This week, we’re diving into the emotional side of cancer care with Kathleen Ringel, hospice social worker and adjunct professor at Fordham University. Kathleen brings deep experience and compassion to her work, supporting adult and pediatric patients—and their families—through some of life’s most difficult moments.

From navigating tough conversations with your healthcare team to setting boundaries with loved ones, Kathleen shares practical, empowering strategies for maintaining your voice and protecting your energy during cancer treatment. We talk about managing guilt, asking for what you need, and finding that tricky balance between accepting help and staying in control.

Whether you’re a patient, caregiver, or advocate, this episode is full of honest insights and actionable advice to help you feel more grounded and supported throughout your care journey.

💛 Listen now, and don’t forget to like and follow the F-U Cancer Podcast. To learn more, visit fucancer.health.

In this epsiode, we’re diving into a critical conversation on nutrition and survivorship for breast cancer—how food can play a role in recovery, long-term health, and overall well-being.

Joining us is Tamar Rothenberg, MS, RDN, a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist specializing in nutrition for breast and ovarian cancer thrivers in her Los Angeles-based private practice. She’s the author of Cancer Diet for the Newly Diagnosed: An Integrative Guide and Cookbook for Treatment and Recovery and has specialized training in vegetarian nutrition and herbal formulations for cancer care from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Tamar also co-facilitated the Coping with Cancer in the Kitchen study at Cancer Support Community, which was published in Nutrients in 2020.

On this episode of the F-U Cancer Podcast, host Christina Rollins sits down with Karen Pettengill, RDN, CSO, a board-certified oncology dietitian, to break it all down!

From boosting overall health to supporting the body during and after cancer treatment, we’ll explore:

✅ What a plant-based diet really means 🍎🥦
✅ How it supports cancer prevention & recovery 🏥
✅ The truth about protein & plant-based sources 💪
✅ Antioxidants, fiber, and their impact on health 🔬

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with cancer, you may be wondering: What are my treatment options? One therapy plays a key role in nearly 50% of cancer treatments—radiation therapy.

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Ann Raldow, Associate Professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology at UCLA, to break down how radiation therapy works, who it benefits, and what patients can expect.

On this episode of the F-U Cancer Podcast, we're joined by bestselling author and cancer survivor, Gina Mulligan. Gina is the author of two historical novels and the bestselling non-fiction book, Dear Friend: Letters of Encouragement, Humor & Love for Women with Breast Cancer. She’s been featured on NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt, The Steve Harvey Show, People.com, Today.com, O, The Oprah Magazine, and Woman’s Day Magazine.

But Gina’s impact goes beyond the written page. As the founder of Girls Love Mail, a national charity that has delivered over 270,000 handwritten letters to women with breast cancer, she’s proving that a simple note can bring hope, strength, and connection.

In this episode, we discuss the power of personal letters, Gina’s journey as an author and survivor, and how small acts of kindness can make a big difference. Plus, I’ll share my own experience with Girls Love Mail and how a community came together—one letter at a time.

Tune in for an inspiring conversation that proves words have the power to heal. 💌✨

Exercise rehabilitation is important in cancer care because it helps improve physical function, reduce treatment-related side effects, and enhance overall quality of life. Join us as we talk with board certified oncology clinical specialist, Dr. Andrew Congaway, PT, DPT about how to safety and effectively align physical movement with cancer recovery.

We are so fortunate to welcome the official dietitian/nutritionist of the Tulsa Ballet in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Amanda Settle, RD, LD, CDE, to the F-U Cancer Podcast. Amanda manages a private practice where she focus on helping clients achieve the healthiest version of themselves. Listen in as she shares advice for healthy eating before and after physical activity, including managing cancer treatment-related side effects.

According to the American Institute for Cancer Research, there is strong evidence to link increased fiber intake with a decreased risk of cancer. But how much fiber is needed to yield positive health benefits? And are certain fiber containing foods more beneficial than others? Joining us today to answer these important questions is registered dietitian nutritionist, Tuesday Hoelscher.