S1Ep10 The Importance of Just Saying Yes (in Cancerland)

Welcome to the tenth episode of Care Partner's Compass: Navigating CRC where I talk with friend and fellow stage 4 care partner Liz from Vancouver.

Liz's daughter Haley was diagnosed with advanced stage 4 colon cancer in June 2022 at the age of 19. Liz talks about all the different ways she and her family were able to say yes to opportunities and to make memories with Haley. As Liz explains, cancer makes life and planning so uncertain, so you need to take every opportunity that you can.

Kristine and I had been planning on visiting Liz later in the summer, but when Kristine needed to go back to chemo, we pivoted (again) and are so glad that we said yes, let's travel across the country next week (and that Liz said yes to being our incredible tour guide).

Full transcription can be found on the website (http://carepartnerscompass.transistor.fm)

Host, producer/editor, and composer: Elsa Lankford

Kristine - I love you. 💙

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Helpful links related to this episode:

• Colontown.org - they have a great Stage 4 carepartners group where care partners can find support from people who understand what it's like
• Melanie's Way - a Canadian organization that helps fund wishes to Canadian women with stage 4 or recurrent cancer
• She Defines Strength - a Canadian group that empowers young women with cancer

• (03:27) - What does "say yes" mean to you?
• (07:23) - The Three Month Schedule
• (08:34) - People in cancerland can't really plan too far ahead - be flexible
• (10:44) - Haley's diagnosis at 19
• (13:52) - Haley's impact on her medical team
• (17:30) - As a carepartner, saying yes for you
• (21:16) - Haley's Big List of Life