Today’s episode is both powerful and personal. I’m joined by Erica Neubert Campbell, a breast cancer survivor, seasoned cancer advocate, and Executive Director of the Pinky Swear Foundation—a nonprofit that supports families with children battling cancer.
Erica lost her mother to breast cancer and later faced her own diagnosis, giving her a unique, multi-layered perspective that she describes as speaking “the vocabulary of cancer.” In her honest and insightful memoir, The Mastectomy I Always Wanted, Erica shares the raw truth of her mastectomy journey, blending vulnerability with practical guidance to help others feel seen, heard, and supported.
In this conversation, we explore the role of fear, choice, and trust in medical decisions, the emotional impact of mastectomies on identity and body image, and how Erica found unexpected silver linings along the way. She also opens up about why she’s sharing her story now, and how she’s using her voice to support others—especially women navigating breast cancer and the deeply personal choices that come with it.
This one’s for anyone who’s been touched by breast cancer, is facing hard choices, or simply wants to feel inspired by resilience and strength in the face of adversity.
💬 What We Talk About in This Episode:
- What it means to “speak the vocabulary of cancer”
- How a decade of scary mammograms led to Erica’s decision
- Mastectomy vs. lumpectomy—how fear and trust factored in
- Common misconceptions about mastectomy and recovery
- Why she titled her memoir The Mastectomy I Always Wanted
- How fear, choice, and trust shaped her experience
- Body image and identity after mastectomy
- Silver linings in the breast cancer journey
- The mission of the Pinky Swear Foundation
- Erica’s goal in sharing her story and supporting others
👉 Learn more about Erica https://www.ericaneubertcampbell.com/ and her book The Mastectomy I Always Wanted at: https://a.co/d/iB4QYYv
Connect with Marianne:
- Website: Message In The Middle with Marianne
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- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marianne-demello-smith-678b9966
- Email: Contact | Message In The Middle with Marianne
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