The Boobie Docs: The Girlfriend’s Guide to Breast Cancer, Breast Health, & Beyond – Details, episodes & analysis

Greetings from across the pond. I sit down with Dr. Liz O’Riordan (@oriordanliz), a UK-based breast cancer surgeon by training turned advocate after her own invasive lobular breast cancer diagnosis at age 40. She has since dedicated her life to educating and empowering people affected by breast cancer. She is an international speaker and author of “The Complete Guide to Breast Cancer: How to Feel Empowered and Take Control” and her memoir, “Under the Knife: The Rise and Fall of a Female Surgeon.

We discuss how her diagnosis changed her perspective and purpose, and she shares wisdom after having been on both sides of breast cancer.

We hope you love this episode as much as we do.

xo

Robyn

@theboobiedocs

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

[00:03:18] Walking in patients' shoes.

[00:04:39] Identity crisis after breast cancer.

[00:08:48] Overcoming fear of cancer recurrence.

[00:13:08] Balancing benefits and side effects.

[00:16:04] Managing side effects of medication.

[00:19:30] Lifestyle modifications for breast cancer.

[00:21:18] Breast cancer risk factors.

[00:26:15] Breast density and mammogram reports.

[00:27:43] Mammography and misinformation on cancer.

[00:32:52] Invasive lobular breast cancer.

[00:35:47] Monthly self breast exam.

[00:39:33] Trusting medical information online.

[00:42:26] Lifestyle factors in breast cancer.

[00:45:24] Importance of regular checkups.

Let’s get real about breast cancer & menopause with Dr. Suzanne Gilberg-Lenz!

Dr. Suzanne Gilberg-Lenz is a board-certified OB/GYN specializing in menopause & integrative medicine doctor. She's the Founder & author of “Menopause Bootcamp: Optimize Your Health, Empower Yourself, and Flourish as You Age.” She is also a breast cancer thriver herself. But many people, including myself, know her as Dr. Suzanne from the Drew Barrymore show.

Dr. Suzanne shares her breast cancer journey, from that initial shock of diagnosis to the decisions she made about treatment & genetic testing. We're going to dig deep into how you can navigate your own journey. Whether it's understanding the importance of screenings, having those sometimes difficult conversations with family, or figuring out your options regarding treatment & hormone replacement therapy, Dr. Suzanne is here to empower you with knowledge.

We're about to unpack a lot of important information, and hopefully, by the end of this episode, you'll feel a little more equipped to face whatever challenges lie ahead.

We cover a lot in this important conversation, including:

• Dr. Suzanne's breast cancer diagnosis and treatment
• Her perspective on self-breast exams and mammograms
• Genetic testing for breast cancer
• Talking to family members about a breast cancer diagnosis
• Importance of having a support system during cancer treatment
• Menopause and hormone replacement therapy (HRT)
• Misconceptions about breast cancer and HRT
• The role of the media in disseminating medical information
• Importance of considering individual needs and tailoring treatment plans
• Scrutiny of large studies and medical organizations
• A doctor's experience on becoming a tv personality

Contact Dr. Suzanne

• LinkedIn | www.linkedin.com/in/askdrsuzanne/
• Instagram | @askdrsuzanne
• Website | www.thedrsuzanne.com
• Book | Menopause Bootcamp: Optimize Your Health, Empower Your Self, and Flourish as You Age
• X (Twitter) | @askdrsuzanne
• Facebook | www.facebook.com/askdrsuzanne
• YouTube | www.youtube.com/user/askdrsuzanne

Contact Dr. Robyn

• Instagram | @theboobiedocs
• TikTok | @theboobiedocs
• YouTube | www.youtube.com/@TheBoobieDocs
• Facebook | www.facebook.com/theboobiedocs
• X (Twitter) @theboobiedocs

a huge thank you to Podcast Prime Solutions for editing this episode!

https://www.linkedin.com/company/podcastprimesolutions/

https://www.instagram.com/podcastprimesolutions

https://www.facebook.com/podcastprimesolutions

https://podcastprimesolutions.com/

MUST LISTEN! My Bachelor Nation fave MICHAEL A is here for all the right reasons! 🌹 

We discuss EVERYTHING about his wife Laura’s breast cancer diagnosis at age 31 while their son was 7 months old, the importance of early detection & self advocacy, SIGNS, & how he keeps Laura's legacy alive through @theL4project. Michael offers his best advice for caretakers, moving forward & finding love after loss. 🥹🙏🏻

And of course, Michael A. spills all the Bachelor tea! 🌹We chat about how he became America's favorite Midwestern widower dad on Katie Thurston's season of The Bachelorette, why he left early, & finding love with Danielle Maltby (another fave!) on Bachelor in Paradise! (& why he got heat 🔥)

⚠️ IMPORTANT: We also discuss why the proposed breast cancer screening recommendations do not go far enough, but we have the power to change them BEFORE June 6 via their website‼️ (linked 👇) 👀 to @theboobiedocs to learn why these recs suck & what you can do to change them‼️💪 )

This is seriously the BREAST podcast episode ever & I can’t wait for you to 👂! I am officially president of the Michael A. fan club, & you’re gonna want to join after hearing this episode.

Grab some wine & some tissues, & #livelifelifelaura 🍷💕

xo

Robyn

ps if you 💕 this episode of 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐢𝐫𝐥𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝’𝐬 𝐆𝐮𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐂𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫, 𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 & 𝐁𝐞𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐝 , please share with a breastie & leave a review 😘👯‍♀️

EPISODE GUIDE! 🎧 

3:45 all about Michael A!

7:15 how fate landed him on the Bachelorette & the L4 project 

9:30 Is Laura behind this all & signs

12:00 Live Life Like Laura, her legacy, & what we can learn from her breast cancer diagnosis at age 31, only 7-months after delivering their son 

13:30 social media in the cancer community

16:30 Discovering her breast cancer while breastfeeding, importance of self-advocacy & self-breast exam, & medical gaslighting 🎀

18:45 Breast Cancer during pregnancy/breastfeeding & the young breast cancer epidemic!

22:00 ‼️why the PROPOSED breast cancer screening recs suck, but WE HAVE THE POWER TO CHANGE THEM BEFORE JUNE 6‼️ (submit via link on @theboobiedocs!)

25:00 On being a widower with a young child & moving forward

31:00 Why he left Katie Thurston’s season of the Bachelorette before hometowns

35:00 Finding love with Danielle Maltby on Bachelor in Paradise, why he got backlash, & was he a protected player?

44:00 Life with Danielle in Cleveland &what’s next?

51:00 Best advice to caretakers

56:00 Lightning Round ⚡️ #teamariana 

🌟 ➡️ @theboobiedocs for more of the BREAST info 🎀

🌟 Submit commentary on draft before June 6 on USPTF WEBSITE: https://uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/breast-cancer-screening-draft-modeling-report

 (https://uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/breast-cancer-screening-draft-modeling-report)

🌟

 Learn more about Laura's legacy at @theL4project on Instagram

I am so happy to be chatting with three incredible women from The Breasties, Kelli Goss, Lauren Oxenhandler, & Kelsey Litwin. The Breasties is the first all-inclusive nonprofit for breast & gynecologic cancer that creates a community for survivor, previvors, thrivers, & carevivors through peer-to-peer connection, resources, & advocacy. 

We chat about their connection to breast cancer, how The Breasties helped them, and the upcoming Camp Breastie, a four-day summit June 1-4 where hundreds of people impacted by breast and gynecologic cancer come together for community, patient advocacy, and education. (Registration closes May 1 so it’s not too late to join!) 🫶

Kelli Goss is a BRCA1 previvor and the daughter of a two-time breast cancer survivor. In 2018, after discovering that she carried the BRCA gene mutation, Kellie opted to have a prophylactic mastectomy and hysterectomy to lower the risk of cancer. She shares her BRCA1 journey in the hopes that women of color will see themselves represented when making informed decisions about breast and ovarian health, early detection, and genetic counseling. Kelli is The Breasties Director of Diversity Equity + Inclusion.

Lauren Oxenhandler is a transformational Life Coach and Reiki II practitioner. She is cancer-free after her stage II triple negative breast cancer diagnosis in 2017. After finishing chemotherapy, Lauren felt isolated and craved connection to a community of people who understood what she was going through. She discovered The Breasties, and now serves as 

Director of Virtual Programming.

Kelsey Litwin discovered that she carries the BRCA1 gene mutation at 22 years old & was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer two years later, just prior to her prophylactic mastectomy. Kelsey is a freelance journalist, editor, and communications specialist based in Montreal, Canada and is passionate about making health information accessible. She writes and edits for The Peak, working to create content that resonates with, comforts and supports all members of the Breasties community.

I hope you love this conversation as much as I do! 💕

xox

Robyn

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