How happy are we that this year is coming to an end? 

In April of this year, I discovered the words and work of the author, social justice activist, and founder of The Body is Not An Apology, Sonya Renee Taylor.  She wrote:

“We will not go back to normal. Normal never was. Our pre-corona existence was not normal other than we normalized greed, inequity, exhaustion, depletion, extraction, disconnection, confusion, rage, hoarding, hate and lack. We should not long to return my friends. We are being given the opportunity to stitch a new garment. One that fits all of humanity and nature.”

There can be no sugar coating of this horrible year but I feel that I was able, in the words of Sonya Renee Taylor, to “stich a new garment” that helped me feel less alone and helpless with the work of the Our MBC Life podcast.  

In just 5 short months, the Our MBC Life podcast team’s inaugural season released 28 episodes with over 27 guests, covering a range of issues that matter to us, the people living with MBC.  For me, the team at Our MBC Life and the work we have produced has been a little bit of light during a very bleak time.  

As we wind down this first season and begin preparing for our second season in March, 2021, I wanted to share how it all came to be and to shine a light on the awe inspiring people who make the Our MBC Life podcast possible. I have worked in start-ups in the past, and the building of something new with a group of like-minded people can forge deep bonds.  Without hesitation I can say I truly love each and every one on this team. 

Sonya Renee Taylor’s words and activism resonate with so many and I was clearly late to the party.  But I remember the week I read those words for the first time and how they reverberated in my soul, how they just rang out in my ears as truth.  I had already been in lock down mode for a month and our whole world was sorting out what this pandemic would mean for us as individuals, as families, and as communities.  Aside from the fear and uncertainty experienced by everyone, some of my close friends with MBC had died or were dying.  Because of the necessary COVID-19 safety protocols, I couldn’t say goodbye to these friends in person; I couldn’t hold their hands.  There would be no funerals in the usual way.  For those of us with immunocompromised conditions, the world became smaller and scarier. Those early days of the pandemic were harbingers to the pain and suffering that would follow for our whole world.  

In May, I was asked to formally pitch a podcast idea I had floated earlier in the year to my colleagues at SHARE Cancer Support.  I had become convinced that with this dreadful pandemic came opportunities to help people living with MBC in new and different ways.  I felt there was an appetite for a podcast created, hosted, produced and edited by people living with MBC for people living with this disease.  Our world was upside down anyway - how hard could it be to make a podcast, really?  The answer - harder than it looks! 

Sonya Renee Taylor’s wisdom echoed in my heart as I told anyone who would listen that I wanted to hear the voices of the people trying to live fully with this disease and who were advocating for something better in true health equity, research, fundraising, and treatment options.   I wanted to hear the voices of the oncologists and researchers who were working hard to change the trajectory of this terrible, incurable cancer.  I wanted the questions that we had to be answered.  I wanted our stories to be told and heard by others who could relate.  And I wanted it to be easy and convenient to access.  I felt a podcast format would be the best way to do that.  I will be forever grateful that my friends at SHARE agreed and they have been such big-hearted supporters.

The podcast began with the brilliant technical and creative assistance from my friend Rainy Orteca who helped me conceptualize how to produce a podcast and she collaborated on the podcast’s logo and branding. I was adamant that everyone on the team (except our interns) would be someone living with MBC. Quickly, I did another smart thing and began brainstorming with fellow SHARE volunteer, Victoria Goldberg.  Victoria became lead cheerleader and producer, helping me build our team.  She introduced me to Anne Woodward, who is a TalkMets volunteer and a former senior media executive. Anne has taken her considerable professional experience, wicked smarts, kind heart, and great instincts to become our senior producer.  

Our team soon grew to include co-hosts Sheila McGlown and Chawnte Randall, two incredible advocates who are involved with so many foundations, advocacy organizations and initiatives.  I was truly honored that they said yes one more time to us.  We then were joined by Jersi Baker who runs her own non-profit, Angel in Disguise, Inc. and she agreed to be the host of our Trailblazer segment that highlights local organizations helping people living with MBC.  Chawnte, ever the great connector, introduced me to Natalia Green, a young mom and public policy advocate.  Natalia is now one of our outstanding co-hosts.  We were joined by Kirby Lewis for our highlight on male breast cancer in October and look forward to having him co-host more episodes in the new year.  

Given that we were making the “plane” while we were flying it, we had remarkable assistance from our interns, Elena Golub, Angelika Alberstadt, and Amy Tedeschi.  All three of them helped with research, script writing, and transcriptions.  Jake Amorelli jumped in generously with his professionalism and gave us the social media expertise we lacked.  We hit the jackpot with this crew – they were passionate about our mission and their work.

In a stroke of good fortune, Jim Kremens joined the team as a true professional to assist with sound design and, at times, complete comprehensive audio surgery given our interviews are conducted via zoom, in cars, on farms, and one time, outside a busy town hall during the election.  Jim’s wife has MBC and so he absolutely is living with MBC like the rest of us.  It has been wonderful to have a caregiver and co-survivor on the team to gain that perspective as well.  

So the team came together, put this podcast out into the world and hoped it would help other people living with MBC.  But even though we live with a disease that does not have a cure, it was still a shock when our friend and colleague, Chawnte Randall, died of MBC last month. It bears repeating that she died just a week and half after doing an interview for the podcast.  She gave her everything to her daughter and family and to any project or issue she cared about.  She was passionate about racial disparities in healthcare for black women living with MBC.  Her shoes cannot be filled.  She was truly one of a kind and what a privilege it was to have her as one of us.  

And so, we end this year with all the emotions that can be held in one heart.  I am inherently an optimist and someone who really believes there is hope in what can be learned from this time, what can be refashioned into something better and new.  May we continue to break from the old normal, to “stitch a new garment ... one that fits all of humanity and nature.”

Thank you for listening this year. Wishing everyone a safe and happy holiday season. 

We can’t wait for season 2 and to hearing more of the stories that matter to you. 

With love always,

Lisa