At just 31 years old, Joanna Haydon’s life was turned upside down when she was diagnosed with stage three colorectal cancer. In this episode of the Yes, We Can! Podcast, host Kira Andersen sits down with her longtime friend to talk about Joanna’s journey through cancer treatment, infertility, grief, and surrogacy—including the incredible story of how her kindergarten best friend ultimately became the surrogate who carried her son, Duke.

Joanna also opens up about the mental health struggles that surfaced after treatment and how her own experience with therapy inspired her to leave a 12-year career as an attorney and become a therapist herself. Together, Kira and Joanna discuss faith, friendship, motherhood, the importance of having a strong support system, and how facing grief instead of running from it can help us heal, grow, and turn pain into purpose.

#motherhood #surrogacyjourney #surrogatemother

🎉 Thank You to Our Sponsor!

A BIG thank you to Spas & More! for sponsoring this video. If you’re in the St. Louis area and thinking about adding relaxation, wellness, or fun to your home, be sure to check them out — they’re the place for hot tubs, swim spas, saunas, accessories, and expert service. They’ve been serving the community for over 20 years and truly put the “aaaahh” in spa!

👉 Visit spasandmorestl.com to learn more!

Connect with Kira's Partners:

👉 https://biofitstl.com/

👉 https://www.orangetheory.com/en-us

👉 https://themethodstl.com/

Connect with Joanna:

📱https://www.instagram.com/thestltherapist/?hl=en

Ⓕhttps://www.facebook.com/people/Joanna-Haydon/pfbid0eAZVojUpVghdmn8bfFXmDJ8Qp6JQVmbcELt4eXL7Q7pf2qK4XKz8VXViHmm5Zoscl/?mibextid=wwXIfr&rdid=1FNJzGnjVmgsTghm&share_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fshare%2F19PhnPdxki%2F%3Fmibextid%3DwwXIfr

🌐 https://www.joannahaydontherapy.com/

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https://siteman.donordrive.com/campaigns/Kyle-and-Kira-Andersen?utm_id=97760_v0_s00_e0_tv3

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https://www.givesignup.org/kiraandersen