In this episode of Cups & Courage, we sit down with Emma, who was diagnosed with de novo stage four metastatic breast cancer after what she thought would be a routine mammogram.

Emma shares what it’s really like to live scan to scan — carrying a life-limiting diagnosis while feeling physically well, navigating constant uncertainty, and learning how to live alongside fear without letting it take over. We talk about genetic testing, late screening, advocacy, and the complicated relationship with a body that looks the same but no longer feels safe.

This is a conversation about quiet strength, trusting medical teams, and redefining what courage looks like when cancer isn’t something you “get through,” but something you live with.

A powerful, honest episode about awareness, autonomy, and choosing to live fully — even when tomorrow isn’t guaranteed.

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In this deeply honest conversation, Sam sits down with Sophie — diagnosed in 2020 with stage 3 breast cancer. Sophie shares her story with raw clarity: from a mammogram that missed her cancer, to the shock of finding it in 13 lymph nodes, the fear of a liver lesion, and the strange reality of chemo, menopause, and body changes no one prepares you for.

We talk about courage not as fighting, but as walking forward without knowing the outcome. Sophie reflects on reframing her experience, making friends with chemo (yes, really), navigating implants and body image after reconstruction, and the pressure to live a “new life” after cancer — even when you’re still figuring out who you are now.

This is one for anyone living in the messy middle: grateful to be here, but still carrying the weight of it. With biscuits (contentious choices were made), humour, vulnerability, and a whole lot of truth.

🫖 Expect: body talk, menopause chat, cancer reality, self-worth, hope, therapy, courage (real courage — not the inspirational quote version).
🍪 Biscuit of choice: fig rolls — surprisingly divisive.

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In this powerful conversation, we sit down with Jacqui — a Black Women Rising ambassador whose breast cancer diagnosis arrived just six weeks into a brand-new chapter of her life. Jacqui shares how shock, dismissal, and relentless side effects shaped her experience, and how she had to fight to be heard in a healthcare system that repeatedly minimised her pain.

She speaks openly about the pressure to return to work, the financial fear that pushed her beyond her limits, and the emotional cost of holding everything together for her family. Jacqui also explores the deep generational reasons why trust in healthcare can be fractured for Black women, and why visibility, representation, and safe spaces are vital.

From navigating endocrine therapy and complex side effects to discovering survivorship therapy, mindfulness, and community support, Jacqui traces the long road from numbness to feeling again — and the role Black Women Rising played in helping her reclaim her voice.

This episode is about courage that isn’t loud or dramatic — it’s about refusing to stay stuck in fear, learning to rest, asking for help, and allowing yourself to feel. Jacqui’s story is a reminder that healing isn’t linear, and that none of us should have to do it alone.

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