In this episode, Juliette Austin tells Jodi-Ann about what happened to her when she disclosed her thyroid cancer diagnosis at work nearly a decade ago and just how toxic a reentry process to work can be. This traumatic experience impacted how she, many years later, chose to disclose her cancer survivor experience to Jodi-Ann, despite Jodi-Ann’s own openness in publicly sharing her story. The two exchange tender moments, sharing for the first time what a difference it made in the growth of their friendship to fully see each other. This conversation explores different ways each has learned how to cope, how to decide what to share, and what people often get wrong in trying to help us through our recovery process. Even without chemotherapy and radiation, it can be painful and life-long, with its own path towards acceptance. Who shows up for you, and how you show up for yourself, makes a big difference on how you choose to survive. 

Post Show Goodies: Juliette encourages Jodi-Ann to trust that she’ll be okay. 

Here are Juliette’s listener recommendations: 

• Someone to know: Yourself 
• Something to read: Stop the Thyroid Madness by Janie A. Bowthrope   
• Something to listen to: “misik rasin” (Haitian roots music) 

The full transcript at blackcancer.co

This episode was created during the 2020 global COVID-19 pandemic and the movement for Black lives.