Podcasts by I Had Cancer
Welcome to the I HAD CANCER Podcast, an Allegheny Health Network and iHeart Production hosted by Bonny Diver of iHeartMedia. The I HAD CANCER Podcast provides personal and truthful conversations with cancer survivors along their journeys. Each episode will feature a different person with their unique perspective on their own fight against cancer. They are sharing their story to help others who might be facing similar challenges and to say they went from “I Have Cancer” to “I Had Cancer.”
The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the participants and do not reflect the views or opinions of AHN, its subsidiaries or affiliates. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease without consulting with a qualified healthcare provider. Please consult your healthcare provider with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your condition.
Further podcasts by Allegheny Health Network and iHeartRadio
Podcast on the topic Gesellschaft und Kultur
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Episode 52: Cancer specialist sees exciting times ahead for AHN from 2020-05-01T13:41:41
Dr. David Bartlett, the new chair of AHN Cancer Institute, is an acclaimed cancer surgeon and researcher. Involved in the latest advances in care, he predicts steady growth in the search for a cure...
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Episode 51: Mom says her melanoma diagnosis was lucky from 2020-04-28T12:26:02
Heather was 40, with a newborn son and a 3-year old daughter, when she learned that a mole on her skin was melanoma. Then, she didn’t know what it meant, but now she’s passionate about skin cancer ...
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Episode 50: She lost her old self, but found a new one from 2020-04-21T12:40:46
Ashley was 33 when ovarian cancer fractured her world. But her faith and an amazing care team at West Penn Hospital kept her going. With a leader in ovarian cancer research as her surgeon, she mov...
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Episode 49: He raced his way through treatment from 2020-04-14T13:38:39
Ray, 65, was always active, hunting elk, shoeing horses at the track, and celebrating his daughter’s wedding. Esophageal cancer interrupted his plans, but never his positivity. Surrounded by top-sh...
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Episode 48: Let’s get on with it! from 2020-04-07T14:16:34
Randy Stewart, 69, never expected a diagnosis of esophageal cancer. But his medical team at West Penn Hospital gave him the confidence to stay positive through six months of chemo, radiation, and s...
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Episode 47: A tough turn from expectant mom to cancer patient from 2020-03-24T13:25:36
Jessica’s happiness at being pregnant was dashed when she developed a placenta tumor. She had gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN), a rare cancer that arises during pregnancy. After a miscarri...
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Episode 46: He counted the miracles along the way from 2020-03-17T13:39:54
Bob was 73 when an unexpected blood disorder, myelodysplastic syndrome, led to acute myeloid leukemia, a form of blood cancer. AHN doctors and Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers brought about four ...
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Episode 45: Her birthday surprise changed her life from 2020-03-10T14:17:22
Cheryl learned she had invasive ductal carcinoma on her 50th birthday, just four months after her mother got the same breast cancer diagnosis. With chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and great support f...
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Episode 44: A walking miracle from 2020-03-03T14:42:05
When the doctor called with her test results on a Saturday, Kathy, 62, knew it wasn’t good news. Her diagnosis was locally advanced pancreatic cancer. After chemo and radiation with a great team at...
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Episode 43: Hockey player ices cancer from 2020-02-25T14:27:15
When a lump in his neck turned out to be salivary gland cancer, Mike was confident his AHN doctors would pull him through. He didn’t worry. At age 54, he just wanted to keep working and playing hoc...
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Episode 42: She gathered support, then gave it back from 2020-02-18T14:21:16
She gathered support, then gave it back
Martha Neevan, 57, got mammograms on time, every time. Then she found a lump, just two months after a breast exam. It was a fast growing form of breast...
Episode 41: A busy mom pays attention to her skin from 2020-02-11T14:33:48
Kristi Webb was 38 with a five-month old daughter when she noticed a mole on her jaw line. Hear how she connected with care, found the information she needed, and met a whole community of Pittsburg...
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Episode 40: From patient to advocate from 2020-02-04T14:55:29
Mike couldn’t wait for doctors to remove every trace of prostate cancer from his body. Listen to his message of hope, and an idea to increase the survival rate from 90 to 100%.
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Episode 39: Just 3 miles away from 2020-01-28T15:45:15
Renee thought she had hemorrhoids, but doctors confirmed she had rectal cancer. Hear how she met her AHN cancer team the very next day and finished out her treatments at a brand new cancer institut...
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Episode 38: College student’s swollen tonsil leads to leukemia diagnosis from 2020-01-21T16:28:34
Erin said her annual checkup became the biggest deal of her life. Before starting her senior year in college, 21-year-old Erin visited her doctor, who found that Erin’s tonsil was swollen. She had ...
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Episode 37: Mom’s cancer battle inspires daughter to comfort others from 2020-01-14T21:00:09
Only 45 and just relocated to Pittsburgh with her family, Wendy found a lump in her breast. She called 412-DOCTORS the next morning, saw a doctor the same day, had a biopsy the next, and underwent ...
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Episode 36: Conquering Stage 4 Breast Cancer with Husband, AHN and Faith from 2020-01-07T17:56:28
Naomi was 52 when she felt a lump in her breast. She went to the Breast Center at Allegheny General Hospital for her gynecologist appointment. In the next few hours, Naomi had a mammogram, ultrasou...
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Episode 35: A listen back to remarkable journeys (Part 2) from 2019-12-30T18:11:19
Over the last year, more than 30 amazing survivors shared their journeys of battling cancer on the I Had Cancer Podcast. Their inspirational stories have instilled hope and strength in others and d...
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Episode 34: A listen back to remarkable journeys (Part 1) from 2019-12-23T17:13:33
Over the last year, more than 30 amazing survivors shared their journeys of battling cancer on the I Had Cancer Podcast. Their inspirational stories have instilled hope and strength in others and d...
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Episode 33: She found expert cancer care right here from 2019-12-17T17:28:25
Stephanie was diagnosed last June with aggressive breast cancer. She was willing to travel anywhere to get best treatment. But after she met her AHN team of specialists, discovered that more than 2...
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Episode 32: Brain tumor discovered during European Vacation from 2019-12-10T17:37:37
Dan was vacationing in Austria with his wife when he suffered a seizure and learned he had brain cancer. He recounts how Highmark helped him return to the US via an air ambulance and had Dan, 34, a...
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Episode 31: AHN and Johns Hopkins Medicine team up to treat Butler man from 2019-12-03T17:43:46
Tom had his annual prostate exam and was told he had an aggressive form of cancer. He asked his AHN cancer specialist for a second opinion, and The Johns Hopkins Hospital called Tom the same day. L...
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Episode 30: Routine colonoscopy found preacher’s cancer from 2019-11-26T18:23:04
The Rev. Leslie Boone had no symptoms, but a routine colonoscopy revealed she had colorectal cancer. Listen as Leslie talks about how she never feared the disease, even as she endured procedures, c...
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Episode 29: Medical professional becomes the patient from 2019-11-19T16:39
As an occupational therapy assistant, Sonny is used to caring for others. After having a routine mammogram that indicated she had breast cancer, the tables were turned, and she was now the patient....
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Episode 28: Pirates pitcher shuts out cancer from 2019-11-12T17:01:19
Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Jameson Taillon describes the fear he felt after discovering something wrong in his testicle and later receiving a cancer diagnosis. He talks about his surgery, rehabili...
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Episode 27: A story of serendipity from 2019-11-05T18:30:53
Lung cancer survivor Stephanie, 74, had a new doctor who recommended a baseline chest X-ray. That simple screening led to Stephanie’s robotic-assisted surgery. Hear how sharing her family story wit...
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Episode 26: Fighting cancer with a laugh and smile from 2019-10-29T14:35:30
Emily had a 2-year-old daughter when she was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 29. Emily has a rare genetic mutation, called Li-Fraumeni Syndrome, that puts her at higher risk for developing canc...
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Episode 25: Finding her strength from 2019-10-22T14:48:44
Corinne found a lump in her breast while on vacation with her family. The first call she made when they got home was to her doctor. Corinne reveals how genetic testing gave her information to make ...
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Episode 24: Facing adversity with a smile from 2019-10-15T16:56:54
About 10 days before her annual mammogram, Clare found a lump. With no family history of breast cancer, she waited until her appointment to mention it. With lots of good humor, Clare shares what ha...
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Episode 23: Investigational drug eliminates breast cancer from 2019-10-08T16:05:58
Carol discovered a walnut-size lump in her breast and was diagnosed with inflammatory breast cancer, which is rare and aggressive and carries a 20 percent chance of survival. Carol talks about how ...
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Episode 22: Doing her life from 2019-10-01T16:02:22
Jen’s family had a history of breast cancer so she never missed a preventive screening. Hear Jen’s candid account of how having the BRCA-1 gene changed her priorities and treatment decisions. The I...
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Episode 21 - Voice change helped identify larynx cancer from 2019-09-24T16:15:56
Tom’s friends noticed his voice sounded different and urged him to see a doctor. A biopsy revealed larynx cancer. Tom talks about his risk factors and how his dedicated AHN team and innovative trea...
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Episode 20: A Friend she never expected from 2019-09-17T16:04:35
Beth retired early so she and her husband, Art, could travel more. Then a diagnosis of ovarian cancer derailed their plans. Beth talks about her experiences -- and finding a guardian angel who live...
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Episode 19: A walking miracle from 2019-09-10T16:09:26
Sue was 49 when she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, also called the silent killer. Now a four-year survivor, she talks about her treatment, recovery, and how she pays it forward to promote aware...
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Episode 18: Cancer team eased burdens for working mother from 2019-09-03T16:01:55
At 40, Rachel had a demanding career, two children, and breast cancer. With chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation, her year-long treatment took as much mental fortitude as physical stamina. Hear how...
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Episode 17: Cancer no match for patient’s courage from 2019-08-27T16:08:27
MaryJo, 46, found a lump in her breast and her team of AHN cancer experts diagnosed her in a day and kicked off treatment just 18 days later. Hear about her fortitude as she successfully battled th...
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Episode 16: Support from the beginning from 2019-08-20T16:11:37
The road from diagnosis to survivorship can be fraught with worry, fear, and uncertainty. Nurse navigator Rhea Rodriquez is always ready to support individuals battling cancer. Rhea talks about the...
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Episode 15: Grandfather focuses on advocacy after liver cancer from 2019-08-13T14:58:09
Tony was an eater, not a drinker, but still ended up with cirrhosis and liver cancer. After stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) and a liver transplant, he survived and thrived, even starting...
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Episode 14: Cancer no match for young mom from 2019-08-06T16:01:09
With children aged 5, 2 and 4 months, Laura found out she had Stage 3 rectal cancer. Only 32, she said having the perspective of, “I want to be a mom, not a cancer patient” carried her through trea...
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Episode 13: Don’t write the obituary yet from 2019-07-30T14:55:59
For Susan, it all started with a swollen ankle that lasted six months and eventually led to a diagnosis of Stage 3 ovarian cancer. Listen as she recounts her tale of the hurdles she faced during tr...
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Episode 12: Immunotherapy helps fight Representative’s cancer from 2019-07-23T16:11:58
Jeff Pyle, 54, has Stage IV renal cell cancer. It claimed one kidney in 2005 and re-surfaced years later in his chest. Listen to how the latest treatment option controlled his cancer. The I Had Can...
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Episode 11: Young woman’s melanoma sparks advocacy from 2019-07-16T16:10:45
Jessica Rogowicz got her first melanoma diagnosis three days before her 25th birthday and another at age 29. Jessica, now 36, talks about her treatment and how she started a foundation for melanoma...
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Episode 10: Pregnant. Cancer. Now what? from 2019-07-09T16:46:21
Cara was 36 weeks pregnant with her second child when she was diagnosed with aggressive breast cancer. She talks about what she did to have a healthy baby and begin her life-saving treatment. The I...
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Episode 9: A friend’s advice led him to Pittsburgh from 2019-07-02T15:52:45
In November, Jim started to have a hard time swallowing. When he was diagnosed with esophageal cancer, he asked a friend who had a similar diagnosis three years earlier. Jim talks about how this ad...
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Episode 8: Falling off her horse saved her life from 2019-06-25T15:57:53
After she was thrown off her horse and broke her shoulder, she was checking out the bruises and found a lump. Bonny wasn’t expecting to hear she had breast cancer. Listen to her story about survivi...
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Episode 7: School principal rings in another year after beating uterine cancer from 2019-06-18T16:10:31
Severe abdominal pain sent Brenda to the emergency room, and she was later diagnosed with stage 3 uterine cancer. Brenda’s oncology team quickly developed an effective treatment plan that has made ...
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Episode 6: Newlywed battles testicular cancer from 2019-06-11T15:58:57
At 32 years old, Nathan was in the best shape of his life, eating well and working out at the gym. But after an annual physical, he was shocked to learn he had testicular cancer. Listen how Nathan ...
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Episode 5: From untreatable to beatable from 2019-06-04T15:59:41
Roxann felt a lump on the side of her breast, made a doctor appointment, and soon learned she had aggressive breast cancer. Although the cancer was advanced, her AHN Cancer Institute team worked to...
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Episode 4: Innovative treatment helps new mom beat rare cancer from 2019-05-28T15:56:31
As an expectant mother, Gevony was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer in her second trimester. Hear how several Allegheny Health Network doctors worked together to develop a plan for a safe deliv...
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Episode 3: A Surprise Screening Result from 2019-05-21T16:21:21
Craig was too busy caring for his daughter to worry about his own health. But, his wife’s persistent reminders for a prostate screening saved his life. Craig shares his story – and his message to o...
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Episode 2: Triumphing over cancer proved her strength. from 2019-05-14T15:31:17
At 32, Nicole was starting a career in voice acting. But, her promising future was in danger when she learned she had a rare form of tongue cancer. Hear how Nicole overcame cancer to practice her c...
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Episode 1: I Had Cancer- Season Preview from 2019-05-13T15:51
The I Had Cancer podcast premiers on May 15, 2019. Hosted by Pittsburgh’s Bonny Diver, a cancer survivor and patient advocate for over 16 years, the I Had Cancer podcast provides personal and truth...
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