🚨New episode alert 🚨
THE WHOLE GANG IS BACK TOGETHER for the wrap up epside, just dropped wherever you listen to your podcasts. Join Aiden, Shaumya AND Toby and Alice as we take a look back over some of our favourite stories from this series.
We take it theme by theme and try to agree on the best bits. It ain't always easy, but we get there in the end. And what a series it's been. We've talked about long term impacts, feeling psychic, chicken nuggets, getting back to work, the mental health impacts of a cancer diagnosis, cancer with a newborn, navigating fatigue, writing a will, the power of words, facing your fears, having the best job in the world and tonnes more. And we've done it all with our new hosts Aiden and Shaumya at the helm.
What a series! Big up Jak, Lauren, Maddie, Poppy, Callum, Yami and Amber for being storytelling legends and PRAISE BE to Aiden and Shaumya for taking on the role of hosts so bloomin' well.
We've some Thoughtcasts (bitesized episodes) coming your way next week, but til then, why not catch up on whatever you've missed? And let us know what your fave episode has been this series below 🎧
We've got the whole gang together (inc Toby and Alice) to reflect on some of our highlights from Series 6! Episode dropping tomorrow at 8am.
Missed out on some of the stories? Best get a wriggle on and catch up, so you can let us know your fave stories in the comments below. Find all the episodes wherever you usually listen to your podcasts.
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AfterThoughts: The Teenage Years is going to be back soon. But with a few changes. More details dropping in a special teaser episode tomorrow.
Have you listened to our very special pod episode yet? Checking in with some of our storytellers felt like magic. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did.
If you haven’t listened yet, you’ll find the ep wherever you usually listen to your podcasts. If you like what you hear, we’d love it if you could rate or review. MAYBE EVEN BOTH?! Get it in your ears now 🎧
Alright. We know in the grand scheme of podcasts, 10,000 downloads isn't that many. But for a niche podcast of stories about cancer, created by two people who just want to do their bit to change some of the narratives, it felt like something worth celebrating. Let's face it, we don't need an excuse to celebrate.
So we got in touch with all of our previous podcast guests to reflect on where they were and take stock of where they're going. And the result is pretty special.
Listen TOMORROW from 8am wherever you usually get your podcasts. And let us know what you think. We'd love to hear from ya. Because this is for you.
Every day, 34 people in their 20s or 30s are diagnosed with cancer. These are just a few of the people who've been on the receiving end of the words 'you have cancer'. And they're the cast of AfterThoughts Series Five.
If you're new to AfterThoughts, find the S5 Wrap Up episode wherever you usually get your podcasts. It's an amuse bouche for your ears of all the best bits of the series that might make you go 'oh! maybe I should listen to the rest of that episode'. Spoiler alert: you should listen to the rest of that episode.
When he was diagnosed with Stage IV Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, Sean went from being a weightlifting PT who trained several (and we mean S E V E R A L) times a week to not being able to exercise at all and he stopped recognising the guy looking at him in the mirror. It hugely impacted his body image.
All of this led to him training up as a Cancer Rehab exercise specialist to work with people going through treatment and beyond. Because he wants to help others who look in the mirror and don’t recognise what they see.
Listen to Sean talk about his journey from cancer patient to cancer specialist PT on episode 6 of S5 of AfterThoughts wherever you usually get your podcasts. It’s a gooden.
He doesn’t like ketchup though so…maybe don’t trust his food choices.
We love it when people come on AfterThoughts and talk about their kids during treatment. As adults, we underestimate the resilience and strength of tiny humans so much and this story from Sukhy shows just how great kids can be at getting what a parent is going through when they've been diagnosed with cancer, even if they don't fully understand the details.
If you haven't listened to Sukhy's episode yet, you'll find it on all the usual podcast platforms and you'll hear this story of Those Around Us, plus stories about running in the rain, mental health and making decisions about returning to work. It's a corker and Sukhy is a dream.
Being told you have cancer is one thing. Being told the treatment for said cancer is to have your leg amputated is quite another. Listen to Jake talk about this experience and how he's taken control of the narrative around his cancer (by having a leg funeral and training to become a paratriathlete. Casual) in the latest episode of AfterThoughts. It's wherever you usually get your podcasts, obvs 🎧
Listened to Krista’s episode yet? One of the biggest themes from her episode was around connection and the power of the people around you. And for this series, we’re supported by two organisations who believe in the importance of just that.
Listen to Krista talk about meeting people like her in episode three of series five of AfterThoughts, supported by @trekstock and @alike.uk 👌.
You’ll find it wherever you usually get your podcasts
Have you heard Krista's episode yet? She's a storyteller who gives us stories on the power of connection and how she has built relationships throughout her experience - it's a great episode! S5 is supported by Trekstock & Alike 😁
Did you miss Jay's episode last week? There's still time before tomorrow's new episode. Listen now to hear them discuss relapse, mental health and happiness, comedy as a coping mechanism and so much more. You'll find it wherever you usually get your podcasts.
And when you see them on Mock the Week, don't forget - you heard them here first!
One of the biggest things we hear is how important connection is for those who are diagnosed with cancer young. There's nothing better than finding someone who just *gets it*. But what about when you have a rare cancer?
When Reielle was diagnosed with adrenal cortical carcinoma (aka ACC) she didn't realise there would be so few other people like her with the same diagnosis. Finding that connection has been incredibly hard - but she's found it by telling her story online. And if that shows us anything, it's just how important it is to keep talking as much as we can. Because your story could be another person's light in the dark.
🎤 Is this thing on? 🎤
We're BACK! It's Series Five of AfterThoughts and we've got an incredible storyteller up our sleeves to kickstart the series with tales of what it's like to live a life after a cancer diagnosis.
Meet Reielle. Diagnosed with ACC (that's adrenal cortical carcinoma if you're not in the know - we weren't!). She joins us to chat about finding connection, the opportunities that cancer can afford you and the physical adjustments we have to make in the wake of a cancer diagnosis. All featuring a puppy who was VERY keen to be part of the conversation.
You'll find us in all the usual places - Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Audible - or via the link below. Let us know your AfterThoughts on this episode on the comments below. We'd love to hear from ya!
https://afterthoughts.simplecast.com/episodes/reielle-rare-cancer-comedy-siblings-and-being-held-back
You didn’t think we’d forgotten about you did you?
SERIES FIVE of AfterThoughts coming next week. New storytellers. New stories. A new look at what it’s like to be diagnosed with cancer in your 20s or 30s.
Wednesday morning. 8.30am. Subscribe now on your streaming service of choice so you don’t miss that warm fuzzy feeling when the first episode drops. We canNOT wait to share it with you.
What’s changed for you since you were diagnosed with cancer? For @bristol2beijing , being present has become more important and noticing the moments that life is made up of. We loved this chat about sunsets 🌅 and living in the moment on the most recent episode of AfterThoughts. Have you listened yet?
Sometimes in cancer treatment there are moments that are strangely funny, sometimes there are moments that if you don’t laugh, you might cry and sometimes there are the moments that are so WTAF, you can’t help but laugh. This story from Karen's “Don’t Laugh” section of AfterThoughts sort of ticks all three of those boxes.
Go listen to the rest of Karen’s Don’t Laugh stories on this weeks episode in all your usual podcast places and then tell us your Daniel Powter moment in the comments below 👇 👇
Taking a momentary break from our current series to look forward to the next (it’s busy at AfterThoughts HQ!). We’re looking for storytellers for the next series of AfterThoughts: The Teenage Years (supported by Teenage Cancer Trust ). Aged 13-24, had cancer and got a story to tell? We want to hear from you! Find out more info here: https://www.teenagecancertrust.org/information/afterthoughts-teenage-years
