Episode 28: I Want You to Share How Amazing She Was

When Allie was in middle school, her mother was diagnosed with cancer. Following an extended period of remission, her mother’s cancer returned when Allie was in graduate school. Allie joins the podcast to explore how she navigated caregiving and grief in different contexts and stages of her life, all while following her mom’s insistence that she not miss out on the opportunities of young adulthood. She talks about how she found a balance between living her life and supporting her mother, even as she experienced the anxiety of living “scan to scan.” Speaking of her grief, she shares, “It’s not sadness, because it’s deeper than that; you can be happy and still be feeling grief.” Through it all, Allie turned to her support network: “A lot of my friendships got stronger and deeper after going through a loss like that. My sister and my dad and I all stayed close… we all go through the same emotions at the same time every day.” This is the last full episode of Cancer Out Loud, Season 3. Stay tuned for bonus episodes through the end of June!