The Deep C

In this Mother’s Day episode, Sarah Bartosz joins Sam for a deeply honest conversation about motherhood, grief, survival, and the question every cancer parent has heard: “I don’t know how you do it.”Sarah is Jack, Annie, and Tommy’s mom, the Executive Director of the Beat Childhood Cancer Foundation, and someone whose life has been shaped by cancer for decades. After her three-year-old son Jack was diagnosed with Stage IV neuroblastoma, Sarah spent nearly seven years beside him through treatment before losing him in 2012. Years later, she lost her husband John, whose own cancer treatment ultimately led to his death, before facing her own breast cancer diagnosis.But this conversation is not about inspiring people with resilience. It’s about telling the truth about what carries parents through impossible situations in the first place: love. Sam and Sarah talk about the force of a mother’s love, the way it stretches to meet fear and grief and exhaustion, and why cancer parents bristle when people say, “I could never.”They also explore Sarah’s perspective on grief and scars — why she wants people to “ask me about my scar,” and how grief is not something to fix or move beyond, but an extension of love itself. A conversation about motherhood, loss, fear, survival, and what it means to keep loving after your life has been completely altered. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Infant cancer is rare—so rare that many physicians may never encounter it, especially outside of major centres. And because of that, parents are often required to step into a role they never expected: becoming the voice for a baby who can’t speak, and advocating within a system that is still learning in real time. In this conversation, I speak with Jackie Didio, mom to twin girls, Hannah and Maddie. Maddie was diagnosed with leukemia as a baby, and Jackie shares what it means to navigate treatment with instinct, confidence, and the willingness to question and push when something doesn’t feel right. When the condition is rare, your awareness as a parent matters - it has to.We also talk about the dynamics of caring for a baby through cancer, how infancy can shape the roles of each parent, and the layered reality of raising twins while grieving the loss of one. I deeply admire Jackie - her clarity, her openness, and the way she has turned her experience into meaningful support for others. Through the Madelyn James Foundation, she and her husband provide wraparound care to families with babies aged 0–3, supporting them not just during treatment, but in the critical months after. It’s the kind of care our system often misses but our families so deeply deserve.You can learn more about the Madelyn James Pediatric Cancer Foundation here https://madelynjames.org/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When your child is diagnosed with cancer, everything changes — instantly. And when your teen wants to move on while you’re still trying to process it, the experience can feel isolating, overwhelming, and surreal.In this episode, I sit down with my friend Kelly Stein-Marcus, an extraordinary mom and clinical health psychologist, to talk about her family’s journey through her teenage son Dylan’s Ewing sarcoma diagnosis. Kelly’s husband, a pediatric radiologist, delivered the scan that changed everything — and together, they found themselves navigating the impossible space between professional expertise and parental helplessness.We explore:The surreal shock of the days immediately after diagnosis, when there’s no plan and it feels like life has paused.What it’s like to parent a teenager through cancer, when many teens just want to “move on” and leave the experience behind.The tension between what parents need to process and celebrate, and what a teen is ready to share.How Kelly’s background in psychosocial oncology shaped her perspective, but didn’t protect her from the raw, emotional reality of living it.This episode is intimate and honest — two moms sharing their experiences, unfiltered, and reflecting on what it really means to hold your child through trauma while trying to stay afloat yourself.Whether you’re a parent, a professional in the cancer world, or someone who wants to better understand the emotional journey families face, this conversation is a reminder that you’re not alone — and that even in the darkest, most disorienting moments, there is strength, resilience, and love.Key Topics: Teen Cancer, Pediatric Oncology, Ewing Sarcoma, Parenting Through Trauma, Parental Helplessness, Psychosocial Oncology, Family Resilience, Adolescent Experience Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today I'm privileged to chat with Recreational Therapist and owner of Flow Recreation Therapy and Consulting, Danielle Scarlett, about the hard conversations no parent wants to have with their children. We work through every topic from how to tell our kids they have cancer, what to say when something is going to hurt, how to approach end of life conversations, and what to do when there are simply no words. Danielle shares practical guidance for starting these conversations in age-appropriate ways, inviting children into an open dialogue, and allowing space for uncertainty and emotion—both the child’s and the parent’s. From the power of saying “I don’t know” to the important distinction between "protecting" versus "supporting", this episode offers reassurance that there is no perfect script—only presence, honesty, and the willingness to keep the conversation going as children and parents process their cancer diagnosis together.You can find Danielle here https://flowrecreationtherapy.ca/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Recent research published in a pediatric journal confirms what cancer parents already know: the psychological impact of childhood cancer often lives longer and deeper in parents than in the children themselves. Anxiety, post-traumatic stress, and grief don’t end when treatment ends—they shape how parents live, who we become, and how we move through the world.While we don’t need academic validation—because cancer parents already witness and confirm this truth for one another—it matters to see caregivers finally centered in research. That essential peer recognition is what led me to today’s guests.Jon and Jenn Wall are the founders of Zach’s Bridge, a 1:1 virtual peer support program for advanced and bereaved pediatric cancer parents and caregivers. When their 16-year-old son Zach was in palliative care for osteosarcoma—a phase they call pre-bereavement—they longed to speak with other parents who had already been there. Not professionals, but peers. Parents who had planned funerals. Parents who had come home to empty bedrooms.Those sacred conversations became the foundation of Zach’s Bridge—a place where families navigating pre-bereavement and bereavement can speak freely, honestly, and without translation.In this episode, Jon and Jenn share how partners grieve differently and extend grace to one another, how community can help carry the weight of loss, and a powerful coping framework Jon calls Both/And—the ability to hold grief and joy at the same time.As you listen, carry this quote with you: “We don’t need translators for our pain—we need people who speak the same language.” Parents who have lost a child deserve support from others fluent in the deeply specialized language of loss. Jon and Jenn have built something profoundly necessary for families walking this path, and I am deeply inspired by what they continue to offer those coming up behind them.To learn more about Zach's Bridge, please visit zachsbridge.org Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The whole intention of this podcast is to give cancer parents a feeling of recognition - of knowing we’re not alone, and we do this by sharing our stories. Storytelling is how we connect at our most fundamental, primal selves - it’s the most ancient thread humans use to tie ourselves together and make sense of the world around us.Now, when you add music to those stories - when you communicate through song - well, that’s when things get even more profound, more connected. Music transcends language, music cuts through all the logic and meaning and connects us on a cellular level.And that’s what my guest today has done for the entire paediatric cancer community.Anna Palfreeman, a singer & songwriter from Seattle, wrote the album Frontline when her almost 5 yr old son Emerson was diagnosed with B cell ALL in December of 2023. In a desperate state to process her shock and absorb her son's diagnosis, she found the piano in the chapel at Seattle Children’s hospital and started to pour her feelings out in the way she knew how - through song, and music.This turned into Anna writing an entire album that starts with Emerson’s first chemo and follows his frontline treatment. Songs like, Too Much, He’ll Be Ok, Breathe and The Tunnel are all songs that will SPEAK TO YOUR SOUL. I can’t emphasize this enough. That recognition we talk about when we hear each other's stories - well, the recognition you’ll feel when you hear Anna’s songs - it will go straight to your core.My advice is to listen to her album from start to finish as a catharsis, as a healing journey, and as confirmation that sharing our experiences is how we bear witness to each other - it’s how we feel seen, and how we see the people around us.You can stream Frontline wherever you listen to music, or support Anna through her website annapalfreeman.com and her Bandcamp https://annapalfreeman.bandcamp.com/album/frontline Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today I speak with Mel, an ALL survivor currently in her second year of university. Mel was diagnosed at 17, and just recently rang the bell this past summer, so her account of treatment is still really fresh and honest. Our talk today is from Mel’s lens as an AYA patient, and how we as parents can best support our teens and young adult children going through treatment at an age when they are fully aware of every single layer of their cancer diagnosis. Mel talks about what helped and didn’t help when it comes to support from her peers and family, and how the moments when her parents acknowledged how hard treatment was, rather than bright side it away, were the moments she connected the most. As a parent, all we want to do is take away our child’s suffering, so for her mom and dad to have the fortitude and strength to sit with Mel in her fear and discomfort is a level of love and commitment I am so deeply proud of in them. I also happen to know Mel’s parents, and want to take this chance to publicly acknowledge their strength and internal compass to know exactly how to best support their daughter. I adore Mel, and her family, and can’t wait to share her story. So, let’s dive deep with Mel. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today I speak with Dr Jackie, a naturopathic doctor and mom to 3 beautiful boys. Jackie’s life was completely upended when her youngest son Spencer was diagnosed with high risk ALL at 13 months old. And when I say her life, I mean her entire foundation. As a naturopath, Jackie was consciously raising her family in alignment with her practice - this meant using things like natural remedies, tinctures, supplements and diet to not only help her kids through fevers, bumps and bruises, but to also work preventatively to prepare their little immune systems for a long healthy life. So when Spencer was diagnosed, Jackie had to embrace a type of intervention that was the complete opposite of what she had built her family and practice on. Western medicine and pharmaceuticals don’t typically have a place in a naturopathic practice, and within hours her baby was needing them to survive. Jackie talks about the rapid switch she had to make, which of course she did, and how it felt to accept and even find peace with what was needed to save Spencer's life.In our chat, Jackie shares the simple and gentle practices she brought into Spencer's treatment, and how she advocated and worked alongside their team to provide him with the support he needed. This is such a great episode for families, much like mine, who were raising their kids with natural and holistic treatments and had to instantly pivot and embrace the most toxic and harsh medicines being administered to their child’s body. I learned so much from Jackie's confidence and calm, assured belief that cancer is more than a physical disease and it's equally important to heal the body as well as our mind, soul and spirit.You can find Jackie at www.doctorjackie.ca and/or IG @doctorjackieND Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My conversation today with Matt got so deep, so fast, and I think it’s because he’s worked really hard at clearing the path towards the place he holds his pain and grief around losing his son Landon. When Landon was 10.5 years old he passed away from medulloblastoma, leaving Matt with a choice to follow his grief in a bad, destructive direction, or in a powerful and healing direction.A friend challenged him to run for 21 days to start a habit and hopefully give Matt an outlet for his grief, and so he started to run. And run, and run, and run for miles and miles. At first around his neighborhood, and then through the trails near his home. The more he would run, the more pain his body would endure, the closer he would get to feeling his grief - and to feeling his son. Running became his catharsis, and his direct path to connecting with Landon.He pulled from all the mental endurance he learned during treatment and applied it to long distance running, and then ultra running - and then to running 140 miles to raise money and awareness for childhood cancer.Matt documented his run and made it into a film called No Finish Line because, this isn’t a spoiler, at the end of Matt’s 140 mile run, he DNF’s which stands for Did Not Finish - because as Matt knows, and as we all know, childhood cancer doesn’t end. It’s a loud message to everyone watching that kids in treatment are up against a heck of a lot more than the physical and mental strain of running 140 miles, and his message lands.This conversation today is really bold, really honest and has so many meaningful takeaways on processing pain, choosing the ultimate good vs the ultimate bad, our dragons, our grief, and what it’s like to live - truly live - when the biggest fear in your life happens. How does that change the trajectory of your path, how do you run it, and most importantly, how far can you go when you aren’t running from the pain, but running purposefully, and with great intention, towards it.So, let’s dive deep, with Matt.No Finish Line can be watched here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QL6irMXCIM8 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today I talk with five incredible oncology moms who met during their kids treatments and felt the need to create a collective for cancer moms to come together, feel seen, supported and less alone. Katelyn, Sarah, Amanda, Nicole and Lindsay discuss the importance of having a support system of other oncology moms, the emotional challenges they face, and how they found strength in their shared experiences. Our discussion highlights the birth of the Golden Moms community, the significance of connecting with others who understand our journey, and the role of social media in fostering these relationships. Each mom shares their personal story, emphasizing the importance of community, shared experiences, and the need for emotional support. They discuss the discomfort that often arises in friendships during crises, the healing power of connecting with others who understand, and the necessity of caring for caregivers as well.To find the Golden Moms, visit their instagram @goldenmoms05, and the Ottawa Golden Moms group @goldenmomsottawa Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My talk with Lily has really stuck with me. This is a mom who simply refused to let cancer define her family’s life. There was no way cancer was going to interrupt their normal, and there was no way it was going to interfere with her son’s growth and learning and development. Lily was determined to maintain Wyatt’s full and active life, and not only maintain, but better it. Cancer wasn’t something that would stop him, it was something that would make him stronger.When Wyatt was 5.5 yrs old, he was diagnosed with T cell ALL, and like all parents, Lily was floored when she was told the news over the phone after some routine blood work, But you’ll hear her say Wyatt’s diagnosis completely shifted her perspective and made her even more optimistic and less concerned and worried about the things in life that don’t matter. I’ve had a lot of talks with parents who come to those realizations, maybe after treatment, but for Lily, it was right off the bat, and she harnessed this optimism and perspective into making Wyatt’s cancer treatment an opportunity for growth and something that wasn't going to define him.One of the areas of our chat that will stick with me forever is when we talk about how Lily made treatment so positive for Wyatt that he legitimately mourned when it was over. This makes so much sense when you hear Lily’s story, but I mean, we can all agree it’s not the most common reaction coming from a little kid who’s just gone through 3 years of gruelling cancer treatment. But port removal and final lumbar punctures were devastating for Wyatt, and we go into how Lily is managing these really honest and deep emotions. We also talk about her other son Jack and how in many ways Wyatt’s cancer treatment was hardest on him. So much insight and deep conversations in this episode.I love Lily, she is incredible and so is this chat. I know it will stick with you too. So, let’s dive deep with Lily. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this chat, Scott Walker shares his family's journey through his teenage daughter's cancer diagnosis of rhabdomyosarcoma and treatment. He discusses the shock of receiving the diagnosis, the protective 'armor' parents wear, and the importance of finding moments of release. Scott emphasizes the significance of approaching treatment in phases, coping with the hair loss phase, and the vital role of team sports and community support in their journey. Scott shares the profound impact of team dynamics and community support during his daughter Peyton's cancer treatment. He emphasizes the importance of mutual support within teams, the significance of billeting, and the courage required to let go as a parent. The discussion highlights the role of community in fostering resilience and the emotional journey of navigating treatment while maintaining a sense of normalcy for Peyton. The conversation emphasizes teamwork, resilience, and the power of community in navigating difficult times.March 31- April 4th is Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Awareness Week. Here are some links to learn more:https://www.childrenscancercause.org/ayaweekhttps://acpmp.org/aya-cancer-awareness-week/https://www.uhn.ca/PrincessMargaret/Clinics/Adolescent_Young_Adult_Oncology Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we sit down with author and oncology parent Laura DeKraker Lang Ree to chat about her new book, The Cancer Parent's Handbook - What Your Oncologist Doesn't Have Time to Tell You. Laura shares her journey as a cancer parent, discussing the emotional challenges and the importance of community support. She emphasizes the need for perspective, the role of knowledge in advocacy, and the power of gratitude in navigating the difficult times. The discussion highlights the unique experiences of parents in the cancer journey and the significance of shared stories and resources. In this conversation, Laura shares her journey as a parent navigating the complexities of childhood cancer, emphasizing the importance of self-care, family dynamics, and the need for community support. She discusses the challenges of post-treatment realities, the transformation that occurs after trauma, and the significance of survivorship care. Laura's insights aim to empower parents facing similar struggles, providing them with practical advice and emotional support. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.