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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 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
  • S6 Ep7: Richard and Stuart on breast cancer in men

    S6 Ep7: Richard and Stuart on breast cancer in men
    May 23 2025
    Richard was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015, and Stuart was diagnosed in 2005 and now lives with secondary breast cancer.

    They are both involved with the Men’s VMU, an online group aimed at supporting men with a breast cancer diagnosis, promoting research into breast cancer in men, and raising awareness of the signs and symptoms.

    Only around 400 men are diagnosed with breast cancer in the UK each year.

    Richard and Stuart talk about how their diagnoses took them by surprise, and share their work in the Men’s VMU trying to get the message to as many people as possible.

    Find out more about the Men's VMU.
    Find out more about Breast Cancer Now's support service Someone Like Me.

    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.

    Key Topics:
    2:15 Richard's breast cancer diagnosis
    5:38 Stuart's breast cancer diagnosis
    7:56 Campaigning to receive Herceptin as a man
    13:13 Stuart's secondary breast cancer diagnosis
    15:51 Looking out for the signs and symptoms of secondary breast cancer
    16:32 Living with secondary breast cancer
    20:32 The Men's VMU – support for men with breast cancer
    24:22 The use of tamoxifen in men
    27:58 The "pinkness" and femininity of breast cancer
    31:44 The erosion of male identity after a breast cancer diagnosis
    36:10 How the Men's VMU encourages talking about difficult topics
    37:11 Find out more about the Men's VMU
    37:49 Someone Like Me service from Breast Cancer Now
    39:01 The accessibility of resources and support to men with breast cancer
    43:51 The importance of family support
    45:39 Richard and Stuart's tips for a man just diagnosed
    46:39 Getting involved with fundraising and awareness events
    47:57 What it means to Richard and Stuart to live well
    51:01 How to get in touch with the Men's VMU
    Show More Show Less
    53 mins
  • S6 Ep6: Anna on coping with PTSD

    S6 Ep6: Anna on coping with PTSD
    May 12 2025
    Anna was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer when she was 34. After having an adverse reaction to her treatment she was hospitalised, and that trauma continued to affect her long afterwards. Anna talks about the effects of her diagnosis and PTSD on her family and the ways she’s discovering to cope with them.

    We’re also joined by Vic, clinical nurse specialist at Breast Cancer Now, who provides expert support to people with a breast cancer diagnosis through our many support services. She talks with Anna about the difficulties that can arise with a breast cancer diagnosis and PTSD, and signposts to the support that’s available.

    You can follow Anna on instagram @abholistichealing.yorkshire
    You can also read Anna's blog.

    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:
    1:28 Laura introduces Anna and Vic
    2:01 Anna's breast cancer diagnosis
    8:02 Having a negative reaction to chemotherapy
    9:48 Fears around recurrence, and the trouble with googling
    13:06 Reducing the risk of recurrence, and finding support after treatment
    18:36 Anna's children react to her diagnosis
    23:28 Dealing with breast cancer as a younger woman
    29:32 How the body's memory of trauma can linger
    32:27 Anna's experience of PTSD
    40:57 How treatment can differ person to person
    46:53 The tools Anna has used to cope with her PTSD
    49:22 Anna's tips for anyone going through a breast cancer diagnosis
    52:39 Where to find out more about breast cancer
    53:23 How to find out more from Anna
    54:04 What it means to Anna to "live well"
    55:24 What it means to Vic to "live well"
    Show More Show Less
    57 mins

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