A Cancer Survivor’s Journey to Motherhood Ft. Joanne Photiades w/Anita Nowak - Purposeful Empathy

Sometimes having hope is radical. In this special series devoted to widening our circle of empathy for people who often feel marginalized or misunderstood, watch this incredible episode featuring Joanne Photiades—an ovarian cancer survivor, mother of twins, and fierce advocate for disability inclusion.Joanne shares her journey to motherhood after a rare cancer diagnosis, and the moment she chose hope over fear despite an eighteen month window to get pregnant before a hysterectomy. She also opens up about her son being diagnosed with Williams Syndrome, and how raising twins side-by-side reveals the invisible biases built into our systems.Together, we discuss:Being the 35th person in the world diagnosed with a rare ovarian cancer Her decision not to follow medical advice to pursue her dream of becoming a momThe miracle of getting pregnant and the message she has for othersHer son’s diagnosis with Williams Syndrome and the emotional reality of caregiving, including love, gratitude, exhaustion, and guiltWhy words matter and why design should be inclusive from the get-go This conversation is a celebration of faith and resilience, expressed with remarkable candor and vulnerability by an advocate for belonging and inclusion. Her lived experiences will take your breath away.00:00 Preview00:51 Introduction 02:43 About Joanne Photiades05:01 Joanne’s backstory07:28 Joanne’s journey to motherhood13:15 How to support someone after a major diagnosis15:42 Refusing to give up: Faith, hope, and the dream of becoming a mom17:57 Joanne’s message for women surviving cancer21:20 The sacred string story23:45 What is William syndrome?30:38 Joanne’s journey towards her son’s diagnosis35:26 The role of empathy in redefining inclusion39:34 The emotional reality of caregiving42:36 What real support looks like from friends and family46:02 What the world needs to understand about disability53:42 Joanne Photiades’s Purposeful Empathy storyCONNECT WITH JOANNE✩ LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/joanne-d-photiades-854580/✩ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/joannedaphnephotiades/ CONNECT WITH ANITA✩ Email [email protected] ✩ Website https://www.anitanowak.com✩ Buy a copy of Purposeful Empathy http://tiny.cc/PurposefulEmpathyCA✩ LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/anitanowak/✩ Instagram https://tinyurl.com/anitanowakinstagram✩ Podcast Audio https://tinyurl.com/PurposefulEmpathyPodcast✩ Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/anitanowak.bsky.socialVideo edited by Jad Misri, Green Horizon Studio