What happens when life changes so dramatically that “getting back to normal” is no longer the goal?

In this episode of The Many Faces of Cancer, Melissa sits down with healthcare professional, entrepreneur, advocate, speaker and cancer survivor Sarita Parikh, whose life changed dramatically after a devastating accident left her with a traumatic brain injury—only to be followed months later by a breast cancer diagnosis.

Sarita shares the extraordinary story of navigating brain injury rehabilitation and cancer at the same time, including the cognitive and physical challenges that made even routine appointments difficult. She also talks about the unexpected way cancer forced her to confront something she hadn't yet had the capacity to process: just how much her life had changed.

Their conversation moves beyond diagnosis and treatment into the much bigger question of what recovery is actually for.

Sarita shares the philosophy behind her evolving work with Mind, Body, and Play Therapies and her concept of “life-first care”—an approach that asks not simply how we help someone recover, but how we help them build the capacity to participate in a meaningful life.

Melissa and Sarita also explore the importance of play, joy, awe, rest and connection—and why making room for those things doesn't mean ignoring the grief, anger and loss that can accompany cancer and trauma.

Sarita also shares how attending Epic Experience camp finally allowed her to recognize that she wasn't an “imposter” in the cancer community and begin processing her diagnosis. Even more unexpectedly, the experience of play, nature and connection seemed to help her rediscover something she had struggled to do since her brain injury: simply take a deep breath.

This is a conversation about accepting that life may never look exactly as it once did—and discovering that a different life can still be meaningful, joyful and very much worth living.

In this episode:

• Surviving a traumatic brain injury and cancer in the same year
• Navigating cancer treatment with significant cognitive limitations
• The grief of losing the life you expected
• Why recovery shouldn't only be about “getting better”
• Sarita's concept of life-first care
• Building capacity while also honoring the need for rest
• Why adults need play just as much as children do
• Making room for grief, rage, joy and awe at the same time
• Feeling like an imposter in the cancer community
• The unexpected impact of Epic Experience
• Finding your people—and allowing others to help carry the load

Sarita's message: Feel it all. Feel the fear, rage and grief—but don't try to carry it all alone. Find the people who can walk alongside you.

Resources:

Sarita's website: www.mbptherapies.com

Sarita's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glowandgather/, https://www.instagram.com/mindbodyplaytherapies/

Sarita's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/glowandgather, https://www.facebook.com/mindbodyplaytherapies

Sarita's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarita-parikh-glowandgather/, https://www.linkedin.com/company/mind-body-play-therapies/

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Email me: drmelissagrosboll@gmail.com