Talaya’s Fight to Be Heard: Cancer, Medical Gaslighting, and Emotional Healing

What happens when your body knows something is wrong, but the system refuses to listen? In this robust conversation, G-Rex and Dirty Skittles sit down with cancer thriver and advocate Talaya Dendy to talk about medical gaslighting, emotional survival, and what it takes to fight for your life, literally and emotionally. This is our final episode of 2025, and we are closing the year with a reminder that you deserve to be heard.

Sh!t That Goes On In Our Heads — a 2024 People’s Choice Podcast Award Winner (Best Health) and 2024 Women in Podcasting Award Winner (Best Mental Health Podcast) with over 3.5 million downloads and counting — continues its mission to spark unfiltered conversations about the human mind.

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Mental Health Quote

“Those gaps in the system are the problem, you’re not.” — Talaya Dendy

 

Episode Description

Being told “it’s probably nothing” nearly cost Talaya Dendy her life.

In this candid, emotionally grounded episode, Talaya joins G-Rex and Dirty Skittles to share what it was like to be dismissed by a doctor, diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma a year later, and then left alone with the news on a Friday afternoon. What followed was not only a fight against cancer, but a battle against medical gaslighting, isolation, and a healthcare system that too often forgets the person behind the chart.

Talaya opens up about navigating cancer in her early 30s, enduring months of chemotherapy and radiation, and managing the stress of a new workplace while trying to protect her insurance and privacy. She also shares the heartbreak of learning who shows up and who disappears when your life is upended, and how boundaries become survival tools, not “nice-to-haves.”

Along the way, Talaya explains how journaling, mindset work, faith, and self-advocacy helped her stay grounded when support systems fell short. That lived experience ultimately became her purpose: serving others as a cancer doula and board-certified patient advocate, helping people ask better questions, get better care, and feel less alone.

As we close out our last show of 2025, this episode is a powerful reminder as we enter the new year: you are not a burden, you are not “too much,” and you have every right to demand care that is competent and compassionate.

Keywords: Talaya Dendy, cancer thriver, medical gaslighting, emotional healing, cancer trauma, self-advocacy, patient advocacy, cancer support, mental health podcast, emotional wellness, boundaries, healthcare trauma, survivorship, healing journey

 

Meet Our Guest — Talaya Dendy

Talaya Dendy is a cancer thriver, Cancer Doula, Board-Certified Patient Advocate, Health & Wellness Coach, and host of the Navigating Cancer TOGETHER podcast. After surviving Hodgkin’s lymphoma, she dedicated her work to filling the emotional and advocacy gaps in cancer care. Hence, patients and families feel supported, informed, and empowered throughout the journey.

Website: https://www.ontheotherside.life
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ontheotherside17/
X (Twitter): https://x.com/NCTpodcastfan
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/talayadendy/

 

Key Takeaways

• Medical gaslighting is real, and trusting your body can save your life.
• You have the right to ask questions, seek second opinions, and walk away.
• Cancer impacts mental health just as much as it affects the body.
• Not everyone will show up, and that clarity can change your life.
• Advocacy is a skill that can be learned, even in survival mode.

 

Actionable Items

• Write down symptoms and concerns before appointments, and bring them with you.
• Practice one boundary this week that protects your health or energy.
• Ask yourself: “Do I feel heard here?” If not, consider another provider or a second opinion.

 

References Mentioned

• Journaling as a therapeutic practice
• Patient self-advocacy in healthcare

 

Important Chapters

• 00:01 — Talaya’s lump is dismissed, and the path to diagnosis begins
• 05:00 — Getting the diagnosis by phone and feeling abandoned
• 12:30 — Learning self-advocacy