, Jacqui traces the long road from numbness to feeling again — and the role Black Women Rising played in helping her reclaim her voice.

This episode is about courage that isn’t loud or dramatic — it’s about refusing to stay stuck in fear, learning to rest, asking for help, and allowing yourself to feel. Jacqui’s story is a reminder that healing isn’t linear, and that none of us should have to do it alone.

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When lifelong friends Anna and Katie were both diagnosed with the same rare type of breast cancer within two years, their worlds turned upside down.

In this powerful and deeply personal conversation, they talk about friendship, loss, and the courage it takes to keep pushing when the system doesn’t listen. From the uncanny parallels between their diagnoses to the differences in their treatment, they share how grief, humour, and self-advocacy helped them through.

Together they reflect on reconstruction, menopause, and identity — and the ongoing impact cancer has on family, body image, and confidence. This episode is full of laughter, honesty, and hard-won wisdom about listening to your gut and fighting to be heard.

🎧 Cups & Courage shares raw, real conversations about breast cancer, body image, and the courage it takes to live life on your own terms.

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In this deeply honest episode of Cups & Courage, Saskia shares her experience of being diagnosed with breast cancer in early 2025, navigating surgery, radiation, and the often-conflicting world of medical advice.

A professional working in oncology herself, Saskia offers a rare dual perspective — as both patient and insider — on how information, bias, and communication shape our choices. She opens up about wanting agency in her treatment, the emotional gap left by rushed consultations, and the quiet courage it takes to simply live each day after diagnosis.

Together, Saskia and host Samantha Vale explore what bravery really means, how cultural attitudes shape our responses to illness, and the importance of listening — to ourselves, to each other, and to the space between being “well” and “not well.”

Cups & Courage is a podcast that shares real, raw, and hopeful conversations around breast cancer — the messy middle, not just the milestones.

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When Alice Nicholson discovered she carried the BRCA2 gene mutation, she made the life-changing decision to undergo preventative double mastectomies — not because she had cancer, but because she didn’t want to wait for it.

In this open and emotional conversation, Alice shares how she navigated the medical system, grief after losing both parents and her sister, and the reality of reconstructive surgery — from the practical to the deeply personal. She and host Samantha Vale talk candidly about body image, identity, and the moments of courage that come when taking control of your own story.

With honesty, humour and heart, this episode explores what it really means to choose prevention — and how to rebuild life, body, and confidence afterwards.

🎧 Cups & Courage shares lived experiences of breast cancer, preventative surgery, and recovery — with warmth, honesty, and a little bit of tea.

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When Tashmia first raised her symptoms, she was told she was too young and that “women like you don’t get cancer.” For three years, her concerns were dismissed — until her cancer was finally found.

In this raw and vital conversation, Tashmia shares the reality of being a British South Asian woman navigating breast cancer: the racial bias and cultural blind spots in healthcare, the taboos that keep women silent, and the painful invisibility that comes when systems aren’t built with you in mind.

From being denied a double mastectomy because she was “too young and might meet someone,” to being handed a prosthetic nipple that didn’t match her skin, her story exposes the systemic inequalities that too many women face — and the exhausting burden of constant self-advocacy.

But Tashmia also shares courage, resilience, and a shift in perspective that’s both empowering and inspiring. She speaks openly about parenting through treatment, reshaping her relationship with her body, and the quiet power of putting one foot in front of the other.

This is not just one woman’s story — it’s a call to see, listen, and do better.

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