113. Theodora Blanchfield (Writer, Therapist & Ovarian Cancer Caregiver)

On today’s episode, I am speaking with Theodora Blanchfield. Theodora is a Los Angeles-based writer and an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist. In November 2015, just before Theodora was about to run the NYC Marathon, her mother, Carol, was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. She went through chemotherapy and surgery and was cancer-free in the summer of 2016. However, the celebration was short lived as the cancer returned several months later and her mother passed away from the disease one year to the day that she was declared to have “no evidence of disease.” On today’s episode, Theodora shares her experience with grief over the last few years — what it has looked like, all the ups and downs and everything in between. Content warning: This conversation includes discussions of suicide. This conversation is a powerful and honest depiction of what it truly means to be a caregiver both during active cancer treatment and beyond.