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  • Just Cut It Out Podcast | Lady Madelyn Patterson: Breast Cancer, Finding Her Voice & Giving Herself Grace

    Just Cut It Out Podcast | Lady Madelyn Patterson: Breast Cancer, Finding Her Voice & Giving Herself Grace
    2026/10/15
    Lady Madelyn Patterson has always been someone who keeps moving forward.She's a woman of faith, a natural storyteller and someone who loves bringing people together. Whether through her career, her church or her community, Madelyn has always found purpose in showing up for others.But life has challenged her in ways she never expected.Years before her breast cancer diagnosis, Madelyn experienced a traumatic assault that eventually led to serious airway complications. In 2015, she underwent an emergency tracheostomy and spent four months unable to speak.For someone whose life included public speaking, singing in church and leading others, losing her voice was devastating.She was angry. She questioned her faith. And she wondered how she could continue doing the things she believed she was meant to do.Over time, Madelyn began to find peace through her faith and a new understanding of what it meant to trust God when life didn't go according to plan.Then, in 2019, she was diagnosed with breast cancer.Madelyn underwent a double mastectomy with DIEP flap reconstruction, followed by chemotherapy and radiation. What she expected to be a temporary interruption became a much longer journey, complicated by surgical recovery and the ongoing challenges of living with a tracheostomy.At the time, Madelyn had spent 24 years working for the IRS. She was determined to return to her career and the life she knew.But that wasn't how things unfolded.Eventually, she had to step away from the career that had been such an important part of her identity.Looking back, Madelyn recognizes something she didn't understand at the time.She was grieving.Grieving the changes to her body. The loss of her career. And the life she thought she would return to.Instead of allowing herself to experience those emotions, she kept pushing forward, convinced she needed to be strong and keep going.In this episode of Just Cut It Out, Madelyn and Dr. Kim Brown talk about faith, grief, resilience and what happens when the life you've always known changes in ways you cannot control.But Madelyn's story is also about discovering a new purpose.During cancer treatment, she began documenting her experience. That creative outlet eventually helped inspire her to start a production company dedicated to telling stories of courage, resilience and people whose voices might otherwise go unheard.And while living with a tracheostomy changed the way Madelyn speaks, it also gave her another opportunity to help others.When children notice the tube in her neck, she doesn't want them to be afraid or embarrassed to ask questions.She wants them to be curious.That experience inspired her to write a children's book encouraging children to ask questions and better understand people who may look or sound different.Madelyn also shares how journaling, prayer and what she calls "mirror moments" help her stay grounded through difficult days.She and Dr. Brown explore the difference between happiness and joy, and how finding peace doesn't mean pretending that everything is okay.Perhaps one of Madelyn's biggest lessons has been learning that she doesn't have to be everything to everybody.She doesn't have to attend every event.She doesn't have to accomplish everything in a single day.And she doesn't have to feel guilty when she needs to rest.For Madelyn, living a good life no longer means constantly pushing herself to do more.It means recognizing the value of the life she has today, making room for the things that matter and giving herself the same grace she has always extended to others.In This EpisodeMadelyn's breast cancer diagnosis in 2019Double mastectomy, DIEP flap reconstruction, chemotherapy and radiationSurgical complications and the unexpected challenges of cancer treatmentLeaving a 24-year career and learning to redefine her identityLiving with a tracheostomy and spending four months without a voiceFaith, frustration and finding peace through difficult circumstancesThe difference between happiness and joyJournaling, prayer and Madelyn's daily "mirror moments"Why Madelyn wrote a children's book encouraging kids to ask questionsStarting a production company to share stories of courage and resilienceRecognizing grief and learning to process the losses that come with cancerLearning to prioritize herself instead of trying to be everything to everybodyGiving herself grace and letting go of harsh self-criticismWhy Dr. Kim Brown chose surgical oncology and what inspired Just Cut It OutChapter Markers00:00 Welcome to Just Cut It Out00:32 Meet Lady Madelyn Patterson01:00 Why Madelyn started a production company02:15 Breast cancer diagnosis and finding a new purpose03:53 Double mastectomy and DIEP flap reconstruction04:10 Surgical complications, chemotherapy and radiation05:30 Cancer, identity and unrecognized grief07:00 Finding community after breast cancer08:15 The coworkers who supported Madelyn through treatment09:00 Recognizing grief and learning to process loss10:28 The trauma...
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    38 分
  • Just Cut It Out Podcast | Breast Cancer, Bald Parties, Boundaries & Always Going to the Show

    Just Cut It Out Podcast | Breast Cancer, Bald Parties, Boundaries & Always Going to the Show
    2026/10/08
    Just Cut It Out Podcast | Breast Cancer, Bald Parties, Boundaries & Always Going to the ShowDeb Coulter has always been a doer.She’s the person who steps in, solves the problem, takes care of everyone else and keeps moving forward.So when Deb found a lump in her breast over Labor Day weekend in 2013, she did what came naturally: she took action.Deb was diagnosed with stage 2B invasive ductal carcinoma and began chemotherapy before surgery. But as a mom with two children at home, one of her first concerns wasn’t herself. It was how to tell her kids that their mom had breast cancer—and how to make the experience less frightening for them.With help from Wonders & Worries, Deb and her husband found the words to talk to their children about her diagnosis and treatment. And when chemotherapy meant Deb was going to lose her hair, she decided to take some of the fear out of that, too.She threw a “bald party.”Neighborhood kids came over for pizza and cake, took turns cutting Deb’s hair, and eventually her own children helped shave the rest.That instinct to make things easier for everyone else followed Deb throughout treatment. But cancer also began teaching her something much harder: how to let other people show up for her.Friends wanted to bring meals. Coworkers wanted to support her. People wanted to help.At first, Deb resisted. She was used to being the caregiver, not the person being cared for. Eventually, she began saying yes—and discovered how meaningful accepting help could be for both her and the people who loved her.In this episode of Just Cut It Out, Deb and Dr. Kim Brown talk about the experiences that changed the way Deb thinks about taking care of others, setting boundaries and living a good life.Deb also speaks candidly about a decision she made during treatment.After chemotherapy, she chose to have a double mastectomy, even though only one breast needed to be removed. Thirteen years later, she wishes she had made a different choice.Deb talks openly about losing sensation after surgery and the impact that decision had on intimacy and her sex life. She knows no one could have talked her out of the decision at the time. But she hopes sharing what she knows now might help another woman ask different questions as she considers her own options.The conversation also explores the work Deb has done since cancer to understand why taking care of everyone elseIn This EpisodeFinding a breast lump and being diagnosed with stage 2B invasive ductal carcinomaHelping young children understand a parent’s cancer diagnosisHow Wonders & Worries helped Deb’s family navigate difficult conversationsTurning hair loss into a “bald party” for family and friendsLearning to accept help when you’re used to taking care of everyone elseDeb’s decision to have a double mastectomy and what she wishes she had knownSensation, intimacy and the long-term effects of breast surgeryLearning to set boundaries after cancerRecognizing when caring for others comes at the expense of caring for yourselfWhy Deb believes you should “always go to the show”Chapter Markers00:00 Welcome to Just Cut It Out00:32 Deb’s breast cancer story begins02:00 Finding a lump and getting answers quickly04:30 How do you tell your children you have cancer?06:30 Chemotherapy and the fear of losing her hair08:54 Turning hair loss into a “bald party”10:00 Learning to accept help from other people12:23 Why Deb always felt responsible for everyone13:48 Deb 2.0: Therapy, boundaries and learning to say no16:00 Looking back at her double mastectomy decision19:30 Making cancer decisions when statistics feel personal21:00 The importance of patient support and navigation23:00 “Always go to the show”24:30 Creating the Macklin Woods Grief Resource Center26:02 Helping families navigate death and funeral decisions29:24 What Deb decided to “cut out”30:30 Dr. Brown answers Deb’s question32:40 Stop spending energy on what you can’t control34:00 What we can and cannot controlAbout Just Cut It OutHosted by Dr. Kimberly Brown, Just Cut It Out explores how the experience of a cancer diagnosis can change the way we think about what it means to live a good life.Through honest conversations with patients, their families, and the healthcare professionals who care for them, Dr. Brown brings together practical wisdom and the bigger questions that can emerge when life changes unexpectedly: What really matters? What deserves our time? What can we let go of? And what does it mean to live a good life?About Dr. Kimberly BrownDr. Kimberly Brown is a physician who cares for people facing cancer and helps patients and families understand complex medical information so they can make informed decisions about their care. Her approach recognizes that caring for someone with cancer goes beyond treatment—it also means being present with patients and families as they navigate difficult decisions, uncertainty and a life-changing diagnosis.As host of Just Cut ...
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    35 分
  • Just Cut It Out Podcast | When Breast Cancer Changes a Family: Love, Loss & Finding Purpose

    Just Cut It Out Podcast | When Breast Cancer Changes a Family: Love, Loss & Finding Purpose
    2026/10/04
    Just Cut It Out Podcast | When Breast Cancer Changes a Family: Love, Loss & Finding PurposeWhat happens when breast cancer doesn't affect just one person but changes the course of an entire family?In this episode of Just Cut It Out, Dr. Kimberly Brown sits down with Leisha Johnson, whose life has been profoundly shaped by the breast cancer journeys of two family members.Leisha first encountered breast cancer more than 30 years ago when her sister was diagnosed at age 45. Years later, her niece Lindsay received a breast cancer diagnosis at just 32 years old while raising two children.Leisha shares how her family rallied around Lindsay through chemotherapy, surgery, additional treatment, and eventually metastatic disease. From coordinating meals and transportation to helping care for the children, they learned that supporting someone through cancer often means showing up in practical, everyday ways.But this is also a conversation about listening.Leisha reflects on the things she wishes she had understood when Lindsay began saying she was tired of treatment and why conversations about a patient's goals, quality of life, and palliative care matter.Even as her disease progressed, Lindsay continued setting goals, spending time with her family, and refusing to let cancer define her. Her family helped make one particularly important memory possible: a trip to Disney World with her children.After Lindsay's death, Leisha began looking differently at her own time and priorities. She chose to step away from her career and devote more of her life to breast cancer advocacy and helping ensure that others don't have to navigate cancer alone.In This EpisodeSupporting a loved one through breast cancerBreast cancer in younger women and patient self-advocacyHow family and community can provide meaningful supportMetastatic breast cancer, palliative care, and listening to the patientGrief, priorities, and finding purpose after lossLeisha's story is a reminder that when time becomes precious, what matters most can become remarkably clear: the people we love are the “big rocks”—and they have to go in first.Chapter Markers00:00 Opening and recording setup01:33 Welcome to Just Cut It Out02:17 Leisha’s sister’s breast cancer diagnosis05:25 Lindsay’s diagnosis at 3207:56 Helping the children understand cancer08:52 “I don’t want to lose another one”09:25 How the family cared for Lindsay13:40 Lindsay pushes for scans14:27 Learning the cancer had spread15:25 Searching for a clinical trial17:42 Their last Christmas together18:40 How Lindsay changed Leisha’s life20:26 Making a Disney World memory23:07 Supporting others through the Breast Cancer Resource Center25:35 Learning to accept help26:53 Conversations Leisha wishes they’d had27:42 Palliative care and patient preferences28:36 The goals Lindsay held onto31:02 What Leisha chose to cut out32:38 Leisha’s question for Dr. BrownAbout Just Cut It OutHosted by Dr. Kimberly Brown, Just Cut It Out explores how the experience of a cancer diagnosis can change the way we think about what it means to live a good life.Through honest conversations with patients, their families, and the healthcare professionals who care for them, Dr. Brown brings together practical wisdom and the bigger questions that can emerge when life changes unexpectedly: What really matters? What deserves our time? What can we let go of? And what does it mean to live a good life?About Dr. Kimberly BrownDr. Kimberly Brown is a physician who cares for people facing cancer and helps patients and families understand complex medical information so they can make informed decisions about their care. Her approach recognizes that caring for someone with cancer goes beyond treatment—it also means being present with patients and families as they navigate difficult decisions, uncertainty, and a life-changing diagnosis.As host of Just Cut It Out, Dr. Brown brings her experience as a physician into conversations about cancer, survivorship, family, faith, relationships, grief, and the lessons people discover about living well.Connect With Dr. Kimberly Brown & Just Cut It OutHave a question, a story to share, or an idea for a future episode? We'd love to hear from you.Email: kim@justcutitoutpod.comEnjoyed This Episode?If Just Cut It Out has encouraged you, taught you something, or helped you see life a little differently, please follow or subscribe and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen.Reviews help more people discover Just Cut It Out and allow these conversations to reach patients, families, caregivers, and others who may need them.And if someone came to mind while you were listening, share this episode with them. One conversation can make a difference.Medical Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for individualized medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always discuss personal medical concerns and treatment...
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    33 分
  • Just Cut It Out Podcast | Inflammatory Breast Cancer, Identity & Learning to Let People In

    Just Cut It Out Podcast | Inflammatory Breast Cancer, Identity & Learning to Let People In
    2026/10/04
    Inflammatory Breast Cancer, Identity & Learning to Let People In | Susan M. GordonWhat happens when cancer treatment saves your life but changes the person you've always believed yourself to be?In this episode of Just Cut It Out, Dr. Kimberly Brown sits down with the Honorable Susan M. Gordon, whose career in the intelligence community culminated in serving as Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence.At 66, Sue noticed that her right breast was red, swollen, and painful. There was no lump, and she initially wondered if it might be an infection. When the symptoms didn't improve, a series of circumstances brought her to Dr. Brown's clinic, where she was ultimately diagnosed with triple-negative inflammatory breast cancer.Sue began chemotherapy and immunotherapy, followed by surgery and radiation. But during treatment, she developed a high fever, became confused, and grew critically ill. Her medical team ultimately determined that she was experiencing a serious autoimmune reaction affecting the lining around her brain.Her doctors had to make high-stakes decisions before they had perfect information.For Sue, that experience felt strangely familiar. She had spent much of her professional life making consequential decisions with incomplete information. Now she was experiencing uncertainty from the other side—as the person whose life depended on those decisions.Sue and Dr. Brown talk candidly about trust between patients and physicians, the limits of certainty in medicine, and the importance of having a healthcare team you trust when there isn't an obvious answer.But some of Sue's greatest challenges came after treatment.For much of her life, Sue believed part of what made her Sue was her ability to keep going. She could work harder, stay longer, fit “28 hours into every day,” and will herself through almost anything.Cancer changed that.Sue talks about struggling to accept that she can't always do what she once could and realizing that survivorship isn't necessarily about returning to the person you were before cancer. Sometimes it's about figuring out who you are now.That question became even more complicated because Sue had lost her husband and best friend of more than 40 years just a year before her cancer diagnosis. Cancer gave her something immediate to fight. Recovery finally gave her the quiet to begin processing everything she had lost.Today, Sue is thinking differently about her time, energy, and what she wants to do with both. She's also learning something that once felt almost impossible: letting people in.In This Episode• The unusual symptoms of inflammatory breast cancer• Triple-negative breast cancer and treatment• Making medical decisions without perfect information• Trust between patients and healthcare teams• When cancer treatment changes your sense of identity• Grief, survivorship, and figuring out who you are now• Learning to accept help and let people into the hard parts of lifeSue's story raises a question that goes far beyond cancer:When you realize your time and energy aren't infinite, how do you decide what deserves them?Chapter Markers00:00 Welcome to Just Cut It Out01:23 How Sue’s Story Began02:32 A Red, Swollen & Painful Breast03:16 The Phone Call That Changed Her Path04:37 Arriving at Dr. Brown’s Clinic05:12 Understanding Inflammatory Breast Cancer06:03 Biopsy & Getting the Diagnosis09:13 Finding the Right Medical Team12:08 When the Clock Is Ticking13:30 Making a Treatment Plan Without Certainty16:04 Building Trust With a Cancer Care Team17:40 Chemotherapy & Immunotherapy18:00 A Serious Treatment Complication20:50 Making Medical Decisions Without Perfect Information24:38 Recovering & Moving Forward Without Immunotherapy25:48 Surgery & Radiation26:36 Living With Lasting Treatment Side Effects30:31 When Side Effects Affect Identity31:12 Losing the Ability to Just Keep Going34:12 Accepting She May Never Be Who She Was36:29 Figuring Out Who Sue Is Now38:20 Grief After Losing Her Husband40:19 What Sue Chose to Cut Out41:37 Learning to Let People In43:35 Sue’s Question for Dr. Brown44:12 How Doctors Build Trust With Patients48:27 Final TakeawaysAbout Just Cut It OutHosted by Dr. Kimberly Brown, Just Cut It Out features honest conversations about cancer and how a diagnosis can change the way we think about time, relationships, fear, joy—and what it means to live a good life.Connect With Dr. Kimberly Brown & Just Cut It OutHave a question, a story to share, or an idea for a future episode?Email: kim@justcutitoutpod.comIf this episode resonated with you, follow or subscribe to Just Cut It Out, leave a rating or review, and share this conversation with someone who might need it.Medical Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for individualized medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always discuss personal medical concerns and treatment decisions with a qualified healthcare professional.
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    51 分
  • Just Cut It Out Podcast | Young Mom’s Breast Cancer Story: Faith, Family & Fighting for Answers

    Just Cut It Out Podcast | Young Mom’s Breast Cancer Story: Faith, Family & Fighting for Answers
    2026/10/04

    Just Cut It Out Podcast | Young Mom’s Breast Cancer Story: Faith, Family & Fighting for Answers

    What happens when you're 34, raising two young children, and the breast lump you were told was a hematoma turns out to be breast cancer?

    In this episode of Just Cut It Out, Dr. Kimberly Brown sits down with Joyanne Gerdes to share her deeply personal breast cancer story. From fighting for answers and receiving her diagnosis to chemotherapy, mastectomy, breast reconstruction, survivorship, and finding her way back to everyday life.

    Joyanne opens up about what it was like to undergo cancer treatment while raising a three-year-old and five-year-old, including the difficult conversations she and her husband had with their children. She shares how humor helped their family through some of the hardest moments and how her husband, church, and community surrounded them with practical and emotional support.

    Faith also became central to Joyanne's journey. She describes learning to live with what she calls “defiant trust”, doing everything she could to fight cancer while surrendering the things she couldn't control.

    Dr. Brown and Joyanne also discuss patient self-advocacy, treatment decisions, breast reconstruction, scan anxiety, fear of recurrence, and what survivorship looks like after treatment ends.

    One lesson has stayed with Joyanne:

    “Don't let the fear of the unknown steal the joy that you have today.”

    In This Episode

    • Breast cancer, self-advocacy, and fighting for answers
    • Motherhood, chemotherapy, and talking to young children about cancer
    • Faith, family, humor, and the power of community
    • Mastectomy, breast reconstruction, and reclaiming a sense of self
    • Scan anxiety, survivorship, and learning to be present

    Joyanne describes cancer as a season of “pruning”—one that changed how she thinks about relationships, time, energy, family, and what truly matters.

    Chapter Markers

    00:00 Welcome to Just Cut It Out
    01:30 Life Before Cancer
    03:16 Finding the Breast Lump
    05:27 The Cancer Diagnosis
    08:45 Starting Treatment
    10:35 Motherhood During Chemo
    12:29 Talking to Kids About Cancer
    14:35 Hair Loss, Humor & Family
    16:25 Faith & Community
    18:47 Choosing Defiant Trust
    22:45 Surgery & Mastectomy
    25:21 Breast Reconstruction
    27:52 Survivorship & Scan Anxiety
    30:16 Advice for Other Moms
    32:29 What Cancer Taught Her
    33:43 Joyanne Questions Dr. Brown
    36:14 Final Takeaways

    About Just Cut It Out

    Hosted by Dr. Kimberly Brown, Just Cut It Out explores how the experience of a cancer diagnosis can change the way we think about what it means to live a good life.

    Through honest conversations with patients, their families, and the healthcare professionals who care for them, Dr. Brown brings together practical wisdom and the bigger questions that can emerge when life changes unexpectedly: What really matters? What deserves our time? What can we let go of? And what does it mean to live a good life?

    About Dr. Kimberly Brown

    Dr. Kimberly Brown is a physician who cares for people facing cancer and helps patients and families understand complex medical information so they can make informed decisions about their care. Her approach recognizes that caring for someone with cancer goes beyond treatment—it also means being present with patients and families as they navigate difficult decisions, uncertainty, and a life-changing diagnosis.

    As host of Just Cut It Out, Dr. Brown brings her experience as a physician into conversations about cancer, survivorship, family, faith, relationships, and the lessons people discover about living well.

    Connect With Dr. Kimberly Brown & Just Cut It Out

    Have a question, a story to share, or an idea for a future episode? We'd love to hear from you.

    Email: kim@justcutitoutpod.com

    Enjoyed This Episode?

    If Just Cut It Out has encouraged you, taught you something, or helped you see life a little differently, please follow or subscribe and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen.

    Reviews help more people discover Just Cut It Out and allow these conversations to reach patients, families, caregivers, and others who may need them.

    And if someone came to mind while you were listening, share this episode with them. One conversation can make a difference.

    Medical Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for individualized medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always discuss personal medical concerns and treatment decisions with a qualified healthcare professional.
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    37 分