Episodes
June 21, 2022
Not Dead Yet
The cancer journey can introduce many changes into a patient's life, creating new obstacles and challenges for them to endure. But taking on a new life philosophy may be able to support patients in managing these difficultie…
June 7, 2022
A Fork In The Road
Experiencing an unforeseen circumstance like cancer can cause your life to deviate from the path you had initially set out upon. This episode of Life on Pause discusses cancer's impact as a "fork in the road" and how it can …
May 31, 2022
Palliative Care
The role of healthcare professionals is to support the health and comfort of patients through each phase of their treatment. This episode of Life on Pause discusses the sensitive topic of palliative care, and listeners are e…
May 10, 2022
Chemotherapy: What to Expect
Chemotherapy involves so much more than just treating cancer. Chemotherapy treatments involve various side effects that can challenge patients mentally, physically, and emotionally. On this episode of Life on Pause, our host…
April 26, 2022
Hardship on Treatment
Life with cancer looks different for everyone, and for young people especially, it can be challenging to manage a diagnosis while still moving forward with life's other experiences. On this episode of Life on Pause, our host…
April 12, 2022
First Descents: The Therapeutic Effects of Adventure
Even after recovery, cancer can still leave challenging effects on those who have experienced it. However, taking part in a new adventure can be beneficial and healing for cancer survivors. First Descents is a program for yo…
March 22, 2022
Hershey’s First Bone Marrow Transplant: A Caregiver’s Journey
The cancer journey can have a profound impact on the patient and those close by providing support. Finding oneself in the role of caregiver for a cancer patient can be an emotionally exhausting experience for a young adult, …
March 8, 2022
Brain Tumors
So many aspects of our lives rely on our brains’ health and proper functioning. For individuals who have been diagnosed with brain tumors at a young age, their cancer experiences have had lasting effects on them physically, …
Feb. 22, 2022
Survivor’s Guilt
There are many complex emotions involved with the experience of having cancer. While people often want to view cancer as a victorious journey with positivity and hope, the reality of the fact is it can involve many emotional…
Feb. 8, 2022
Love Amidst Cancer
As young adults, handling relationships can be challenging, as we are often in transformative periods within our lives. But on top of managing schoolwork, careers, and life, experiencing a cancer diagnosis can lead to a whol…
Jan. 4, 2022
The holiday season: sharing joy with loved ones
The holiday season holds a very special place in the hearts of many and is often symbolized by unique themes and activities that make a home feel more like home. For individuals who have experienced cancer, these unique trad…
Dec. 21, 2021
Five Things to Say
The topic of cancer is sensitive, and because of this, people often face difficulty addressing it with cancer patients or people experiencing cancer symptoms. This episode provides listeners with a variety of responses to th…
Dec. 7, 2021
Sisters and Brothers Chime In On Cancer
When a young person has cancer, in reality, the whole family ‘has’ cancer. We invited siblings to share their experience when their sister or brother was diagnosed and underwent treatment. The siblings explore: Who does the …
Nov. 16, 2021
First Cancer, Now Avascular Necrosis?!?
Avascular necrosis (AVN) causes pain in the joints (mainly the weigh-bearing joints of the legs) and is associated with chemotherapy and steroid use during cancer treatment. The chronic pain connected with AVN can greatly i…
Nov. 2, 2021
Diagnosis Stories
For each young adult diagnosed with cancer, a doctor speaks a few words and a new chapter in life begins. This collection of stories captures the similarities and differences in young adults’ experiences leading up to diagno…
Oct. 19, 2021
What’s Cancer Got To Do With Fertility and Fertility Preservation?
When faced with a cancer diagnosis as a young adult, the last thing you expect is to make a quick decision about sperm-banking or egg preservation. After treatment ends and the dust begins to settle, you’re faced with questi…
Oct. 5, 2021
Guys Respond: Hair
What is hair loss due to cancer treatment like for guys? Three guys weigh in about hair in response to the Women Talking Hair podcast episode. For two of these young men, their hair didn’t come back the same as before trea…
Sept. 21, 2021
The Psychology of Survival with psychologist, Dr. George Blackall and survivorship social worker, Sara Merrill
The Life on Pause crew chats with Dr. Blackall and Sara about the emotional impact of a cancer diagnosis. How does a young adult navigate the emotional territory of mortality, fear, anxiety and survivor’s guilt? How do I do …
Sept. 7, 2021
Scar Stories: Markers of Cancer Survivors
Whether small or large, physical scars often mark the bodies of cancer survivors. In this episode, the Life on Pause crew shares stories of moving through the world with a body and spirit transformed by the experience of can…
Aug. 24, 2021
Young Women Talking Hair
A group of young women discuss how hair loss as part of their cancer treatment affected their life and identity. The group ranges in age and experience from the early teenage years to the late twenties, middle and high schoo…
Aug. 10, 2021
Milestones: Graduation
What happens to the usual milestones like graduation when you throw cancer into the mix? Seven 2021 graduates reflect on cancer’s impact on this milestone—some of the graduates were treated as young children and others more…
July 20, 2021
Ewings Sarcoma
What is Ewings Sarcoma? In this episode, three young adults describe it from the inside out while Dr. Joe Drabick provides the medical description. Special thanks to University of Florida for partnering with Penn State Hea…
July 6, 2021
You’re Stronger Than You Believe: Reflections on Limb Loss
Four young adults with amputations due to their cancer treatment reflect on their experience. They share what it was like to come to terms with the limb loss, adapting to the new reality, interacting with the public and much…
June 15, 2021
Between Two Kingdoms Discussion
You finish cancer treatment and then what? Suleika Jaouad's memoir, Between Two Kingdoms, beautifully captures the young adult cancer experience. Traveling through diagnosis to discovering and creating a life after treatment…