Dear Cancer, I'm Beautiful

This episode is part of the special series Empowered Intimacy: Getting Your Sexy Back After Breast Cancer, where getting your sexy back is about reclaiming confidence, connection, and desire after a breast cancer diagnosis. Melissa Berry sits down with Chelsey Pickthorn, a patient advocate living with stage four triple-negative breast cancer, and Dr. Don Dizon, Chief of Hematology and Oncology at Tufts Medicine and a national leader in sexual health and inclusive cancer care.  They explore the challenges LGBTQ+ individuals face with intimacy, dating, body image, and relationships after a cancer diagnosis. Chelsey shares her experiences navigating disclosure, reconstruction, caregiving, and connection, while Dr. Dizon highlights gaps in healthcare for LGBTQ+ patients.  This honest and hopeful conversation offers guidance, empowerment, and advocacy for inclusive care. Thank you to Lilly, Merck, and Novartis for making this episode possible.  

In this episode, Melissa sits down with Dr. Anne Peled, a board-certified plastic surgeon and breast cancer survivor, to answer the questions patients often wish they had asked before their mastectomy. Drawing from both her professional expertise and personal experience, Dr. Peled guides listeners through the emotional and physical considerations that can be overlooked before surgery. This conversation is essential for anyone preparing for a mastectomy, including patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals, offering the insights needed to feel informed, confident, and ready for a consult. Don't go into surgery wondering what you didn't ask. Tune in to get the answers you need before your mastectomy!

Melissa sits down with Dr. Laila Agrawal, a board-certified breast oncologist who leads a sexual health clinic dedicated to the breast cancer community. As part of the "Empowered Intimacy: Getting Your Sexy Back After Breast Cancer" series, they talk about how to restore sexual comfort, pleasure, and connection after a breast cancer diagnosis. Dr. Agrawal offers practical guidance on vibrators, lubricants, vaginal estrogen, and pelvic floor therapy, while clearing up common misconceptions and stressing the importance of open communication with both partners and providers. This episode focuses on both the emotional and physical sides of intimacy and teaches listeners how to regain desire, comfort, and confidence in their sexual health after a breast cancer diagnosis. Special thanks to Lilly and Novartis for supporting the Cancer Fashionista Foundation and making this series possible.

In this episode, host Melissa Berry sits down with Dr. Rebecca Knackstedt, a dedicated and compassionate plastic surgeon and Assistant Professor of Surgery at Duke University to discuss the transformative power of breast pre-habilitation.  Specializing in microsurgical breast reconstruction and certified in Functional Medicine, Dr. Knackstedt has cared for thousands of women preparing for breast cancer surgery. She is passionate about helping patients use evidence-based strategies, including nutrition, supplementation, stress management, and sleep optimization, to take an active role in their healing. Together, they explore how this powerful yet often overlooked step can significantly enhance recovery, improve outcomes, reduce complications, and provide a greater sense of strength and control during your breast cancer experience.  

In this episode of "Empowered Intimacy: Getting Your Sexy Back After Breast Cancer," host Melissa Berry opens up an important conversation about dating, intimacy, and meaningful connection after a breast cancer diagnosis. She is joined by Dani Trops, breast cancer advocate, a young survivor and content creator known for her honesty, humor, and empowering approach to sharing life after cancer, and her husband, Aaron Myers-Walls, who offers the perspective of a partner navigating love, connection, and intimacy through survivorship. Together, Dani and Aaron talk about why honesty, communication, and trying new ways to connect are key to maintaining intimacy as a relationship evolves. They share real experiences and practical insights to show that after breast cancer, dating and building trust, confidence, and meaningful connection is absolutely possible — answering the question, "Am I even dateable after breast cancer?" Special thanks to Lilly and Merck for making this episode possible.