MORTAL AND STRONG - The Podcast

Introducing our latest voice to be interviewed by Dr Liz Murray - the fabulous lady that is Gloria. Gloria shares so beautifully and honestly how life was feeling 'too much' with several challenges and then after being unwell for months without anyone finding a cause Gloria found a lump and skin changes on her breast. Gloria describes the classic 'orange peel' effect that can happen with certain types of breast cancer and shares the emotional responses to treatment and how she found ways to come through this. Gloria is a fierce example of someone who not just found a way to get through the most difficult of life challenges, but through coming through it has found herself a stronger and more life embracing version of herself. Gloria now is a very active member of the breast cancer community engaging with multiple charities across the UK to share her story and help promote awareness and representation. Thank you so much to Gloria for being one of our Voices and sharing her Scars of Gold for our campaign.Scars of Gold is a health awareness campaign sharing the voices of 100 women facing their mortality at a young age with life changing or incurable health conditions. Produced by the charity @mortalandstrong (No. 1209448).#podcast #podcastprevious #interview #mortalandstrong #scarsofgold #kintsugi #hope #pov #dr #art #documentary #realvoices #cancer #breastcancer #cancerpodcast #healthpodcast

Our latest Voice - the lovely and ever optimistic Laura H sharing with Dr Liz her experience of having tracheal cancer (a rare type of cancer Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma ACC), having a tracheostomy and the impact of this on her life. Laura woke one day to have a change in her voice but no sore throat, then began having breathing difficulties. For so many people this could have been dismissed as a viral infection but thankfully she was referred early for investigations which confirmed the rare cancer obstructing her trachea (windpipe). Laura immediately needed a tracheostomy which is a breathing tube into the neck which for Laura meant for months she was unable to talk. Laura shares the impact of going through a cancer diagnosis and treatment, unable to speak and in and out of intensive care. Laura recently had the tracheostomy removed before the interview with us and shares how having something rare and visible invited so much stigma and challenging questions from strangers in public. A wonderful interview discussing how to help others going through something like this, discussing the prejudice people can have of cancers needing to be 'caused' by something when actually they can happen for no obvious cause, and how these misperceptions need addressing in society. Thank you to Laura for sharing her Scars of Gold and experience with us and being part of the campaign.Scars of Gold is a health campaign sharing the voices of 100 women facing their mortality at a young age with life changing or incurable health conditions. Produced by the charity Mortal And Strong (1209448). Concept Dr Liz Murray, Photographer Sammy Weston. A campaign produced entirely with volunteers and support from organisations.#podcast #mortalandstrong #charity #mas #sog #scarsofgold #scarsofgoldcampaign #kintsugi #kintsugionscars #cancer #healthawareness #womenshealth #womenshealthinequalities #scarsofgoldtheevent #interview #documentary #pov #povcancer #tracheostomy #tracheacancer #acc #adenoidcysticcarcinoma

Our latest interview with Voice No. 80 in the Scars Of Gold campaign; Emma W. Emma shares her experienced of how finding a slight 'dent' in the skin of her breast became a life changing diagnosis of breast cancer requiring a double mastectomy. Emma is a wonderful example of how the need for humour and an optimistic but honest approach to life is needed. Emma shares with us a really important insight into how there is a profound difference between the transition from active treatment to long term treatment - a transition which society often doesn't fully understand or recognise. Emma shares how she approached remaining flat after a double mastectomy, and how she dealt with processing the adjustment to life after cancer; "You're supposed to carry on like normal - but I don't feel normal". A really lovely insight and reflection on what it is to be mortal and have life thrown upside down and how to approach it. Thank you to Emma for being another wonderful Voice and bringing so much positive energy and vibrance to the campaign.cars of Gold is a health awareness campaign sharing the voices of 100 women facing their mortality at a young age with life changing or incurable health conditions. Produced by the charity @mortalandstrong (No. 1209448).#podcast #podcastprevious #interview #mortalandstrong #scarsofgold #kintsugi #hope #pov #dr #art #documentary #realvoices #cancer #breastcancer

Our latest Voice to be interviewed for the Scars Of Gold campaign is the beautiful and always-smiling Jemma sharing her experience of triple negative breast cancer. Jemma is a nurse and shares how suddenly experiencing what it was to be a patient posed new perspectives. Jemma shares the honest challenges of having to make decisions quickly about fertility at a time when so much turbulence and confusion became overwhelming, but how it was with the wonderful strength and support from her family and friends that helped her get through it. Jemma's wonderful relationship with her father visiting her appointments with her, and finding humour and fun by embracing all opportunities that came her way through her journey. Jemma bought a puppy called Hope which helped give her a focus and purpose to distract her through that time of recovery and shares how important it was to her to seek support from other charities and how (in her words); the NHS treated her physically but it was the support of charities that repaired her as a person.Thank you to Jemma for being another wonderful Voice in our campaign and for being a volunteer and ambassador with the health support projects for the charity. Scars of Gold is a health awareness campaign sharing the voices of 100 women facing their mortality at a young age with life changing or incurable health conditions. Produced by the charity @mortalandstrong (No. 1209448).#podcast #podcastprevious #interview #mortalandstrong #scarsofgold #kintsugi #hope #pov #dr #art #documentary #realvoices #cancer #breastcancer #triplenegativebreastcancer #triplenegative #tnbc

Our latest interview with Dr Liz is the next Voice - the lovely and gentle human that is Astrid. Astrid shares how she has spent her entire adult life with major life changing health issues, which actually originally started from a childhood viral illness. Astrid had a childhood viral illness called Henoch Shonlein Purport which can be a simple uncomplicated illness, but in rare cases can cause kidney damage. For Astrid the HSP did cause kidney damage which went unnoticed. At 19 Astrid was diagnosed with high blood pressure but the underlying cause wasn't picked up on for several years by which point she had kidney failure, was started on renal dialysis and listed for an organ transplant. Astrid shares openly a very rare insight into the physical and emotional journey of being an organ donor recipient and how her donor lost her life but saved more than five others, and the result for Astrid meant she was then also able to go on and have children of her own. Not long after that investigation for a suspected fibroid actually identified a rare fallopian tube cancer - Leiomyosarcoma. A slow growing cancer which eventually spread to her spine and is now incurable.Astrid's pragmatic and philosophical approach to her health conditions shares a way of approaching life changing health conditions that is really profound and inspiring; how she refuses to be defined by her conditions and is fiercely determined to embrace life, continue to seek joy in things that bring her joy and focusing on the love for her family and sons. Astrid's mindset of being 'lucky in her unluckiness' is an example of how keeping focused on the positives and the present moment can have a profound impact on how one can come to terms with such major conditions. Thank you to Astrid for sharing her Scars Of Gold for this campaign.Scars of Gold is a health awareness campaign sharing the voices of 100 women facing their mortality at a young age with life changing or incurable health conditions. Produced by the charity @mortalandstrong (No. 1209448).#podcast #podcastprevious #interview #mortalandstrong #scarsofgold #kintsugi #hope #pov #dr #art #documentary #realvoices #cancer #leiomyosarcoma #sarcoma #secondarycancer #radiotherapy #kidneyfailure #hsp #hypertension #renalfailure #organtransplant #organdonor #renaltransplant #kidneytransplant #dialysis #mortal #womenshealth #healthmatters #healthadvocate #healthinequalities

Our latest interview in the Scars of Gold campaign is with Hayley who shares insight into what it is to have multiple chronic health conditions and how it takes mental strength to not let the relentlessness take it's toll. Hayley has experienced cancer, endometriosis, ME, anaphylaxis and surgical complications. After experiencing an extremely rare complication during surgery whereby Hayley 'woke up' during surgery but couldn't move, Hayley developed PTSD and had to find a way to cope with the need for further surgeries given her ovarian cancer diagnosis. Hayley has such a positive and gentle life-affirming approach to life that has helped her stay focused despite the multiple health issues. Another incredible interview and we are proud to include Hayley as both Voice and artist as part of the Scars of Gold campaign.Scars of Gold is a health awareness campaign sharing the voices of 100 women facing their mortality at a young age with life changing or incurable health conditions. Produced by the charity @mortalandstrong (No. 1209448).#podcast #podcastprevious #interview #mortalandstrong #scarsofgold #kintsugi #hope #pov #dr #art #documentary #realvoices #ovariancancer #endometriosis #cancer #endo #me #chronicfatiguesyndrome #disability #diversity #inclusivity #adaptablefashion #mortal #womenshealth #healthmatters #healthadvocate #healthinequalities