Aimee is an actress/writer living in Los Angeles. As a kid, she would tell stories to anyone that would listen- most of them not true. Instead of accepting that she was a pesky, lying little child, she did some soul searching at the ripe age of 10 and realized it was her future to be a storyteller!

Fast forwarding to today, she has momentum with her acting career, and has developed her voice as a writer. She's ready to tell her tall tales to executives who pay her for them! Aimee writes features that are led by interesting, dynamic and funny female characters, and loves to find levity even in dark moments of life… like cancer! Her current WIP, Breasties, is about her personal experience making friends while undergoing treatment for breast cancer.

Favorite things: breakfast burritos, dogs, Taylor Swift, low maintenance plants, and therapy.

You can catch Aimee as an actress in the upcoming A24 film, Opus (in theaters March 14th), and in Season 3 (Episode 4) of AMC’s Dark Winds.

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Interview with actress Aimee McGuire about her cancer journey, surrogacy experience, and return to acting.

Key Takeaways

- Aimee was diagnosed with breast cancer at 33 in 2022, underwent treatment, and is now cancer-free

- She and her husband are pursuing surrogacy to have children, facing both emotional and financial challenges

- Aimee's experience has given her a renewed appreciation for acting and a fresh perspective on her career

- She emphasizes the importance of community support and maintaining hope throughout difficult journeys

Topics

Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment

- Diagnosed with breast cancer in August 2022 at age 33

- No family history or genetic markers for breast cancer

- Treatment included chemotherapy, double mastectomy, lymph node removal, and radiation

- Underwent fertility preservation before treatment, resulting in two viable embryos

- Currently cancer-free but in medically-induced menopause to prevent hormone-related recurrence

Surrogacy Journey

- Pursuing surrogacy due to inability to carry children post-cancer treatment

- Working with a family member as surrogate to reduce costs and maintain a personal connection

- Facing financial challenges, redirecting funds from other areas of life to support the process

- Managing the surrogacy process independently without an agency, which is time-consuming but cost-effective

- Experienced one unsuccessful embryo transfer, preparing for the next attempt

Return to Acting

- Excited to return to auditioning after cancer treatment

- Faced challenges with changing appearance due to hair regrowth, requiring multiple headshot sessions

- Found a renewed appreciation for acting and the audition process

- Believes life experiences, including cancer, have informed and deepened her acting abilities

- More organized in managing the business side of acting

Emotional and Mental Impact

- Uses humor as a coping mechanism throughout her journey

- Emphasizes the importance of community support, both in-person and online

- Struggles with unsolicited opinions and judgments about surrogacy and fertility choices

- Maintains hope as a primary source of strength during difficult times

Financial Considerations

- Cancer treatment was expensive even with good insurance

- Some necessary treatments and therapies not covered by insurance

- Surrogacy process is costly, requiring careful financial planning and sacrifices

- Pursuing independent surrogacy journey to reduce agency fees and overall costs