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Breast Cancer Now

Breast Cancer Now

By: Breast Cancer Now
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About this listen

 If you’re looking for authentic stories about life with and beyond breast cancer, we’re here. Welcome to the Breast Cancer Now podcast.

Join host Laura for open, supportive and honest conversations with guests who have personal or professional experience of breast cancer.

Laura Price is a writer, podcaster and author of the novel Single Bald Female. She’s living with secondary, incurable breast cancer.

We’re Breast Cancer Now, the research and support charity. If you’ve got questions about breast cancer, go to our website breastcancernow.org.

New episodes every other Friday.


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Episodes
  • S6 Ep10: Donna Fraser on mental attitude towards breast cancer

    S6 Ep10: Donna Fraser on mental attitude towards breast cancer
    Jul 4 2025
    Donna Fraser OBE, Team GB athlete, was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 36, with no family history. In this episode of the Breast Cancer Now podcast, Donna talks to Laura about how this shock diagnosis affected her and the tough decisions she had to make about her world-class athletics career.

    Donna also speaks about being an Ambassador for Breast Cancer Now, and her work to improve breast cancer diagnosis and treatment more accessible for people in ethnically diverse communities.

    You can follow Donna on Instagram: @donnalegz and @donnafraserobe

    If you'd like to find out more about Breast Cancer Now's support services, visit the Breast Cancer Now website or phone our free helpline on 0808 800 6000 (UK only).

    You can subscribe to this podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Every episode is available to watch or listen to on the Breast Cancer Now website. You can also watch it on YouTube.

    Key Topics:
    2:08 Donna is diagnosed with breast cancer
    6:05 Introducing "Diane", Donna's voice of determination
    7:37 Making the decision to have a mastectomy
    9:20 Recovering from a mastectomy
    11:21 The effects of breast cancer surgery on body image
    15:18 Donna's new relationship with her body after breast cancer
    18:23 Donna makes the decision to go public about her breast cancer
    20:21 Black women and breast screening attendance
    23:48 Donna's work raising breast awareness among younger women
    24:37 The barriers to accessing breast cancer diagnosis and care
    27:58 Donna becomes an Ambassador for Breast Cancer Now
    31:05 Pink Ribbonwalks – a charity fundraiser
    34:39 Sport and exercise after breast cancer
    36:12 Tips for getting back into exercising after surgery
    39:23 Staying breast aware after active treatment for breast cancer
    40:07 Donna makes the decision to retire
    45:05 The highlights of Donna's athletics career
    46:18 What it means to Donna to "live well"
    Show More Show Less
    50 mins
  • S6 Ep9: Paula on living well with secondary breast cancer

    S6 Ep9: Paula on living well with secondary breast cancer
    Jun 20 2025
    Paula was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2022, and found out just 2 months later that it had spread to her lungs. In this episode of the Breast Cancer Now podcast, Paula chats with Laura about how she dealt with the shock of a secondary breast cancer diagnosis, and how she copes with the continued impact on her and her family.

    She’s joined by one of our nurses, Catherine, who talks with Paula about Breast Cancer Now’s face-to-face support services. They discuss how these and other services helped Paula come to terms with her diagnosis, and the many ways to live well with secondary breast cancer.

    You can find Paula on instagram @yourflowers1
    Check out our episode with Claire from Make 2nds Count talking about clinical trials.
    Check out our episode with Caroline Leek from Fruitfly Collective on talking with children about breast cancer.
    Watch Paula talk with Catherine about more topics, such as palliative care, on Breast Cancer Now chats.
    Find out more about Breast Cancer Now's Living with Secondary Breast Cancer service.

    If you'd like to find out more about Breast Cancer Now's support services, visit the Breast Cancer Now website or phone our free helpline on 0808 800 6000 (UK only).

    You can subscribe to this podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Every episode is available to watch or listen to on the Breast Cancer Now website. You can also watch it on YouTube.

    Key Topics:
    1:56 Paula is diagnosed with breast cancer
    4:36 Paula's cancer spreads to her lungs
    5:36 The emotional impact of a breast cancer diagnosis
    7:27 What is secondary breast cancer?
    8:14 "Treatable but not curable"
    9:58 What it means for cancer to be "stable"
    10:50 Paula has treatment for secondary breast cancer
    12:28 The role of a clinical nurse specialist
    20:39 Face-to-face support while living with secondary breast cancer
    26:50 The need for support beyond family
    28:34 Talking to children about secondary breast cancer
    34:27 When a partner is in denial about your secondary breast cancer
    36:49 Waiting for scans: scanxiety
    40:20 Paula learns to deal with anxiety
    40:59 Looking after your mental health
    45:28 Considering clinical trials
    50:28 Travel insurance with secondary breast cancer
    53:09 What it means to Paula to live well
    54:16 What it means to Catherine to live well
    55:11 Finding support with Breast Cancer Now
    Show More Show Less
    57 mins
  • S6 Ep8: Alice on breast cancer language and wellness

    S6 Ep8: Alice on breast cancer language and wellness
    Jun 6 2025
    Alice-May Purkiss is a wellbeing creativity coach and author who was diagnosed with breast cancer aged 26. In this episode of the Breast Cancer Now podcast, she chats with Laura about the language we use to talk about cancer, and if there is better language we can use.

    Alice also talks about the impact her breast cancer diagnosis had on her mental health, and shares tips and tricks she has learnt to help her live well with depression.

    You can find Alice on instagram @alicemaypurkiss
    You can also find Alice at her website, www.alicemaypurkiss.co.uk
    The Media Guidelines.

    Key Topics:
    02:12 Alice talks about her diagnosis
    08:05 How does it feel approaching your 10 year anniversary (since diagnosis)?
    09:40 Importance of raising awareness of breast cancer in younger women
    11:00 The effect of a breast cancer diagnosis on mental health
    13:00 Alice on writing her book, 'Life Lemons and Melons'
    18:10 Alice talks about her experience of depression
    22:50 The difference in having mental health illness vs a physical illness like cancer
    24:40- 26:17 TW: Suicidal thoughts alongside going through cancer treatment
    27:22 Any tools you can share with people to cope with depression, specifically after a breast cancer diagnosis?
    35:40 The importance of community
    37:08 What tools can you suggest for someone to help get on with life post-diagnosis?
    39:28 The difference between coaching and therapy
    41:50 Working with Coppafeel to create the Media Guidelines regarding cancer language
    44:30 Using military language to talk about cancer and the potential harm that causes,
    54:00 How better to talk to or about someone who has breast cancer
    59:35 Making the language around breast cancer more inclusive
    01:00:25 The difference between looking for signs and symptoms and being aware of change
    01:03:04 What living well means to Alice



    If you'd like to find out more about Breast Cancer Now's support services, visit the Breast Cancer Now website or phone our free helpline on 0808 800 6000 (UK only).

    You can subscribe to this podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Every episode is available to watch or listen to on the Breast Cancer Now website. You can also watch it on YouTube.
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 5 mins
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