Episode 024 — Overcoming the Cancer Curveball with Joelle Kaufman

When cancer shows up, most people brace for the worst. In this episode of Overcoming Anything, host Anne Vryonides sits down with Joelle Kaufman, who reframes cancer as a curveball you can learn to recognize, adapt to—and ultimately crush. With equal parts candor and humor, Joelle shares how she navigated a multi-generational cancer legacy and transformed her own triple-negative breast cancer diagnosis into one of the happiest, most purposeful seasons of her life.

Joelle Kaufman is the author of Crushing the Cancer Curveball and the host of Kicking Cancer’s Ass, a podcast dedicated to helping people replace victim narratives with victory laps. Drawing on decades of lived experience and a 25-year career building technology companies in Silicon Valley, Joelle teaches a powerful “Curveball Approach” that helps people reclaim agency, build resilience, and create meaning—no matter what life throws.

Key Takeaways

· You never choose the pitch, but you always choose the swing: curveballs happen—your response is where your power lives.

· Waiting and uncertainty can be the hardest part—create practical “next steps” to reclaim control.

· “Happiness tripwires” aren’t fluff—they can change your physiology, your mindset, and your experience of treatment.

Timestamps
00:00 — Introduction: turning the cancer curveball into a catalyst

02:00 — Joelle’s mantra: “You never choose the pitch, but you always choose the swing”

05:30 — The hardest moment: telling her children the day before surgery

10:30 — Family legacy + a different relationship with cancer: “We talk about it to face it”

16:00 — The brutal reality of waiting—and how to stay out of “what if” spirals

19:30 — What felt impossible: traveling to see her son play college baseball during treatment

24:30 — The power of support systems + building “happiness tripwires”

30:00 — How to ask for help (without pity) and what not to send a cancer patient

36:00 — The turning point: PET scan clarity + treatment response

41:00 — The mindset shift: power over victimhood, rest as recharging

46:00 — Life after cancer: clarity, boundaries, purpose, and saying yes more

51:00 — Final advice: you don’t have to do this alone; strength doesn’t mean solo

Connect with Joelle

· Website: https://joellekaufman.com
· Podcast: Kicking Cancer’s Ass (listen wherever you get your podcasts)

· Substack: https://substack.com/@joellekaufman

Recommended Resources

· Crushing the Cancer Curveball, Joelle Kaufman https://a.co/d/iF4xoYx

· Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff, Richard Carlson https://a.co/d/bWSOjxG

Credits
Host: Anne Vryonides
Guest: Joelle Kaufman

Disclaimer
The content in this episode is for informational and inspirational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional legal, medical, or mental health advice.

Please follow, download, and rate Overcoming Anything so this podcast can reach the people who need it most.
❤️ Anne

#OvercomingAnything #CancerSurvivor #BreastCancerAwareness #TripleNegativeBreastCancer #CancerSupport #CancerJourney #Resilience #MindsetMatters #EmotionalHealing #HealingJourney #HopeAndHealing #PersonalGrowth #MentalStrength #SelfCompassion #Neuroplasticity #CBTTools #GratitudePractice #SupportSystem #ChooseYourSwing #SecondChances #InspirationDaily #PodcastRecommendations #PodcastInterview #PodcastHost #WomenInPodcasting #StoriesThatHeal #TransformationStory #HealthAndWellness #LifeAfterCa

Episode 023 — Overcoming Judgement to Build a Life-Saving Mission with John David Graham

When the world labels you as “unwanted,” “dangerous,” or “beyond redemption,” what does it take to stand your ground and build something that changes lives? In this episode of Overcoming Anything, host Anne Vryonides sits down with John David Graham, a man who faced fear, prejudice, and legal battles to create one of the most impactful reentry housing programs in the Midwest. John shares how he and his wife Kathy transformed opposition into opportunity, turning hostility into hope for thousands of formerly incarcerated men and women seeking a second chance.

John David Graham is the founder of Good Samaritan Home, a housing and mentoring program helping men and women rebuild their lives after prison, drawing on a lifetime of work as a minister, journalist, counselor, contractor, and community advocate. He is also the award-winning author of Running As Fast As I Can and credits the success of his work—and his life—to the unwavering support of his wife of 47 years, Kathy.

3 Key Takeaways:

1.Fear dissolves when you lead with integrity- Standing on your values, even when the community pushes back, builds long-term trust.
2. Small acts create big courage- It’s the thousands of daily moral choices that prepare you for life’s defining moments.
3. Redemption changes communities- When people are given structure, dignity, and support, transformation becomes inevitable.

Timestamps

00:00 — Welcome & John’s powerful life introduction
05:10 — From homelessness to founding Good Samaritan Home
12:30 — Facing community backlash, lawsuits, and racial fear
21:45 — The courtroom moment that changed everything
29:10 — How kindness rebuilt a hostile town
37:00 — Leadership, conscience, and moral courage
45:20 — John’s novel and storytelling as healing
52:00 — Where to connect with John & Good Samaritan Home

Links & Resources

John David Graham’s Website: https://johndavidgraham.com/
Good Samaritan Home: https://goodsamaritanhome.org
John’s Substack (social commentary): https://johndavidgraham.substack.com
John’s Book — Running As Fast As I Can: https://www.amazon.com/Running-As-Fast-Can-ebook/dp/B0CKK418FB/

Connect with John David Graham

Facebook: https://facebook.com/JGrahamAuthor
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jgrahamauthor
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@jgrahamauthor

Books Mentioned & Recommended

Running As Fast As I Can — John David Graham,
Bonhoeffer (biography)
Biographies of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
John Lewis (biographies)
The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich — William L. Shirer
Lonesome Dove — Larry McMurtry
The Nightingale — Kristin Hannah
The Winter Garden — Kristin Hannah
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue — V.E. Schwab

If this episode moved you, share it with someone who needs proof that it is never too late to rebuild a life, reclaim dignity, and make a meaningful impact.

❤️ Anne

Disclaimer

The content of this episode is for informational and inspirational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional therapy, diagnosis, legal, or medical care.

#OvercomingAnything #OvercomingAnythingPodcast #AnneVryonides #Podcast #PodcastDiscovery #ApplePodcasts #SpotifyPodcasts #NewEpisode #PodcastGrowth #ParentingSuppor

Episode 022 — Overcoming Overprotecting Our Kids with Dr. Diane Olvera

If your parenting comes from deep love but still feels exhausting, overwhelming, or tense, you’re not doing it wrong—you may just be doing too much for your child instead of with them.

In this episode of Overcoming Anything, host Anne Vryonides sits down with Dr. Diane Olvera, a former diplomat and intelligence professional turned board-certified educational therapist, to explore how overprotecting—often rooted in care and fear—can quietly limit confidence, self-trust, and independence.

Dr. Diane Olvera is a board-certified educational therapist and former diplomat who helps parents and educators build connection without control. Drawing on decades of experience in diplomacy, education, and brain research, she teaches practical communication tools that foster self-aware, confident, and resilient children at any age.3

Key Takeaways

• Overprotecting often comes from love—but can unintentionally take away confidence and self-trust
• Children build responsibility and self-esteem when parents ask instead of tell and name positive behavior
• Awareness, eye contact, language, and open conversations are the foundation of real connection

Timestamps

00:00 — Welcome & introduction
03:15 — From diplomacy and intelligence work to educational therapy
08:40 — Why overprotecting feels loving—but limits growth
15:20 — Awareness and eye contact: the unseen drivers of connection
23:10 — “Ask, don’t tell”: how responsibility is built
31:45 — How language becomes identity and self-esteem
41:30 — Rebuilding connection with teens and adult children
50:10 — Open conversations, trust, and raising future leaders
57:20 — Dr. Olvera’s core philosophy on confidence and connection

Links & Resources

Dr. Diane Olvera Website: https://drdianera.com
The Power of Connection: Understanding Individual Differences to Uplift and Empower, Dr. Dianne Olvera, https://a.co/d/hJ38V6r
Upcoming Parenting Course: Coming soon

Disclaimer

The content of this episode is for informational and inspirational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional advice, therapy, diagnosis, or coaching.

If this episode resonated, please share it with a parent, caregiver, or educator who wants to guide children with confidence—without rescuing them.

❤️ Anne

#OvercomingAnything #OvercomingAnythingPodcast #AnneVryonides #Podcast #PodcastDiscovery #ApplePodcasts #SpotifyPodcasts #NewEpisode #PodcastGrowth #ParentingSupport #ConsciousParenting #RaisingConfidentKids #ParentChildConnection #EmotionalIntelligence #MindfulParenting #FamilyCommunication #ResilientFamilies #PersonalGrowth #LeadershipDevelopment