When a child, teenager or young adult is diagnosed with cancer, the overwhelming response is to jump into treatment as soon as possible to blast it out of the body. But before diving into treatment, it’s equally important to take a moment, step back and consider the long game; the quality of that young person’s life once the cancer is gone.

In this episode of An Unexpected Life, Marianne Banister dives into the world of Fertility Preservation with two experts who are helping young cancer survivors create families. Thanks to huge advances in medicine, even newborn cancer patients can now preserve their chance to have their own children one day! Our guests are Megan Scherer of Worth the Wait Charity and Kate Bendle of the Cleveland Clinic’s AYA Fertility Preservation Program.

It’s fascinating and vital information for any parent or future parent to know!

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

✅ Fertility Preservation Options

✅ Earliest age available for preservation

✅ How to manage preservation options with cancer treatment options

✅ Funding and financial support options

✅ Alternative pathways to parenthood for cancer survivors

Links

🔶 Preserving Fertility in Children and Teens: https://bit.ly/4nihztS

🔶 Fertility Preservation Program / Cleveland Children’s: https://bit.ly/4kW49SO

🔶 Worth the Wait: https://worththewaitcharity.com/

🔶All Paths Family Support Group: https://allpathsfb.org/support/

Claire Marie Foundation Mission

“ The Claire Marie Foundation provides clarity and hope in the fight against adolescent and young adult melanoma through awareness, education and prevention.

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Here’s a thought that may seem strange; you can disagree with your doctor. Sure, they have the diplomas on the wall and you’re the one in the paper gown, but remember; the doctor works for you!

In this episode of our podcast An Unexpected Life, you’ll meet
melanoma survivor Elea Vander Burgh. As a 17 year old high school student, Elea
stubbornly stood her ground when her dermatologist brushed aside a questionable mole as nothing. Elea demanded it be removed. The result; a melanoma diagnosis that possibly saved her life.

Now a student at Baylor University, Elea shares her inspirational story with
Marianne to illustrate the challenge and power of self advocacy at
any age, the importance of shopping for a good dermatologist, and the
magic of developing a good scar story!

What You’ll Learn in This Episode
✅ Why it’s important to listen to your inner voice.
✅ The value of advocacy and saying no!
✅ The hallmarks of a gold star dermatologist.
✅ The importance of finding a medical “team” post diagnosis.
✅ Sharing your story with friends.

Links
🔶 Screening to Save Your Life! How to Find the Best Dermatologist https://bit.ly/44dYnWO
🔶 The Difference Between Melanoma and Skin Cancer: Awareness That Could Save Your Life. https://bit.ly/45hm6q7
🔶 Education to Save Young Lives / The Basics of AYA Melanoma https://bit.ly/3ZVYqDx

Want to hear more episodes of An Unexpected Life? Find them here: https://clairemariefoundation.org/podcast/

Claire Marie Foundation Mission

“ The Claire Marie Foundation provides clarity and hope in the fight against adolescent and young adult melanoma through awareness, education and prevention.

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Is your head spinning? Your heart racing? Does life feel out of control?

Join the club! In this chaotic world anxiety is at an all-time high. But don’t lose hope - help is here!

In this episode, Marianne Banister talks with Anxiety Expert and Cognitive Behavioral Therapist April Moran, about how you can add some calm to your life with easy practical tips. Enhance your body and mind connection for your overall health and wellness. It’s especially important for those fighting cancer or other chronic conditions.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

✅ The toxic impact of stress hormones on your body

✅ The link between anxiety and cancer

✅ Easy techniques to calm your mind and body

Links

🔶 Stress and Cancer: bit.ly/4kVuDV3

🔶 Cortisol and Cancer: bit.ly/4kWDeXA

🔶 Anxiety Ruining Your Vibe? https://bit.ly/4j1GvTx

Claire Marie Foundation Mission

“ The Claire Marie Foundation provides clarity and hope in the fight against adolescent and young adult melanoma through awareness, education and prevention.

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Support the show

SPF, UPF, Heliocare (trademark), dermascopy. What the ??? Sometimes it feels a PhD is needed just to prep for a day in the sun. There are so many myths, truths and little known facts about sun safety coming at us it can be overwhelming. Relax! We’ve got the skinny on your skin!

In this episode of An Unexpected Life, Marianne Banister explores some surprisingly simple ways to be sensationally sun safe this summer - and every day of the year for that matter! Renown dermatologist Dr. Marguerite Germain, M.D. is our guest and she is a wealth of information!

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

✅ The best choices when it comes to sunscreen

✅ Value of UPF 50 clothing and where to find it

✅ Hidden sun risks

✅ Affects of sun, alcohol and your skin

✅ Little known tricks to protect your skin

✅ Why screening is as important as sunscreen

Links

🔶 Why You Need Sun Safe Clothing: https://bit.ly/42qGBP6

🔶 Little Known Tricks to Sun Safety: bit.ly/4cGxQmy

🔶 The Risk of Spray and Aerosol Sunscreens: https://bit.ly/4cmxTEi

🔶 Reef Safe Sunscreen Guide: https://bit.ly/ClaireMarieFoundation

Claire Marie Foundation Mission

“ The Claire Marie Foundation provides clarity and hope in the fight against adolescent and young adult melanoma through awareness, education and prevention.

Follow and Connect

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🔶 Support the show

🔶 Send us a text

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There are a lot of mistaken notions about melanoma out there. Among the deadliest is the idea that people of color cannot develop melanoma and other skin cancers. Nothing is further from the truth.

In this episode, Jacqueline Smith shares her story of surviving stage three melanoma twice – all before the age of 26 - and her transformative journey into an unexpected life. Today, Jacqueline is a D.C. based leader in melanoma patient advocacy as well as a wife and mother. Listen as Jacqueline shares her inspirational story with Marianne Banister, illustrating that melanoma can strike anyone of any age, any gender and any race. Melanoma never discriminates!

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

✅ Why the risk of death from melanoma is higher for people of color

✅ Why you need to see a dermatologist - not a general practitioner for diagnosis

✅ The power of pivoting to new adventures in life

✅ The value of advocating for yourself as a patient

Links

🔶 Melanoma Does Not Discriminate https://bit.ly/3HW90m7

🔶 Jacqueline’s Story; When it Comes to Melanoma - Expect the Unexpected https://bit.ly/3unJtbw

🔶 Melanoma & Skin of Color - Melanoma Research Alliance https://bit.ly/4iGTk5P

Claire Marie Foundation Mission

“ The Claire Marie Foundation provides clarity and hope in the fight against adolescent and young adult melanoma through awareness, education and prevention.

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Pregnancy. It’s one of the most thrilling and stressful times in a couple’s life. So many changes that lie ahead! So many things to worry about for both a healthy baby and mom. But did you know for some women, hormonal changes that bring a new life can also trigger melanoma?

In this powerful conversation, Jamie Martell, a young mom from Maryland, opens up with Marianne Banister about how not one - but two melanoma diagnosis - left her fighting for her life during pregnancy. It’s a story of courage, love and joy which should benefit any expectant mom.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

✅ Why melanoma can develop in pregnancy

✅ The need to get a skin screening during pregnancy

✅ The link between pregnancy and previous melanoma diagnosis

✅ The value of functional health in wellness

✅ The life saving role of medical research

Links

🔶Jamie’s Story: Pregnancy, Hormones and Melanoma https://bit.ly/3yWH505

🔶Melanoma During Pregnancy: What it Means For You and Your Baby https://bit.ly/4kZ1Dvs

🔶 Choosing For You and Baby: The Best Sunscreens for Pregnant Moms https://bit.ly/3FzpstB

Claire Marie Foundation Mission

“ The Claire Marie Foundation provides clarity and hope in the fight against adolescent and young adult melanoma through awareness, education and prevention.

Follow and Connect

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Support the show

In this first episode of An Unexpected Life, host Marianne Banister shares the story of her 14-year-old daughter, Claire’s, diagnosis of adolescent melanoma. It upturned not only Claire’s life, but that of her entire family. Everyone was blindsided by the fact that Claire’s cancer was triggered by hormonal changes rather than the “too much exposure to the sun.”

Listen in to discover why Claire’s diagnosis was not rare, but in fact part of a newly noted epidemic of melanoma in adolescents and young adults. Marianne sits down with renown oncologist Dr. Morganna Freeman Vance, to share how melanoma in young people is often overlooked, ignored and, most importantly how best you can protect those you love.

Its invaluable information for parents, grandparents and anyone 13 to 30 who want to live their best life in a sun safe way!

What You’ll Learn in this Episode

✅ Melanoma is the second most common cancer in adolescents and the most common cancer in young adults under 30,

✅ Melanoma can be triggered in young people by genetics and hormonal changes in puberty, pregnancy, including hypothyroidism.

✅ Why melanoma is different in young people than older adults.

✅ The importance of skin screenings and sun safe behavior for young people.

✅ Melanoma vaccines on the horizon.

Links:

🔶Don’t Get Blindsided! Your Thyroid and Melanoma. https://bit.ly/46MWVcS

🔶More Evidence of Why Melanoma Is of Special Risk to Young People https://bit.ly/3kJLP5m

🔶Claire’s Story / Children’s Cancer Foundation https://bit.ly/3FOdOrI

🔶Education to Save Young Lives; Basics of AYA Melanoma https://bit.ly/3ZVYqDx

Claire Marie Foundation Mission

“The Claire Marie Foundation provides clarity and hope in the fight against adolescent and young adult melanoma through awareness, education and prevention.”

Follow and Connect

🔶 www.clairemariefoundation.org

🔶 Instagram.com/clairemariefoundation

🔶 Facebook.com/ClaireMarieFoundation

🔶 Donate to our foundation

🔶 Linktree

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Support the show