Episode 1: Claiming Your Identity After Cancer

From whispered stigma to empowering language, this is your life. This is your language. And recognizing your comfort in this space is the first best step in understanding… your after. After a cancer diagnosis, people often hand you a label before they explain anything else. Patient. Survivor. Fighter. Victim. But who decides which of those words fits you? In this episode, Dr. Leslie Waltke explores the complicated role language plays in shaping identity after cancer — and why it’s okay if none of those labels feel right. This conversation unpacks the hidden pressure around cancer language and reminds listeners that identity after cancer is personal, evolving, and yours to define.