Talking With Cancer: the podcast that does exactly that. In its conception it was two friends, Katie Phillips (cancer patient) & Clair Whitefield (not a cancer patient), just like the statistic, that “one in two of us will experience cancer in our lifetime”. And every week they would sit down and talk about what Katie was going through. The series has evolved since it was first launched in May 2022, and now Katie is updating listeners on her “cancer journey”, and interviewing guests who have been impacted by cancer in some way - professionally or personally.
In February 2022, at 43 years old and with no prior health issues or concerns, Katie was told that she had thyroid cancer. To be more specific, a rare type of thyroid papillary cancer known as hobnail, with a genetic mutation known as a "ROS1 fusion". The doctors said that her diagnosis was “rare” and “complicated” – not words that Katie wanted to hear in the same sentence.
In the early weeks following her diagnosis, she decided to keep an audio diary of her journey.
‘Talking With Cancer’ gives insight into Katie’s life with cancer, her treatment (at The Royal Marsden Hospital), and how she’s experiencing her world now that - in her own words - “everything has changed and nothing has changed”.
The episodes can often be poignant and hard-hitting, but with Katie’s can-do, positive outlook towards life with cancer, the conversations are always cathartic, inspiring, and more often than not, very funny too.
Whether it’s tackling the more challenging topics that arise, or the lighter moments encountered on the journey – “never moisturise before an echocardiogram” – each week, the podcast offers something for everyone, as we are all, in some way, affected by cancer.
Have a listen. You might learn something, understand a little more about living with cancer than you did before and hopefully you’ll have a giggle too.
For more enquiries or to get in touch: hello@talkingwithcancer.com
To follow Katie’s journey on Instagram, go to: @talking_withcancer
You can donate to the charities: (The Royal Marsden and Maggie’s) that the podcast supports here: https://www.justgiving.com/team/talkingwithcancer
Listen here:
About Katie Phillips
Katie Phillips has over 20 years’ experience in entertainment PR. Her career began at the Edinburgh Festival. Across her career, Katie has worked with household names and on prime time television shows. In February 2011 she set up her entertainment PR agency KPPR.
Charities the podcast supports are:
The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity raises money solely to support The Royal Marsden, a world-leading cancer centre. The Royal Marsden Cancer charity exists to support the hospital so it can continue to make such a significant difference to the lives of its patients and their loved ones, as well as cancer patients across the world.
As a rare cancer, thyroid cancer research has historically struggled to find funding. "The Emmy Coates Thyroid Research Fund" therefore has been absolutely key to setting us off on this development pathway. The Emmy Coates Thyroid Research Fund has enabled us to use scientific techniques that have previously only been used in common cancers such as breast, prostate and lung cancer but have not yet been fully investigated in thyroid cancer. This means we are at the forefront of this field.
For more information, visit: https://www.royalmarsden.org/
Maggie’s has more than 25 years of experience providing free cancer support and information in centres across the UK.
Built in the grounds of NHS cancer hospitals, the centres are warm and welcoming, and run by expert staff who help people live well with cancer.
In 2021, we had 245,000 visits* to our centres, 55,000 were new people with cancer or new carers of someone with cancer.
The first centre opened in Edinburgh in 1996. Maggie's now has 24 centres in the UK and a growing international network.
Maggie’s is funded by voluntary donations.
Maggie’s President is HRH The Duchess of Cornwall.
“Every cancer hospital needs a Maggie’s” - Endorsed by 24 CEOs of NHS Hospital Trusts where there is a Maggie’s
Maggie's Chief Executive, Laura Lee was awarded a Damehood in 2019 for her services to people with cancer.
For more information visit https://www.maggies.org
*visits refers to support facilitated by our programme staff and includes face to face; on the phone and online