What happens when you’re forced to stop doing what you love—and rebuild your life from the inside out?
In this deeply moving episode of All Talk Oncology, host Kenny Perkins sits down with Leah Adams, a melanoma survivor, passionate runner, and daughter of a stage four cancer fighter. Diagnosed at just 26 years old with Stage 1A melanoma, Leah shares how cancer interrupted her daily running routine—and how she eventually turned pain into power.
From being unable to run post-surgery, to completing multiple marathons, Leah’s story is a powerful testament to the strength of the human spirit and the power of reframing your mindset. Whether it’s her honesty about guilt, body image, or mental recovery—this conversation is full of hard truths, healing lessons, and undeniable hope.
Key points discussed:
- Leah’s diagnosis at age 26 and her emotional reaction to stopping running
- The surgeries she underwent and how melanoma impacted her body and mindset
- Why she believed she gave herself cancer—and how she forgave herself
- How running became both her therapy and her triumph
- The shift in self-talk and mindset that changed her emotional healing
- Her public vulnerability through social media and how it helped others
- Her journey through frequent skin checks, biopsies, and long-term follow-ups
- Crossing the five-year cancer-free mark and what that milestone meant
- Why she now advocates for skin checks and sun protection
- Her mission to use her story to spread awareness and hope
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