What happens when one person’s story becomes a beacon of hope for thousands? In this powerful episode, host Victoria Goldberg sits down with Tami Bowling, creator of LightUp MBC Live, to explore her path from a shocking metastatic breast cancer diagnosis to becoming a passionate advocate and fundraiser.
Tami opens up about her early days navigating uncertainty, the emotional impact on her family, and how she transformed adversity into action. Discover the inspiring origins of LightUp MBC—a campaign that now lights up hundreds of landmarks worldwide, raises millions for research, and unites communities in support and education.
You’ll hear about the campaign’s global reach, the importance of advocacy, and the many ways people can get involved—from lighting up their own towns to supporting vital research grants. Plus, Tami shares stories of resilience, the power of community, and her vision for the future of metastatic breast cancer awareness.
Tune in for an episode filled with hope, actionable inspiration, and a reminder that one person truly can make a difference.

Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed the episode, subscribe and leave a review — it really helps. Follow us on social media @livefromstage4 and visit our website at www.livefromstage4.org for show notes and links.

Your support helps us continue to share important stories and advocate for those living with metastatic breast cancer.

Until next time, take care and keep pushing for progress.

In this episode we get urgent and personal: with deep cuts to NIH and NCI funding threatening labs, jobs, and future treatments, what happens to science — and to patients — when the pipeline is squeezed?

To make that real, we’re talking with Na Zhao, a research assistant professor at Baylor College of Medicine. We follow Na’s experience as she navigates a pivotal moment in her research career. Facing institutional financial challenges and limited startup support, Na remains undeterred, leveraging multiple foundation grants and the potential activation of her NIH career grant to continue her groundbreaking work.

Through resilience and determination, Na exemplifies the spirit of scientific progress in the face of adversity, offering hope for the future of cancer research and patient care.

This episode drops on the first day of the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, where thousands including Dr. Zhao gather to share breakthroughs even as funding uncertainty looms. In this episode, we dive deep into the real-world impact of research funding cuts on scientists, patients, and the future of cancer care.
Wee’ll explore the struggles junior scientists face, the importance of advocacy, and why supporting research is crucial for everyone touched by cancer.
Whether you’re a patient, advocate, or simply passionate about science, this conversation will open your eyes to the human stories behind the headlines—and remind us all why the fight for research funding matters.
Let’s get started.

Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed the episode, subscribe and leave a review — it really helps. Follow us on social media @livefromstage4 and visit our website at www.livefromstage4.org for show notes and links.

Your support helps us continue to share important stories and advocate for those living with metastatic breast cancer.

Until next time, take care and keep pushing for progress.

Join us for a powerful conversation with Dr. Rebecca Shatsky, Director of Breast Medical Oncology at UC San Diego, as she shares her experiences fighting for patients with breast cancer. In this episode, Dr. Shatsky discusses the growing challenges clinicians face—from insurance denials and funding cuts to the emotional toll of burnout and the spread of cancer misinformation.

Hear real stories about advocating for life-saving treatments, navigating the complexities of clinical trials, and the importance of patient empowerment. Dr. Shatsky also offers hope, highlighting the latest breakthroughs in metastatic breast cancer research and the progress being made in treatment options.

Whether you’re a patient, caregiver, or healthcare professional, this episode delivers candid insights, practical advice, and a message of resilience and hope in the face of adversity.

Tune in to “Live from Stage 4” for an honest look at the realities of modern cancer care—and the people who refuse to give up the fight.

Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed the episode, subscribe and leave a review — it really helps. Follow us on social media @livefromstage4 and visit our website at www.livefromstage4.org for show notes and links.

Your support helps us continue to share important stories and advocate for those living with metastatic breast cancer.

Until next time, take care and keep pushing for progress.

In this episode, hosts Victoria Goldberg and Abigail Johnston sit down with Samira Daswani, host of "The Patient From Hell" podcast, for a candid and insightful conversation about patient advocacy, storytelling, and the evolving landscape of cancer care. Samira shares her path from reluctant podcast guest to passionate host, highlighting the importance of amplifying patient voices and democratizing information for those navigating cancer diagnoses—especially in communities where open discussion is rare.
The discussion delves into the challenges of reaching diverse audiences, the power of authentic, minimally edited conversations, and the need for both scientific and personal perspectives in patient-centered content. The trio reflects on the shifting attitudes in cancer communities, the critical role of support networks, and the ongoing mission to educate and empower patients worldwide. The episode wraps up with ideas for future collaborations and a shared commitment to making a meaningful impact through storytelling and advocacy.

Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed the episode, subscribe and leave a review — it really helps. Follow us on social media @livefromstage4 and visit our website at www.livefromstage4.org for show notes and links.

Your support helps us continue to share important stories and advocate for those living with metastatic breast cancer.

Until next time, take care and keep pushing for progress.

In today's episode, the first in our ongoing “Live Chat” series — informal conversations with members of the medical community, advocates, and patients about what matters most to them and to us, hosts Victoria Goldberg and Dr. Ellen Landsberger are joined by Dr. Sherry Shen, a breast cancer medical oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, for a clear, patient-centered conversation on the evolving role of SERDs (Selective Estrogen Receptor Degraders) in hormone receptor–positive metastatic breast cancer.

Dr. Shen explains the science behind SERDs, the importance of ESR1 mutations, and why oral SERDs are generating excitement. We review recent and ongoing trials—including evERA (giredestrant), SERENA-6 (camizestrant), and updates on FDA‑approved agents such as elacestrant and imlunestrant—while discussing regulatory and insurance hurdles, quality-of-life considerations, side-effect management, and how these drugs are shaping real-world treatment strategies and combination approaches.
Bonus clip: a preview from an upcoming episode with Rebecca Shatsky, MD, where she discusses the evERA trial and shares her enthusiasm for emerging combination strategies, including capivasertib paired with oral SERDs.

Whether you’re a patient, caregiver, or clinician, tune in for practical insights, expert perspectives, and a hopeful look at the future of breast cancer therapy.

Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed the episode, subscribe and leave a review — it really helps. Follow us on social media @livefromstage4 and visit our website at www.livefromstage4.org for show notes and links.

Your support helps us continue to share important stories and advocate for those living with metastatic breast cancer.

Until next time, take care and keep pushing for progress.

This is the first episode of the recurring MBC Insiders series created by and starring the podcast team. In the first episode, published on October 13th, the National Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day, we meet seven panelists with 80+ years living with Metastatic Breast Cancer between them and they are here to share the hard-won wisdom of true MBC insiders. We'll explore the issues that matter most to people living with MBC, including how the language clinicians and media use can harm or help, and candid conversations about progression and the idea of "cure."

Joining Victoria Goldberg:

1. Martha Carlson -- diagnosed de novo in December of 2014, a writer and advocate who mentors, contributes to research and publications, and works to improve understanding of the MBC patient experience.
2. Melanie Sisk -- diagnosed with early breast cancer at 43 and later, metastatic at 47, which ended her nursing career, she channels urgency into advocacy.
3. Lynda Weatherby -- living with MBC since 2013 after 2001 DCIS, a Seattle-based patient advocate and advocate founder of “The Project to End Postpartum Breast Cancer."
4. Ellen Landsberger, MD -- a retired OB/GYN from New York has lived with metastatic breast cancer for years, but it was the loss of a close friend to the disease that sparked her interest in using her voice to help educate others.
5. Jill Tirabassi, MD -- researcher and advocate, and another physician on our team, diagnosed with breast cancer during her second pregnancy at the age of 36, she now works part-time while raising her two young sons with her husband outside of Buffalo, New York.
6. Alexis Desai -- born and raised New Yorker, and former educator, diagnosed with MBC at the age of 37, actively involved with Metavivor and is a recent graduate of NBCC Project Lead.
7. Last but not least, Judy Perkins -- cancer Immunotherapy pioneer, who is the first person to be very likely cured of metastatic breast cancer through a form of immunotherapy known as tumor infiltrating lymphocytes or TILs.

Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed the episode, subscribe and leave a review — it really helps. Follow us on social media @livefromstage4 and visit our website at www.livefromstage4.org for show notes and links.

Your support helps us continue to share important stories and advocate for those living with metastatic breast cancer.

Until next time, take care and keep pushing for progress.

In this episode of "Live from Stage 4: MBC News for Us, by Us," host Victoria Goldberg sits down with Dr. Gloria Echeverria, a leading researcher at Baylor College of Medicine, to discuss the urgent challenges facing cancer research in the United States. Dr. Echeverria shares her career path from PhD student to running her own lab, focusing on triple negative breast cancer (TNBC)—one of the most aggressive and difficult-to-treat forms of the disease.

The conversation delves into the real-world impact of federal funding cuts on scientific research, the importance of diversifying funding sources, and the ripple effects on young scientists and future breakthroughs. Dr. Echeverria explains the critical role of mitochondria in TNBC, the day-to-day realities of running a research lab, and the vital connection between researchers, clinicians, and patient advocates.

Despite the uncertainty and challenges, Dr. Chavarria offers hope, highlighting recent scientific advances and the resilience of the research community. Whether you’re a patient, advocate, or simply curious about the future of cancer research, this episode provides an inside look at the passion, perseverance, and innovation driving the fight against breast cancer.

Tune in for an inspiring and eye-opening discussion about the future at risk—and the people working tirelessly to protect it.

Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed the episode, subscribe and leave a review — it really helps. Follow us on social media @livefromstage4 and visit our website at www.livefromstage4.org for show notes and links.

Your support helps us continue to share important stories and advocate for those living with metastatic breast cancer.

Until next time, take care and keep pushing for progress.

What if the decades of progress against cancer — the breakthroughs, the rising survival rates, the new vaccines and cutting‑edge therapies — were suddenly put in jeopardy? Five decades after the “war on cancer” began, the U.S. has built a world‑class research engine that has pushed survival from roughly 49% in the 1970s to about 68% today. But that hard‑won momentum now faces existential threats: canceled grants and clinical trials, proposals to slash the National Cancer Institute budget, and an unprecedented politicization of biomedical research funding.

In this episode we ask the urgent question: can we protect cancer research — and the patients who depend on it?

Host Victoria Goldberg is joined by Pam Traxel, Senior Vice President at the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network and a lifelong patient advocate. Pam’s journey from politics to advocacy gives her a rare view of how policy and personal stories intersect. She breaks down how federal funding fuels basic science, clinical trials, and drug development; explains why patient voices matter in shaping laws; and shares real examples of how advocacy has changed public health — from smoke‑free laws to lives saved. She also offers candid, compassionate advice for people living with metastatic disease about using their voices to protect research that could change everything.

In addition, Abigail Johnston describes what funding cuts mean in practical, heartbreaking terms: halted clinical trials, lost opportunities for patients, and the emotional and financial toll on families. Her account underscores why the stakes are so high and why action can’t wait.

Listen for a conversation that’s part policy primer, part patient testimony, and all call to action: protecting cancer research is protecting lives.

If you’d like to get involved or learn more, visit fightcancer.org or livefromstage4.org

Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed the episode, subscribe and leave a review — it really helps. Follow us on social media @livefromstage4 and visit our website at www.livefromstage4.org for show notes and links.

Your support helps us continue to share important stories and advocate for those living with metastatic breast cancer.

Until next time, take care and keep pushing for progress.