For more patient resources and advocacy, visit Manta Cares at mantacares.com.

In this episode, we hear a compelling story of a patient's journey through a severe cough and the subsequent rib pain. She discusses undergoing standard cancer treatment and participating in clinical trials, highlighting the direct impact of medical research on her health. Her current regimen includes a targeted pill for lung disease, which is not yet widely approved, showcasing the cutting-edge efforts in treating challenging conditions and managing side effects.

Episode Chapters

00:00 - The Reality of "Cracking Your Ribs" from Coughing

00:32 - Meet Natalie Brown: Lung Cancer Advocate

01:23 - Symptoms & Diagnosis: Stage 4 at Age 33

03:07 - No Biomarkers: Navigating Non-Targetable Lung Cancer

03:40 - Becoming "An Experiment": Clinical Trials & Transplant

04:21 - What is a Double Lung Transplant? Risks & Process

05:52 - The Surgeon’s Honest Assessment: "Your Lungs are Trash"

07:42 - Choosing Surgery Over Trials: The Decision-Making Process

08:40 - The Role of Support: Husband, Family, and Finances

09:18 - The One-Year Recovery in Chicago: Pain & Mobility

11:37 - Life After Transplant: Recurrence in the Spine

12:48 - Mental Health: Therapy and the "48-Hour Rule"

16:12 - Facing Mortality: Finding Freedom in the Conversation

18:02 - What Time Means Now: The Monthly Beach Dream20:10 - Managing Chronic Pain & The Art of the "Doom Scroll"

21:05 - Advocacy: Breaking the Stigma of "Smoker's Disease"

23:17 - The Dichotomy: Being Active vs. Asking for Help

26:30 - Rapid Fire Advice for the Newly Diagnosed

28:53 - If You Have Lungs, You Are at Risk

29:46 - Closing Thoughts & Medical

About Our Guest:

Natalie Brown is an advocate and speaker from Atlanta, Georgia. In 2020, she was diagnosed with stage 4 non-small cell lung cancer. She is also a bilateral lung transplant recipient. Since her diagnosis, Natalie has been dedicated to advocating for and educating others about lung cancer and the impact it has on patients and families.

Natalie has a strong background in building meaningful relationships and collaborating with nonprofit organizations and groups within the tech community. In her spare time, Natalie enjoys traveling, spending quality time with family and friends, and relaxing with her dog Hershey.

Support the Podcast:

If you found this story inspiring, please Like, Subscribe, and hit the Notification Bell. Sharing these stories helps break the stigma surrounding lung cancer and provides a community for those in the fight.

#LungCancer #PatientStories #DoubleLungTransplant #CancerAdvocacy #PatientFromHell #Manticare

Disclaimer:

This podcast, show notes, and newsletter are for general informational purposes only and do not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing, or other professional healthcare services, including the giving of medical advice; no doctor-patient relationship is formed. The use of information on this podcast or any materials linked from this blog is at the user's own risk. The opinions of the speakers are their own and do not represent the opinions of organizations they are affiliated with, nor do they reflect the opinions of Manta Cares Inc. or Manta Cares' sponsors.

"Don't rush the process." In this episode, we sit down with Kim Burket, Executive Director of Goodness Village, to discuss a side of the cancer journey that often goes overlooked: the need for a true home. Goodness Village provides affordable housing in Little Rock, Arkansas, for patients and families traveling for life-saving medical treatment.

Kim shares her 20 years of hospitality experience and how she’s applying it to healthcare to ensure families can stay together, cook their own meals, and find a safe haven during their hardest chapters. Whether you are a patient, a caregiver, or a healthcare leader, Kim’s "sage wisdom" on resilience and accepting help is a must-listen.

In this episode, we discuss:

🏡 The "Basic" needs that hospitals often miss.

📉 Why rushing your treatment timeline can cause more angst.

🤝 How to find your "champions" and actually accept their help.📊 The massive impact of community-based non-profit housing on patient outcomes.

📍 Timestamps:

00:00 – The #1 piece of advice for patients: Don’t rush the process.

01:13 – What is Goodness Village? A unique model for medical housing.

03:10 – The 30-year history of a grassroots mission.

04:14 – Why a hotel isn't enough when you're fighting cancer.

06:50 – The "Little Things": How 26 apartments provided 6,000+ nights of rest.

10:40 – Gaps in the healthcare system and the power of collaboration.

13:14 – A story of resilience: Keeping a family of five together.

15:25 – Advice for Healthcare CEOs and Hospital Leaders.

18:38 – A checklist for patients traveling for care.

About Our Guest:

Kim Burket has served as the Executive Director of Goodness Village for 15 years. Under her leadership, the organization transitioned from a church ministry to an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit, growing to provide 26 affordable, fully furnished apartments for patients and families traveling to Little Rock for medical care. Kim lives in Little Rock with her husband Jim, where their younger son is a senior at Little Rock Christian Academy, and their oldest son is attending college in Fayetteville.

🔗 Listen wherever you get your podcasts.

👉 Subscribe and hit the bell to stay updated on future episodes of Patient from Hell.

Connect with Us:

Enjoyed this episode? Make sure to subscribe, rate, and review! Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, or Linkedin @MantaCares and visit our website at MantaCares.com for more episodes and updates.

Disclaimer:

All content and information provided in connection with Manta Cares is solely intended for informational and educational purposes only. This content and information is not intended to be a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

Rich — a leukemia survivor, nurse practitioner, and longtime oncology clinician — to talk about what it’s really like to survive cancer, rebuild your life after treatment, and live with long-term side effects.

Rich was diagnosed with leukemia at age 28, underwent an allogeneic stem cell transplant at Dana-Farber / Brigham and Women’s, and is now a 29-year survivor. His experience as both a patient and provider offers a rare, honest look at cancer survivorship, prostate cancer side effects, sexual health, mental health, and post-traumatic growth.

In this conversation, we cover:

• What it’s like to be told you have leukemia in your 20s

• Stem cell transplant and long-term survival

• Turning cancer into purpose and becoming an oncology NP

• Common prostate cancer side effects (urination, bowel changes, erectile dysfunction)

• How doctors actually manage these symptoms

• Sexual health after cancer treatment

• Mental health, grief, and post-traumatic growth

• How to rebuild your life after active treatment

  
  

This episode is for patients, survivors, caregivers, and anyone navigating life after a cancer diagnosis.

🎧 Listen on Spotify & Apple Podcasts▶️ Watch more episodes on YouTube
🔔 Subscribe for evidence-based cancer care and survivor stories

00:00 Life gets hard — and it gets better

01:00 Meeting Rich

02:50 Diagnosed with leukemia at 2805:30 Stem cell transplant & early treatment reality

07:20 Complications and emotional toll

08:40 Discovering purpose in oncology care

10:45 From patient to nurse practitioner

13:00 Building virtual survivorship care

16:50 Prostate cancer side effects overview

17:45 Urinary problems after radiation

21:20 Blood in urine & stool — when to worry

23:50 Erectile dysfunction after treatment

26:30 Medications & men’s health options

28:50 Emotional impact of sexual side effects

31:00 Quality of life vs quantity of life

32:10 Post-traumatic growth

33:00 Marriage, fertility, and family after cancer

36:00 Advice for rebuilding life after treatment

38:30 Final thoughts & hope

🔗 Listen wherever you get your podcasts.

👉 Subscribe and hit the bell to stay updated on future episodes of Patient from Hell.

Connect with Us:

Enjoyed this episode? Make sure to subscribe, rate, and review! Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, or Linkedin @MantaCares and visit our website at MantaCares.com for more episodes and updates.

Disclaimer:

All content and information provided in connection with Manta Cares is solely intended for informational and educational purposes only. This content and information is not intended to be a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

Is Artificial Intelligence actually helping cancer patients, or is it just noise? In this episode of The Patient From Hell, Samira sits down with Dr. Shadi Nabhan to separate the Hype from the Reality in 2026.

We discuss the massive evolution in oncology—from the "library days" of 1995 to the AI-driven diagnostics of today.

Dr. Shadi shares his "Airport Analogy" for navigating a cancer diagnosis, offers a life-changing reframe on how we view advanced disease (it’s not just "curable" vs. "terminal"—it can be "controllable"), and gives his #1 piece of advice for selecting a medical team that will actually show up for you when things get hard.

Key Topics Discussed:

AI in 2026: How doctors use AI to simplify complex terms like CAR T-cell therapy and why patients need to "trust but verify" AI-generated medical advice.

The "Controllable" Reframe: Why treating metastatic cancer like diabetes or hypertension changes the patient experience.

Navigating the "Airport": Why the healthcare system feels like being dropped in a foreign airport without a map.

Advice for the Industry:

What Healthcare Systems and Pharma companies need to change right now regarding clinical trials and drug pricing.

About Today’s Guest Dr. Chadi Nabhan:

Dr. Chadi Nabhan is a board-certified hematologist, oncologist, and the Chief Medical Officer at Ryght, Inc., where he leads the integration of Generative AI into clinical research to accelerate the delivery of lifesaving therapies.

With a career spanning leadership roles at Caris Life Sciences and the University of Chicago, Dr. Nabhan is a prolific researcher with over 300 publications and a prominent author whose work focuses on the intersection of medicine, justice, and technology.

AI Visionary:

Leading the charge in using AI to optimize clinical trials and patient outcomes.

Expert Clinician: Trained at Northwestern and Harvard, with decades of experience in malignant hematology.

Renowned Author: Published three books with Johns Hopkins University Press, including The Cancer Journey and the forthcoming AI and Cancer Care (2026).

Podcast Host: Voice of the popular weekly series Healthcare Unfiltered.

Quotes from the Episode:

"We cure more patients than we have ever dreamt of... Women who are affected by breast cancer today are more likely to be completely cured."

"Availability is key. Are they going to really pick up the phone and talk to you when you need them?"

00:00 - The reality of the cancer journey (It’s not smooth sailing)01:00 - Intro: Dr. Shadi Nabhan & The Fun Factor

01:25 - AI in Healthcare: Hype, Hope, and Reality

04:15 - How doctors use AI to explain complex therapies

06:38 - Warning for patients using AI: "Garbage in, Garbage out"

08:45 - The Evolution of Medicine: 1995 vs. 2026

13:00 - The "Airport Analogy": Why patients feel lost

17:30 - MUST WATCH: Reframing "Terminal" cancer as "Controllable"

21:30 - Advice for Healthcare Leaders: Agility & Patient Involvement

23:50 - Advice for Pharma: Drug Pricing & Accelerating Innovation

26:00 - The #1 criteria for picking your medical team

28:18 - The importance of Second Opinions

28:50 - What to expect in late 2026: AI in Cancer Care Book

🔗 Listen wherever you get your podcasts.

👉 Subscribe and hit the bell to stay updated on future episodes of Patient from Hell.

Connect with Us:

Enjoyed this episode? Make sure to subscribe, rate, and review! Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, or Linkedin @MantaCares and visit our website at MantaCares.com for more episodes and updates.

Disclaimer:

All content and information provided in connection with Manta Cares is solely intended for informational and educational purposes only. This content and information is not intended to be a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

Cancer survivorship isn’t about “going back to normal.” It’s about rebuilding—on purpose.

In this episode of Patient From Hell, host Samira Daswani sits down with Harriet Cabelly, LCSW, a grief therapist and cancer thriver, for a grounded, surprisingly funny, deeply useful conversation on what happens during treatment and in the long tail of survivorship—including fear of recurrence (“scanxiety”), meaning-making, resilience, and the emotional support patients don’t get nearly enough of.

Harriet shares the moment she was told she had a mass on multiple organs—and her first response: “Put me in hospice.” From there, we unpack how hope returned, why Viktor Frankl’s work matters in cancer care, and practical mindset tools that help patients and caregivers survive the day-to-day without spiraling into the “20-year forecast.

If you’re newly diagnosed, supporting someone you love, or treating patients clinically, this episode delivers real coping skills—without toxic positivity.

Chapters / Timestamps

00:00 — “If you have to go through hell, don’t come out empty-handed”

01:09 — Harriet’s diagnosis: Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (large B-cell) and the ER moment

02:45 — “Put me in hospice”: the shock + numbness after the scan

04:41 — How hope returned (faith, timing, and a “flipped verdict”)

07:44 — Why faith and religion can matter in the patient experience

09:03 — “Miracles” during treatment: staying ahead of nausea + the “Vomit Miracle”

11:25 — “Miracle of tolerance”: handling meds when you’ve always had a sensitive system

12:55 — Life before diagnosis: ballroom dancing, family, hiking, private practice

14:56 — Viktor Frankl + Man’s Search for Meaning: choosing attitude, choosing response

18:44 — Positive psychology: building strengths, not denying reality

19:50 — Resilience as a muscle (and how to train it)

20:33 — Gratitude, “WWW: What’s Working Well,” and the donut-hole metaphor

23:05 — The “Power of AND”: holding darkness + light at the same time

26:50 — Shrinking time: one hour, one day, one cycle at a time

29:59 — Fear of recurrence + “scanxiety”: what helps, what gets easier with time

33:51 — Rebuilding after cancer: nutrition, fasting windows, exercise, sugar reduction, circadian walks

35:35 — Mind-body connection + journaling (without pretending it’s all “in your head”)

37:13 — Rapid-fire advice: newly diagnosed, survivorship, long-term treatment, clinicians, pharma

43:10 — Favorite quotes + choosing to “make the best of what happens”

44:00 — Medical disclaimer

About the Guest

Harriet Cabelly, LCSW is a grief counselor, therapist, speaker, and author dedicated to helping people navigate loss, life transitions, and rebuilding meaning after trauma. A cancer thriver herself, Harriet blends clinical tools with lived experience to help patients and caregivers reclaim purpose, joy, and resilience.

Book: Light Through Darkness: Miracles Along My Cancer Journey

Referenced: Viktor Frankl — Man’s Search for Meaning

Manta Cares: mantacares.com

Subscribe to Patient From Hell for evidence-based cancer-care insight, survivorship tools, and the conversations patients wish they’d had sooner.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider.

Exercise isn’t just “nice to have” during cancer, it can function like treatment for the side effects: fatigue, muscle loss (sarcopenia), joint pain, neuropathy, weakness, and even lymphedema risk reduction.

In this episode of Patient from Hell, host + cancer survivor Samira Daswani sits down with Sami (exercise + cancer specialist focused on implementation) to break down what the research is finally confirming and what patients can do today, even with low energy, limited time, or zero equipment.We also unpack the headline-grabbing findings from the CHALLENGE Trial in colorectal cancer: a structured, coached exercise program was associated with a 28% lower risk of recurrence or new primary cancer and raises the bigger question: why isn’t exercise prescribed like medicine?

Key takeaways you’ll learn:

- Why strength training is the #1 lever for cancer-related fatigue + muscle loss

- How to reduce joint pain (including hormone-therapy related joint pain)Simple “wake the nerves up” tactics for neuropathy- Lymphedema: prevention vs management + why early assessment matters

- Chemo brain: why “automation” (classes + follow-alongs) can be the hack

- The starter protocol: 10–15 minutes, every other day

Chapter Codes

00:00 Exercise as “treatment” for cancer side effects (fatigue, sarcopenia, function)

00:30 Meet Sami: implementation theory (how she got into exercise + cancer)

02:37 “How I f***ed up into this” — origin story + early patient experiences

05:20 The headline research: what the CHALLENGE Trial showed

07:19 The big number: 28% lower recurrence/new primary (structured group)

08:40 Trial design: education vs coached/supervised exercise

11:03 Symptom playbook begins: what exercise helps most

11:35 Fatigue: why strength training rebuilds your “engine”

14:09 What counts as strength training (real-world examples)

15:46 Joint pain: lubrication, range of motion, yoga/Tai Chi basics

17:22 Hormone therapy joint pain: why feet + shoulders show up big

20:06 Plantar fasciitis: barefoot time + ball rolling + lifestyle traps

21:47 Neuropathy: “wake the nerves up” + balance + sensation tools

24:29 Lymphedema: prevention vs management + catch it early

28:04 Weakness: mitochondria, estradiol, and fast-twitch strength loss

30:34 Chemo brain: automate workouts so you don’t have to think

33:59 Safety fear: “If chemo didn’t kill you, a squat won’t” (starting smart)

38:33 Where to start: 10–15 minutes every other day

40:17 Two starter moves: sit-to-stands + countertop pushups

41:14 Just diagnosed? Keep routine—lower intensity + prioritize strength

42:25 Wrap + the bigger message: independence, quality of life, green light

About Patient From Hell

Patient From Hell is hosted by cancer survivor and founder Samira Daswani, who asks the questions most patients are too overwhelmed—or too afraid—to ask.

The show brings together doctors, researchers, advocates, and survivors to reveal evidence-based answers for patients navigating the chaos of cancer.

Subscribe for episodes that blend science, compassion, and clarity—without the medical jargon.

Connect & Follow Samira Daswani

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samiradaswani/

Manta Cares: https://www.mantacares.com

Disclaimer: This podcast is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing or other professional health care services, including the giving of medical advice, and no doctor/patient relationship is formed. The use of information on this podcast or materials linked from this podcast is at the user's own risk. The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard, or delay in obtaining, medical advice for any medical condition they may have, and should seek the assistance of their health care professionals for any such conditions.

Up to 90% of breast cancer survivors experience sexual health changes, yet almost no one is talking about it.

Today on Patient From Hell, host Samira Daswani sits down with Dr. Laila Agrawal, a leading clinician in oncology sexual health, to break the silence around libido loss, vaginal dryness, pain, body-image shifts, dating after cancer, orgasm changes, pelvic floor dysfunction, and how treatment impacts intimacy.

This episode answers the questions patients wish they could ask, but rarely get time for in an oncology appointment.

If you've ever wondered:

“Is sex safe during treatment?”

“Will my desire ever come back?”

“Should I use vaginal estrogen?”

“What’s normal to feel?”

— you’re in the right place.

Sexual health concerns in breast cancer are common, treatable, and deeply misunderstood. Dr. Agrawal explains:

- Why oncologists often avoid sexual health conversations

- The real reason libido drops during and after treatment

- The truth about vaginal estrogen and hormone-positive breast cancer

- How to talk to a partner when desire shifts

- How single women can navigate dating after cancer

🧠 Guest:

Dr. Laila Agrawal is a nationally recognized expert in sexual health for oncology patients. She specializes in survivorship care, menopausal symptoms, pelvic health, pain management, and evidence-based approaches to sexual wellness throughout cancer treatment. She is passionate about removing stigma and giving patients the tools, language, and confidence to advocate for their sexual well-being.

Chapter Codes

00:00 – Why sexual health is overlooked in oncology

01:45 – How many breast cancer patients struggle with sexual health

03:15 – Why oncologists avoid the sex conversation

05:02 – Biggest myths about sex during/after treatment

06:07 – Low libido: what’s actually happening

08:20 – Responsive desire vs spontaneous desire

09:50 – Vaginal dryness: causes, range, and treatment

12:34 – Moisturizers, hyaluronic acid & home remedies

13:45 – Vaginal estrogen: safety, controversy & guidelines

15:41 – Menopause, hormone shifts & severity of symptoms

17:30 – Pain during intercourse & pelvic floor dysfunction

19:27 – What to do if your cancer center lacks specialists

20:58 – Body image & sexuality after mastectomy

22:57 – Body image vs desire — how they interact

24:42 – When to see a sex therapist vs medical provider

26:29 – Partner communication and relationship impacts

28:10 – How to set boundaries without losing intimacy

29:55 – Dating during or after treatment

31:19 – How treatment affects ability to orgasm

33:28 – Is sexual recovery tied to treatment timing?

34:58 – Should you feel guilty for wanting sex after cancer?

35:40 – Myth busting: sugar, condoms, recurrence risk & more

36:37 – Is sex safe with a chemo port?

37:10 – Best sexual health resources for cancer survivors

About Patient From Hell

Patient From Hell is hosted by cancer survivor and founder Samira Daswani, who asks the questions most patients are too overwhelmed, or too afraid, to ask.

The show brings together doctors, researchers, advocates, and survivors to reveal evidence-based answers for patients navigating the chaos of cancer.

Subscribe for episodes that blend science, compassion, and clarity without the medical jargon.

🔔 Connect & Follow Samira Daswani

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samiradaswani/

Manta Cares: https://www.mantacares.com