What if one song could become your anchor in the darkest hours?

In this episode of One Song One Story, I’m joined by Colleen Grimshaw for a powerful conversation about fear, resilience, and the kind of strength you discover when life gives you no choice but to find it.

Colleen shares how Titanium by David Guetta ft. Sia became her soundtrack during the early days of a breast cancer diagnosis. When nights felt long, the future felt uncertain, and even the thought of an MRI brought her to the edge of panic, this song became her steady ground.

Not just because of the words, but because of the energy in Sia’s voice. The feeling of being held. The reminder that even if life knocks you down, you can get back up.

This episode explores:

• The shock and denial of diagnosis

• How fear changes at night when everything feels louder

• Music as a mantra when reassurance doesn’t reach

• Learning to advocate for yourself

• Finding strength without letting everyone around you see the fear

• Why some songs become part of who we are

If you’ve ever needed something to hold onto when everything felt uncertain, this story will stay with you.

🎶 Song featured: Titanium by David Guetta ft. Sia

00:00 Intro: resilience, fear, and finding strength through music
01:01 Welcome Colleen in Florida
01:50 If today was a song
03:30 How Colleen knows Jim Farfaglia
05:26 Early music memories and dancing as a child
06:58 Teen years listening: Moody Blues, Carole King, James Taylor
08:33 Music today: dancing, family, and grandkids
09:42 Sabrina Carpenter, K pop, Taylor Swift and modern listening
12:21 Setting the premise of the show
13:11 Song reveal: Titanium by David Guetta ft. Sia
14:37 Hearing Titanium for the first time in the car
15:54 Early days of diagnosis and why the lyrics hit
16:32 Strength, energy, and Sia’s voice
17:42 Why Colleen avoided the music video
18:41 Breast cancer diagnosis on her anniversary
19:45 Fear, uncertainty, and claustrophobia before MRI
20:00 Playing Titanium on repeat through panic at night
21:36 Feeling empowered and believing she could be “titanium”
22:34 The pressure of being strong for family
23:25 Loneliness at night and the song as an anchor
24:10 Using Titanium again during a recent cancer scare
25:22 Physical reaction to the song and singing it loudly
26:16 Surgery, mastectomy, reconstruction, and recovery
27:40 Different treatment path and healing over time
28:09 Reaching ten years and what the song means now
30:01 Strength becoming affirmation and pride
31:09 The shock of a new scare before Christmas
32:03 Taking control, researching, and advocating for herself
33:21 The difference between the first diagnosis and now
34:55 Who is “you” in “you shoot me down”?
36:48 What the song gave her that she couldn’t share with others
39:20 Advice for others facing breast cancer
41:33 Relief, gratitude, and closing reflections
42:10 Final goodbye