Join us as we talk to Noel Carmona.

Noel Angelo Carmona never expected a persistent cough to change his life. But after coughing to the point of unconsciousness, the Hunter Valley husband and father admitted himself to hospital — where he was diagnosed with Thymic Carcinoma, a rare cancer affecting just one in a million people in Australia.

In this raw and powerful episode of The Big C Podcast, Noel shares the reality of navigating a cancer so rare there is no clear treatment roadmap. Over the past three years, he has undergone surgery, four types of chemotherapy, immunotherapy, two failed clinical trials, and radiation — all while facing the emotional, physical and financial toll of a system that often leaves rare cancer patients behind.

Noel opens up about paying nearly $3,000 every three weeks for treatment not covered by the PBS, the heartbreak of failed clinical trials, and why he’s now using his voice to advocate for better access, awareness, and support for rare cancer patients across Australia.

This episode is about resilience, family, mental health, and the fight for a fairer system — even when the odds are one in a million.

Some resources below:

https://www.rarecancers.org.au/

https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1DnJqAiFdw/?mibextid=wwXIfr

https://www.facebook.com/share/g/14dybFgPcjV/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join us as we talk to Dana Shea.

At 24 years old, Dana Shea thought the pain she felt after a Pilates class was probably nothing serious. But a visit to the GP quickly turned into scans, emergency surgery, and a life-changing diagnosis — a rare ovarian cancer called an immature teratoma.

In this episode, Dana shares the shock of being diagnosed so young, undergoing surgery, and facing three months of chemotherapy with little time to process what was happening.

More than a decade later, Dana is cancer-free, a mum of two, and using her experience to help support others navigating life after cancer.

This conversation is honest, emotional, and full of hope — touching on fertility, identity, friendship, humour through hard moments, and the importance of listening to your body when something feels “off.”

Dana’s story is a powerful reminder that cancer can happen at any age, and that early action can change everything.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join us as we talk to Anna Lowvey.

Anna was a fit and healthy young mum from the Central Coast, NSW who had just celebrated her 30th birthday when her life changed in an instant after a sudden seizure which led to the discovery of a grade 3 astrocytoma. Ten weeks pregnant at the time, she needed to make the hardest decision to terminate the pregnancy in order to begin life-saving treatment.

In this episode, Anna shares her journey through emergency brain surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy, alongside a rare window of time where she was approved to travel with two months of oral chemo. Anna and her partner bought a caravan and travelled the south coast with their 3 year old daughter, living off-grid and creating meaningful memories together in the midst of uncertainty. This is a story of resilience, motherhood, loss, and what life looks like when treatment ends but you are living with incurable cancer.

Some resources below:

https://braincancergroup.com.au/

https://www.cancer.org.au/types-of-cancer/brain-cancer

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.