In this inspiring conversation, we meet Priyanka, a teacher, children’s author, and mother of two, who was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer at the age of 36. Her journey has included chemotherapy, radiotherapy, a mastectomy with reconstruction, and multiple revision surgeries — but also powerful moments of advocacy, family resilience, and finding her voice.

Priyanka shares:

• What it was like to receive her diagnosis in a difficult consultation
• How her young daughters shaped every decision she made about treatment
• Why family honesty and openness became central to her cancer journey
• The challenges of reconstruction and the impact on her body image
• Writing a children’s book to help families talk about cancer
• Speaking out against stigma and silence around cancer in the South Asian community

From dancing in the kitchen with her children to walking the catwalk on International Women’s Day and even an invite to Downing Street, Priyanka’s story is one of courage, representation, and creating space for others to speak openly about cancer.

Cups & Courage shares lived experiences of people affected by breast cancer. These conversations are not medical advice. If you’re concerned about your health, please consult your doctor or healthcare team.

Support the show

In this moving episode, we speak with Rosie, a clinical psychologist whose world changed when she was diagnosed with stage four incurable bowel cancer in 2021. Against all odds, Rosie went into remission in 2022, and later faced further life-altering decisions after testing positive for the BRCA gene mutation and undergoing a double mastectomy.

Rosie shares with honesty and warmth what courage means to her: facing pain with an open heart and going through suffering, not around it. We explore her personal cancer journey, the psychological impact of treatment, the choice to go flat, and how her lived experience now shapes her work in oncology psychology.

Together, we talk about:

• The shock of a stage four diagnosis and the whirlwind of treatment
• Choosing between reconstruction and going flat after mastectomy
• The inner voice that became her ally during the hardest times
• How cancer changed her perspective on life, meaning, and identity
• The balance between stoicism, vulnerability, and courage

Rosie’s story is one of resilience, transformation, and redefining what it means to truly live.

Cups & Courage shares lived experiences of people affected by breast cancer. These conversations are not medical advice. If you’re concerned about your health, please consult your doctor or healthcare team.

Support the show

In this powerful conversation, we sit down with Georgette Oni, one of only a handful of surgeons in the UK dual-qualified in both plastic surgery and surgical oncology. Georgette shares her unique perspective on breast reconstruction — from the surgical options available, to the psychological impact, to the challenges of ensuring women across the UK receive consistent, compassionate care.

Together, we explore:

• What courage means in the context of cancer treatment
• Different types of breast reconstruction and when they’re offered
• How information is shared with patients during overwhelming times
• The role of body image, culture, and personal choice in surgical decisions
• Why access and experiences vary across regions and communities
• Georgette’s advice for anyone starting their own cancer journey

Georgette reminds us that no question is too small, and that asking — and asking again — can make all the difference.

Cups & Courage shares lived experiences of people affected by breast cancer. These are personal perspectives and do not replace medical advice. If you’re concerned about your health, please speak to your doctor or healthcare team.

Support the show

Charlotte was just 32 when she was diagnosed with stage 3 triple negative breast cancer. What followed was a whirlwind of treatment, failed reconstructions, cancelled surgeries, and years of fighting to be heard.

In this powerful conversation, Charlotte shares what it really means to advocate for your body in the face of a system that doesn’t always listen. From gruelling chemo to choosing to live flat, she speaks with raw honesty about pain, resilience, and the courage it takes to keep moving forward — even when it feels impossible.

In this episode, we talk about:

• The whirlwind of diagnosis and “dose-dense” chemotherapy.
• The battle for informed choice in surgery and reconstruction.
• Living with chronic pain and the decision to go flat.
• The emotional toll of being denied and delayed care.
• Finding community, advocacy, and better days ahead.

Grab a cuppa and join us for Charlotte’s story — a conversation about courage, self-advocacy, and the power of lived experience.

Support the show

Welcome to Cups & Courage — the podcast that’s breaking the silence around breast cancer.

Hosted by Samantha Vale, breast cancer survivor and advocate, Cups & Courage shares raw, unfiltered conversations with people who’ve faced breast cancer head-on — patients, survivors, clinicians, and loved ones.

These are honest stories about body image, treatment choices, survival, grief, humour, biscuits (always biscuits 🍪), and the courage it takes to keep going when life throws its hardest punches.

🎙️ Expect laughter, tears, and powerful truths you won’t hear in a clinic room. Whether you’ve been diagnosed, love someone who has, or simply care about the real human side of healthcare — this podcast is for you.

👉 Hit subscribe and join us as we challenge stigma, share lived experience, and remind each other that none of us are alone.

#CupsAndCourage #BreastCancer #Podcast

Support the show