
What It Means To Be Human With Kate Stirling
Ep 78: The Year That Changed Our Lives Forever: Cancer, Parental Loss and The Unexpected Gifts We Gained As A Family With Special Guest, Warren Taylor
This week I am so delighted to welcome my partner, Actor Warren Taylor to the podcast. As a heads up this is a very honest conversation containing details about cancer, the treatment that followed alongside my dad's declining ill health with dementia and his passing away at the same time at starting chemotherapy. There is real light and shade, both bittersweet and funny alongside brutal honesty about what it is like experiencing a cancer diagnosis as a family. We explore the cancer diagnosis, treatment, and the emotional rollercoaster of facing mortality while maintaining family life. We talk about the importance of mindset, resilience, and the power of choosing calm amidst chaos. We also look at the power of acceptance and living life fully despite adversity. We hope our candid conversation offers valuable insights for anyone facing challenges or seeking to understand the transformative power of difficult experiences. For clarity, as I hash up the specific diagnosis part, I was diagnosed with High Grade B Cell Non Hodgkin Lymphoma - Stage 1. I know not everyone has the same experience of cancer so this is not to ever compare experiences, more to share our unique experience. I had 3 rounds of chemotherapy (R-CHOP) and 15 sessions of Radiotherapy over 3-4 weeks. I would love for this episode to help you see how much control you have even in moments where you feel out of control and to face any health concerns you have right now - or even deeper challenges personally too. Avoiding these things doesn't make them go away and when you have the courage to face them you will realise how much there is to take from the mere bravery in facing something that scares you. Also that life is short, please don't wait any longer to do what you want with yours! From a place of empowerment, rather than fear Chapters 00:00 Introduction and guest introduction 00:03 Introduction to the journey and key themes 5138:51:42 Kate finds a lump and initial concerns 6638:51:42 Kate and Warren share their personal experiences with cancer 11583:18:22 Medical investigations and inconclusive results 16805:31:45 Lessons learned about resilience and acceptance 18138:51:47 Diagnosis of lymphoma and emotional reactions 24694:25:17 Balancing hope, fear, and acceptance 25444:25:17 The impact of adversity on personal growth and family life 33333:18:42 The impact on family and loved ones 33472:12:02 The importance of mental health and mindset during illness 41861:05:25 Decisions around treatment and fertility 41999:58:45 Reflections on living fully despite challenges 49972:12:10 The importance of mindset and choosing calm 50638:52:10 The role of support systems and community 58194:25:32 Handling uncertainty and emotional resilience 58944:25:32 Advice for others facing health crises 66888:52:22 Treatment process and immune system concerns 66916:39:02 The transformative power of difficult experiences 75222:12:29 Reflections on the year and personal growth 75333:19:09 Looking forward: embracing life after adversity Kate Instagram - https://instagram.com/katestirling_ Warren Instagram - https://instagram.com/_warren_taylor Podcast Instagram - https://instagram.com/whatitmeanstobehumanpod_ Kate's website: www.katestirling.com Lymphoma Action website: https://lymphoma-action.org.uk Macmillan Cancer Website: https://www.macmillan.org.uk

