Life On Pause is a podcast for and by young adults living with cancer. Each month, young adult cancer patients from Penn State Health share honestly about their cancer diagnosis, treatment and life afterwards. As cancer causes the group to reflect on issues both large and small, surprisingly relatable stories and themes emerge. From relationships to body functions, nothing is off the table.
Recent Episodes
Oct. 29, 2025
From Provider to Patient, Part 2: Karen Powell on Early Detection, Tough Choices, and Self-Advocacy
Karen Powell, a nurse practitioner at Memorial Sloan Kettering who specializes in breast cancer care, returns for Part 2 to share the night everything changed: her own diagnosis at age 39. A lifelong runner, healthy eater, an...
Oct. 24, 2025
Three Generations of Strength, Part 1: How Family Legacy Shaped a Nurse’s Journey
Karen Powell, a Penn State graduate and nurse practitioner at Memorial Sloan Kettering, shares a deeply personal story that spans three generations of women affected by breast cancer. Diagnosed herself at age 39, Karen’s path...
Oct. 3, 2025
Brave, Bold, Gold: Ariana & Tony Share Their Childhood Cancer Awareness Designs
Ariana McDonell and Tony Campisi share how they turned their childhood cancer journeys into powerful designs for Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. At just 12 years old, Ariana entered a t-shirt design contest that became much...
Sept. 16, 2025
A Taste of Independence: Cooking Up Confidence After Cancer
Taylor, Eliot, Shelly, and Tony share how something as simple as a cooking class can spark confidence, connection, and independence after cancer. Hosted at Zest! Cooking School in Lititz, Pennsylvania, this Life on Pause even...
Aug. 12, 2025
God Didn’t Give Me Cancer—But He Didn’t Stop It Either: Robyn’s Story
Robyn, a 21-year-old from Lancaster County, was diagnosed with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia during her second year of college. What started as what she thought were boils and cold symptoms quickly turned into a life-ch...
July 22, 2025
Healing Through Hoofbeats: Paige’s Story of Strength and Therapeutic Horsemanship
Paige, a 15-year-old from Pennsylvania, was diagnosed with Burkitt’s leukemia at stage 3. After spending seven months in the hospital undergoing intensive treatment, she found herself withdrawn and unsure—until she met a hors...
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