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Just Cut It Out Podcast

Just Cut It Out Podcast

Written by: Dr. Kimberly Brown MD FACS
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Dr. Brown interviews patients, families and healthcare team members about how their experience with cancer has made them think differently about what it means to live a good life.

© 2026 Just Cut It Out Podcast Hygiene & Healthy Living Physical Illness & Disease Spirituality
Episodes
  • Just Cut It Out Podcast | 69 Brain Metastases from Breast Cancer & Living with Purpose

    Just Cut It Out Podcast | 69 Brain Metastases from Breast Cancer & Living with Purpose
    Oct 22 2026

    What does it mean to live a good life when you know your cancer cannot be cured?

    Susan Dawson faced 69 brain metastases, five craniotomies, chemotherapy, radiation, and years of treatment for metastatic breast cancer. Yet through it all, she continued working, traveling, advocating for others, and finding purpose in the life she was living.

    In this episode of Just Cut It Out, Dr. Kimberly Brown sits down with Susan, an engineer, entrepreneur, mother, and community leader whose approach to living with stage 4 breast cancer challenges the idea that a serious diagnosis must define your life.

    Susan was first diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer in 2016. After chemotherapy, radiation, and multiple surgeries, she believed the worst might be behind her. But in 2019, abdominal discomfort led to scans revealing cancer throughout her liver.

    Concerned about preserving her ability to think critically and solve problems, Susan advocated for a brain MRI. It revealed 19 brain metastases. Over the years, she would face 69.

    But Susan wasn't willing to let cancer become the center of everything.

    Instead, she continued focusing on what gave her life meaning: her family, her work improving education in Texas, and her commitment to making a difference in her community.

    Susan and Dr. Brown discuss the importance of hope, seeking multiple medical opinions, exploring treatment options, and advocating for yourself throughout cancer care.

    They also have a candid conversation about end-of-life planning. Susan shares why she documented her medical wishes in detailed spreadsheets, how she defined quality of life for herself, and why having difficult conversations with family before a crisis can be an extraordinary act of love.

    And when Dr. Brown asks what Susan has chosen to cut out of her life, her answer is surprisingly simple: working fewer hours, making more time for travel and reading, and continuing to invest in the people and causes that matter most.

    Susan's story isn't just about living with metastatic breast cancer. It's about choosing what deserves your time, finding meaning beyond a diagnosis, and continuing to make a difference even when the future is uncertain.

    Because living a good life isn't about controlling how much time we have. It's about what we choose to do with it.

    In This Episode

    • Susan's breast cancer diagnosis and the discovery of metastases in her liver and brain
    • Living with metastatic breast cancer while maintaining hope and purpose
    • Why second and third medical opinions matter
    • The importance of patient advocacy and exploring treatment options
    • Having honest conversations about advance directives and end-of-life wishes
    • Defining quality of life on your own terms
    • Finding meaning through family, community, and service
    • What Susan chose to cut out to make more room for what matters most

    In Loving Memory of Susan Phillips Dawson (1963–2026)

    Since recording this conversation, Susan has passed away. We are honored to share her story and celebrate a remarkable woman who dedicated her life to family, community, and making a difference.

    Susan founded E3 Alliance, transforming educational opportunities across Texas. She also helped raise funds to relaunch The Big Pink Bus, expanding access to mobile mammograms throughout Central Texas.

    Her family invites those wishing to honor her legacy to support these two organizations:

    E3 Alliance: https://e3alliance.org

    The Big Pink Bus: https://www.bigpinkbenefit.org/

    Susan's courage, wisdom, and commitment to helping others remind us what it truly means to live a meaningful life.

    About Just Cut It Out

    Hosted by surgical oncologist Dr. Kimberly Brown, Just Cut It Out shares real conversations with patients, families, and healthcare professionals about cancer, the choices we make, and what it means to live a good life.

    Subscribe to Just Cut It Out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube, and share Susan's story with someone who might need to hear it.

    Medical Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for individualized medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always discuss personal medical concerns and treatment decisions with a qualified healthcare professional.
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    27 mins
  • Just Cut It Out Podcast | Lady Madelyn Patterson: Breast Cancer, Finding Her Voice & Giving Herself Grace

    Just Cut It Out Podcast | Lady Madelyn Patterson: Breast Cancer, Finding Her Voice & Giving Herself Grace
    Oct 15 2026
    Lady Madelyn Patterson has always been someone who keeps moving forward.She's a woman of faith, a natural storyteller and someone who loves bringing people together. Whether through her career, her church or her community, Madelyn has always found purpose in showing up for others.But life has challenged her in ways she never expected.Years before her breast cancer diagnosis, Madelyn experienced a traumatic assault that eventually led to serious airway complications. In 2015, she underwent an emergency tracheostomy and spent four months unable to speak.For someone whose life included public speaking, singing in church and leading others, losing her voice was devastating.She was angry. She questioned her faith. And she wondered how she could continue doing the things she believed she was meant to do.Over time, Madelyn began to find peace through her faith and a new understanding of what it meant to trust God when life didn't go according to plan.Then, in 2019, she was diagnosed with breast cancer.Madelyn underwent a double mastectomy with DIEP flap reconstruction, followed by chemotherapy and radiation. What she expected to be a temporary interruption became a much longer journey, complicated by surgical recovery and the ongoing challenges of living with a tracheostomy.At the time, Madelyn had spent 24 years working for the IRS. She was determined to return to her career and the life she knew.But that wasn't how things unfolded.Eventually, she had to step away from the career that had been such an important part of her identity.Looking back, Madelyn recognizes something she didn't understand at the time.She was grieving.Grieving the changes to her body. The loss of her career. And the life she thought she would return to.Instead of allowing herself to experience those emotions, she kept pushing forward, convinced she needed to be strong and keep going.In this episode of Just Cut It Out, Madelyn and Dr. Kim Brown talk about faith, grief, resilience and what happens when the life you've always known changes in ways you cannot control.But Madelyn's story is also about discovering a new purpose.During cancer treatment, she began documenting her experience. That creative outlet eventually helped inspire her to start a production company dedicated to telling stories of courage, resilience and people whose voices might otherwise go unheard.And while living with a tracheostomy changed the way Madelyn speaks, it also gave her another opportunity to help others.When children notice the tube in her neck, she doesn't want them to be afraid or embarrassed to ask questions.She wants them to be curious.That experience inspired her to write a children's book encouraging children to ask questions and better understand people who may look or sound different.Madelyn also shares how journaling, prayer and what she calls "mirror moments" help her stay grounded through difficult days.She and Dr. Brown explore the difference between happiness and joy, and how finding peace doesn't mean pretending that everything is okay.Perhaps one of Madelyn's biggest lessons has been learning that she doesn't have to be everything to everybody.She doesn't have to attend every event.She doesn't have to accomplish everything in a single day.And she doesn't have to feel guilty when she needs to rest.For Madelyn, living a good life no longer means constantly pushing herself to do more.It means recognizing the value of the life she has today, making room for the things that matter and giving herself the same grace she has always extended to others.In This EpisodeMadelyn's breast cancer diagnosis in 2019Double mastectomy, DIEP flap reconstruction, chemotherapy and radiationSurgical complications and the unexpected challenges of cancer treatmentLeaving a 24-year career and learning to redefine her identityLiving with a tracheostomy and spending four months without a voiceFaith, frustration and finding peace through difficult circumstancesThe difference between happiness and joyJournaling, prayer and Madelyn's daily "mirror moments"Why Madelyn wrote a children's book encouraging kids to ask questionsStarting a production company to share stories of courage and resilienceRecognizing grief and learning to process the losses that come with cancerLearning to prioritize herself instead of trying to be everything to everybodyGiving herself grace and letting go of harsh self-criticismWhy Dr. Kim Brown chose surgical oncology and what inspired Just Cut It OutChapter Markers00:00 Welcome to Just Cut It Out00:32 Meet Lady Madelyn Patterson01:00 Why Madelyn started a production company02:15 Breast cancer diagnosis and finding a new purpose03:53 Double mastectomy and DIEP flap reconstruction04:10 Surgical complications, chemotherapy and radiation05:30 Cancer, identity and unrecognized grief07:00 Finding community after breast cancer08:15 The coworkers who supported Madelyn through treatment09:00 Recognizing grief and learning to process loss10:28 The trauma...
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    38 mins
  • Just Cut It Out Podcast | Breast Cancer, Bald Parties, Boundaries & Always Going to the Show

    Just Cut It Out Podcast | Breast Cancer, Bald Parties, Boundaries & Always Going to the Show
    Oct 8 2026
    Just Cut It Out Podcast | Breast Cancer, Bald Parties, Boundaries & Always Going to the ShowDeb Coulter has always been a doer.She’s the person who steps in, solves the problem, takes care of everyone else and keeps moving forward.So when Deb found a lump in her breast over Labor Day weekend in 2013, she did what came naturally: she took action.Deb was diagnosed with stage 2B invasive ductal carcinoma and began chemotherapy before surgery. But as a mom with two children at home, one of her first concerns wasn’t herself. It was how to tell her kids that their mom had breast cancer—and how to make the experience less frightening for them.With help from Wonders & Worries, Deb and her husband found the words to talk to their children about her diagnosis and treatment. And when chemotherapy meant Deb was going to lose her hair, she decided to take some of the fear out of that, too.She threw a “bald party.”Neighborhood kids came over for pizza and cake, took turns cutting Deb’s hair, and eventually her own children helped shave the rest.That instinct to make things easier for everyone else followed Deb throughout treatment. But cancer also began teaching her something much harder: how to let other people show up for her.Friends wanted to bring meals. Coworkers wanted to support her. People wanted to help.At first, Deb resisted. She was used to being the caregiver, not the person being cared for. Eventually, she began saying yes—and discovered how meaningful accepting help could be for both her and the people who loved her.In this episode of Just Cut It Out, Deb and Dr. Kim Brown talk about the experiences that changed the way Deb thinks about taking care of others, setting boundaries and living a good life.Deb also speaks candidly about a decision she made during treatment.After chemotherapy, she chose to have a double mastectomy, even though only one breast needed to be removed. Thirteen years later, she wishes she had made a different choice.Deb talks openly about losing sensation after surgery and the impact that decision had on intimacy and her sex life. She knows no one could have talked her out of the decision at the time. But she hopes sharing what she knows now might help another woman ask different questions as she considers her own options.The conversation also explores the work Deb has done since cancer to understand why taking care of everyone elseIn This EpisodeFinding a breast lump and being diagnosed with stage 2B invasive ductal carcinomaHelping young children understand a parent’s cancer diagnosisHow Wonders & Worries helped Deb’s family navigate difficult conversationsTurning hair loss into a “bald party” for family and friendsLearning to accept help when you’re used to taking care of everyone elseDeb’s decision to have a double mastectomy and what she wishes she had knownSensation, intimacy and the long-term effects of breast surgeryLearning to set boundaries after cancerRecognizing when caring for others comes at the expense of caring for yourselfWhy Deb believes you should “always go to the show”Chapter Markers00:00 Welcome to Just Cut It Out00:32 Deb’s breast cancer story begins02:00 Finding a lump and getting answers quickly04:30 How do you tell your children you have cancer?06:30 Chemotherapy and the fear of losing her hair08:54 Turning hair loss into a “bald party”10:00 Learning to accept help from other people12:23 Why Deb always felt responsible for everyone13:48 Deb 2.0: Therapy, boundaries and learning to say no16:00 Looking back at her double mastectomy decision19:30 Making cancer decisions when statistics feel personal21:00 The importance of patient support and navigation23:00 “Always go to the show”24:30 Creating the Macklin Woods Grief Resource Center26:02 Helping families navigate death and funeral decisions29:24 What Deb decided to “cut out”30:30 Dr. Brown answers Deb’s question32:40 Stop spending energy on what you can’t control34:00 What we can and cannot controlAbout Just Cut It OutHosted by Dr. Kimberly Brown, Just Cut It Out explores how the experience of a cancer diagnosis can change the way we think about what it means to live a good life.Through honest conversations with patients, their families, and the healthcare professionals who care for them, Dr. Brown brings together practical wisdom and the bigger questions that can emerge when life changes unexpectedly: What really matters? What deserves our time? What can we let go of? And what does it mean to live a good life?About Dr. Kimberly BrownDr. Kimberly Brown is a physician who cares for people facing cancer and helps patients and families understand complex medical information so they can make informed decisions about their care. Her approach recognizes that caring for someone with cancer goes beyond treatment—it also means being present with patients and families as they navigate difficult decisions, uncertainty and a life-changing diagnosis.As host of Just Cut ...
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    35 mins
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