I can’t believe we are at the end of 2021! It has been another amazing year of Unspoken Cancer Truths™, and I’m so glad you’ve joined me along the way. In this episode, I’m recapping a snippet of each episode, sharing some of the MOST powerful lessons I’ve learned from the amazing guests who’ve shared their stories this year on the podcast—a year end reminder that we are not alone in our experiences touched by cancer.

Join me for a Coffee Chat here: https://fitnessdesignsolutions.as.me/CoffeeChat

Follow me on Instagram to get the latest updates on the podcast: https://www.instagram.com/thejennifercochran/

Continue the conversation in my free private Facebook group, Surviving is JUST the Beginning: https://www.facebook.com/groups/SurvivingisJUSTtheBeginning/

Are you prioritizing self-care and your well-being this holiday season? If you’re like me, you’ve probably been spending quite a bit of time on Zoom calls and meetings—so, I did a little research on “Zooming” and the impact it has on overall wellness. Want to know what I found out? In this episode, I’m diving deeper into the long-term effects of video conferencing, why you might not even realize you’re struggling with it, and how to create a plan to recapture your well-being (in-person and online!).

I’m exploring:

• Why holding too many roles can negatively impact you (and why some roles can never go away)
• My FAVORITE way to improve your cognitive function (it’s so easy, too!)
• What to know about the 5 types of well-being
• How to tap into your inner well-being manager
• And much more!

I’m going deeper into my TOP  tips and tricks to prioritize your well-being in the New Year! Join me on Jan. 1st  in my Facebook group Surviving is JUST the Beginning to be a part of it: https://www.facebook.com/groups/SurvivingisJUSTtheBeginning/

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Stanford article on Zoom fatigue: https://news.stanford.edu/2021/02/23/four-causes-zoom-fatigue-solutions/

Participate in the Stanford Zoom Exhaustion & Fatigue Scale:

https://stanforduniversity.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3f9xepi9ryP7WK2

Join me for a Coffee Chat here: https://fitnessdesignsolutions.as.me/CoffeeChat

Follow me on Instagram to get the latest updates on the podcast: https://www.instagram.com/thejennifercochran/

Loss can occur in so many ways, and how we process the accompanying grief is an important step that is often overlooked. That’s why I am so excited to bring you my chat with psychotherapist and grief recovery specialist, Lesleigh J. Tolin, in today’s episode. She is passionate about her work teaching an evidence-based program that helps individuals feel alive again after loss. In this episode, Lesleigh shares the transformative process of the Grief Recovery Method, her advice to help uplift someone experiencing loss, and the honorable & honest process of creating an end-of-life plan. 

We’re exploring:

• The impact of our upbringing on how we experience grief & loss
• Some of the unspoken feminine grieving issues
• The power of making honest boundaries (and why we need to talk more about work/life integration)
• Why THIS is a key sign to look for when someone needs help
• What it means for a program to be called evidence-based 
• And much more!

Connect with Lesleigh J. Tolin:

Learn more about her work: https://lesleighjtolin.com/

FREE uplifting resources for the grief & loss journey: https://lesleighjtolin.com/ebooks/

Join me for a Coffee Chat here: https://fitnessdesignsolutions.as.me/CoffeeChat

Follow me on Instagram to get the latest updates on the podcast: https://www.instagram.com/thejennifercochran/

Continue the conversation in my free private Facebook group, Surviving is JUST the Beginning: https://www.facebook.com/groups/SurvivingisJUSTtheBeginning/

Did you know that depression and anxiety are a common long term side effect of cancer treatment? If you’ve been feeling down, you’re not alone! I’ve been feeling the same way. So when I had the opportunity to be a participant at a Casting For Recovery retreat for women who’ve received a breast cancer diagnosis, I jumped in knowing it was exactly what my soul needed. Want to know more? In this episode, I’m sharing everything you want to know about Casting for Recovery, and why I think you should apply for it RIGHT NOW!

I’m exploring:

• Why support groups are valuable at ANY stage of a cancer journey
• How Casting for Recovery gave us the opportunity to ask questions we never wanted to ask 
• The SURPRISING thing that happened when I spoke about lymphedema
• And much more!

Learn more about Casting for Recovery, or jump in and apply: https://castingforrecovery.org

Check out Episode 44 of Unspoken Cancer Truths® “Fly Fishing for Survivorship Support with Wendy Gawlik” for more about Casting for Recovery retreats!

Join me for a Coffee Chat here: https://fitnessdesignsolutions.as.me/CoffeeChat

Follow me on Instagram to get the latest updates on the podcast: https://www.instagram.com/thejennifercochran/

Continue the conversation in my free private Facebook group, Surviving is JUST the Beginning: https://www.facebook.com/groups/SurvivingisJUSTtheBeginning/

In the year between two routine mammograms, an aggressive form of breast cancer had spread everywhere in author Viki Zarkin’s body. The prognosis was bad, but Viki KNEW that she would never give up. Now, 11 years later, she has an amazing story of self-advocacy and resilience to tell. In this episode, Viki shares why her cancer journey has been vastly different, and how she brought her experiences together in her book “I Am the One” to help others who might be in similar situations. 

We’re exploring:

• Why the old Viki died the day she received her prognosis

• How researching & advocating for her health saved her life

• Why fighting for the right team is CRUCIAL (and why she wants to alleviate this component for others)

• The #1 thing she realized when she started writing her book “I Am the One”

• All of the things you can learn from her book’s companion workshop

• And much more!

Connect with author Viki Zarkin:

Email: Iamtheone.Viki@gmail.com

Website:  www.iamtheone.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/iamtheonev

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/viki-zarkin-b57a2176/# 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamtheone_viki/?hl=en

Join me for a Coffee Chat here: https://fitnessdesignsolutions.as.me/CoffeeChat

Follow me on Instagram to get the latest updates on the podcast: https://www.instagram.com/thejennifercochran/

Continue the conversation in my free private Facebook group, Surviving is JUST the Beginning: https://www.facebook.com/groups/SurvivingisJUSTtheBeginning/

It is so common for life to turn into a whirlwind of appointments and treatments after a cancer diagnosis. For my guest Belinda Gill, she felt lucky that her ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) diagnosis and treatment moved along SO quickly (thanks to her perceptive doctors!), and she joins the podcast today to talk about her journey so far. In this episode, Belinda dives into the difficulty of making quick life-changing health decisions, prioritizing what she wants for her survivorship, and why it's CRUCIAL to be prepared for the common physical and psychosocial challenges of cancer (because they are more normal than you think!).

We’re exploring:

• Public versus private insurance In Australia—and what this meant for Belinda’s budget and treatment options
• Her experience looking for a bra after her mastectomy—plus, we share some laughs about tissue expanders
• The challenge of balancing appointments with work & life obligations
• One of the HARDEST parts of her recovery
• Why you need to worry less about what other people think
• What I believe is the missing link in the standard of care 
• And much more!

Join me for a Coffee Chat here: https://fitnessdesignsolutions.as.me/CoffeeChat

Follow me on Instagram to get the latest updates on the podcast: https://www.instagram.com/thejennifercochran/

Continue the conversation in my free private Facebook group, Surviving is JUST the Beginning: https://www.facebook.com/groups/SurvivingisJUSTtheBeginning/

You might be surprised to know that I'm not a fan of Breast Cancer Awareness Month (although I do appreciate the support!), but, I am an advocate for being health aware EVERY month, and I'm passionate about empowering people on their cancer journeys. Tune in to this episode to hear why it’s so important to shine a light on the challenges cancer survivors face in order to be more open to understanding & improving their quality of life—especially as the number of people in survivorship continues to grow.

I’m exploring:

• What doctors still need to do to meet the needs of people in survivorship
• Normalizing the light and dark parts of cancer and survivorship
• A BIG unspoken cancer truth about healing & recovery time
• How your positivity might be negatively affecting someone else
• Why planning for end-of-life is NOT giving up (and why we need to destigmatize it!)
• And so much more!

If you are a man with cancer, you’re not alone! Join the community at Man Up to Cancer: https://www.manuptocancer.com

Join me for a Coffee Chat here: https://fitnessdesignsolutions.as.me/CoffeeChat

Follow me on Instagram to get the latest updates on the podcast: https://www.instagram.com/thejennifercochran/

Continue the conversation in my free private Facebook group, Surviving is JUST the Beginning: https://www.facebook.com/groups/SurvivingisJUSTtheBeginning/

I describe higher education as a little like a marathon!  You finish it and feel elated but wow I am never doing that again and yet here I am working on my second masters in public health (and I have completed 3 marathons too ;))

In this week’s episode of Unspoken Cancer Truths I am hopping on my soapbox. Having read over 30 articles and completing extensive research this quarter I am sharing my findings on Lymphedema in the hope that anyone accepting pain or dealing with financial worries can get on the path to solutions.

I am covering:

•  My frustrations with the ordering processes and insurance providers for the critical compression sleeves that are essential for the successful control of Lymphedema 
• My (amazing) surgeon cited that only 5% of cancer patients get lymphedema - why I believe and the research supports this is just wrong.
• The financial impact of Lymphedema for cancer survivors and why I believe upfront  financial education should be available to ALL
• The stats I have uncovered regarding breast cancer survivors and Lymphedema
• The importance of insisting on a Lymphedema consult. Lymphedema can become a problem at any time post surgery and treatment.
• Why you may have been suffering with it for years and not be aware of the signs.

Join me for a Coffee Chat here: https://fitnessdesignsolutions.as.me/CoffeeChat

Follow me on Instagram to get the latest updates on the podcast: https://www.instagram.com/thejennifercochran/

Continue the conversation in my free private Facebook group, Surviving is JUST the Beginning: https://www.facebook.com/groups/SurvivingisJUSTtheBeginning/