When Sh#t Strikes Twice | Monika Demel and Matthew Sommerfeldt

In this episode of Through the Sh#t, host Jen McDowell sits down with award-winning photographer Monika Demel and her husband, Matthew Sommerfeldt, as they reflect on Monika's two-time experience with breast cancer. Monika relays the ups and downs of her experience: receiving her first diagnosis right before Christmas, the difficult decisions regarding her treatment plan, and the parts of cancer recovery that no one talks about. Just as Monika thinks she's in the clear, she learns she needs to have additional surgery to remove the marker placed during her biopsy, followed by the discovery of new, fast-growing tumors and an extensive second surgery and grueling radiation protocol. Monika and Matthew reflect on the ways that people react to and process difficult news, comparing Monika's preference to work through her diagnosis privately with Matthew's preference to be surrounded by supportive people during his own cancer journey several decades prior. Given their differences in preference, they share tips for how they navigated the experience together, ensuring that they both had outlets to process what was happening. Monika also reflects on the impact of her diagnosis on her life and work, and the creation of the Brave Pink Warrior project to empower other women facing similar challenges.https://www.demelportraits.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/monikademel/https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-sommerfeldt-858ab315/