So Now I’ve Got Breast Cancer

Everything you need to know about Lymphoedema with Dr Melanie Thomas

Are you scared that you’ll get lymphoedema? Has anyone actually told you what it is? Do you wonder if there’s anything you can do to prevent it ? I’ve had so many questions about this - and it’s something that has worried me ever since I was diagnosed all those years ago. On this episode, I’m going to put your mind at ease and tell you everything you need to know with this week’s guest Dr Melanie Thomas. She’s the National Clinical Lead for Lymph Wales and she’s my go-to woman whenever I’ve got a question about lymphoedema.

 

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You can email Melanie at  LymphoedemaNetworkWales@wales.nhs.uk

 

To find out more about lymphoedema and LVA surgery, visit her website 

 

You can also follow Melanie on Twitter (X) 

 

If you want to read more of  Donna Ashworth’s poems, her new book ‘Wild Hope’ is available in all online bookstores. You can find out more about Donna on her website, or follow her on Instagram and Facebook

 

If you’ve got a question for me, then please get in touch online or send me a voice note. You can find me on social media (see below), or e-mail me at hello@oriordan.co.uk . 

 

If you want to find out more about breast cancer whilst you’re waiting for the next episode to drop, you can watch the videos on my YouTube Channel  or read my book ‘The Complete Guide to Breast Cancer: How to Feel Empowered and Take Control’

 

If you’re nosey and want to find out more about my life, my memoir  ‘Under The Knife’ - is available in all good bookshops.

 

You can follow me on social media for regular updates - Instagram, Twitter and Facebook 

Finally, if you loved the show and want to help other women like you find it, you can leave a 5-star review wherever you get your podcasts, or you can show your support to help keep the show going and buy me a coffee here.

Navigating breast cancer as a woman of colour with Leanne Pero MBE

Do you ever wonder if every breast cancer patient is treated the same? I thought they were until I listened to this week’s guest talking about her experiences during  treatment. Several of you shared your own stories with me saying that cancer isn’t talked about in your community.  You’re also wondering why you don’t see yourself represented in breast cancer spaces. On this episode, I’m speaking about this with Leanne Pero MBE, founder of Black Women Rising, who's leading the charge in making breast cancer more inclusive for women of colour. 

 

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You can follow Leanne Pero MBE on Instagram here

 

Black Women Rising is also on Instagram here

 

Find out more on the Black Women Rising website 

 

If you want to read more of  Donna Ashworth’s poems, her new book ‘Wild Hope’ is available in all online bookstores. You can find out more about Donna on her website, or follow her on Instagram and Facebook

 

If you’ve got a question for me, then please get in touch online or send me a voice note. You can find me on social media (see below), or e-mail me at hello@oriordan.co.uk . 

 

If you want to find out more about breast cancer whilst you’re waiting for the next episode to drop, you can watch the videos on my YouTube Channel  or read my book ‘The Complete Guide to Breast Cancer: How to Feel Empowered and Take Control’

 

If you’re nosey and want to find out more about my life, my memoir  ‘Under The Knife’ - is available in all good bookshops.

 

You can follow me on social media for regular updates - Instagram, Twitter and Facebook 

 

Finally, if you loved the show and want to help other women like you find it, you can leave a 5-star review wherever you get your podcasts, or you can show your support to help keep the show going and buy me a coffee here.

Why you should keep exercising through breast cancer with Dr Kathryn Schmitz

Did you know that exercise should be the first treatment you get for breast cancer? Maybe you’re motivated to finally get fit but you don’t know where to start? Or has someone told you that exercise can stop your cancer coming back but you don’t believe it’s true? On this episode I’m answering all your questions about breast cancer and exercise with this week’s guest, Dr Kathryn Schmitz from the University of Pittsburgh. She’s dedicated her life to researching the benefits of exercise for cancer patients and her book, 'Moving Through Cancer: An Exercise and Strength Programme for the Fight of Your Life', is my go-to guide.

 

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If you want to read Kathryn’s book, Moving Through Cancer, it’s available here and in all good bookshops. 

 

You can also read more on the Moving Through Cancer website (movingthroughcancer.com) or follow Kathryn on Instagram or X (Twitter.  

If you want to read more of  Donna Ashworth’s poems, her new book ‘Wild Hope’ is available in all online bookstores. You can find out more about Donna on her website, or follow her on Instagram and Facebook

 

If you’ve got a question for me, then please get in touch online or send me a voice note. You can find me on social media (see below), or e-mail me at hello@oriordan.co.uk . 

 

If you want to find out more about breast cancer whilst you’re waiting for the next episode to drop, you can watch the videos on my YouTube Channel  or read my book ‘The Complete Guide to Breast Cancer: How to Feel Empowered and Take Control’

 

If you’re nosey and want to find out more about my life, my memoir  ‘Under The Knife’ - is available in all good bookshops.

 

You can follow me on social media for regular updates - Instagram, Twitter and Facebook 

Finally, if you loved the show and want to help other women like you find it, you can leave a 5-star review wherever you get your podcasts, or you can show your support to help keep the show going and buy me a coffee here.

How to deal with the menopausal side effects of breast cancer treatment with Professor Annice Mukherjee

Are you struggling to cope with the menopausal side effects of breast cancer treatment? Do you lie awake at night tossing and turning as the sweat pours off your body? Maybe you wish there was something you could take when HRT is off the table? On this episode I’m going to answer all your questions about breast cancer treatment and the menopause with this week’s guest, Professor Annice Mukherjee. She’s a consultant endocrinologist, and the author of ‘The Complete Guide to the Menopause.’

 

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You can get a copy of Annice’s book 'The Complete Guide to the Menopause: Your Toolkit to Take Control and Achieve Life-Long Health' here or in all good bookshops. 

 

You can also follow Annice on X (Twitter) and Instagram .

 

The MSK research we mentioned about supplements is here.

 

And here is where you can find British Menopause Society guidance about  HRT and how to treat menopause.  

 

The new medication I mentioned from the US - Flibanserin - has a write up here if you want to learn more about it. 

 

And the amazing Maggies has some menopause advice here.  

 

 

If you want to read more of  Donna Ashworth’s poems, her new book ‘Wild Hope’ is available in all online bookstores. You can find out more about Donna on her website, or follow her on Instagram and Facebook.

 

If you’ve got a question for me, then please get in touch online or send me a voice note. You can find me on social media (see below), or e-mail me at hello@oriordan.co.uk . 

 

If you want to find out more about breast cancer whilst you’re waiting for the next episode to drop, you can watch the videos on my YouTube Channel  or read my book ‘The Complete Guide to Breast Cancer: How to Feel Empowered and Take Control.'

 

If you’re nosey and want to find out more about my life, my memoir  ‘Under The Knife’ - is available in all good bookshops.

 

You can follow me on social media for regular updates - Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. 

Finally, if you loved the show and want to help other women like you find it, you can leave a 5-star review wherever you get your podcasts, or you can show your support to help keep the show going and buy me a coffee here.

 

How to cope psychologically with a breast cancer diagnosis with Professor Dame Lesley Fallowfield

Being diagnosed with breast cancer floored me mentally. I could handle the side effects of chemo by swallowing tablet after tablet, but I couldn’t stop the thoughts running through my head.  Like many of you, I would lie awake until the small hours of the morning thinking things like ‘Am I going to die?’, ‘IIs it going to come back?’ ‘How am I going to get through this?’ On this episode I’m going to help you deal with the tough stuff with the help of the amazing Professor Dame Lesley Fallowfield, who has dedicated her life to helping women like us deal psychologically with a cancer diagnosis.

 

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You can watch the video Lesley mentioned from Shore-C about friends and families’ reactions to an advanced breast cancer diagnosis here

 

You can find more info about the Flat Friends charity here for women who have had a mastectomy. 

 

Follow this link to find out more about Maggie’s Centres and the counselling they offer to cancer patients

 

If you want to read more of  Donna Ashworth’s poems, her new book ‘Wild Hope’ is available in all online bookstores. You can find out more about Donna on her website, or follow her on Instagram and Facebook

 

If you’ve got a question for me, then please get in touch online or send me a voice note. You can find me on social media (see below), or e-mail me at hello@oriordan.co.uk . 

 

To find out more about breast cancer whilst you’re waiting for the next episode to drop, you can watch the videos on my YouTube Channel  or read my book ‘The Complete Guide to Breast Cancer: How to Feel Empowered and Take Control’

 

If you’re nosey and want to find out more about my life, my memoir  ‘Under The Knife’ - is available in all good bookshops.

 

You can follow me on social media for regular updates - Instagram, Twitter and Facebook 

Finally, if you loved the show and want to help other women like you find it, you can leave a 5-star review wherever you get your podcasts, or you can show your support to help keep the show going and buy me a coffee here.

 

Everything you need to know about breast health after breast cancer with Dr Philippa Kaye

How do you find a bra that fits after a mastectomy? Has your relationship with your breasts changed and you’re struggling to accept your new shape? Or maybe you don’t know how to check your breasts now that everything’s changed?  This episode is all about breast health after breast cancer and I’m joined by the incredible Dr Philippa Kaye to answer your questions. She’s a well-known GP, a regular on the sofa at This Morning  and author of the great book ‘Breasts: An Owner’s Guide’.

 

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If you want to know how to check your breasts after a mastectomy, check out my video on YouTube here 

 

If you want to read Philippa’s book - Breasts, an Owner’s Guide - you can find it in all online bookstores. To find out more about Philippa herself, you can head to her website or follow her on Twitter or Instagram

 

If you want to read more of  Donna Ashworth’s poems, her new book ‘Wild Hope’ is available in all online bookstores. You can find out more about Donna on her website, or follow her on Instagram and Facebook

 

If you’ve got a question for me, then please get in touch online or send me a voice note. You can find me on social media (see below), or e-mail me at hello@oriordan.co.uk . 

 

If you want to find out more about breast cancer whilst you’re waiting for the next episode to drop, you can watch the videos on my YouTube Channel  or read my book ‘The Complete Guide to Breast Cancer: How to Feel Empowered and Take Control’

 

If you’re nosey and want to find out more about my life, my memoir  ‘Under The Knife’ - is available in all good bookshops.

 

You can follow me on social media for regular updates - Instagram, Twitter and Facebook 

 

Finally, if you loved the show and want to help other women like you find it, you can leave a 5-star review wherever you get your podcasts, or you can show your support to help keep the show going and buy me a coffee here.

 

See you next week!

Welcome to So Now I’ve Got Breast Cancer

I’m kicking off this new season - and new podcast - with a special show. I’ll explain what to expect from So Now I’ve Got Breast Cancer, answer some of your questions and introduce you to our new podcast poet, the incredible Donna Ashworth.

 

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If you want to find out more about the signs and symptoms of secondary breast cancer, here  are some great resources:

abcdiagnosis.co.uk

Future Dreams

Breast Cancer Now

 

My amazing  podcast poet is Donna Ashworth and you heard  a poem from her new book ‘Wild Hope - available now in all online bookstores. You can find out more about Donna on her website, or follow her on Instagram and Facebook

 

If you’ve got a question for me, then please get in touch online or send me a voice note. You can find me on social media (see below), or e-mail me at hello@oriordan.co.uk . 

 

If you want to find out more about breast cancer whilst you’re waiting for the next episode to drop, you can watch the videos on my YouTube Channel @DrLizORiordan or read my book ‘The Complete Guide to Breast Cancer: How to Feel Empowered and Take Control’

 

If you’re nosey and want to find out more about my life, my memoir  ‘Under The Knife’ - is available in all good bookshops.

 

You can follow me on social media for regular updates - Instagram, Twitter and Facebook 

Finally, if you loved the show and want to help other women like you find it, you can leave a 5-star review wherever you get your podcasts, or you can show your support to help keep the show going and buy me a coffee here.

 

Breaking News - Don’t Ignore The Elephant has had a makeover

I’ve got  a very special announcement for you… the podcast is changing! It’s time to say goodbye to Don’t Ignore the Elephant, and hello to my new podcast - So Now I’ve Got Breast Cancer. I’m going to be focusing on all the issues that people you like face, when you’ve  been diagnosed with breast cancer. You could say I’m an expert in breast cancer. After all, I was a consultant breast surgeon before I had breast cancer three times...

 

Now it’s time to put all my knowledge to good use in this safe space, where I’ll answer all your questions with some wonderful guests. We’ll put your mind at ease and guide you through the following months and years. And don’t worry - you can still listen to all the old episodes talking about sex, death and body image right here.

 

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So Now I’ve Got Breast Cancer is podcast for anyone who’s been diagnosed with breast cancer.

I’m Dr Liz O’Riordan. I’m a breast surgeon who’s had breast cancer three times - in 2015 when I as 40, and then two local recurrences in 2018 and 2023. You could say I’m an expert and it’s time to put all my knowledge to good use. 

Every show, I’ll be answering your questions, with the help of some special guests. No topic is off limits. 

If you’ve got a question for me, then please get in touch online or send a voice note. You can find me on social media (see below), or e-mail me at hello@oriordan.co.uk . 

If you want to find out more about breast cancer whilst you’re waiting for the next episode to drop, you can watch the videos on my YouTube Channel @DrLizORiordan or read my book ‘The Complete Guide to Breast Cancer: How to Feel Empowered and Take Control’

And if you’re nosey and want to find out more about my life, my memoir  ‘Under The Knife’ - is available in all good bookshops.

You can follow me on social media for regular updates - Instagram, Twitter and Facebook 

Finally, if you loved the show and want to help other women like you find it, you can leave a 5-star review wherever you get your podcasts, or you can show your support to help keep the show going and buy me a coffee here.

 

 

Natalie Woodward: Bowel Cancer, Survival and Hope

This week’s guest is Natalie Woodward, a truly remarkable young woman. She was diagnosed with metastatic bowel cancer at the age of 36, but after a full year of treatment, the cancer started to grow. In the middle of the pandemic, she literally had the mother of all operations to remove it. She had to learn to walk again. To dance again. To accept she would never have sex again. And yet there is still hope.

 

She is passionate about balancing the scales when it comes to cancer treatment. Cancer poverty is a thing. Many people have to give up their jobs during treatment and worry about how they will pay the bills or keep a roof over their head. Not everyone is lucky to have a partner who can support them. Similarly, there is a real postcode lottery when it comes to trials and the latest treatments. If you live in a rural area, hundreds of miles from a big cancer centre, or you can’t afford to pay for something privately, you may get different treatments which could affect how long you survive.

 

I would love to know your thoughts on all of this – let me know. And please do find Natalie on social media and tell her how wonderful she is. Let’s spread the joy.

 

Natalie Woodward

Twitter https://twitter.com/NatsWoodward

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/iamnatwoodward/

 

Find out more about Natalie:

Twitter https://twitter.com/iamnatwoodward

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/iamnatwoodward

Don’t Ignore the Elephant Knitting pattern 

Use the code DITE for 20% off

Knitting Pattern by Claire Fairall Designs 

All profits go to the Institute of Cancer Research 

 

Liz O’Riordan

Instagram @oriordanliz

Twitter @Liz_ORiordan

YouTube @DrLizORiordan

Website www.liz.oriordan.co.uk

 

Don’t Ignore The Elephant is hosted by Dr Liz O’Riordan, in association with Elizabeth Richards, proudly sponsored by AOK Events, produced by Bird Lime Media.

Eleanor Mills: The Rise of the Queenager

This week’s guest is Eleanor Mills, award-winning journalist, editor and broadcaster who founded of Noon, an online community to bring together women celebrating the opportunities of midlife. She describes it as a time for transformation and reinvention as a Queenager, and I want to be one. 

 

Many of us reach a mid-life clusterf*ck when everything can seem to crumble around us – divorce, bereavement, redundancy, difficult teenagers, elderly parents, physical and mental health problems, and that’s before you get to the menopause. 

 

Listen to Eleanor describe the possibilities that do lie ahead, and let's all remember how to have fun again. 

 

Find out more about Eleanor and Noon 

Noon https://www.noon.org.uk

Queenager newsletter https://eleanormills.substack.com

Twitter https://twitter.com/EleanorMills

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/uponnoon/

https://www.instagram.com/eleanorkjmills/

Don’t Ignore the Elephant Knitting pattern 

Use the code DITE for 20% off

Knitting Pattern by Claire Fairall Designs 

All profits go to the Institute of Cancer Research 

 

Liz O’Riordan

Instagram @oriordanliz

Twitter @Liz_ORiordan

YouTube @DrLizORiordan

Website www.liz.oriordan.co.uk

Don’t Ignore The Elephant is hosted by Dr Liz O’Riordan, in association with Elizabeth Richards, proudly sponsored by AOK Events, produced by Bird Lime Media.