Advertise on podcast: BRCA & Beyond | A Hereditary Cancer Podcast

What happens emotionally after you learn you have an increased risk for cancer? A genetic test can give us important information about our health and our options. But living with that information is something else entirely. In this episode of BRCA & Beyond, Marisa sits down with Emily Epstein, LMSW, Genetic Social Worker with the Genetics and Personalized Cancer Prevention Program at Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian, to talk about the psychosocial side of hereditary cancer risk and the gap that can exist between receiving genetic information and actually learning how to live with it. They talk about the anxiety that can come with knowing your cancer risk, the emotional weight of ongoing surveillance and prevention decisions, navigating family dynamics, communicating genetic risk with relatives, survivor and previvor guilt, and why the emotional impact of hereditary cancer doesn’t end after the genetic counseling appointment. Emily also shares how her work provides long-term psychosocial support for people living with hereditary cancer risk and why this kind of care deserves a place alongside medical surveillance, genetic counseling, and cancer prevention. Emily is among the first clinicians in the country working specifically as a Genetic Social Worker in this capacity. At Weill Cornell’s Genetics and Personalized Cancer Prevention Program, she has helped build psychosocial services from the ground up, including individual counseling, care coordination, family testing support, and peer support. Before becoming a social worker, Emily worked as an actor on Broadway, national tours, and in voiceover. About the Genetics and Personalized Cancer Prevention ProgramThe Genetics and Personalized Cancer Prevention Program at Weill Cornell Medicine cares for individuals and families with hereditary cancer syndromes. The multidisciplinary program brings together genetic counseling, medical and surgical specialists, research, and social work to support cancer prevention and risk reduction over the long term. Innovations in Cancer Genetics SymposiumThe Innovations in Cancer Genetics Symposium takes place October 15–17, 2026, at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City, presented with FORCE. Thursday, October 15 is Patient Wellness and Connection Day, a full day created for individuals living with hereditary cancer syndromes and their families. Emily organized the day alongside her colleague Laura Schneebaum. Emily will also present on Friday and moderate the patient panel closing the symposium on Saturday. Register at gpcpsymposium.com and use code THURSDAY50 for a discounted Thursday pass. Connect & Learn More Emily Epstein, LMSW: https://weillcornell.org/emily-epstein-lmsw Genetics and Personalized Cancer Prevention Program: www.wcinyp.org/gpcp GPCP on Instagram: @WCMCancergenetics Emily on Instagram: @emilyepsteinlmsw Research: Epstein ES, et al. Addressing the Psychosocial Gap in Hereditary Cancer Care. JCO Oncology Practice, 2026. https://ascopubs.org/doi/10.1200/OP-26-00307 BRCA & Beyond is a hereditary cancer podcast exploring the medical, emotional, and psychosocial realities of living with inherited cancer risk. This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for individualized medical or mental health care. If this episode resonated with you, please leave a rating and review. This helps us reach more people navigating previvorship, survivorship, and life after a diagnosis. Medical Disclaimer This podcast is for informational and inspirational purposes only and is not intended to replace medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or another qualified healthcare professional before making any medical decisions. The views and experiences shared by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the host. Connect with BRCA & Beyond Instagram: 🧬 @BRCAandBeyond 💛 @MarisStache Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does it really mean to be a previvor and live with hereditary cancer risk when you don’t have cancer, but your life has still been changed by it? In this special Previvor Day episode of BRCA & Beyond, Marisa talks about the parts of living with an inherited genetic mutation and hereditary cancer risk that often happen quietly, far beyond genetic testing results, cancer screenings, doctor appointments, and risk percentages. Because being a previvor can mean making life-changing decisions about a healthy body. It can mean choosing between increased surveillance and risk-reducing surgery, navigating fertility and family planning, worrying about what you may have passed on to your children, carrying the cancer history of generations before you, and learning how to live with information you can never unknow. And then there is the part we don’t talk about nearly enough: the emotional weight of it all. In this episode, Marisa gets personal about her own experience as a BRCA2 previvor and colon cancer survivor, including preventive surgery, body image, family history, guilt, grief, fear, gratitude, and the strange gray area of being neither a cancer patient nor completely untouched by cancer. She also explores why so many previvors struggle silently. When people around you are actively fighting cancer, it can feel like you don’t have the right to say this is hard. When a preventive surgery was technically your “choice,” it can feel like you shouldn’t grieve what it cost you. But being grateful for the opportunity to know your hereditary cancer risk and struggling with what that knowledge asks of you can both be true. This episode is for anyone navigating BRCA1, BRCA2, Lynch syndrome, PALB2, CHEK2, ATM, TP53, CDH1, or another hereditary cancer gene mutation. It’s for the person considering preventive surgery, living through high-risk cancer screening, waiting on genetic testing results, thinking about their children and family history, or simply trying to figure out where they belong in the hereditary cancer community. On Previvor Day, this is a reminder that you do not have to earn the right to find this difficult, and you do not have to carry it quietly. ResourcesFORCE: Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered Hereditary cancer information, gene-specific resources, support programs, research opportunities, and resources for previvors and survivors: https://www.facingourrisk.org/ National Hereditary Cancer Week & Previvor Day – FORCE Learn more about National Previvor Day and Hereditary Cancer Week: https://www.facingourrisk.org/national-hereditary-cancer-week FORCE Previvor Resources Information and resources specifically for people living with an inherited cancer risk who have not been diagnosed with cancer: https://www.facingourrisk.org/previvor-resources FORCE Hereditary Cancer Support Find peer navigation, previvor support groups, a helpline, community programs, and help finding hereditary cancer specialists: https://www.facingourrisk.org/support National Cancer Institute: Genetic Testing for Inherited Cancer Risk Information about hereditary cancer syndromes, genetic testing, genetic counseling, and what genetic test results can mean for individuals and families: https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/genetics/genetic-testing-fact-sheet This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for individualized medical advice. Decisions about genetic testing, cancer screening, surveillance, medications, or risk-reducing surgery should be made with qualified healthcare professionals who understand your personal and family history. If this episode resonated with you, please leave a rating and review. This helps us reach more people navigating previvorship, survivorship, and life after a diagnosis. Medical Disclaimer This podcast is for informational and inspirational purposes only and is not intended to replace medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or another qualified healthcare professional before making any medical decisions. The views and experiences shared by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the host. Connect with BRCA & Beyond Instagram: 🧬 @BRCAandBeyond 💛 @MarisStache Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After a month of conversations about ovarian cancer risk, screening, fallopian tubes, fertility, preventive surgery, surgical menopause, HRT, and hereditary cancer, there’s one question left: What do we actually do with all of this information? In the finale of our Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month series, Marisa steps back to look at the bigger picture. Because learning your cancer risk is one thing. Understanding how that information applies to your body, your family history, your mutation, and your life is another. In this episode, we talk about how to find reliable medical information, understand the difference between established recommendations and emerging research, ask better questions during appointments, seek second opinions, and build a care team that can support more than just cancer prevention. We also talk about something that can easily get lost when discussing preventive surgery: what happens afterward. Who helps manage surgical menopause? When should conversations about HRT happen? What about sexual health, fertility, bone health, quality of life, and the emotional impact of making an irreversible medical decision? The goal of this series was never to tell you what decision to make. It was to help you understand the questions worth asking before you make it. Awareness gives us information. Advocacy helps us use it. RESOURCESFORCE: Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered Hereditary cancer information, support, research updates, risk management information, and resources for people with inherited cancer risk. https://www.facingourrisk.org/ National Cancer Institute: BRCA1 and BRCA2 Information about BRCA1/2 cancer risks, genetic testing, ovarian cancer risk management, screening limitations, and risk-reducing surgery. https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/genetics/brca-fact-sheet National Cancer Institute: Ovarian Cancer Prevention Evidence-based information about ovarian, fallopian tube, and primary peritoneal cancer risk and prevention. https://www.cancer.gov/types/ovarian/patient/ovarian-prevention-pdq American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists: Ovarian Cancer Patient information about ovarian cancer risk, high-risk individuals, risk-reducing surgery, and surgical menopause. https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/ovarian-cancer ACOG: BRCA1 and BRCA2 Mutations Information about BRCA-related cancer risk, preventive surgery, removal of the ovaries and fallopian tubes, and considerations surrounding surgical menopause. https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/brca1-and-brca2-mutations The Menopause Society: Hormone Therapy Evidence-based patient education about hormone therapy, including different forms of estrogen and progestogen therapy, potential benefits and risks, and questions to discuss with a menopause-trained healthcare professional. https://menopause.org/patient-education/menopause-topics/hormone-therapy The Menopause Society: Patient Education Additional resources on menopause symptoms, sexual health, nonhormonal treatment options, hormone therapy, and preparing for menopause care. https://menopause.org/patient-education If you are navigating hereditary ovarian cancer risk or considering risk-reducing surgery, talk with a genetic counselor, gynecologic oncologist, and other qualified healthcare professionals about recommendations specific to your genetic mutation, personal history, family history, age, and individual circumstances. This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for individualized medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If this episode resonated with you, please leave a rating and review. This helps us reach more people navigating previvorship, survivorship, and life after a diagnosis. Medical Disclaimer This podcast is for informational and inspirational purposes only and is not intended to replace medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or another qualified healthcare professional before making any medical decisions. The views and experiences shared by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the host. Connect with BRCA & Beyond Instagram: 🧬 @BRCAandBeyond 💛 @MarisStache Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does it actually mean when you're told you have an increased genetic risk for ovarian cancer? In this episode of BRCA & Beyond, Marisa is joined by Moffitt Cancer Center genetic counselors Stef Alastre and Tina Inman for a deeper look at hereditary ovarian cancer risk and what those risk numbers really mean for the individual person behind them. The conversation goes beyond BRCA1 and BRCA2 to explore other hereditary cancer genes associated with ovarian cancer risk, including Lynch syndrome, BRIP1, RAD51C and RAD51D. Stef and Tina explain why your specific gene matters, how risk can change with age, and why family history remains an important part of understanding genetic test results and making decisions about screening, prevention, and risk-reducing surgery. They also discuss how hereditary cancer can appear to move through families in unexpected ways, why a lack of ovarian or breast cancer in your family does not necessarily mean a mutation isn't important, what a variant of uncertain significance means, and why genetic counseling can help turn complicated percentages and test results into information that is actually useful for your care. The episode also introduces Moffitt Cancer Center's Project COURAGE, a community outreach initiative led by Tina that brings ovarian cancer education, hereditary cancer risk assessment, and genetic education directly into the community while helping address barriers to genetic counseling and testing. Whether you've already tested positive for a hereditary cancer mutation, have a strong family history of cancer, are considering genetic testing, or simply want to better understand ovarian cancer risk, this conversation offers a clearer look at how genetics, family history, and personalized care fit together. Resources Mentioned in This Episode Moffitt Cancer Center Project COURAGE Community Ovarian Cancer Understanding through Risk Assessment and Genetic Education. Project COURAGE provides community education about ovarian cancer risk, family history, and hereditary cancer while helping connect people with genetic counseling and testing resources. FORCE: Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered Expert-reviewed, gene-specific hereditary cancer information, research resources, and support. FORCE also offers a Peer Navigation Program that can connect people with trained volunteers who share similar hereditary cancer experiences. National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Clinical guidelines used by healthcare professionals for hereditary cancer risk assessment and management. Moffitt clinicians discuss using NCCN guidance alongside personal history, family history, and individualized clinical care. American Cancer Society Cancer education and information, including resources related to ovarian cancer, genetic risk, and prevention. This podcast is for informational and educational purposes and does not replace individualized medical advice. Genetic test results and hereditary cancer risk should be reviewed with a qualified healthcare professional or genetic counselor. If this episode resonated with you, please leave a rating and review. This helps us reach more people navigating previvorship, survivorship, and life after a diagnosis. Medical Disclaimer This podcast is for informational and inspirational purposes only and is not intended to replace medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or another qualified healthcare professional before making any medical decisions. The views and experiences shared by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the host. Connect with BRCA & Beyond Instagram: 🧬 @BRCAandBeyond 💛 @MarisStache Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Removing your ovaries can significantly reduce ovarian cancer risk for people with BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations. But knowing what is medically recommended and feeling ready to actually do it are two very different things. In this deeply personal episode of BRCA & Beyond, Marisa shares where she is right now at 40, facing the decision of when to remove her ovaries because of BRCA2. At 38, she chose to remove her fallopian tubes while keeping her ovaries through the WISP study, giving her more time before surgical menopause. She knew ovary removal would eventually become part of the conversation. She just didn't expect the decision to feel this difficult when the time came. Marisa talks openly about her fears surrounding surgical menopause, HRT, weight changes, mood and mental health, sexual health, and the potential long-term effects of early ovary removal. She also explores one of the hardest parts of previvorship: making a permanent decision about healthy parts of your body to prevent a cancer that may or may not ever happen. How do you balance ovarian cancer prevention with quality of life? What happens when there is no reliable screening test to give you the reassurance you want? And what do you do when you understand the medical recommendation but still don't feel ready? There is no neatly packaged answer at the end of this episode. This is an honest conversation from the middle of the decision, before hindsight makes everything feel clearer than it actually was. Trusted Resources: National Cancer Institute (NCI) BRCA1 and BRCA2 cancer risks and risk reducing surgery https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/genetics/brca-fact-sheet American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) BRCA mutations, ovarian cancer risk and risk reducing surgery https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/brca1-and-brca2-mutations The Menopause Society Menopause, hormone therapy and menopause care https://menopause.org/patient-education FORCE: Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered Hereditary cancer education, research and support https://www.facingourrisk.org WISP: Women Choosing Surgical Prevention Research on salpingectomy with delayed oophorectomy and quality of life https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT02760849 TUBA WISP II Ongoing research evaluating the cancer prevention safety of salpingectomy with delayed oophorectomy compared with standard risk reducing salpingo oophorectomy https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04294927 If this episode resonated with you, please leave a rating and review. This helps us reach more people navigating previvorship, survivorship, and life after a diagnosis. Medical Disclaimer This podcast is for informational and inspirational purposes only and is not intended to replace medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or another qualified healthcare professional before making any medical decisions. The views and experiences shared by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the host. Connect with BRCA & Beyond Instagram: 🧬 @BRCAandBeyond 💛 @MarisStache Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What should you know about hormone replacement therapy before having your ovaries removed? For women with BRCA1, BRCA2 and other hereditary cancer risks, preventive ovary removal can bring another major consideration: surgical menopause and what comes next. In this episode of BRCA & Beyond, Marisa explores the questions many women have about HRT before risk-reducing ovary removal. What might surgical menopause actually feel like? How can hormone therapy fit into care after surgery? What happens if the first approach doesn't work well for you? And who should be helping manage your menopause care along the way? Through her own experience approaching this decision with BRCA2, Marisa discusses concerns around mood, energy, weight, sexual health, quality of life, and simply feeling like yourself after surgery. She also shares an important shift in how she's preparing: instead of waiting until after ovary removal to figure out menopause care, she's asking what that plan should look like before surgery happens. The conversation also explores why HRT experiences can vary so widely, why another person's experience isn't a preview of your own, and why preparing for risk-reducing ovary removal should include conversations about both cancer prevention and quality of life. Whether you're considering an oophorectomy, a risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy, navigating surgical menopause, or simply trying to understand HRT in the context of hereditary cancer risk, this episode can help you think through the questions to bring to your own healthcare team. Trusted resources: The Menopause Society Patient education on menopause, surgical menopause, and hormone therapy. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) Patient guidance on BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations, risk-reducing surgery, and menopause care. National Cancer Institute (NCI) Evidence-based information on BRCA1 and BRCA2, hereditary cancer risk and risk reducing surgery. FORCE: Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered Hereditary cancer information, research updates, and support for people with inherited cancer risk. This podcast is for informational and educational purposes and does not replace individualized medical advice. Decisions about risk reducing surgery, surgical menopause and hormone therapy should be discussed with your healthcare team. If this episode resonated with you, please leave a rating and review. This helps us reach more people navigating previvorship, survivorship, and life after a diagnosis. Medical Disclaimer This podcast is for informational and inspirational purposes only and is not intended to replace medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or another qualified healthcare professional before making any medical decisions. The views and experiences shared by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the host. Connect with BRCA & Beyond Instagram: 🧬 @BRCAandBeyond 💛 @MarisStache Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What happens when your family medical history is something you have to fight to uncover? In this episode of BRCA & Beyond, Marisa sits down with Dayna A. Dorsey, also known as Dayna-Ashley and the founder of Little Orphan Ashley™, to talk about ovarian cancer, adoption, genetic testing, family medical history, and turning lived experience into advocacy. Dayna-Ashley was just one year old when she lost her biological mother, Mary Ann, to ovarian cancer at only 34 years old. As a two-time orphan, former foster youth, and adoptee, she grew up without memories of her mother and with limited access to her biological family’s medical history. As Dayna-Ashley approached the age her mother was when she died, the need to understand her own health and family history became deeply personal. She shares her search for answers, the fight to unseal her adoption records, navigating genetic testing, and what she ultimately learned about her own health. She also shares how her mother’s ovarian cancer continues to shape her advocacy today, why access to family medical history matters for foster youth and adoptees, and the story behind Little Orphan Ashley™, a name once used to hurt her that she transformed into a platform for advocacy, education, and impact. About Dayna-Ashley Little Orphan Ashley™ is the national advocacy and impact platform founded by Dayna A. Dorsey (Dayna-Ashley), a two-time orphan, former foster youth, adoptee, 4x author, nonprofit leader, and National Advocate for Foster Youth Protection & Exploitation Prevention. She transforms her lived experience into purpose through advocacy, education, storytelling, and community impact focused on protecting and empowering vulnerable children and families. Dayna-Ashley also serves as an Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance (OCRA) Advocate Leader and Florida Statewide Facilitator for OCRA’s Survivors Teaching Students® (STS) Program, carrying forward the legacy of her late mother, Mary Ann, who lost her life to ovarian cancer at age 34. The Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance is the leading gynecological nonprofit in the world founded in 1994. A key focus of her advocacy is health awareness for foster youth and adoptees, particularly those with sealed adoption records or limited family medical histories who may unknowingly face increased risks for hereditary diseases, cancers, and genetic mutations. She promotes awareness of their rights and available pathways to accessing medical, adoption, and biological family health information. Through Little Orphan Ashley™, Dayna-Ashley champions foster youth protection, health equity, literacy, human trafficking prevention, poverty prevention, and youth empowerment. Resources & Connect Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance: OCRAHope.org Little Orphan Ashley™: www.LittleOrphanAshley.com Dayna A. Dorsey: www.DaynaDorsey.com This episode is for education and awareness and is not a substitute for individualized medical advice. If this episode resonated with you, please leave a rating and review. This helps us reach more people navigating previvorship, survivorship, and life after a diagnosis. Medical Disclaimer This podcast is for informational and inspirational purposes only and is not intended to replace medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or another qualified healthcare professional before making any medical decisions. The views and experiences shared by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the host. Connect with BRCA & Beyond Instagram: 🧬 @BRCAandBeyond 💛 @MarisStache Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What actually happens to your body when your ovaries are removed before natural menopause? In Episode 6 of the BRCA & Beyond Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month series, we’re talking about the part of preventive ovary removal that can sometimes get reduced to a few words: surgical menopause. Removing functioning ovaries before natural menopause causes an abrupt hormonal change. And that change can affect much more than periods and hot flashes. Sleep, mood, concentration, bone health, cardiovascular health, sexual health, vaginal and urinary health, body composition, and overall quality of life can all become part of the conversation. But this episode is not about assuming the worst. It is about understanding what can happen, what may be manageable, what questions to ask before surgery, and why planning for life after ovary removal deserves just as much attention as planning for the surgery itself. I’m also sharing what this decision looks like for me as a BRCA2 carrier who is now having these conversations with my own care team. Because reducing ovarian cancer risk is incredibly important, but so is understanding how we care for our bodies afterward. IN THIS EPISODE:• What surgical menopause actually means and why it differs from natural menopause • How ovary removal can affect hormones and symptoms throughout the body • Bone, heart, sexual, vaginal and urinary health after early menopause • Why surgical menopause experiences can vary so much from person to person • Questions to ask your healthcare team before preventive ovary removal • Why menopause care should be part of the surgical conversation before the operating room RESOURCES:The Menopause Society Evidence based patient education about menopause, premature and induced menopause, hot flashes, sexual health, bone health, treatment options and finding qualified menopause care. FORCE: Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered Hereditary cancer education and support for people with BRCA and other inherited cancer risks, including information about risk reducing ovary removal, surgical menopause and sexual health after preventive surgery. OCRA: Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance Ovarian and gynecologic cancer education, support and patient resources, including information related to menopause, sexual health, fertility and hereditary cancer. Project COURAGE at Moffitt Cancer Center Community Ovarian Cancer Understanding Through Risk Assessment and Genetic Education. Project COURAGE provides education about ovarian cancer risk, hereditary cancer, prevention, genetic counseling and genetic testing. National Cancer Institute Evidence based information about BRCA1 and BRCA2, risk reducing surgery and surgical menopause. The NCI also provides information about the physical and quality of life considerations that can follow premenopausal ovary removal. This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for personalized medical advice. Decisions about hereditary cancer risk, preventive surgery, menopause management and hormone therapy should be discussed with qualified healthcare professionals who understand your individual medical history and cancer risk. If this episode resonated with you, please leave a rating and review. This helps us reach more people navigating previvorship, survivorship, and life after a diagnosis. Medical Disclaimer This podcast is for informational and inspirational purposes only and is not intended to replace medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or another qualified healthcare professional before making any medical decisions. The views and experiences shared by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the host. Connect with BRCA & Beyond Instagram: 🧬 @BRCAandBeyond 💛 @MarisStache Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does it mean when your doctor recommends removing healthy ovaries to prevent a cancer you don’t have? In Episode 5 of the BRCA & Beyond Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month series, we’re breaking down why risk-reducing removal of the ovaries and fallopian tubes...known as a risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy, or RRSO, may be recommended for people with certain hereditary ovarian cancer risks. We’ll talk about why ovarian cancer prevention can look so different from screening for other cancers, why the timing of preventive ovary removal depends on the genetic mutation you carry, and what this surgery can and cannot accomplish. I’m also sharing where I am in this decision as a BRCA2 carrier who previously chose a “tubes first, ovaries later” approach and is now in the recommended age range to have real conversations with my care team about removing my ovaries. Because preventive surgery asks us to make a permanent decision based on the possibility of a future cancer sometimes when the organs we’re removing are completely healthy today. IN THIS EPISODE:• Why healthy ovaries may be removed to reduce hereditary ovarian cancer risk • How RRSO differs from removing the fallopian tubes alone • Why the timing of ovary removal varies by genetic mutation • What risk-reducing surgery can and cannot accomplish • Questions to bring to your own care team RESOURCES:FORCE — Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered Hereditary cancer information, support, research and resources for people and families affected by inherited cancer risk. facingourrisk.org OCRA — Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance Ovarian and gynecologic cancer education, research, support programs and patient resources. ocrahope.org Project COURAGE — Moffitt Cancer Center Community Ovarian Cancer Understanding through Risk Assessment and Genetic Education, focused on hereditary ovarian cancer education, risk assessment and access to genetic counseling and testing. moffitt.org National Cancer Institute (NCI) Evidence-based information about BRCA1 and BRCA2, hereditary cancer risk, ovarian cancer prevention and risk-reducing surgery. cancer.gov Society of Gynecologic Oncology (SGO) Patient education and resources related to ovarian and other gynecologic cancers. sgo.org Foundation for Women’s Cancer Education and resources for people affected by ovarian and other gynecologic cancers. foundationforwomenscancer.org This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for personalized medical advice. Decisions about hereditary cancer risk, screening and risk-reducing surgery should be discussed with your own qualified healthcare team. If this episode resonated with you, please leave a rating and review. This helps us reach more people navigating previvorship, survivorship, and life after a diagnosis. Medical Disclaimer This podcast is for informational and inspirational purposes only and is not intended to replace medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or another qualified healthcare professional before making any medical decisions. The views and experiences shared by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the host. Connect with BRCA & Beyond Instagram: 🧬 @BRCAandBeyond 💛 @MarisStache Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dating is vulnerable enough on its own. But what does dating look like when you're also carrying a hereditary cancer risk, a history of preventive surgeries, scars, ongoing medical surveillance, and a story you're still learning how to navigate yourself? In this episode of BRCA & Beyond, Marisa sits down with Tracy Milgram, founder of BRCAStrong, for a candid conversation about dating as a previvor, and the parts of dating after hereditary cancer risk that aren't talked about nearly enough. Tracy opens up about dating after a prophylactic double mastectomy and other risk-reducing surgeries, including the questions that can come with letting someone new into your life: When do you tell them you're BRCA positive? When do you talk about your mastectomy? How do you prepare for someone seeing your scars for the first time? And how do you know when someone has earned access to such a personal part of your story? Together, Marisa and Tracy talk about body image and learning to accept a body that has changed, rebuilding confidence, navigating the fear of rejection, and the difference between hiding your story and protecting it until you feel safe enough to share it. They also explore how someone's reaction to disclosure can reveal a lot about whether they're the kind of person you want beside you. The conversation goes beyond physical changes, too. Hereditary cancer risk doesn't end when surgery does. There are still screenings, doctor's appointments, scan anxiety, family implications, and moments when the weight of it all comes back. What does it mean for a new partner to step into that reality, and what kind of compassion, honesty, vulnerability, and support should you expect in return? Tracy also shares the unique experience of dating while being a public advocate, when a quick Google search can reveal parts of your medical history before you've decided you're ready to share them yourself. Ultimately, this episode isn't about finding the "right" way to date as a previvor. It's about deciding what feels right for you...when to share, how much to share, who feels safe enough to share it with, and remembering that someone else's reaction to your story does not determine your worth. About Tracy Milgram: Tracy learned she carried a BRCA2 mutation at 21 after undergoing two benign lumpectomies as a teenager. After navigating hereditary cancer risk for more than a decade, she underwent risk-reducing gynecologic surgery followed by a prophylactic double mastectomy. In 2015, Tracy founded BRCA Strong to create an inclusive community where previvors, survivors, and others affected by hereditary cancer can connect, share their experiences, and find support through the physical and emotional realities of this journey. Education That Empowers 2026 Join Tracy, BRCA Strong, and the hereditary cancer community for Education That Empowers on September 26, 2026, from 8:30 AM–3:00 PM in Fort Lauderdale, Florida—a day dedicated to education, connection, advocacy, and support. Tickets: https://go.brcastrong.org/2026/education-that-empowers Connect with BRCA Strong Website: www.brcastrong.org Instagram: @BRCAStrong Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BRCAStrong/ If this episode resonated with you, please leave a rating and review. This helps us reach more people navigating previvorship, survivorship, and life after a diagnosis. Medical Disclaimer This podcast is for informational and inspirational purposes only and is not intended to replace medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or another qualified healthcare professional before making any medical decisions. The views and experiences shared by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the host. Connect with BRCA & Beyond Instagram: 🧬 @BRCAandBeyond 💛 @MarisStache Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A hereditary cancer diagnosis can change more than how you think about cancer prevention. It can suddenly put a timeline on decisions about fertility, family planning, and risk-reducing surgery that you may not have been ready to make yet. In Episode 4 of our Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month series, we’re talking about the intersection of hereditary ovarian cancer risk and fertility. What actually happens to your fertility if you remove your fallopian tubes but keep your ovaries? What changes when the ovaries are removed? And if risk-reducing surgery is part of your future, what options might be worth discussing before that day arrives? We break down fertility preservation, egg and embryo freezing, IVF, PGT-M (preimplantation genetic testing for monogenic conditions), donor eggs and embryos, surrogacy, and why having these conversations early can matter. But this isn't only about the medical options. It's also about what it feels like when cancer prevention puts a timeline on family-building decisions that used to feel like they belonged entirely to you. Whether you know you want children, already have the family you want, don't want children, or simply aren't sure yet, the goal of this episode isn't to tell you what to choose. It's to help you understand the conversations you may want to have with your medical team before making decisions that can permanently affect your fertility. Resources mentioned & additional information: FORCE: Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered Hereditary cancer, fertility and assisted reproductive technology, including fertility resources specifically for people with inherited cancer mutations. Hereditary Cancer & Assisted Reproductive Technology — FORCE FORCE: Questions to Ask Your Doctor A helpful checklist for people with BRCA1, BRCA2 or another inherited mutation associated with ovarian cancer risk, including questions about fertility preservation and timing of risk-reducing surgery. Questions for People With a Mutation Linked to Ovarian Cancer Risk — FORCE American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) Evidence-based guidance and patient resources on fertility preservation, reproductive medicine and fertility care for people facing treatments or surgeries that may affect fertility. ASRM Practice Guidance & Fertility Resources ASRM: Preimplantation Genetic Testing (PGT-M) Information and professional guidance on PGT-M, including its use for hereditary cancer predisposition syndromes such as BRCA1 and BRCA2. ASRM Guidance on PGT-M If risk-reducing surgery is part of your future and fertility matters to you, even if you're not sure what you want yet, consider asking your care team whether meeting with a reproductive endocrinologist and genetic counselor should be part of the conversation. This episode is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for individualized medical advice. Recommendations around fertility preservation and risk-reducing surgery depend on your specific genetic mutation, age, medical history, family history, and personal goals. If this episode resonated with you, please leave a rating and review. This helps us reach more people navigating previvorship, survivorship, and life after a diagnosis. Medical Disclaimer This podcast is for informational and inspirational purposes only and is not intended to replace medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or another qualified healthcare professional before making any medical decisions. The views and experiences shared by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the host. Connect with BRCA & Beyond Instagram: 🧬 @BRCAandBeyond 💛 @MarisStache Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What do your fallopian tubes have to do with ovarian cancer risk? Research has changed the way we understand ovarian cancer, including evidence that many high-grade serous ovarian cancers may actually begin in the fallopian tubes. That discovery has opened the door to an important question for people with hereditary ovarian cancer risk: could removing the fallopian tubes first allow some people to keep their ovaries longer? In this episode of BRCA & Beyond’s Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month series, Marisa breaks down the “tubes first, ovaries later” approach, also known as salpingectomy with delayed oophorectomy, and why researchers are studying it in people with inherited genetic mutations that increase ovarian cancer risk. Marisa also shares her own decision to have her fallopian tubes removed at 38 while keeping her ovaries, her experience participating in the WISP study, and the reality she is facing now as she approaches the recommended window for ovary removal with BRCA2. We talk about what researchers know, what they are still trying to answer, the impact of surgical menopause, and why delaying ovary removal does not mean eliminating the decision altogether. If you are navigating BRCA1, BRCA2, Lynch syndrome, or another hereditary cancer gene associated with increased ovarian cancer risk, this episode will help you better understand the conversation happening around fallopian tubes, ovaries, risk-reducing surgery, and the questions you may want to bring to your own medical team. Trusted resources: Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance (OCRA)—Information on ovarian cancer, genetic risk, prevention, research, and patient support. FORCE: Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered — Information and support for people and families affected by hereditary cancer and inherited genetic mutations. National Cancer Institute (NCI)—Evidence-based information on hereditary cancer, BRCA1/2, genetic testing, and ovarian cancer. This podcast shares personal experiences and educational information and is not a substitute for individualized medical advice. Decisions about cancer risk reduction, genetic testing or surgery should always be discussed with your own qualified healthcare team. If this episode resonated with you, please leave a rating and review. This helps us reach more people navigating previvorship, survivorship, and life after a diagnosis. Medical Disclaimer This podcast is for informational and inspirational purposes only and is not intended to replace medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or another qualified healthcare professional before making any medical decisions. The views and experiences shared by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the host. Connect with BRCA & Beyond Instagram: 🧬 @BRCAandBeyond 💛 @MarisStache Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There is no reliable screening test for ovarian cancer. So what are we actually doing when we go in for CA125 blood work and a transvaginal ultrasound? This is Episode 2 of 9 in our Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month series on BRCA & Beyond. Host Marisa Stachelski, a BRCA2 previvor and colon cancer survivor, breaks down the difference between screening and surveillance and why that one word causes so much confusion for people living with hereditary ovarian cancer risk. CA125 and transvaginal ultrasound can give your doctor real information, but neither has been shown to reliably catch ovarian cancer early enough, across the board, to save lives. Understanding that distinction changes how you should read a normal result and why some high-risk women are still offered these tests while others aren't. In this episode, Marisa covers: What CA125 actually measures, and why a normal result does not rule out ovarian cancerWhat a transvaginal ultrasound can and cannot see, especially given how many ovarian cancers may begin as microscopic changesWhy "surveillance" is a more accurate word than "screening" and why that difference matters for your own careThe false sense of security these tests can create, even when they are genuinely usefulWhy ovarian cancer is not a silent killer so much as a silent disease, and the symptoms worth paying attention to, including bloating, pelvic discomfort, and changes in bowel or urinary habitsWhy building an effective screening test is such a difficult scientific problem, and what that means for high-risk women right now If you carry a mutation linked to ovarian cancer or you are trying to understand what your CA125 and ultrasound results actually mean, this episode gives you the full picture your appointment might not have time for. New episodes drop weekly throughout September for Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. Follow BRCA & Beyond so you catch the rest of the series, and if this episode helped you, share it with someone who needs it. This podcast shares personal stories and experiences for informational and inspirational purposes only. It does not replace medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your own doctor or genetic counselor before making medical decisions. If this episode resonated with you, please leave a rating and review. This helps us reach more people navigating previvorship, survivorship, and life after a diagnosis. Medical Disclaimer This podcast is for informational and inspirational purposes only and is not intended to replace medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or another qualified healthcare professional before making any medical decisions. The views and experiences shared by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the host. Connect with BRCA & Beyond Instagram: 🧬 @BRCAandBeyond 💛 @MarisStache Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You have an increased risk of ovarian cancer. Now what? This is Episode 1 of 9 in our Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month series, where we spend September looking at ovarian cancer through the lens of hereditary cancer risk. Host Marisa Stachelski, a BRCA2 previvor, colon cancer survivor, and your guide through hereditary cancer risk, breaks down what "increased risk" actually means once you get past the scary headline. BRCA1, BRCA2, BRIP1, RAD51C, RAD51D, and Lynch syndrome can all raise ovarian cancer risk, but not by the same amount, not starting at the same age, and not with the same next steps. What applies to someone else's mutation may not apply to yours. In this episode, Marisa covers: Why "increased risk" looks completely different depending on which gene is involvedWhat your genetic testing report actually tells you (and why "positive" isn't enough detail)Why lifetime risk percentages aren't a countdown, and the better questions to ask your care team insteadWhy family history can point in either direction, including Marisa's own story of tracing BRCA2 through the men in her familyThe fallopian tube research reshaping ovarian cancer prevention, and why Marisa chose to have hers removed in 2024Why there's still no reliable ovarian cancer screening test, and what that means for high-risk women This episode lays the foundation for the rest of the series: screening, prevention, fertility, risk-reducing surgery, surgical menopause, and hormone replacement therapy, all through the lens of what it's actually like to live this, not just read about it. If you're navigating a hereditary cancer diagnosis, facing a screening or surgery decision, or just found out you carry a mutation linked to ovarian cancer, this series is for you. New episodes drop weekly throughout September for Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. Follow BRCA & Beyond so you don't miss the rest of the series, and if this episode helped you, share it with someone who needs it. Leave a review so we can continue to reach more people. This podcast shares personal stories and experiences for informational and inspirational purposes only. It does not replace medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your own doctor or genetic counselor before making medical decisions. If this episode resonated with you, please leave a rating and review. This helps us reach more people navigating previvorship, survivorship, and life after a diagnosis. Medical Disclaimer This podcast is for informational and inspirational purposes only and is not intended to replace medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or another qualified healthcare professional before making any medical decisions. The views and experiences shared by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the host. Connect with BRCA & Beyond Instagram: 🧬 @BRCAandBeyond 💛 @MarisStache Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of BRCA & Beyond, Marisa sits down with Jackie Wendell, a Lynch Syndrome advocate and uterine cancer survivor, for an honest conversation about hereditary cancer risk, medical dismissal, genetic testing, and learning to advocate for yourself when you know something isn’t right. Jackie grew up with a significant family history of cancer, but it wasn’t until her own uterine cancer diagnosis at just 30 years old that genetic testing confirmed Lynch Syndrome and an MSH2 mutation. Her story is a powerful reminder of why knowing your family cancer history matters and why persistent or unusual symptoms deserve to be taken seriously. Jackie shares what it was like experiencing severe symptoms while being told she was too young for something serious, eventually receiving her cancer diagnosis, navigating fertility and IVF, and making difficult decisions surrounding a hysterectomy and risk reduction. She also opens up about life after treatment, including surgical menopause, hormone replacement therapy (HRT), mental health, and the realities of adjusting to a body and life that changed much earlier than expected. Jackie is a board-certified health and wellness coach, certified personal trainer, and Lynch Syndrome advocate. Her own hereditary cancer experience inspired her to help others feel more informed, empowered, and proactive about their health, particularly those navigating cancer risk and women experiencing menopause. Through her coaching practice, Really Well with Jackie, she helps women build realistic, sustainable habits around nutrition, movement, strength, and overall wellness so they can feel stronger, more energized, and more confident in their health. In this episode, we talk about Lynch Syndrome, uterine cancer at a young age, family cancer history, genetic testing, advocating for yourself in the medical system, fertility after cancer, IVF, hysterectomy, surgical menopause, HRT, and finding support from people who truly understand what it means to live with hereditary cancer risk. Connect with Jackie: Website: https://www.reallywellwithjackie.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reallywell.withjackie/ If this episode resonated with you, please leave a rating and review. This helps us reach more people navigating previvorship, survivorship, and life after a diagnosis. Medical Disclaimer This podcast is for informational and inspirational purposes only and is not intended to replace medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or another qualified healthcare professional before making any medical decisions. The views and experiences shared by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the host. Connect with BRCA & Beyond Instagram: 🧬 @BRCAandBeyond 💛 @MarisStache Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.