I am joined by two of the incredible founders of A Damn Good Life, Victoria Raphael and Ann Palmer, who are no stranger to breast cancer diagnosis at a young age & the impact it can have on a woman’s fertility journey.

Victoria was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 33 & faced treatment related infertility. After a long surrogacy journey, she welcomed her first son via a surrogate earlier this year. 👶🏻 Victoria is about to start her second surrogacy journey with the surrogate’s twin sister! (HELLO LIFETIME MOVIE!) 

Ann watched her mom battle breast cancer for a decade when she was a teenager, & thanks to high-risk screening, she was diagnosed with early stage breast cancer at age 36 during COVID. 

After their own battles with breast cancer & infertility, they both wanted to give back in a tangible way. Together with friend Sarrah Strimel Bentley, also a young breast cancer thriver currently on her own surrogacy journey, they created A Damn Good Life to make surrogacy a reality for young breast cancer thrivers who do not have the financial resources themselves. 

Thanks to tons of fundraising events & “lots of blood, sweat, & tears,” they will be gifting their first total surrogacy journey at the end of the month! The first round of applications are due Monday, April 10, but they plan to continue their mission 

We talk about i their breast cancer & fertility journeys, why this organization is so near & dear to their heart, & their ideal grant candidate! 

Visit www.adamngoodlife.org to apply to the grant, donate, or learn more about this incredible organization! 💕

This is part ✌️ of my incredible conversion with my friend, Kristina Burke, on navigating the complexities of a cancer diagnosis as both a patient & caregiver (if you missed part ☝️- start there!). Trigger alert, this is a heartbreaking but very important conversation. 💔 

Kristina was battling her own breast cancer diagnosis when her beloved husband, Jim Burke, a young, previously healthy, renowned chef at Wm. Mulherin & Sons, was diagnosed with a rare form of metastatic lung cancer (EGFR positive). 🥺

We reflect on how they navigated cancer together with their young family, & Kristina offers incredible insight on how to advocate for yourself & others. Sadly, Jim lost his 2-year battle with lung cancer a few months back at the age of 49. 🥺😭

We reflect on Jim’s life, legacy, moving through grief, & how the Philadelphia culinary community came together to support Team Burke. Trust me, you won’t want to miss it. 😘

I am truly grateful to Kristina for sharing their incredible story and hope you benefit from this conversation. ❤️‍🩹

xoxo

Robyn 

Also, make sure to check out their organization, TAG Time Happy Hour, which hosts amazing Philly dining experiences to benefit EGFR positive lung cancer research & honor Jim.

https://www.tagtimehappyhour.org/

Earlier this week was National Caregivers Day, a day to honor the incredible sacrifices that Caregivers make for their loved ones.

This is the perfect opportunity to share this two-part conversation with my dear friend, Kristina Burke, on navigating the complexities of a cancer diagnosis as both a patient & caregiver. Trigger alert, this is a heartbreaking but very important conversation. 💔

Kristina was diagnosed with breast cancer off a screening mammogram in her 40s despite having no known family history. While undergoing her own breast cancer treatment during the pandemic, the unthinkable happened. Her husband, Jim Burke, a young, previously healthy, renowned Philadelphia chef at Wm. Mulherin & Sons, was diagnosed with a 

rare form of metastatic lung cancer (EGFR positive). 🥺

We reflect on how they navigated cancer together with their young family, & Kristina offers incredible insight on how to advocate for yourself & others. Sadly, Jim lost his 2-year battle with lung cancer a few months back at the age of 49. 🥺😭

We check in on Team Burke & reflect on the past few years. Tune back for part ✌️ of this incredible combo as we reflect on Jim’s life, legacy, & moving through grief. Trust me, you won’t want to miss it. 😘

I am truly grateful to Kristina for sharing their incredible story and hope you benefit from this conversation. ❤️‍🩹

xoxo

Robyn 

Also, make sure to check out their organization, TAG Time Happy Hour, which hosts amazing Philly dining experiences to benefit EGFR positive lung cancer research & honor Jim.🥺

https://www.tagtimehappyhour.org/

HAPPY JEWISH GENETIC SCREENING AWARENESS WEEK! 🥳 And what better way to celebrate than chatting with my genetic counselor girl-crush, Dena Goldberg, MS, CGC (or as 65,000+ of her closest friends call her, @denaDNA). 🤩

Dena is a dynamic board-certified genetic counselor, media personality, educator, & illustrator who uses her background in singing & acting to spread awareness of medical genetics to the general public! 

We cover all the FAQ REGARDING GENETIC COUNSELING:

🌟 what is it, who needs it, & why! 

🌟 🚩 that might signal genetic mutation

🌟 risk-reduction & high-risk screening options

🌟 what’s the deal with BRCA & Jews? (& should all Ashkenazi Jewish people be tested?!)

🌟 ways to ⬇️ risk of passing down a mutation to offspring 🤯

& so much more! 

Also, a special offer for our listeners! 💃 Get $72 off Cancer or Reproductive Genetic Screening through https://www.jscreen.org using code JGSAW23 through 2/28/23! 🙌

We hope you love this conversation as much as we do! 👯‍♀️ 

xoxo

Robyn

Dena is founder of Malibu Genetics, concierge genetic counseling & works with you to create a personalized health plan. Follow @denadna across all social media platforms, or check out her websites: 

https://www.denadna.com & https://www.malibugenetics.com !

Kicking off 2023 by speaking to my cooler, older cousins, Melanie & Michelle, who I spent my entire life idolizing. 🤩 We discuss how their breast cancer & subsequent BRCA diagnosis in their 30s inspired me to become a breast radiologist, & the obstacles they faced as young women battling breast cancer 15+ years ago. We discuss medical gaslighting, their advice to young women, the Angelina Jolie effect, & what it’s like going through genetic testing as a parent. 

The episode wouldn’t be complete without sharing a spot-on horoscope reading from our beloved Mema Leatrice from over 30 years ago. ✨ 

We hope you love this conversation as much as we do! 👯‍♀️ 

xoxo

Robyn

PS considering genetic testing? Get discounted genetic screening & counseling through https://www.jscreen.org through 2/28/23! 🙌

Use code 𝗦𝗡𝗝𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟮 & pay:

⭐️ $56 for CancerGEN (to be tested for over 60 cancer genes 🧬) 

⭐️ $42 for ReproGEN (screens for Tay Sachs & 200 other inherited diseases) 

⭐️ $84 for BOTH 💃

I am so excited to be joined by the incredible Schaf sisters, @lorenschaffer and @lindzeyschaffer, the TikTok superstars and owners of the streetwear line, @schafapparel, who are using their story and platform to spread cancer awareness and change the world, one TikTok at a time. 🤩🎶 

We talk about Lindzey’s metastatic breast cancer diagnosis at age 29 and recent recurrence, the barriers she faces as a member of the LGBTQ community, and the family’s alphabet soup of genetic mutations. 🏳️‍🌈 🧬 

We also discuss how addressing hate on TikTok launched @schafapparel and @lorens singing career. You do NOT want to miss her debut of her ‘Unholy’ remix at the end, SHE IS A STAR!!! 🌟🔥

I’m obsessed with their sisterhood bond and their message, and I know you will be too. 🫶

“Don’t waste time not being you, because you don’t know how much time you have left.” - Lindzey Schaffer 🫶

xoxo

Robyn 

ps follow them across all social media platforms immediately… you’re welcome in advance! 😘

@lorenschaffer 

@lindzeyschaffer

@schafapparel

I am honored to be speaking with breast surgical oncologist and plastic surgeon, Dr. Anne Peled. Dr. Peled comes from a long line of breast specialists, and was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 37 despite being a vegan marathon runner. 

We discuss the struggles she faced as a patient, why she chose lumpectomy, & how that led her to develop the sensation preserving mastectomy with her husband, Dr. Ziv Peled (also a plastic surgeon). We also gush over @thebreasties and their recent Good Morning America appearance where they led the first self-breast exam on national tv (& why this is so important). 

We hope you enjoy this important conversation as much as we did!! (If you do, please leave a 🖐️⭐️ review & tell a friend! 👯‍♀️

xoxo 😘 

Robyn 

@theboobiedocs

𝘿𝙧. 𝙋𝙚𝙡𝙚𝙙 𝙬𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝘼𝙢𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙩 𝘾𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙜𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙃𝙖𝙧𝙫𝙖𝙧𝙙 𝙈𝙚𝙙𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙡 𝙎𝙘𝙝𝙤𝙤𝙡, 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙚𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙘 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙜𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙖 𝙗𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙩 𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙜𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙡 𝙤𝙣𝙘𝙤𝙡𝙤𝙜𝙮 𝙛𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙤𝙬𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙥 𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙐𝙣𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙤𝙛 𝘾𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙖, 𝙎𝙖𝙣 𝙁𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙞𝙨𝙘𝙤. 𝙎𝙝𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙤-𝙙𝙞𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙤𝙧 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘽𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙩 𝘾𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝘾𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙤𝙛 𝙀𝙭𝙘𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙖𝙩 𝙎𝙪𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙃𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙩𝙝 𝘾𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙖 𝙋𝙖𝙘𝙞𝙛𝙞𝙘 𝙈𝙚𝙙𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙡 𝘾𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙧.

I am so excited to partner with my friends from Dr. Deepa Halaharvi, breast surgical oncologist, and Monica Brooks, both breast cancer thrivers and hosts of @thebreastcancerpodcast, to create this collaborative podcast episode. We talk about their breast cancer journeys, their special bond, biopsy experiences and imaging tips , and so much more. 

We hope you love this joint podcast episode as much as we do. 👯‍♀️

xoxo 

Dr. Robyn Roth 

@theboobiedocs 

@thebreastcancer podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-breast-cancer-podcast/id1565403179?i=1000582275842

IG: https://www.instagram.com/thebreastcancerpodcast

Dr. Halaharvi IG: https://www.instagram.com/drdhalaharvi/

I kick off season ✌️ by catching up with our med school bestie, Dr. Arielle Glueck Hay. We discuss HOW IS IT POSSIBLE THAT WE ARE 40, tips for her first mammogram, why breast density matters, risk-factors, and so much more. Make it to the end, and you’ll be rewarded with my impromptu Ukelele debut.🤘🎸

We hope you enjoy this important conversation as much as we did!! (If you do, please leave a 🖐️⭐️ review & tell a friend! 👯‍♀️

xoxo 😘 

Robyn 

@theboobiedocs

EPISODE GUIDE: 

9:00ish What to expect for your first mammogram 🎀

14:00 Breast density & why you should care

17:00 Risks including Ashkenazi Jewish 

20:00 Is there an epidemic of young breast cancer? 

22:15 Myth busting & why I supposed the self breast exam 

24:30 What if you get called back & BIRADS breakdown 👩🏻‍⚕️

27:30 What I’d say to people who are hesitant to get a mammogram 

29:15 Why you need to point out a lump to the technologist

30:00 Is a mammogram a lunch break thing?

Dr. Hay is now a Pediatric Rheumatologist at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital in Miami, FL, where she lives with her 3 beautiful children and husband, Joshua.

Welcome to season 2 of my podcast, “The Girlfriend’s Guide to Breast Cancer, Breast Health, & Beyond.” If you or someone you love has been affected by breast cancer then this podcast is for you. Each episode, I sit down with top breast cancer experts, thrivers, previvors, and those who love them, to bring YOU the breast information. 💕

If you’re new around here, I highly suggest you go back and listen to season 1 of “The Girlfriend’s Guide to Breast Cancer,” where my best friend and colleague Dr. Adrienne Rosenthal speak to some of the key members of the breast cancer team to ask the most important frequently asked questions. 👩🏻‍⚕️

I’m so excited to continue these important conversations with this upcoming season, this time on my own. We’re gonna go a little deeper this time and talk about things like survivorship, being a caretaker, sexual health after breast cancer, and how to move through grief and loss. 

I’ve got some really incredible guests lined up that will inspire you, teach you, & show you that the diagnosis of breast cancer is not the end, but just a new beginning. 

I’ll share personal stories about how I have been personally affected by breast cancer and why I chose a career in Breast Radiology. I am so excited to share these upcoming episodes with you and I hope you join me for the ride. Now would be a great time to subscribe because the new episodes will be coming in hot. 🔥 

And of course, follow me on across all social media platforms at @TheBoobieDocs for more of the BREAST information. 💕

So get ready to learn, laugh, and let’s be breasties! 👯‍♀️