Podcasts · Health & Fitness

I'm Still Here: Real Conversations About Living with Metastatic Breast Cancer

Heather Jose

286 episodes

I’m Still Here: Real Conversations About Living with Metastatic Breast Cancer is a podcast about the real-life experience of living with metastatic breast cancer (MBC). Hosted by long-term thriver Heather Jose, diagnosed at 26 and living with metastatic disease for over 25 years, the show explores what life actually looks like beyond treatment. Topics include identity, relationships, work, uncertainty, quality of life, and the emotional realities of metastatic cancer. Episodes feature long-term survivor stories, caregiver perspectives, listener questions, and expert conversations.

Episodes page 1 of 6

  1. Episode 282: Possibility Over Probability

    · 26 min

    Someone commented on one of my Instagram posts about being stable since 2004 and said, “But it could change.” My answer was, “Or it could stay the same.” That exchange is what this episode is about. Larry and I talk…

  2. Episode 281: Normal, But Not Normal with Casey Quattlebaum, Sensational Survivor Series

    · 36 min

    Casey was first diagnosed with breast cancer at 31 and spent seven years in remission, never giving stage 4 much thought. Then a lymph node popped up near her collarbone in 2014, and everything changed. Twelve years…

  3. Episode 280: How Much of My Life is MBC?

    · 23 min

    I just got back from Tybee Island, and somewhere between the beach walks I started asking myself how much of my life is actually about metastatic breast cancer, and how much is about living with it. Larry and I talk…

  4. Episode 279: Tammy Eagle Bowling on Light Up MBC and the Campaign Raising Millions for Research

    · 33 min

    Tammy Eagle Bowling was 41, healthy, and diagnosed out of nowhere after a routine mammogram caught what blood work and a clean physical missed. She'd never even heard the word metastatic before a scan of her liver…

  5. Episode 278: When October Doesn't Feel Like Yours

    · 25 min

    Heather's solo this week, getting ahead of Breast Cancer Awareness Month before the pink shows up everywhere. This one's less a tidy takeaway and more her thinking out loud — the complicated feelings that come with…

  6. Episode 277: Beyond the Pink with Dr. Eleonora Teplinsky

    · 31 min

    This week I'm joined by Dr. Eleonora Teplinsky, a medical oncologist specializing in breast and gynecologic cancers, for a conversation about what actually helps people live well with metastatic disease, not just…

  7. Episode 276: We're Back!

    · 27 min

    Heather and Larry are back after a summer break, and they're kicking off the new season with a little reflection. After 275 episodes, Heather opens up about why the podcast started in the first place — those late-night…

  8. Episode 276: Encore Episode: Gillian Burles — 20 Years Living with HER2+ Metastatic Breast Cancer

    · 41 min

    Gillian Burles was 39 years old when her breast cancer metastasized to her spine — so severely that her T10 vertebra had to be replaced with a titanium alloy cage. She was living in the Northwest Territories, 1,500…

  9. Episode 275: This Is the Good Stuff

    · 26 min

    Heather and Larry are back together, and they're catching up on a full couple of weeks. First up: Larry's first time volunteering at a Little Pink Houses of Hope retreat on the Outer Banks — what he expected, what…

  10. Episode 274: Just a Tuesday

    · 26 min

    What do we actually want when we go into a scan? When we make the hard choices about treatment and energy and how we spend ourselves? We want a Tuesday. An ordinary, unremarkable, nothing-special day when we feel fine,…

  11. Episode 273: You Asked, I Answered

    · 33 min

    You had questions. Heather answered them. In this episode, Heather pulls from questions submitted on Instagram to talk about where her mets were, the treatments she's been on since her 1998 diagnosis, how she manages…

  12. Episode 272: When the Scan Isn't Clear — and That's Okay

    · 26 min

    Scan results don't always come back clean. After 28 years living with metastatic breast cancer, Heather has learned that "okay" doesn't always mean "clear" — and that learning to trust the process when the report isn't…

  13. Episode 271: Your Nervous System Isn't Overreacting

    · 24 min

    If you've ever felt like your body is always bracing for the next thing — you're not imagining it. In this solo episode, Heather explores what happens to your nervous system when you've been living with metastatic…

  14. Episode 270: The Appointment Is the Easy Part: The Real Cost of Navigating Healthcare with MBC

    · 23 min

    How are you? Busy? Overwhelmed? Maybe both? In this solo episode, Heather gets honest about what the last month has really looked like — navigating a sleep study, insurance approvals, cardiology appointments, and the…

  15. Episode 269: Your Questions, Our Answers

    · 44 min

    You asked, and we're answering. In this Q&A episode, Heather and Larry tackle questions submitted by listeners on Instagram and Facebook — the real ones, the hard ones, the ones a lot of people are thinking but don't…

  16. Episode 268: What Nobody Tells You About Being a Caregiver

    · 34 min · Explicit

    When Larry said "in sickness and in health" at 25, stage four breast cancer three years later was not what either of them had in mind. In this episode, Heather and Larry pull back the curtain on what caregiving…

  17. Episode 267: Sensational Survivor: 14 Years, Twin Boys, and a Life Built on Purpose — Janelle Slavik

    · 42 min

    Janelle Slavic was 24 years old when she was first diagnosed with breast cancer. A year later she was told it had spread. She has now been living with metastatic breast cancer for 14 years — and somewhere in the middle…

  18. Episode 266: The Loneliness Nobody Talks About with MBC

    · 33 min

    There's a particular kind of loneliness that comes with long-term metastatic breast cancer — and it's not the loneliness of being sick and scared. It's quieter than that. More structural. More built in. In this…

  19. Episode 265: Real Conversations About Living with Metastatic Breast Cancer

    · 23 min

    After a short break, the podcast is back with a refreshed focus and format. In this episode, Heather shares why the podcast subtitle has changed to Real Conversations About Living with Metastatic Breast Cancer and…

  20. I Was Diagnosed With Stage 4 Breast Cancer at 26 — What 27 Years With Metastatic Disease Taught Me (Part 2)

    · 30 min

    Last week in Part 1, I shared the story of being diagnosed with metastatic (stage 4) breast cancer at just 26 years old — the shock, fear, and life-altering moment that changed everything. In Part 2, I talk about what…

  21. I Was Diagnosed With Stage 4 Breast Cancer at 26 — Living With Metastatic Disease for 27 Years (Part 1)

    · 28 min

    At 26 years old, I was diagnosed with metastatic (stage 4) breast cancer — a moment that changed everything in an instant. In Part 1 of my story, I share what led up to my diagnosis, the shock of hearing the words…

  22. Episode 264: From Feeling Different to Finding His Voice — My Son Ty’s Story

    · 33 min

    In this special episode of I’m Still Here, Heather sits down with her son Ty to talk openly about his adoption journey, growing up as a brown child in a rural community, and what it’s been like navigating identity,…

  23. Episode 263: Eat This, Not That — 2026 Edition (Revised)

    · 26 min

    Eat This, Not That — 2026 Edition What do I actually eat — and how do I think about food now? In this episode, Heather shares her Eat This, Not That — 2026 Edition, responding to one of the most common questions she…

  24. Episode 262: What I Reached for in the Early Days—and How to Build a Library That Holds You

    · 29 min

    While cleaning and decluttering, Heather came across a stack of books that carried her through the early years of living with cancer. Some were informational. Some were inspirational. And some simply helped her feel…

  25. Episode 261: What Do I Need This Year? Rethinking the New Year With Metastatic Breast Cancer

    · 31 min

    A new year often comes with pressure to set goals, do more, and fix ourselves. But when you’re living with metastatic breast cancer, that framework can feel exhausting — and disconnected from reality. In this New Year…

  26. Episode 260: These Are My People: Finding Belonging in the Metastatic Breast Cancer Community

    · 35 min

    • After 27 years of living with metastatic breast cancer, I attended the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium for the first time — not knowing what to expect, or even if I would feel like I belonged. What I found was…

  27. Episode 259: Cancer at Christmas: The Week I Learned I had Stage IV Breast Cancer

    · 31 min

    In this powerful episode, Larry and I go back to the week in December 1998 that changed our lives forever. What started as a routine appointment just before the holidays quickly became a devastating spiral of tests,…

  28. Episode 258: The Holidays Hit Different With Cancer: Stress, Memories, and Making It Manageable

    · 26 min · Explicit

    The holidays hit different when you’re living with cancer. In this honest and heartfelt conversation, Heather and Larry talk about the emotional weight of the season — the pressure to make everything perfect “just in…

  29. Episode 257: What Will You Do With Your One Wild + Precious Life?

    · 26 min

    In this episode, Heather opens the door to a conversation many people living with metastatic cancer think about privately — but rarely speak aloud: You are allowed to live. You are allowed to plan ahead. You are…

  30. Episode 256: Don’t Wait for January: 7 Ways to Stay on Track Through the Holidays

    · 19 min

    Episode Description: The holidays are a mix of joy, chaos, and endless temptation — which makes it easy to say, “I’ll just start over in January.” But what if you didn’t have to throw in the towel? In this episode,…

  31. Episode 255: Stop the Cancer Spiral: A 15-Minute Reset for When Cancer Takes Over Your Thoughts

    · 24 min

    When your mind starts spinning with fear, what-ifs, and worst-case scenarios, how do you stop it? In this episode of I’m Still Here, Heather and Larry talk about the “cancer spiral” — that flood of anxious thoughts…

  32. Episode 254: The Balancing Act: Structure, Flexibility, and Living Well with MBC

    · 28 min

    Finding balance isn’t about perfection — it’s about learning what works for you. In this episode, Heather and Larry dig into the daily juggling act of work, health, and real life while managing metastatic breast…

  33. Episode 253: From “I Am Sick” to “I Am Strong”: 10 Statements to Reframe Your Life

    · 28 min

    What you say about yourself matters. In this solo episode, Heather shares 10 powerful “I Am” statements to help you shift from fear and frustration toward strength, peace, and purpose — even while living with cancer.…

  34. Episode 252: Let's Talk About Sex - After Cancer

    · 33 min · Explicit

    Let’s Talk About Sex – After Cancer After cancer, everyone tells you “you look great”—but looking fine isn’t the same as feeling whole. In this candid, funny, and deeply honest conversation, Heather and Larry talk…

  35. Episode 251: Never Stop Starting Over: Building Strength After Cancer

    · 27 min

    Never Stop Starting Over After a great appointment and scan results, Heather and Larry sit down to talk about what it really means to “start over”—again and again. From rebuilding strength after treatment to figuring…

  36. Episode 250: PET Scans, Panic, and Perspective

    · 21 min

    This week, I’m catching you up on a whirlwind of scans, cancer center conversations, and the realities of living with metastatic breast cancer. From the relief of a smoother PET scan experience to the anxiety of…

  37. Episode 249: Infusion Centers: Healing or Losing the Human Touch?

    · 31 min

    After more than 25 years of treatment at the same small-town hospital, Heather shares how changes in systems and processes have stripped away what once made her infusion experience bearable—the human connection. In…

  38. Episode 248: I Just Want a Break from MBC

    · 29 min

    Living with metastatic breast cancer is exhausting—physically, mentally, emotionally, and socially. It never takes a day off, and sometimes you just wish you could too. In this episode of I’m Still Here: Lessons from…

  39. Episode 247: We're Back! Let's Catch Up!

    · 29 min

    After a summer break, Larry is back on the mic! In this week’s episode, we reflect on the journey of I’m Still Here so far, share our hopes and dreams for what’s ahead, and invite you—our listeners—to help shape the…

  40. Episode 246: Sensational Survivor Terlisa Sheppard

    · 36 min

    🌟 Sensational Survivor Series Meet incredible women who have been living with metastatic cancer for 10 years or more. These candid conversations reveal what long-term survivorship really looks like—filled with wisdom,…

  41. Episode 245: Kelly Shanahan, Sensational Survivor

    · 35 min

    🌟 Sensational Survivor Series Meet incredible women who have been living with metastatic cancer for 10 years or more. These candid conversations reveal what long-term survivorship really looks like—filled with wisdom,…

  42. Episode 244:Sensational Survivor Series Melissa Haberl

    · 26 min

    🌟 Sensational Survivor Series Meet incredible women who have been living with metastatic cancer for 10 years or more. These candid conversations reveal what long-term survivorship really looks like—filled with wisdom,…

  43. Episode 243: Sensational Survivor Kim Builta

    · 30 min

    🌟 Sensational Survivor Series Meet incredible women who have been living with metastatic cancer for 10 years or more. These candid conversations reveal what long-term survivorship really looks like—filled with wisdom,…

  44. Episode 242: 20 yr Sensational Survivor Gillian Burles

    · 41 min

    🌟 Sensational Survivor Series Meet incredible women who have been living with metastatic cancer for 10 years or more. These candid conversations reveal what long-term survivorship really looks like—filled with wisdom,…

  45. Episode 241: Quick Summer Check in

    · 11 min

    👇 New to the podcast? Here's what we're all about:I’m Still Here is a weekly show hosted by Heather Jose, who has been living with metastatic breast cancer for over 25 years. Alongside her husband Larry, Heather shares…

  46. Episode 240: Sensational Survivor Jessica Strande

    · 40 min

    🌟 Sensational Survivor Series Meet incredible women who have been living with metastatic cancer for 10 years or more. These candid conversations reveal what long-term survivorship really looks like—filled with wisdom,…

  47. Episode 239: Sensational Survivor Leecy Fink, 10 Years With Metastatic TNBC

    · 46 min

    🌟 Sensational Survivor Series Meet incredible women who have been living with metastatic cancer for 10 years or more. These candid conversations reveal what long-term survivorship really looks like—filled with wisdom,…

  48. Episode 238: Sensational Survivor Sharon Hamilton, 19 years with MBC

    · 31 min

    🌟 Sensational Survivor Series Meet incredible women who have been living with metastatic cancer for 10 years or more. These candid conversations reveal what long-term survivorship really looks like—filled with wisdom,…

  49. Episode 237: Thriving Decades Beyond Diagnosis – Beth’s Survivor Story (Replay from 2023)

    · 46 min

    Episode 237: Thriving Decades Beyond Diagnosis – Beth’s Survivor Story (Replay from 2023) In this inspiring replay from 2023, Heather sits down with Beth, a metastatic breast cancer survivor who has been thriving for…

  50. Episode 236: Fear is the Worst. How to Get Relief When Living with Metastatic Cancer

    · 30 min · Explicit

    We asked what you struggle with the most when living with cancer and the fear of dying and overall anxiety always tops the list. In this episode we talk about learning to live with the fear and ways to counter it.…

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