December 17, 2010 - Lisa Bernhard of i2y.com Talking more "stupid cancer" with breast cancer survivor and the co-producer/co host of The Stupid Cancer Show & VP of Marketing and media for i2y.com Lisa Bernhard. When Lisa was diagnosed 15 years ago there wasn't a young adult cancer movement like there is now. Lisa met Stupid Cancer founder Matt Zachary via a mutual friend and the rest, as they say, is history. Lisa Bernhard uses her background as a nationally known entertainment journalist to find inspiring guests for The Stupid Cancer Show. [Click Here To Listen]
December 10, 2010 - Jennifer Windrum of WTFlungcancer.com When Jennifer Windrum's mom, a non-smoker, was diagnosed with lung cancer, Jennifer was shocked. She took her P.R. background and started advocating for lung cancer & lung cancer funding. Did you know that 60% of those diagnosed with lung cancer have either never smoked or are former smokers who quit decades ago? Check out Jennifer's advocacy organization WTF or Where's the Funding for Lung Cancer. [Click Here To Listen]
12.02.10 Survivor and Advocate - Chad Darnell Chad Darnell is someone that I worked with on the television show Crossing Jordan. That is not all we have in common. We are both cancer survivors. Chad is a testicular cancer survivor, writer, producer and is heavily involved in charities in Los Angeles including Project Angel Food and AIDS Project LA. Find out more about Chad, and what you can do to help. [Click Here To Listen]
11.27.10 Kokolulu Cancer Farms & Retreats What happens when the caregiver also becomes a cancer survivor? You give back. Meet Lew & Karin. Karin was an oncology nurse and took care of her husband Dave while he was on chemo for 10 years. He eventually passed due to his cancer. Then she became a survivor herself. She and her current husband Lew bought a farm on the big island of Hawaii and founded a free cancer retreat for cancer survivors Kokolulu Cancer Farm and Retreats. [Click here to Listen]
11.19.10 Martin from Laptops of Love - If you had an old laptop or desktop computer at home you weren't using would you just get rid of it, or donate it to an organization that refurbishes it for children going through chemo? That is what Martin does. He will take your old computer and personalize it specifically for a child and that is why his organization is called Laptops of Love. [Click to Play]
11.12.10 Cancer Survivor Brett Wilson of walking miracles.org - Brett Wilson was diagnosed with ALL at 2 years old he was given 6 months to live. That was about 38 years ago. Some have called Brett a walking miracle. Brett wants to give back to the cancer community by helping cancer patients with their survivorship by being a patient navigator. Learn more about this two-time childhood cancer survivor at Walking Miracles. [Click to Play]
10.30.10 Cancer Survivor and Adcocate Bekki Nill - For some people hockey is just a sport, but for myself and for Bekki Nill, it helps fight cancer. Bekki is the wife of the Assistant General Manager of the Detroit Red Wings, a breast cancer survivor, and a tireless advocate for advocacy & patient empowerment. [Click to Play]
10.22.10 Rob of Project Boobies - When Rob found out that Kokolulu, a free retreat for cancer survivors in Hawaii was ripped off, he wanted to help. He founded an organization that helps fund Kokolulu called project boobies. [Click to Play]
10.14.10 Doreen Puglisi of the Pink Ribbon Program - When Doreen first started the pink ribbon program she never expected the impact it would have on her personally. After designing the program for breast cancer survivors she was faced with her own diagnosis just a few years later. Find out more about this inspiring woman and the pink ribbon program she created that has now helped thousands of cancer survivors find much more than just range of motion and rehabilitation. [Click to Play]
10.08.10 Author Melinda Marchiano - You are fourteen years old and you are diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma, what do you do? You write a book! Melinda Marchiano wrote Grace: A Child's Intimate Journey Through Cancer. She is also a public speaker and she wants to become an oncologist to help others! Find out more about this inspirational young lady. [Click to Play]
09.30.10 Matthew Zachary of "I'm too Young for This Foundation"- Matthew Zachary is a 14-year brain cancer survivor. He founded an organization called I'm Too Young for This Foundation , an organization that is the voice for young adult cancer survivors. I was one of stupid cancer's original bloggers in 2007. I believe Matt helped me find my voice as a blogger and advocate for cancer survivors. His organization has helped thousands of cancer survivors like myself get through treatment & survivorship and connect other young adult survivors who have gone through cancer. [Click to Play]
09.23.10 Lynette of Gateway for Cancer Research - When Lynette found out she was pregnant she was happy, but she also found out that she had breast cancer. Many doctors told her to terminate her pregnancy in order to live. Lynette didn't want to do that. She went to the Cancer Treatment Centers of America. Not only is she cancer free, she has a healthy 12-year-old son. Lynette liked the Cancer Treatment Centers of America so much she started volunteering and now she is the CEO of Gateway for Cancer Research a research org where 99 cents of every dollar goes to cancer research. [Click to Play]
09.17.10 Julie of Pancreatic Cancer Action Network - When Julie's mom passed away from pancreatic cancer in 2008 she was devastated. Julie wanted to find out more about the disease, so she went on the internet. She found the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, she was so impressed by part of their mission to create hope for those with pancreatic cancer, that she is now the event coordinator for the Milwaukee Affliate. [Click to Play]
9.10.10 Carey Fitzmaurice of Tealtoes.org - When Carey Fitzmaurice was diagnosed with Ovarian cancer she wanted to raise awareness in a unique way for this "silent killer." She founded a great organization to raise awareness called tealtoes.org [Click to Play]
09.02.10 Melissa Jones of Alexslemonade.org - Imagine if you were a child and all you had ever known was cancer. That was Alex Scott, who was diagnosed with Neuroblastoma before her first birthday in 1996. Alex battled cancer hard, and day after her fourth birthday, she told her mom that when she got out of the hospital she wanted to have a lemonade stand. She said she wanted to give the money to doctors who had helped her. Amazingly she had raised 2,000 for "her" hospital. Alex held lemonade stands every year until her death in 2004 at the age of 8, but she knew that with her help many people had started their own lemonade stands and raised over $1 million for Alex's Lemonade Stand. [Click to Play]
08.27.10 Idelle Davidson of YourBrainafterchemo.com - Being faced with a cancer diagnosis is hard, so is the treatment. Every cancer survivor has side effects from chemo, but what if they continue long after treatment is over? Idelle Davidson is a breast cancer survivor and author. She discusses chemobrain, some of its symptoms, what you can do to help manage it and how it affected her in her book Your Brain After Chemo. [Click to Play]
8.20.10 Eric Galvez of Masskickers.org - Imagine following your dream of becoming a physical therapist only to need one yourself. Thats what happened to Eric Galvez, he was diagnoses with a meningioma, a brain tumor. Fortunately for Eric it was benign, but he had to give up his dream of being a physical therapist and start the road to recovery. During this time he wrote a book called Reversal: When a Therapist Becomes a Patient, and wanted to give back to help others, so he started an organization to help other brain tumor and brain cancer patients called masskickers.org [Click to Play]
8.12.10 Kathy Betz of Bike4BreastCancer.org - When Kathy Betz first started bike riding for charity she had no idea that soon after her mother would be diagnosed with breast cancer. Wanting to help her mom and the local women in the community she founded bike4breastcancer.org. [Click to Play]
08.05.10 Deloris and Mark Bailey - When Deloris and Mark Bailey's son Brandon was diagnosed with cancer when he was 4 years old they wanted to give him something that would make him feel at ease when he was at the hospital. They gave him a chemo bear and told him that everything he goes through the bear will go through too. That was 6 years ago and Brandon is in remission. Deloris and Mark want to give all children diagnosed with cancer a chemo bear and that is why they started friendslikeus.org [Click to Play]
07.29.10 Jack Bouffard i2y.com - Imagine if you were a young adult survivor and you go to your local hospital to find resources to help you cope with cancer and survivorship and all you find is resources for the older cancer patient. What would you do. You would look on the internet for support. That is exactly what Jack Bouffard did. Not only did he find information about i2y.com, but now he is a part time employee, helping other cancer patients navigate through treatment and survivorship. [Click to Play]
07.20.10 Recording Artist Sarah Mattea - When recording artist Sarah Mattea's friend Nadia got ovarian cancer, she wanted to write a song for her. Unfortunately instead of singing "I Am Here to Stay (Nadia's Song)" at Nadia's benefit party, she sang it at her memorial service. Find out more about Nadia, the amazing young woman who inspired this song, at nadsquad.com. Find out more about recording artist and singer Sarah Mattea at her Facebook page, and how she is donating a portion of the proceeds of the song to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund ocrf.org . [Click To Play]
07.15.10 Darren Neuberger of Let's Talk About It - Imagine if you were diagnosed with cancer and you were in treatment in the hospital for 2 years, and you were still able to maintain a positive mental attitude. What would you do? Give back of course! Meet Darren Neuberger of letstalkaboutit.viviti.com, an acute lymphocytic leukemia survivor, radio show host, author, life coach and Inspirational speaker. [Click To Play]
07.09.10 Doug Ulman of Live Strong - Imagine you are 19 and in college, you have the whole world ahead of you, then you have 3 seperate cancer diagnoses. How would you react? Would you give back? That is exactly what Doug Ulman did. In addition to creating the ulmanfund.org for young adults he is also the ceo of livestrong.com [Click to play]
07.01.10 Joe Bacal of www.controlamidchaos.com - When people are faced with a cancer diagnosis, they tend to take a look at their life and make changes. That is exactly what Hodgkins Lymphoma survivor Joe Bacal did. He gave up his job as a test driver for Toyota and became a Baja Racer. Not only that, he won his first race. Find out how he compares his racing to cancer and why it is Control Amid Chaos at controlamidchaos.com [Click to Play]
06.24.10 Julie Houlker and Glenda Standeven from ChoosingToSmile.com - How would you react if you were told you had breast cancer, then a recurrance? What if you were told that you had to have your leg surgically removed in order to save your life? That is what happened to Julie Houlker and Glenda Standeven. Even with everything they have gone through, they are still choosingtosmile.com [Click to Play]
06.17.10 Ryan Hamner has been in and out of hospitals since he was 3 years old, is a 4-time cancer survivor and an accomplished musician. He is giving back to the cancer community in a unique way. He is on tour to Hope Lodges and Hospitals across the Southeast playing his inspirational music to other cancer survivors. Ryan's music and tour schedule can be found at hearthehearttour.com. [Click to Play]
06.11.10 Talking about lymphoma advocacy with caregiver Karl Schwartz and survivor Liz McMillan. They created lymphomation.org and patients against lymphoma on facebook. [Click to Play]
06.03.10 - Lynn Lane of www.voiceofsurvivors.org - Meet Lynn Lane, a prostate cancer survivor who gives back to the cancer community by giving survivors a voice. Its all about survivorship on this weeks podcast. voicesofsurvivors.org [Click to Play]
05.28.10 Pat Moon - If you found out you had cancer would you put your treatment on hold to follow your dream? That is what Pat Moon did. Pat is a Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma survivor, who put off his treatment last year to race in the Iditarod. [Click to Play]
05.21.10 Christine Miserandino - How would you react if in your teens everything you dreamt of doing was gone. That's what happened to Christine Miserandino, she was diagnosed with lupus at sixteen while she was training to be a dancer. She had to give up that dream, but she found a new cause, championing lupus awareness with her humor, courage and her website butyoudontlooksick.com. [Click to Play]
05.14.10 - Survivor Douglas White - Imagine if you went to the dentist to get your wisdom teeth removed and you found out you had cancer. That's what happened to Douglas White a stage four Squamous Cell Carcenoma of the tongue and neck survivor. Doug has kept a positive mental attitude throughout treatment and survivorship. [Click to Play]
05.05.10 Dr. Heidi Huck - Empower Radio's Mel Majoros talks with Dr. Heidi Huck, a 17-year breast cancer survivor and gastroenterologist at Great Lake Digestive Health Associates in Michigan. She shares her unique perspective of being a Doctor and a cancer survivor. [Click to Play]
04.28.10 Lara Ryan of Comfyforchemo.org - Lara Ryan's sister Kimberly Hansen was diagnosed with Stage 4 colorectal cancer. During her chemo treatments she had a blanket that her family gave her. She noticed other patients didn't have a comfy blanket like hers. It was Kimberly's last wish to have some comfort like that during treatment. Listen as the Cancer Warrior, Empower Radio's Mel Majoros, talks about how comfyforchemo.org was born. [Click to Play]
04.21.10 Aaron Spicer of Stupidcancer.com - If you were a young person diagnosed with a rare form of a late stage cancer how would you react? And once you were done with treatment would you help others? Empower Radio’s Mel Majoros speaks with Aaron Spicer, a young adult survivor who helps other young adult survivors get busy living with help from stupidcancer.com. [Click to Play]
04.14.10 Alisa Savoretti of My Hope Chest - If there was an organization to help uninsured women get their breast reconstruction done after mastectomy, would you help it? There is, and breast cancer survivor Alisa Savoretti needs your help to keep it going. Find out how you can help myhopechest.org. [Click to Play]
04.07.10 Derek Fussell of camodreams.org - If you are a parent of a child with disabilities or a terminal illness and your child wants to go on a hunt or a fishing adventure where would you take them? I talk to Derek Fussell, who has a great organization that does just that called camodreams.org. [Click to Play]
03.31.10 Cancer survivor Angella Hamilton - What would you do if your insurance was cancelled after your treatment and you still had prescriptions to take? Angella Hamilton, a breast cancer survivor talks about life after cancer, her prescriptions which cost her almost $1,000 a month and how rxaid.us helped her.
03.24.10 Donald Wilhelm of This Time's A Charm - Imagine having cancer not once or twice but five times over the course of ten years and still maintain a positive mental attitude throughout. Meet Donald Wilhelm, an inspiring cancer survivor and author of Thistimesacharm.com.
03.17.10 Jason Sissel of Endure to Cure - Just carry on my spirit is what Jason Sissel's grandfather asked him to do shortly before passing away from cancer. Jason did just that by helping kids with pediatric cancer by founding enduretocure.org
03.10.10 Paul Poth of targetcancer.info - Imagine being diagnosed with a rare form of cancer at the age of 38, a cancer so rare even the doctors don't know how to treat it. That is what happened to Paul Poth. Find out about his inspiring life, why he started targetcancer.info, and about his friends Michael Goodenow and Carl Bishop. They wrote a song in his honor and you can listen to it on happyendingsongs.com
03.03.10 Andrew Gemmel of Protectyourpair.org - Imagine being in and out of hospitals your whole life because of heart problems, surviving cancer not once but twice, maintain a postive mental attitude throughout all that and be only 24 years old. Meet Andrew Gemmel, an inspiring cancer survivor who wants to give back to the cancer community and has started a non profit called protectyourpair.org
02.24.10 Mike Moroz of Face The Sun - Mike Moroz wrote a script about a family who faces a misdiagnosis of cancer. It was based upon his friends life, and inspiring battle with cancer. It's a story about hope, courage and living life to its fullest. Find out why I think this movie should made and check out the website for yourself at facethesunmovie.com
02.18.10 Dealing With Dad -What do you do when your loved one with cancer is in denial and doesn't want your help? I talk to a brother and sister about that. Find out how "bro" and "sis" deal with their dad. dealingwithdad.wordpress.com.
02.10.10 BreastCancer.org - When you think of a fundraiser for your event, would you think of bowling? I speak to Hope Wohl CEO of BreastCancer.org and Karen Young, Director of Marketing of Breastcancer.org. Find out how this event came about, how they got high caliber corporations such as ING, Proctor & Gamble and Turner Broadcasting behind their event, and how you start your own bowling fundraiser.
2.5.10 World Cancer Day - Mel gives her opinion on World Cancer Day and what change she would like to see.
01.26.10 Jim Laughlin from LIfeIsGood.com - What started out as a dream for two brothers in Boston. Find out how Bert and John Jacobs wanted to spread the message of positivity with their t-shirts. Their cousin, Director of Communications Jim Laughlin tells me how it all started with just a simple thought, that Life is good. http://www.lifeisgood.com
01.20.10 Andy Koehn from thirtyseconds.us. Caregiver and husband Andy Koehn discusses his wife Laura's battle with stage four breast cancer, how he is coping with her loss, and how he is living in the moment. Visit his website thirtyseconds.us.
01.16.10 Georginne Bradley from Imaging Foundation - When you get cancer it changes everything, not only your world, but the world around you. Find out what uterine cancer survivor Georginne Bradley is doing to save the oceans and what you can do to help by going to her website imagingfoundation.org
01.06.10 Signify Pink - What started out as a fundraiser for a colleague at a hospital in Iowa is now a growing company that sells inspirational apparel & merchandise with the slogan: "Fight Like a Girl". Account Exec Glenda Elliott shares how you can fight cancer with your own unique fundraisers with signifypink.com
12.28.09 Your Health - 4 minutes that could save a life. Mel shares her personal experiences about the importance of getting a physical and being proactive with your own health.
12.21.09 Ovarian Cancer - Learn the symptoms of Ovarian Cancer that can often go unnoticed, and what you can talk to your doctor about to find out if you are at risk. Guests are Dr. Daniel J. VerBurg OB/GYN of Verburg Gynecology in Petoskey, Michigan, and ovarian cancer survivors Liz Corey and Vicki Allen. Vicki became an ovarian cancer advocate after her diagnosis and now works for the Arizona Chapter of the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition: ovarian.org
12.15.09 The inspiring story of Tabitha DeGruy. Tabitha spent the first three years of her life in Children's Hospital due to birth abnormalities. She was born without a right arm and at 9 months old her right leg had to be amputated, but that didn't stop her from keeping a positive attitude and a desire to help others. She started an organization called A fiveOh4 Uplifting which creates goody bags and uplifting mail for Children and adults battling any illness or disability, children and women in homeless shelters, and anyone who needs uplifting. She is definitely an inspiration. Visit Tabitha's website www.afiveoh4uplifting.org
12.08.09 New Cervical Cancer Guidelines & Health Care Debate - Mel is joined in a spirited debate by Conrad Fischer, MD, doctor, and author of Routine Miracles (routinemiracles.org), and cervical cancer survivor Tamika Felder of tamikaandfriends.org.
11.30.09 Sherill Smith of Yoga Bear. Yoga Bear is an all volunteer non-profit organization dedicated to providing cancer survivors with more opportunities for wellness and healing through the practice of yoga at yogabear.org.
11.24.09 Colon cancer survivor Vicki Barrilieux. Her story will be featured in a commercial during the Thanksgiving broadcast of Kaleidoscope: A Celebration of Survivorship Through Sport and Song on Fox Television. Vicki will share her inspiring personal story and how she got involved with this event.
11.23.09 Mel talks about the new government mammography guidelines with Kathy Jacobsen, RN and the Community Health Educator of Charlevoix (MI) area hospital cah.org, I also speak with Tasha hall a young adult breast cancer survivor who was diagnosed when she was 26 and is currently in treatment. Finally we speak to Ann Murray Paige, 38, breast cancer survivor, journalist and filmmaker of The Breast Cancer Diaries
11.11.09 Meaghan Edelstein of spiritjump.org. Meaghan was diagnosed with stage 3B cervical cancer at the age of 28. She was given little chance of survival but decided to fight. During her numerous surgeries, treatments and radiation she recieved cards and gifts from family, friends and strangers. She wanted to make a difference and thought about how the cards and gifts she received raised her spirits. Spirit Jump allows people to send a card or gift to a cancer fighter or survivor, to lift their spirits, just as hers were lifted.
11.04.09 Lisa Jacuzzo of www.livelifesolid.com is Mel's special guest. LiveLifeSolid produces gifts with inspirational and positive messages. Sick of seeing all the negativity everywhere, LiveLifeSolid was formed, bringing their own "solidisms" (inspirational sayings) and positive mojo to clothing, and gifts.
10.26.09 Mel is joined by Stacy Martello from Fight Pink, a group Stacy and her daughter Amanda founded. Amanda is a Muay Thai boxer, and wanted to "fight" in the ring for her mother and others diagnosed with Breast Cancer. Diagnosed in April of 2008, Stacy overcame her diagnosis and felt the need to give back to her community and the Breast Cancer community at large. Fight Pink is a non profit organization that connects survivors, children of survivors and others in the breast cancer community. Stacy and Mel talk about the "pinking" of products during breast cancer awareness month. Learn more at fightpink.org.
About Mel Majoros:
Mel Majoros, currently in remission, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2007. On a lucky break after her cancer surgery she was offered a job as a producer on a local talk sports show in Michigan where she advocates about cancer and other health related topics. During that time she started blogging and her blog www.Thecancerwarrior.blogspot.com has been named one of the top ten breast cancer blogs by blogs.com. She brings a unique perspective to being a survivor, always keeping a positive attitude and an athletes mentality for dealing with cancer and survivorship. Prior to working in radio Mel was a 10 year veteran of the television industry working on such shows as Walker, Texas Ranger and Crossing Jordan.
