The Cancer Pod: Integrative Medicine Talk

128 Episodes

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Inherited: A Life Without a Cure with Melanie Ezell

2026-09-3055:11

When faced with a Stage IV terminal cancer diagnosis at age 37, how do you keep living, surfing big waves, and raising a child? In this powerful episode, author and big-wave surfer Melanie Ezell joins Leah to share her unfiltered story of surviving Stage IV ovarian cancer, navigating recurrences, and finding profound joy despite an incurable diagnosis. Melanie, author of the memoir Inherited: A Life Without a Cure and writer behind the popular Substack An Incurable Life, opens up about using ...

Life, Illustrated with James Burns, Artist and Prostate Cancer Advocate

2026-09-1638:30

What happens when a graphic designer decides to document his own cancer diagnosis in a comic, panel by panel? Georgia-based artist and prostate cancer education advocate James Burns joins Leah to talk about his autobiographical medical graphic novels “The Death of Me” and “The Half-Life,” which chronicle his stage 4A prostate cancer diagnosis, treatment, and life after. James shares why he posted his diagnosis publicly on Instagram and how he pushes back on the expectation that men need to st...

Can Exercise Actually Fight Cancer? The Science of Movement with JC Rodriguez

2026-09-0241:53

Can working out actually change what's happening inside your body during cancer treatment? Dr. Leah Sherman sits down with certified clinical exercise physiologist JC Rodriguez to unpack the real science behind exercise and cancer—including how movement may redirect blood flow away from tumors, alter tumor metabolism, and boost immune surveillance. JC breaks down what this looks like in practice: how to move through severe fatigue with “mentally small” wins like a 5-minute walk or in-...

Sound Healing with Sandy Duarte

2026-08-1932:45

What if sound could help you heal? Sandy Duarte is an award-winning actress, author, Stage IV non-Hodgkin lymphoma survivor, registered yoga instructor, and one of OncoDaily's 2026 Top 100 Most Influential Cancer Survivors. While undergoing aggressive chemotherapy, she turned to crystal singing bowls to calm her nervous system. Her practice has expanded into sound baths, women’s retreats, and community healing, bringing the singing bowls to hospitals, corporate settings, and museum ins...

End-of-Life Planning with Dr. Susan Abernethy

2026-08-0532:50

Death is a topic most of us avoid...until we can’t. But what if talking about it early actually gave us more peace, not less? In this episode, Leah sits down with Dr. Susan Abernethy, founder of Mudança Healing, whose path from naturopathic medicine and nonprofit leadership (including Make-A-Wish) led her to become an end-of-life doula. Susan shares how having honest conversations early, especially after a cancer or dementia diagnosis, can ease the pressure of rapid-fire medical decisions, br...

#box-pro-ellipsis-179124235338233{-webkit-line-clamp:2;}The Cancer Pod: Integrative Medicine Talk

The Cancer Pod: Integrative Medicine Talk