Meet Love Health Nachos founder Gaby Fanizzi

Gaby Fanizzi started a support group for young thyroid cancer patients and survivors after realizing there was a lack of resources for people in her position.

Gaby Fanizzi, founder of support group Love Health Nachos.

"I just want to be, quote, unquote, normal."

This is Gaby Fanizzi's story...

Gaby Fanizzi was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 2018 at 26. She quickly realized that she was in the minority of thyroid cancer patients because she was young. She started the Love Health Nachos Instagram page to connect with other young thyroid cancer patients and survivors. Gaby hosts monthly support groups for thyroid cancer patients and survivors. She has learned that her experience as a young cancer survivor differs from that of older patients. For example, she cannot take a nap in the middle of the day as older patients can. Additionally, the financial impact of cancer is more significant for her as a young, single woman. She has also found it challenging to understand what her body can and cannot do after cancer.

In this episode, you will learn the following:

1. The difference in perspective between younger and older thyroid cance

r patients and survivors

2. The financial burden of thyroid cancer treatment

3. The physical and mental challenges of living with thyroid cancer

Listen here

Resources:

Love Health Nachos https://www.instagram.com/lovehealthnachos/

Follow Helen on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thecword_radio/

Chapter Summaries: [00:00:42] - Love health Nachos is an Instagram page where she started to grow her thyroid cancer community. She was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 2018 at the age of 26. She hosts monthly support groups for thyroid cancer patients and survivors. [00:04:02] - Younger people with thyroid cancer have different challenges than older people. They are still in the workforce and have to deal with the side effects of the medicine they are taking. [00:10:54] - Gaby had cancer four years ago, and her body no longer works as it did before. She sometimes feels like she is 40 years older than she is be

cause of how her body feels. [00:20:20] - Cancer affects your life and your body. Helen and Gaby tried to be active during and after treatment, but fatigue made this challenging. [00:26:24] - The thyroid transmits signals to different body parts and can affect metabolism, heart rate, brain function, and skin cells. Without a thyroid, people develo

p hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism. [00:34:29] - Gaby is Italian and Cuban, so food is a big part of her life, and she chooses not to follow strict diets. To help heal the PTSD, she tries to embrace new things. Other episodes you'll enjoy: Chanel's story of breast cancer: https://open.spotify.com/episode/09le88HKJFIMHNW5JDC7Zq?si=28ae65b8572e4627 How to get over a cancer diagnosis: https://open.spotify.com/episode/41Yy563qOTcKe3l8422cp6?si=7abfea921d3d4df0