
S2 EP 21 - Cancer Changes Everything: Listen to Your Heart
From Middle School Mary Poppins by Suzanne M. Swain, EDS LMSW
March 17, 2026 · 19 min · Season 2 · Episode 21
About this episode
Suzanne shares her personal experience as a caregiver for her best friend Tanya, who is battling stage four metastatic cervical cancer.
What I thought was a routine appointment turned into an 11-hour stretch in the ER—and then the words no one is ever ready to hear: stage four metastatic cervical cancer. I’m sharing this with a shaky voice but a steady purpose, because my best friend Tanya is fighting for her life, and right now, I’m one of her primary caregivers. This has made me really think about what chosen family actually means when the crisis isn’t abstract. Tanya is my person—the friend who crossed countries, built a l...
People in this episode
Host: Suzanne M. Swain
Topics covered
- cancer
- caregiving
- friendship
- chosen family
- health crisis
Keywords
- cancer
- caregiver
- friendship
- health
- emotional support
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