Podcasts for people with lived experience of cancer

Podcasts can offer a more personal and informal way of exploring experiences of cancer, grief, loss, and change. Listening to someone speak openly about their own experiences can create a sense of connection, particularly at times when you may feel that the people around you do not fully understand what you are going through. Hearing different stories can also remind you that experiences of illness and loss can take many forms, and that there is no single way of responding to the changes that cancer may bring.

This sense of connection can be especially meaningful when podcasts create space for conversations that are not always easy to have elsewhere. Episodes may explore personal experiences of cancer and its aftermath, living with uncertainty or loss, or conversations with professionals about grief, coping, relationships, identity, meaning, and adjustment. Some may help you better understand or put words to your own emotions, while others may simply offer the feeling of having someone alongside you for a while. Podcasts can also become part of everyday life — listened to while travelling, walking, resting, or at home — allowing information, reflection, and companionship to become part of your routine.

As you listen, you may find comfort in hearing someone describe an experience that feels familiar, or you may come across perspectives that are very different from your own. Both can be valuable. Sometimes, recognition can help us feel less alone; at other times, hearing a different way of understanding illness, loss, or change can offer new perspectives and ways of making sense of our own experience. Hearing someone put a difficult experience into words may also help you find language for feelings that have been difficult to express yourself.

At the same time, not every story or conversation will feel right for you at every moment. Some episodes may include discussions of cancer, treatment, death, bereavement, uncertainty, or other emotionally difficult experiences. You can listen according to what feels manageable for you, and you are always free to pause an episode, skip a topic, or stop listening altogether. There is no expectation that you should engage with something simply because it has been recommended. Taking care of yourself also means paying attention to what you need in the moment.

With this in mind, the podcasts included in this section offer a range of perspectives and conversations related to cancer, grief, loss, and living with change. Some may offer information or understanding, while others may provide recognition, companionship, or a space for reflection. Explore them at your own pace and choose the voices and conversations that feel supportive, meaningful, or relevant to where you are right now.