Built in the Fire: Buddy Clay’s Journey Through Cancer, Faith, and Finding Humor
About this episode
Buddy Clay shares his journey through a stage 4 melanoma diagnosis, discussing faith, lifestyle changes, and leadership in the face of cancer.
On this episode of the Cancer and Comedy Podcast, Dr. Brad Miller sits down with Buddy Clay—husband, dad of three girls, mental health CEO, and author of Built in the Fire—to unpack what it really looks like to live, lead, and love in the middle of a stage 4 melanoma diagnosis. Buddy shares how a “harmless” mole on his back turned into a life-altering cancer journey, why he walked away from a traditional treatment plan, and how faith, radical lifestyle changes, and honest conversations have reshaped everything—from his kitchen pantry to how he runs a 50-person mental health and substance use treatment organization. In this raw, hopeful, and surprisingly light conversation, Brad and Buddy explore: How a casual nudge from friends led to a life-saving melanoma diagnosis The shock of going from “healthy athlete” to stage 4 cancer—and the fear of not seeing his daughters grow up Why he chose a holistic path (Gerson-style protocol, raw vegan diet, detox, whole-house changes) after surgery The tension of faith as an anchor and faith as a wrestling match: “God, why me?” vs. “God is still sovereign” What his biopsy revealed—and why he needed proof his lifestyle changes were actually doing…
People in this episode
Host: Dr. Brad Miller
Guest: Buddy Clay
Topics covered
- cancer journey
- faith
- mental health
- holistic treatment
- leadership
- family
- humor
Keywords
- melanoma
- cancer diagnosis
- holistic health
- faith
- mental health leadership
- raw vegan diet
- family
- empathy
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: mental health and substance use treatment organization
Books & works: Built in the Fire
More episodes of Cancer and Comedy: Helping Cancer Impacted People to Cope with Hope and Humor
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- Living Fully and Finishing Well: Lessons from My Friend Joe Bottorf's Inspiring Final Chapter.
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