In our final Tit Talk episode for Season 3, Rosalina explores an intriguing (but small) study exploring how breast milk might aid early breast cancer detection using ctDNA. Published through Cancer Discovery, she discusses how this study uncovered a potential noninvasive screening method for pregnant and postpartum women. Rosalina unpacks the study's findings, discussing their implications for early detection and their possible influence on healthcare practices and insurance coverage. Join us as...
Jan 05, 2024•12 min
For this season 3 finale, we've saved the best episode for last. Rosalina and Shauna explore the intricate relationship between cancer and personal identity. They reflect on how the perception of being a "cancer patient" evolved from diagnosis to different life stages. The discussion spans how others perceive them, the challenges of disclosure, and the balance of embracing cancer as part of their story while maintaining separate personal spaces. Episode Timestamps: [00:02:09] Is Cancer a Part of...
Jan 04, 2024•35 min
In the third episode of Tit Talk, Rosalina guides us through a study featured in JAMA Oncology in November 2023. Examining data from nearly 50,000 women in the UK, the study investigates the potential link between vaginal estrogen therapy and breast cancer-related mortality. The study's findings reveal no evidence of an elevated risk. As always, Rosalina encourages listeners to stay informed, seek advice from healthcare professionals, and feel empowered to make decisions that align with their we...
Dec 22, 2023•9 min
Shauna and Rosalina welcome Maddy Pollack and Shannon Cury, survivors of Hodgkin's and Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma and the cohosts of the podcast "Cancer Actually Fucking Sucks." In this episode, Maddy and Shannon discuss their individual experiences with navigating an under-30 diagnosis, IVF, cancer survivorship, and the tools they used to reconnect their bodies and minds. They share their personal reasons for starting their own podcast and the tough decision to end their show in early 2024. Althoug...
Dec 21, 2023•1 hr 25 min
In today’s episode, Shauna shares the confusing, isolating, and difficult road that is survivor’s guilt. While she navigated how to continue on with her second chance at life, she was met with pockets of darkness when she felt she should be grateful for the light of remission. Rosalina shares the boundaries she created to protect herself and why she hasn’t experienced survivor’s guilt, while Shauna speaks on the spiraling grief she has felt watching members of the cancer community advance in the...
Dec 14, 2023•38 min
Chiara, who faced stage IV breast cancer at 27, chats with Rosalina and Shauna about the misconceptions about cancer and the challenges of relationships after diagnosis. She opens up about the emotional and physical struggles of living with stage IV cancer, reflecting on how cancer changes who you are and what you want in life. On dating apps, Chiara didn’t have much luck. She shares experiences of ghosting, judgment, and fetishization(yes, you read that correctly!), leading her to disengage fro...
Dec 07, 2023•1 hr 7 min
Rosalina and Shauna dive deep into the intricacies of managing careers while navigating a cancer diagnosis. Their conversation encompasses crucial aspects such as disclosing a diagnosis at work, handling treatment while maintaining a career, and understanding legal rights like the American Disability Act and Family Medical Leave. They share personal experiences regarding returning to work, establishing boundaries, seeking accommodations, and addressing job dissatisfaction. Additionally, they exp...
Nov 30, 2023•50 min
Join us for an intimate conversation featuring four remarkable women—Aliza, Ashleigh, Jamie, and Nari (BIPOC)—as they candidly share their journeys through diagnoses, offering an up-close exploration of how they navigated the paths of motherhood and cancer. This special 'Part B' bonus series invites you to witness their unfiltered experiences, providing a heartfelt glimpse into the highs, lows, and unwavering strength that define their unique stories. A huge thank you to Jamie for graciously sha...
Nov 23, 2023•47 min
Join us on a heartfelt journey as three remarkable women, Alyssa, Lauren, and Chantel(BIPOC), bravely share their emotional journeys through pregnancies intertwined with the unexpected diagnosis of breast cancer. This touching bonus series invites you to witness their raw experiences, offering a heartfelt glimpse into the highs, lows, and unwavering strength found amidst the complexities of their experiences. Episode Time Stamps: [00:01:54] Alyssa Brooks [00:13:09] Lauren Cranmer [00:23:04] Chan...
Nov 23, 2023•35 min
TW - Body Image In this episode, Rosalina opens up about her struggles with body image for the first time. She begins by shedding light on the overwhelming influence of media and societal pressures on body image and critically analyzing society's unattainable standards. Throughout the episode, Rosalina and Shauna discuss their personal journeys with body image, from their early childhood days to their experiences during and after their journey with cancer. They address a range of issues, includi...
Nov 16, 2023•40 min
Disclaimer: This episode is for educational purposes only and should not replace medical advice. Always consult a healthcare professional for personalized guidance. Join Rosalina and Shauna for this insightful episode as we sit down with Dr. Laila Agrawal, a medical oncologist specializing in breast cancer at Norton Cancer Institute who runs a sexual health clinic for women with cancer. This episode addresses the taboo topic of sexual health that affects previvors, survivors, and thrivers, regar...
Nov 09, 2023•55 min
TW: Hair Loss. Shauna and Rosalina share their respective experiences of hair loss, regrowth, and maintenance throughout treatment for breast cancer. Methods such as cold-capping are utilized to try and minimize loss, but with the inevitable fall-out, both Shauna and Rosalina resorted to additional measures outside of chemo treatment, such as hair extensions, trying out wigs, and wearing baseball hats. They discuss the traumas associated with losing hair during chemotherapy, how they coped, and ...
Nov 02, 2023•40 min
We are ending our October voice memo series with some Survivor stories. They share about what survivorship is like and how to best prepare others after a cancer diagnosis. We want to mention that we did put a call out for Stage 4 Thrivers to share their stories and experiences but did not receive any submission to air the episode. We know October can be very heavy for many of us in the community and we are all just doing our best to get by. We will be leaving the voice message link active for an...
Oct 27, 2023•12 min
Rosalina and Shauna explore the theme of grief and its significance in the context of their lives as young individuals whose cancer diagnoses have disrupted their paths. They pause to reflect on their lives before their encounters with cancer, sharing personal memories to pay tribute to the things they've had to let go. The conversation examines the distinctions between "moving on" and "finding acceptance," prompting questions about whether achieving genuine closure is a reachable goal or an ong...
Oct 26, 2023•44 min
In this episode of "Tit Talk," Rosalina challenges the prevailing misconception that breast cancer only affects older people and reinforces that no one is too young to get cancer. She highlights the concerning statistics reflecting the rising breast cancer rates among young women under 40. Due to the heightened rising cancer rate, Rosalina introduces the "CheckMate" initiative pioneered by the Brem Foundation, which offers a free Breast Health Quiz to empower women with a comprehensive understan...
Oct 20, 2023•11 min
This week, we’re sharing voice messages from four Previvors in the community. You’ll hear their stories and the incredible advice they have for others who have recently discovered their gene mutations.We are still looking for voice memo submissions for our next mini-episode airing next Friday for anyone else who would like to participate. We want to know "What Is It Like To Be A Survivor? What Advice Would You Give To Those Who Have Been Diagnosed?" Visit the link below to submit a voice memo: h...
Oct 20, 2023•8 min
In this solo episode, Rosalina takes you on her journey with her participation in an exercise clinical trial focusing on strength training through UCLA. This study was to help alleviate joint pain caused by anastrozole, an aromatase inhibitor drug. Working closely with a personal trainer, Rosalina shares her transformative experience of strengthening her bones and gaining muscle mass. She celebrates the power of exercise and how it empowered her to take an active role in her recovery and survivo...
Oct 19, 2023•33 min
While Shauna wasn’t actively seeking out clinical trials during and following treatment, she felt it was important to be a part of the data considering her age and type of breast cancer. To her benefit, Shauna’s clinical trials were all low-to-no risk, participating in data collection at NYU, logging her caffeine intake, providing genetic information, and doing an at-home interview. It’s hard to see the immediate benefits of these trials, especially when almost everything surrounding breast canc...
Oct 19, 2023•31 min
This week, We share voice messages from our listeners who gave their tips and advice to individuals and/or corporations who are considering donating to breast cancer awareness. We are still looking for voice memo submissions for our next mini episode airing next friday. This mini episode will feature the Previvors in the community.If you are a Previvor and want to participate, we want to know “What is it like to be a Previvor? What advice would you give to those who just found out about their ge...
Oct 13, 2023•7 min
In this episode, Rosalina and Shauna are joined by Andrea, a young breast cancer survivor and healthcare advocate of Mexican-German descent (her mother is Mexican, and her father is German). The conversation explores Andrea's personal journey with breast cancer, which began during the COVID-19 pandemic while she was studying for her Masters in Budapest, Hungary. She shares the challenges she faced in managing her diagnosis in a foreign country where she didn't speak the language, and the complex...
Oct 12, 2023•1 hr 14 min
This week, we’re sharing the messages of ten listeners who called to tell us what advocacy means. You’ll hear from them about how advocacy can range from the personal to the institutional and how, no matter what stage in your journey you’re at, you can be an advocate. We are still looking for voice memo submissions for our next mini-episode airing next Friday for anyone else who would like to participate. We want to know “What advice would you give to individuals or organizations who want to sup...
Oct 06, 2023•14 min
To kick off breast cancer awareness month, Shauna and Rosalina sit with cancer survivor Trish Michelle. They ladies discuss Trish’s impact as an advocate in the breast cancer community, her rise to Chief Community Officer with the Breasties, and her continued fight against pinkwashing through her initiative “Reclaim October.” which had raised thousands of dollars in funding for research and non-profit organizations. Together they touch on life after diagnosis, balancing being an advocate in the ...
Oct 05, 2023•1 hr 15 min
As Breast Cancer Awareness Month highlights the importance of advocacy, Rosalina and Shauna discuss the diverse forms of advocacy one can take, emphasizing that there is no one-size-fits-all approach. They touch upon how individuals can become advocates, from sharing their stories on social media to supporting friends and loved ones through their breast cancer journeys. They also share their advocacy work together, including participation in panels for non-profit organizations, being on the Kell...
Sep 28, 2023•36 min
Rosalina shares the impact she’s facing from the breast reconstruction, including scarring, healing concerns, and the need for revisions. She opens up about the uncertainties during her breast reconstruction process, her relationship with her plastic surgeon, and the struggle to find closure in her reconstruction journey. Shauna shares her decision to pursue a second revision, focusing on achieving symmetry and considering fat grafting on her non-cancer side. She also touches on contemplating th...
Sep 21, 2023•47 min
In this episode of "Tit Talk," Rosalina explores the challenge posed by the federal government agency CMS, and the significant development in 2019 that affected one of the most popular breast reconstruction surgery options, the DIEP Flap Reconstruction. She examines how this surgery was no longer 100% covered by insurance due to changes in policy, creating challenges for patients and surgeons alike and potentially resulting in financial difficulties, particularly for underserved communities who ...
Sep 15, 2023•11 min
In this two-part journey, Shauna and Rosalina detail the mental, emotional, financial, and physical struggle of hormone therapy through — and following — treatment. At points, Shauna felt like she was one continuous experiment, fighting fire with fire and piling on medications that put her in a dark place for the better part of a year. Rosalina and Shauna are on their five-year medication regimen, with Rosalina having experienced menopausal-like symptoms of insomnia, hot flashes, brain fog, and ...
Sep 14, 2023•47 min
There has been a continuation of appointments, scans, and findings for Shauna and Rosalina. Shortly after Season 2 wrapped, Shauna underwent a CAT scan of her abdomen due to gut upset from cancer treatment, and she shares the emotions that came from finding a mass on her liver. Rosalina went for her annual check-ups but found a suspicious mass from the ultrasound results. She describes the feelings surrounding her need for further testing and an MRI, the fear and confusion of how this seemed to ...
Sep 07, 2023•55 min
The wait is over. Catch a glimpse of what's in store for this season. Mark your calendars for the first episode's premiere on Thursday, September 7th.
Aug 31, 2023•2 min
We need your feedback! Please take 5 minutes of your day to complete our end of Season 2 survey. Your feedback is important and will allow us to improve future podcast episodes for our listeners. Survey link: bit.ly/tyftssurvey Shauna and Rosalina have finally had their exchange surgeries! In this episode, the ladies share their feelings and experiences on surgery day. They discuss how they are healing post-surgery, what they found helpful during recovery, and their thoughts and expectations abo...
Feb 02, 2023•51 min
We need your feedback! Please take 5 minutes of your day to complete our end of Season 2 survey. Your feedback is important and will allow us to improve future podcast episodes for our listeners. Survey link: bit.ly/tyftssurvey Shauna had a double mastectomy, while Rosalina had a unilateral mastectomy in 2021. Both had to wait six months post-radiation to get their “final” reconstruction surgery. For Shauna, this was the last thing on her list that she needed to check off. She was ecstatic, over...
Jan 26, 2023•38 min
