Just Stay Positive! (and other unhelpful advice for cancer patients)

Man Up to Cancer

Time for a celebratory dance…

As this is the 50th episode of the Man Up to Cancer Podcast!

50 shows, close to 20,000 downloads, and lots of friends made along the way. As it turns out, a lot of people are interested in the topics of men and cancer, our experiences as patients, survivors, and caregivers, and the lessons we learn along the way. I think it’s only fitting that today is an unedited solo show. This episode features:

• An update on my personal cancer journey
• Reflections on going from treatment to 'Watch and Wait'
• A rant about a near and dear subject: Toxic Positivity

Thank you to all of my guests who have been so generous with their time, energy, and spirit.

Thanks to Kelin Welborn for being my co-host, my friend, jill of all trades when it comes to Man Up to Cancer marketing, merch, and more.

Suzi Pond and Alice Anderson for getting me started in podcasting, and for more things than I have time to say.

Thanks to Joe Bullock and the more than 1400 men of the Howling Place Group. KFG, you are all fierce and loving wolves, and I will go to battle with you always.

Here’s a snippet from my rant about toxic positivity, that strange cultural phenomenon where total strangers advise us to cure our cancers through -- you guessed it -- the power of positive thinking!

As cancer patients, we are routinely shamed.

And somehow it’s culturally ok to shame us.

We are made to feel that something we did, something we ate, or purely because of our poor mindset.. That’s why we got cancer.

And that if we just think the right way, or pray the right way, or fix whatever chakras are misaligned, we will heal ourselves.

Wow, talk about a burden.