302. Breast Cancer and Fertility: What Every Young Patient Deserves to Know with Kara Bendle

Love the podcast? Send us a text!When you're diagnosed with breast cancer, your first thought is often survival.But what about everything that comes after?For many young adults diagnosed with breast cancer, questions about fertility, family planning, hormone health, identity, and future possibilities quickly become part of the conversation. Yet too many patients never learn about their options until after treatment has already begun.In this episode of Breast Cancer Conversations, Laura Carfang sits down with Kara Bendle, RN, MSN, CPN, CNL, Fertility Preservation and Adolescent & Young Adult (AYA) Program Manager at Cleveland Clinic, to discuss why fertility conversations matter from the very beginning of a cancer diagnosis.Together, they explore:• When fertility preservation conversations should happen• How breast cancer treatments can affect fertility and hormone health• The difference between fertility preservation and family building• Egg freezing, embryo preservation, and ovarian tissue preservation• The emotional impact of infertility and loss of choice• Dating, relationships, and family planning after cancer• Fertility considerations for hormone-positive breast cancer patients• Insurance barriers and access to care• Why patients deserve information—even when options are limited• The importance of keeping future possibilities openThis conversation goes far beyond fertility. It explores identity, grief, survivorship, and the power of informed decision-making after a breast cancer diagnosis.Whether you are newly diagnosed, in treatment, navigating survivorship, or supporting someone you love, this episode offers compassionate and practical guidance for understanding your options and advocating for your future.Love this episode? Send us a text through the link in the show notes. Messages are completely anonymous. If you'd like a response, include your email address so we can follow up directly.Support the showListener FeedbackIf this episode resonated with you, we invite you to leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.You can also click the link in the show notes that says "Love this episode? Send us a text" to share feedback.Messages are completely anonymous.If you would like us to follow up directly, please include your email address in your message so we can respond.Latest News: Join our Mailing List - New content drops every Monday! Discover FREE programs, support groups, and resources from SurvivingBReastCancer.org! Become a Breast Cancer Conversations+ Member! Sign Up Now. Enjoying our content? Please consider supporting our work.