Sometimes life sneaks up on you and you have no choice but to face the dark corners we wish we could avoid. My guest today, Christophe van Durme is facing an impossibly difficult challenge of brain cancer as a young father. When i met Chris and saw the way he was handling his prognosis and building a legacy for his family, I knew I had to bring him to you.
Christophe talks through fear, multiple surgeries, paralysis, future plans that shifted overnight, and the quiet moments he holds onto anyway. It’s steady, honest, and strangely clarifying. There’s something about the way he speaks that pulls you closer to your own life instead of pushing you into dread.
Christophe shares what it means to live with brain cancer while raising a young daughter, holding onto hope, and planning for a future he might not fully get to see. He breaks down the reality of navigating treatment, rebuilding his body, losing parts of his independence, and still choosing connection. He also talks about the private podcast he’s recording for his child so she’ll always know his voice. This conversation is unfiltered, grounded, and full of the kind of truth most people only reach for when everything else falls away.
What You'll Learn:
- How a brain cancer survivor story can shift your perspective without sinking your hope
- What day-to-day life actually looks like when you’re living with brain cancer
- How people find meaning inside fear, not after it
- What legacy looks like when you strip out ego, performance, and pressure
- Why tiny human moments hold more weight than the big milestones
- How honesty creates connection even in the darkest circumstances
Links & Resources:
Christophe van Durme - LinkedIn
Profitivisime (nonprofit discussed)
Allison’s links:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allison__hare
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allisonhare/
Website: https://allisonhare.com
Free clarity call: https://go.allisonhare.com/45-min-call
Notable Quotables:
- “The only choice we get is how awake we want to be while it’s happening.” (01:20)
- “My goal is simple. Leave the planet in a better state than if I hadn’t been here.” (15:05)
- “Life is better than no life.” (35:10)
- “Joy exists inside pain.” (57:30)
- “I fear not being there next week.” (49:59)\
Timestamps:
- 00:00 — Why this story matters
- 02:30 — The moment everything changed
- 04:00 — Diagnosis at 17
- 06:35 — Tumor quadruples in size
- 09:50 — Awake brain surgery
- 13:10 — Preparing to die
- 20:30 — Emotional fallout and identity
- 24:45 — A friend’s philosophy that shifted everything
- 28:58 — MRI the day after his daughter’s birth
- 32:40 — Paralysis and rebuilding
- 35:37 — Why he still wanted kids
- 39:34 — The private podcast for his daughter
- 49:03 — Recovery, setbacks, and resilience
- 49:59 — Fear, honesty, and what he still hopes for
- 55:59 — Choosing a joyful funeral
- 57:32 — A reminder about being alive
Tips & Takeaways:
- Meaning shows up when you stop pretending you’re fine.
- The smallest moments end up being the ones that matter.
Be sure to rate, review, and follow this podcast on your player and also, connect with me IRL for more goodness and life-changing stuff.
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