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The Big C
Living Beyond Diagnosis: Navigating Life with Incurable Cancer
Join us as we talk to Caitlin about living with stage 4 ovarian cancer.
Caitlin is an IVF Scientist and leader in healthcare with 25 years’ experience, Caitlin became ‘the patient’ herself when diagnosed with stage 4 clear cell ovarian cancer in 2017. After witnessing the impact of compassion in healthcare she founded CareFully, a compassion education business which aims to empower and support healthcare professionals to deliver compassionate care - via webinars, keynote addresses and workshops.
Caitlin is a passionate patient advocate for person-centred care and tirelessly campaigns for equity in access to best care for ALL cancer patients. Her advocacy work has led her to collaborate with numerous patient organisations and high-profile media campaigns, and to deliver keynote presentations including to the current and former Prime Ministers. Caitlin is on the Patient Advisory Boards of both the Chris O'Brien Lifehouse and Rare Cancers Australia and chairs the VCCC Alliance National Patient Advisory Committee. She is currently co-authoring a paper on compassion education, which will be published later this year.
Visit https://www.care-fully.com.au/our-founder for more information
Checkout Caitlin sharing her story for the Camilla and Marc 'Ovaries Talk About Them' campaign here - https://www.instagram.com/camillaandmarc/reel/C_FnVrmPMIb/
*Full disclosure, this was recorded back in May and Sam was sitting in a bedroom of an Airbnb she was staying in so apologies for her terrible audio.
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2. Jess Armstrong: Conquering Breast Cancer, Building FUCA, and Redefining Skincare
01:04:22||Season 2, Ep. 2Join us as we talk to Jess Armstrong.After facing breast cancer in 2023, Jess - founder, and director of FUCA Organic Skincare - found herself frustrated by the lack of effective skincare for chemo and radiation sensitised skin.The products recommended to her were filled with unnecessary fragrances and fillers, ingredients she no longer wanted in her beauty and personal care routine.With a background in product development and marketing, Jess knew she could do better. She set out to create FUCA, a line of fragrance-free, sophisticated formulas designed for even the most reactive, irritated skin - without compromising on aesthetics.Beyond building her brand, Jess is passionate about giving back. She supports Breast Cancer Network Australia (BCNA) and donates FUCA products to those undergoing treatment in oncology wards, ensuring others facing similar challenges have access to the gentle, effective skincare they deserve. In this episode, she shares her journey from diagnosis to entrepreneurship, her passion for clean skincare, and how FUCA is redefining the industry for those who need it most.LINKShttps://fucaorganic.com/https://www.cancerchicks.org.au/ https://autumn2025.shitboxrally.com.au/unicorn-squad (Shit Box Rally that Nikki mentions in the intro)https://thebigcpodcast.com/1. Season Two: Let's Kick it Off
16:06||Season 2, Ep. 1Nikki and Sam are back with Season 2 of The Big C!Join Nikki and Sam for another season of raw, honest and inspiring converations with those impacted by cancer - whether having faced a diagnosis of thier own or supporting a loved one.LINKShttps://thebigcpodcast.com/22. Season One: That's a Wrap
14:10||Season 1, Ep. 22THATS A WRAP! This episode is a really quick recap / wrap up of the very first season of The Big C.We not only shared our personal stories but brought on 14 inspiring guests who shared their powerful stories, and along the way, we learned so much.We have had an amazing time, and connected with so many wonderful people. The opportunities that have come our way have been truly humbling, and we’re so grateful for all the support. We’re taking a well-deserved break and can’t wait to return in 2025 for more meaningful conversations. Stay tuned!21. Barry Du Bois on Living with Myeloma
58:50||Season 1, Ep. 21Join us as we talk to Barry Du Bois.Many of you will know Barry as the co-host of the Logie award-winning lifestyle TV show The Livingroom, alongside Amanda Keller, Miguel Maestre and Dr Chris Brown.During that period of time, he also shared his own life experiences with Mental Health and Cancer.He talks to us about his experience with being diagnosed with two different types of Myeloma, 7 years apart.Barry is a proud board member of RUOK day and Leukemia Foundation ambassador who has become a sort after keynote speaker and coach specialising in Resilience, thriving after adversity and motivation.20. Bonus Episode: Surgery and Post Surgery
44:12||Season 1, Ep. 20In this episode Sam talks about her journey though surgery, post surgery and radiation.She shares what options she was given for surgery, how she was unexpectedly admitted back to hospital due to an infection and how recovery delayed her 3 weeks of radiation.19. Sun, Surf, and Skin Cancer: Anne Gately on Melanoma
55:39||Season 1, Ep. 19Join us as we talk to Anne Gately.Anne lived an average Aussie life - playing sport, spending long days on the beach, and falling in love with ocean swimming but in 2018 she was diagnosed with Stage IV melanoma and experienced first-hand the devastating effects of sun exposure.She is passionate about reducing the incidence of skin cancer in Australia by changing Australia’s cultural narrative and recently released her book ‘Sunburnt. A memoir of sun, surf and skin cancer’.For more information or to buy a copy of Anne's book visit https://www.annegately.com.au/18. Courage Amidst Grief: A Wife’s Journey Through Blood Cancer Loss
01:00:58||Season 1, Ep. 18Join us as we talk to Eleanor Keil.Eleanor talks to us about her husbands battle with Leukemia and how she navigates widow life with a strong faith in Jesus, while raising 4 beautiful children. She is passionate about paying it forward, and raising awareness on the importance of donating blood & becoming a bone marrow donor. As mentioned in the episode, for more information on blood and stem cell donation visit https://www.lifeblood.com.au/organ-and-tissue/blood-stem-cell#register17. Bonus Episode: Chemo, the Devil but it did its job
36:52||Season 1, Ep. 17In this week’s episode Sam shares details on the side effects she experienced throughout her 6 rounds of chemo.From her routine the evening and morning before treatment to how it impacted her mouth, the fatigue, a trip to the ED and a visit from the paramedics.Trigger warning: This may trigger Sam's beautiful family as well as those that have been through chemo.16. Decade of Survival: Navigating Breast Cancer's Journey
47:53||Season 1, Ep. 16Join us as we talk to Jodie Hampshire.Jodie is a mum of 4 and was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 37, out of the blue, only a couple of months into a new executive role in finance.10 years on, she is now cancer free, a non-executive director, speaker and meditation teacher, and is writing a book about ways of coping when life is tough.Jodie publishes monthly emails on intentional living and meditation, check out this one that covers cancer - https://view.flodesk.com/emails/65e6812854a01e47d01a2774