• After 27 years of living with metastatic breast cancer, I attended the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium for the first time — not knowing what to expect, or even if I would feel like I belonged.

• What I found was something I didn’t realize I’d been missing: connection, affirmation, and a growing movement focused not just on survival, but on living well with metastatic disease.

  In this episode, I share:

  • What it was like attending SABCS as a patient advocate

  • Why quality of life matters just as much as treatment advances

  • How patient advocacy is evolving — and where I see myself in it

  • What it means to finally feel like these are my people

  This conversation is about belonging, purpose, and using our voices — especially for those living with metastatic breast cancer who are navigating life beyond the early days of diagnosis.

  If you’re living with cancer, supporting someone who is, or wondering how to keep moving forward when the path feels uncertain, this episode is for you.

  If you’re looking for practical, compassionate support for living well with cancer, you can find my guides here:
  👉 Guides & Resources: https://shop.heatherjose.com/all-guides

  Each guide can stand alone, and many people choose more than one to support different phases of their journey.

  📸 Instagram: @heatherjose
  🌐 Website: https://heatherjose.com
  🎙 Podcast: I’m Still Here: Lessons from Life with Metastatic Breast Cancer

  If this episode resonated with you, please follow the podcast and share it with someone who might need it.

  Episode DescriptionResources & SupportConnect With Me

In this powerful episode, Larry and I go back to the week in December 1998 that changed our lives forever. What started as a routine appointment just before the holidays quickly became a devastating spiral of tests, unanswered questions, and the phone call that revealed I had stage 4 metastatic breast cancer at only 26 years old.

We share:

• The moment my doctor noticed something was wrong

• The shock of hearing “It’s cancer” days before Christmas

• The traumatic appointment where I was told to get my affairs in order

• How a second oncologist offered hope and completely changed my prognosis

• What those early days of fear, uncertainty, and survival really felt like

• How this diagnosis became the foundation for the life and mission I have today

If you’re navigating a new cancer diagnosis, living with metastatic breast cancer, or supporting someone who is, this honest conversation is for you. This is the story I wish I could have heard back then — a story about fear, resilience, terrible doctors, life-saving doctors, and the spark of hope that carried me forward.

27 years later, I’m still here. And I want you to know that hope is real.

The holidays hit different when you’re living with cancer. In this honest and heartfelt conversation, Heather and Larry talk about the emotional weight of the season — the pressure to make everything perfect “just in case,” the anxiety that comes with big family gatherings, and the guilt of not being able to keep up with old traditions.

They dive into boundaries, expectations, caregiver dynamics, and the internal struggle of wanting to savor the moments while also feeling overwhelmed by them. From navigating relatives’ questions to simplifying holiday plans to protecting your energy, this episode is full of validation, humor, and practical ways to make this season more manageable.

If you’re dealing with metastatic breast cancer — or supporting someone who is — this one will help you feel seen, understood, and a little less alone.

Available Now!

👉 Break the Cancer Spiral – Heather’s 15-minute guide to reset your mindset anytime life feels overwhelming

You can grab Heather’s new 15-Minute Reset guide and her 5 to Thrive series at ⁠⁠⁠https://shop.heatherjose.com/stop-the-cancer-spiral⁠⁠⁠

🎧 About the Podcast:I’m Still Here: Lessons from Life with Metastatic Breast Cancer is hosted by Heather and Larry Jose. Each week, they share honest, hopeful conversations about living fully with cancer — the messy, meaningful, real-life parts of survivorship that don’t always make it into the brochure.

🌐 Connect with Heather:

Website: ⁠⁠⁠HeatherJose.com⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠@heatherbjose⁠⁠⁠

Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠Heather Jose⁠⁠

YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠@ImStillHereCancer⁠⁠⁠

Podcast available on: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube | Amazon Music

To Life! 💚Listen, subscribe, and share with someone who could use a little calm and encouragement this holiday season.