We need to talk about cancer

Until you have cancer or have a loved one with cancer you don't realise how many people have a story about the big C. I remember one woman lifting her top to show me her scar! Others softly dropping in the conversation how cancer brushed had them. More than 23,000 Kiwis are diagnosed every year and over 9,000 people die from the disease. Yet we don't often have open and honest conversations about how we are impacted by the loss and trauma of cancer.

In my last four episodes I chatted with people about how cancer has impacted their family/whanau. What struck me was the enormous toll cancer takes on people - whether it's stress of children nursing their parents or the shock of a terminal diagnosis and swift death, cancer leaves a profound mark.

Leave a comment below and let me know how cancer has impacted you.

Episode Family Matters

What happens when a family loses the glue that keeps their family together? Mindfulness practitioner Emma Woodham shares her experience of losing her mum Sally and how she deals with her grief.

Episode Losing Mum

What's your favourite memory of your mum? Andrew Young, CEO The Cancer Society Auckland & Northland, has fond memories of his mum Shirley's cooking. Shirley was 'small but fierce' and the centre of their family. She died of lung cancer in 2007 - Andrew shares the impact her death in this episode.

Episode Claire & Greg Got Cancer

In 2015 Greg Taipari thought a persistent cough was from allergies - it turned out to be throat cancer. Three years later when he had recovered from treatment and a stroke his wife Claire was diagnosed with breast cancer. Greg was well into his treatment before he told his whanau (family) he had cancer - when Claire was diagnosed he took a different approach and they walked through the experience together.

Episode Thank You, Mama

How would you cope if you experienced multiple traumatic events? Award winning journalist, writer and host of 'Thank you, Mama' podcast, Ana Tajder, joined me for this episode to talk about escaping the Croatian war and what cancer has taught her about embracing life.