Still I Rise Podcast

Send us Fan MailToday’s guest has spent much of her life learning something the ocean eventually teaches all of us:We cannot control the waves. But we can learn how to keep breathing when they come.Jessica Palumbo dreamed of becoming a mother for as long as she can remember. But before that dream came true, she would face years of infertility, uncertainty, procedures, waiting, and the quiet grief of wondering whether the children she had always imagined would ever arrive.Eventually, the tide turned, and Jessica became the mother of two beautiful boys.But life wasn't finished sending waves.Jessica lost her father to stage 4 cancer. Her mother would later face breast cancer. And then Jessica herself heard the words no one ever wants to hear:You have breast cancer.Initially, she believed it had been caught early. But additional testing revealed a much more aggressive disease. Her treatment became more extensive, and just one year later, another devastating wave arrived:Metastatic breast cancer.This time, Jessica says she felt as though she were drowning.And yet, in the middle of that fear, she began noticing something else—little reminders that perhaps she wasn't navigating these waters alone.Hummingbirds appearing at just the right moment. Dragonflies surrounding her on the beach. And the number 4:44, appearing again and again during some of her most difficult moments.Her Catholic faith became her anchor. Her family became her strength. And her two boys—ironically, passionate surfers who love the very big waves their mother spent so much of her life fearing—became her reason to keep swimming.Jessica's story is called “When the Ocean Waves Come: Finding Strength Beyond a Diagnosis.”She has learned that strength isn't about conquering the ocean. It's about finding joy between the storms, trusting that calm waters will return, and remembering that no single wave defines the entire sea.And just as importantly:No diagnosis defines her.She is still here. Still loving. Still hoping. Still breathing. And still rising.This is Jessica Palumbo.Support the showStill I Rise features stories from You Night's STORY CRAFTING COMMUNITY.  To read additional stories, visit our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/YouNightStories.  Would you like to participate in a 6-week Story Crafting small group experience so that you can share your story?  Write to us at [email protected]

Send us Fan MailSometimes the thing that threatens to take your life is the very thing that teaches you how much your life is worth.Today’s guest is Amy Benoit, and her story is about breast cancer—but it’s also about something much bigger. It’s about finding the courage to choose yourself after years of believing that keeping everyone else together was your responsibility.Amy grew up surrounded by love, family, laughter, and a beautiful example of what home could feel like. But somewhere along the way, in a marriage increasingly affected by alcoholism, conflict, and emotional turmoil, Amy began to lose herself.She stayed. She carried the family. She tried harder. She made excuses. And little by little, the confident woman she once knew became harder to recognize.Then, in January of 2023, at just 40 years old, Amy was diagnosed with breast cancer.And while cancer brought surgeries, chemotherapy, fear, and tremendous physical vulnerability, it also brought Amy something she never expected:clarity.After her tenth round of chemotherapy, emotionally and physically exhausted from yet another devastating argument at home, Amy had a realization that would change the course of her life:She was fighting this hard to stay alive. So why was she fighting so hard to stay in a life that was making her miserable?Amy made the terrifying decision to end her 14-year marriage while she was still undergoing cancer treatment. What followed was incredibly difficult—but somewhere in the middle of cancer, divorce, fear, and uncertainty, Amy began finding herself again.She compares her journey to a lotus flower, which must push its way through darkness and mud before it ever reaches the surface and blooms.Her story is beautifully titled “Rooted in Darkness, Blooming in Light.”Today, the darkness is still part of Amy’s story—but it no longer defines her.Because sometimes surviving isn't simply about staying alive.Sometimes it's about finally deciding to live.This is Amy Benoit.Support the showStill I Rise features stories from You Night's STORY CRAFTING COMMUNITY.  To read additional stories, visit our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/YouNightStories.  Would you like to participate in a 6-week Story Crafting small group experience so that you can share your story?  Write to us at [email protected]

Send us Fan MailToday’s guest has spent much of her life being the strong one—the woman who carried the weight, protected everyone else, and learned how to tuck her own pain away where no one could see it.Lisa-Jo Mitchell describes herself as Pandora’s Box: a beautiful, battle-worn treasure chest where, for years, she locked away grief, fear, anger, loss, and the parts of herself she believed she had to hide in order to survive.And Lisa-Jo has survived a lot.She became a mother under extraordinary circumstances while still a teenager. She endured devastating loss, including her brother’s death by suicide, the end of a marriage, struggles with alcohol, and the long journey of recovery. She built a career helping others navigate addiction and eventually learned that she carries Lynch Syndrome, a hereditary condition that increases the risk of developing certain cancers.And then came breast cancer.But remarkably, cancer became part of something Lisa-Jo never expected: an unlocking.Instead of closing the lid tighter, she began opening it. She allowed people to love her, support her, and see the parts of herself she had spent a lifetime protecting. And she discovered that vulnerability wasn't weakness at all—it was courage.Her story is called “The Key I Carried All Along: Unlocking Hope and Finding the Beauty Within.”And perhaps the most beautiful part of Lisa-Jo’s journey is realizing that the key she spent her life searching for was never somewhere outside of her.She had been carrying it all along.Today, Lisa-Jo no longer defines her scars by what she has lost, but by what she has overcome. And after a lifetime of proving just how strong she could be, she has arrived at three incredibly powerful words:I am enough.It is my honor to introduce you to Lisa-Jo Mitchell.Support the showStill I Rise features stories from You Night's STORY CRAFTING COMMUNITY.  To read additional stories, visit our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/YouNightStories.  Would you like to participate in a 6-week Story Crafting small group experience so that you can share your story?  Write to us at [email protected]

Send us Fan MailToday, I have the privilege of introducing you to a woman whose story reminds us that even when life changes the music, the song is not over.My guest is Alisha Malloy, a member of the Gloria Gemma Breast Cancer Resource Foundation’s SheROSE Class of 2026.Alisha’s story is one of extraordinary love, unimaginable loss, breast cancer, faith, and ultimately, grace.In 2012, Alisha experienced what no mother should ever have to endure when her beautiful 17-year-old daughter, Ciara Charmayn Malloy — lovingly known as C-Me — was tragically killed in a car accident. In an instant, the rhythm of Alisha’s life changed forever.Years later, cancer would change that rhythm once again.But Alisha discovered something powerful along the way: when life changes the melody we thought we were going to sing, it doesn't mean the music has ended.Through her faith, Alisha has learned to hear God's grace in the pauses, His strength in the broken places, and His presence even in life's most painful movements.She calls her story “The Symphony of Grace and Faith: The Melody, Rhythm, and Harmony.” And I think you're going to understand exactly why.This is not simply a story about grief or cancer. It's a story about what happens when a woman chooses to keep singing — even through tears. It's about scars we no longer need to hide, weakness becoming strength, and believing that the places we never planned to be may be the very places where God is doing His greatest work.It is my honor to introduce you to an incredibly courageous woman and SheROSE, Alisha Malloy.Support the showStill I Rise features stories from You Night's STORY CRAFTING COMMUNITY.  To read additional stories, visit our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/YouNightStories.  Would you like to participate in a 6-week Story Crafting small group experience so that you can share your story?  Write to us at [email protected]

Send us Fan MailWelcome back to our new season everyone!  Before we post all of the amazing interviews lined up, I have been sitting on my fourth story and pondering if I should share it.  Because Story Crafting allows participants to dive into traumatic experiences and find peace with what they have been through, well - it is only fitting that I took advantage of this platform and opportunity to do the same.I Can Only ImagineWhat happens when the life you thought you were building suddenly becomes the life you have to grieve?In this deeply personal episode of Still I Rise, Lisa McKenzie shares I Can Only Imagine, her fourth story written using the Story Crafting process.Beginning with the childhood heartbreak of watching her family fall apart after her father left, Lisa explores how those early wounds resurfaced decades later when the husband she loved—and trusted because he knew her story—chose to leave their marriage rather than fight for it.But this isn't a story wrapped neatly in a silver lining.It's about the complicated truth of rebuilding a life you never asked to rebuild. It's about learning independence when you never wanted to be independent, finding peace while still being angry about what it took to get there, and grieving the life that might have been.Lisa also wrestles with a question many people carry after betrayal: Would an apology finally make a difference? Or is what we're really longing for something deeper—the acknowledgment that what happened to us mattered?Perhaps healing doesn't require us to be grateful for what broke us.Perhaps we can simply be grateful that we survived it.And perhaps the most powerful thing no one can ever take from us is our ability to tell the truth about our own story.“I can be angry about what happened and peaceful about where I am. I can wish he'd fought for me and know today that I am worth fighting for.”This is I Can Only Imagine.A story about abandonment, betrayal, worth, the life that might have been—and finally realizing:I was worth it. And I am.Support the showStill I Rise features stories from You Night's STORY CRAFTING COMMUNITY.  To read additional stories, visit our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/YouNightStories.  Would you like to participate in a 6-week Story Crafting small group experience so that you can share your story?  Write to us at [email protected]

Send us Fan MailHi everyone!We hope you have some fun summer plans!  As we prepare for Season 5, with over 55 new interviews lined up, we wanted to let you know we are taking a small break over the summer until mid August, where we will start releasing all of the new interviews.  If you are new to this channel, please scroll through our past interviews and listen to the amazing interviews!  With over 110 to choose from, we know you'll find stories that will inspire you!Until we gather again in August, have fun!  Go put your toes in the sand if you can and remember to reach out to someone who might be going through a tough time just to let them know you are thinking about them.  Those messages go a long way.Support the showStill I Rise features stories from You Night's STORY CRAFTING COMMUNITY.  To read additional stories, visit our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/YouNightStories.  Would you like to participate in a 6-week Story Crafting small group experience so that you can share your story?  Write to us at [email protected]

Send us Fan MailToday’s guest is Dr. Scott Sullivan, a world-renowned reconstructive microsurgeon at the Center for Restorative Breast Surgery and one of the leading experts in DIEP flap breast reconstruction and microsurgical breast reconstruction after mastectomy.Dr. Sullivan has helped advance and refine the groundbreaking DIEP flap procedure, a highly specialized form of breast reconstruction that uses a woman's own tissue to restore the breast after breast cancer surgery. His work has helped change the standard of care for women seeking natural breast reconstruction after mastectomy, giving thousands of breast cancer survivors the opportunity to reclaim not only their bodies but also their confidence, dignity, and quality of life.But Dr. Sullivan's impact extends far beyond the operating room.For more than a decade, he has been a dedicated supporter of You Night Empowering Events, a nonprofit organization focused on emotional healing after breast cancer. As one of our earliest sponsors, advisory board members, and champions, his generosity has helped hundreds of women find support, sisterhood, empowerment, and hope during their cancer journeys.Dr. Sullivan also played a pivotal role in helping launch the ScART Program, an innovative healing arts initiative that encourages breast cancer survivors to transform their scars into powerful works of art and personal stories of resilience. Today, the ScART Program has touched the lives of thousands of cancer survivors across the country.While Dr. Sullivan is internationally recognized for his expertise in breast reconstruction surgery, microsurgery, DIEP flap reconstruction, and breast cancer recovery, those who know him best admire something even greater—his compassion. Patients trust him. Families love him. Colleagues respect him. His kindness, humility, and commitment to restoring hope have made him one of the most beloved figures in the breast cancer community.It is my great honor to welcome an extraordinary physician, innovator in restorative breast surgery, advocate for breast cancer survivors, and a truly remarkable human being—Dr. Scott Sullivan.Dr. Scott Sullivan  #Center for Restorative Breast Surgery  #DIEP Flap Reconstruction #Breast Reconstruction After Mastectomy #Breast Cancer Survivor #Breast Cancer Recovery #Microsurgical Breast Reconstruction #Natural Breast Reconstruction #Emotional Healing After Breast Cancer #Breast Cancer Podcast #You Night Empowering Events #ScART Program #Cancer Survivor Support #Reconstructive Microsurgery #Breast Cancer Resources #Dr. Scott SullivanSupport the showStill I Rise features stories from You Night's STORY CRAFTING COMMUNITY.  To read additional stories, visit our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/YouNightStories.  Would you like to participate in a 6-week Story Crafting small group experience so that you can share your story?  Write to us at [email protected]

Send us Fan MailToday’s guest is someone whose life reminds us that healing comes in many forms.When Ida Senerchia-Zecco was just 40 years old, she found herself standing at the intersection of loss, exhaustion, single motherhood, divorce, and a breast cancer diagnosis. Having already lost her own mother to breast cancer, she was faced with difficult decisions and a future filled with uncertainty.But rather than allowing cancer to define her story, Ida began a journey of rediscovering herself. She traded stress for creativity, fear for purpose, and isolation for connection. Along the way, she learned that healing isn't always measured by scans, treatments, or medical charts—it can also be found in music, friendship, service, self-worth, and even something as simple as a daily hug.More than three decades later, after surviving breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and now living with Stage II CLL, Ida continues to inspire others through her writing, performing, directing, and unwavering commitment to finding joy in each day.Her story, which she beautifully calls "A Lost Song Returned," is a powerful reminder that even after life's darkest moments, the music can come back—sometimes richer, deeper, and more meaningful than before.Please join me in welcoming Ida Senerchia-Zecco.Support the showStill I Rise features stories from You Night's STORY CRAFTING COMMUNITY.  To read additional stories, visit our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/YouNightStories.  Would you like to participate in a 6-week Story Crafting small group experience so that you can share your story?  Write to us at [email protected]

Send us Fan MailWelcome to the Still I Rise Podcast, where we share stories of resilience, hope, and the strength of the human spirit.Today, I'm honored to introduce Michelle Maloney and her story, The Fire and Faith: Living with Metastatic Cancer.Michelle has faced more than her share of loss and hardship throughout her life. After surviving breast cancer while pregnant with her son, she was later diagnosed with Stage IV metastatic breast cancer that had spread to her lungs.But this isn't just a story about cancer. It's a story about faith. Michelle discovered that two things can be true at the same time: life can feel like it's on fire, and yet peace can still be found in the middle of the flames.Through family, friendship, prayer, and a deep trust in God, Michelle learned not to let fear steal her joy. Instead, she found comfort, purpose, and peace in each day she has been given.Please join me in welcoming Michelle Maloney.Support the showStill I Rise features stories from You Night's STORY CRAFTING COMMUNITY.  To read additional stories, visit our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/YouNightStories.  Would you like to participate in a 6-week Story Crafting small group experience so that you can share your story?  Write to us at [email protected]

Send us Fan MailMany of the women I interview enter the Story Crafting program believing they are there to address the pain and trauma of cancer. But it never fails—in those intimate small groups, another wave of emotions begins to surface. Stories of childhood wounds, broken relationships, abandonment, abuse, fear, grief, and years of buried pain quietly rise to the top. That’s what a cancer diagnosis often does. It forces you to revisit so much more than the disease itself. It cracks open old wounds that were never fully healed.But Story Crafting is about more than simply telling the story. It gives women a safe place to finally speak the unspeakable, to be heard without judgment, and ultimately, to begin releasing the weight they’ve carried for years. In sharing their truth, many women discover not only healing—but freedom.Courtney Moore’s story, Rising from the Ashes, is a powerful example of that journey.Her story is not just about surviving cancer—it’s about surviving a lifetime of battles that could have easily extinguished her spirit. From childhood trauma and emotional pain to abuse, anxiety, and ultimately breast cancer, Courtney has faced fire after fire. Yet through every loss, every scar, and every moment that threatened to break her, she continued to rise.With raw honesty and breathtaking vulnerability, Courtney shares what it means to fight not only for your life, but for your children, your peace, and your sense of self. Her story is one of resilience born in darkness—a reminder that even the most blackened phoenix can find color in its wings again. Rising from the Ashes is a powerful testament to the strength of a mother, the endurance of the human spirit, and the healing power of love, hope, and choosing to keep going.Support the showStill I Rise features stories from You Night's STORY CRAFTING COMMUNITY.  To read additional stories, visit our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/YouNightStories.  Would you like to participate in a 6-week Story Crafting small group experience so that you can share your story?  Write to us at [email protected]

Send us Fan MailWelcome to the Still I Rise podcast…where women turn pain into purpose and scars become stories of strength.Today’s guest is Rochelle Ives, a member of the Gloria Gemma SheROSE Class of 2025, and let me just say… Rochelle sparkles.When we did the SheROSE photo shoot and she placed that crown on her head, I honestly couldn’t tell which sparkled more—the crown or Rochelle herself.But what makes Rochelle so special is that her sparkle doesn’t end when the cameras stop rolling.She spreads joy everywhere she goes.She encourages women.She leaves kind words on posts.She lifts people up.She leads with love.And when you hear her story, “Kaleidoscope of Strength,” you’ll understand where that light comes from.Rochelle’s journey is one of learning that constantly saving everyone else can sometimes mean losing yourself. After years of people pleasing, heartbreak, chaos, and eventually a breast cancer diagnosis, Rochelle found her strength, reclaimed her peace, and chose healing.Her story is powerful, honest, faith-filled, and deeply inspiring.This is Still I Rise…and this is Rochelle’s story:“Kaleidoscope of Strength.”Support the showStill I Rise features stories from You Night's STORY CRAFTING COMMUNITY.  To read additional stories, visit our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/YouNightStories.  Would you like to participate in a 6-week Story Crafting small group experience so that you can share your story?  Write to us at [email protected]

Send us Fan MailWelcome to the Still I Rise podcast…the place where stories heal,where scars become art,and where women rise again and again… no matter what life has tried to take from them.Today’s episode is a special Mother’s Day message.And whether you are a mother…missing your mother…longing to become a mother…or simply a woman who has spent her life nurturing everyone around you…this message is for you.As I sat thinking about all the things women carry—the schedules, the stress, the caregiving, the emotional weight, the invisible labor—I started thinking about the very first and greatest “things-to-do list” ever written.The one God created in the beginning of time.Day by day…piece by piece…He built the heavens and the Earth.The stars.The oceans.The animals.The mountains.The beauty of creation itself.And then…He created woman.The nurturer.The life-giver.The comforter.The leader.The glue that somehow keeps this spinning world from completely falling apart.So today…I want to take you back to the beginning.Back to creation.And maybe, by the end of this episode…you’ll remember something important:that women were never created to simply survive this world…they were created to help hold it together.This is Still I Rise.And this…is “When God Created the Ultimate Things-To-Do List.Support the showStill I Rise features stories from You Night's STORY CRAFTING COMMUNITY.  To read additional stories, visit our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/YouNightStories.  Would you like to participate in a 6-week Story Crafting small group experience so that you can share your story?  Write to us at [email protected]

Send us Fan MailThere are moments in life when everything changes with one phone call… one word… one sentence that splits your world in two.For Courtney Trombka, that moment came on July 4th, 2019, when she heard the words, “You have a rare type of leukemia.” At just thirty years old, with two young children depending on her, her life suddenly became a storm she never asked to sail through.But Courtney’s story is not just about cancer. It’s about survival. It’s about faith. It’s about what happens when a woman refuses to sink, even when life keeps sending wave after wave against her spirit.A member of the You Night FIGHT CLUB Class of 2025, Courtney has faced leukemia, heartbreak, loss, and now prepares for a second brain surgery with a courage that is both breathtaking and deeply human. Through every battle, she has carried prayer like an anchor and hope like a lantern in the dark.Today, she shares a story of resilience, motherhood, vulnerability, and discovering that sometimes the very thing meant to destroy you can awaken you to life in a way nothing else ever could.This is not just a story about surviving cancer. This is a story about rebuilding a soul. About finding beauty after devastation. About learning to rise… again and again… no matter how fierce the storm.Please welcome my guest, Courtney Trombka.Support the showStill I Rise features stories from You Night's STORY CRAFTING COMMUNITY.  To read additional stories, visit our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/YouNightStories.  Would you like to participate in a 6-week Story Crafting small group experience so that you can share your story?  Write to us at [email protected]

Send us Fan MailWelcome back to Still I Rise… and to Day 4—our final day—of this 100th episode celebration.Over the last few days, we’ve been surrounded by the voices, the stories, and the people who have helped build this journey into what it is today.And today, we close out this special series with two women who represent both heart and history—two voices that remind us just how personal and powerful this journey truly is.You’ll hear from Ruth Avila and my sister, Julie Angelos—women whose connection, love, and perspective bring this full circle in a way that feels especially meaningful.They’re sharing their reflections, their favorite moments, and what they’ve learned along the way—about life, about strength, and about what it really means to rise.Because after 100 episodes… this isn’t just a milestone.It’s a reminder of what’s possible when people come together, lift each other up, and keep rising—again and again.Let’s finish this celebration together.Support the showStill I Rise features stories from You Night's STORY CRAFTING COMMUNITY.  To read additional stories, visit our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/YouNightStories.  Would you like to participate in a 6-week Story Crafting small group experience so that you can share your story?  Write to us at [email protected]

Send us Fan MailWelcome back to Still I Rise… and to Day 3 of our 100th episode celebration.Over the past two days, we’ve been honoring the voices and the people who have helped shape this journey—and today, we continue with two women who have been steady, powerful forces behind the scenes and beyond.One hundred episodes in, and what stands out most isn’t just what’s been created… but who has stood alongside it, helping to carry the mission forward every step of the way.Today, you’ll hear from my right-hand gal, Angela Becnel, and Debbie Tonguis—two women whose presence, support, and dedication have made a lasting impact in ways that words can barely capture.They’re sharing their memories, their insights, and what this journey has meant to them—along with what they’ve learned about resilience, connection, and rising through it all.Because behind every moment… there are people who help make it possible.Let’s keep the celebration going.Support the showStill I Rise features stories from You Night's STORY CRAFTING COMMUNITY.  To read additional stories, visit our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/YouNightStories.  Would you like to participate in a 6-week Story Crafting small group experience so that you can share your story?  Write to us at [email protected]

Send us Fan MailWelcome back to Still I Rise… and to Day 2 of our 100th episode celebration.If you joined us yesterday, you know this isn’t just one episode—it’s a four-part series honoring the voices, the moments, and the people who have helped shape this journey.One hundred episodes in, and the stories just keep getting richer… the connections deeper… and the impact even more meaningful.Today, we continue that celebration with two more incredible women who have played a powerful role in what we do.You’ll hear from our Runway Coach, Leslie Legania-Shelby, and Photographer, Tracie Morris Schaefer—two women who don’t just show up… they help bring confidence, beauty, and transformation to life in ways that leave a lasting mark on every woman they touch.They’re sharing their favorite memories, what they’ve witnessed, and what they’ve learned along the way—about strength, resilience, and what it truly means to rise.Because this journey is built on moments like these… and people like them.So let’s continue the celebration.Support the showStill I Rise features stories from You Night's STORY CRAFTING COMMUNITY.  To read additional stories, visit our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/YouNightStories.  Would you like to participate in a 6-week Story Crafting small group experience so that you can share your story?  Write to us at [email protected]

Send us Fan Mail“Welcome to Still I Rise… and today, this one feels different.This is our 100th episode.One hundred conversations. One hundred moments of truth, vulnerability, strength, and rising—again and again. This podcast has always been about connection… about the people who show up, who stay, and who lift each other when life gets heavy.So today, instead of telling one story… I wanted to bring together the voices that helped shape this journey.I’ve invited some of my favorite people—those who have been here since the very beginning, and others who came along the way and became an essential part of what we do. These are the people who believed in the mission, who poured into it, and who helped carry it forward.And because there are so many incredible voices to celebrate, I’m doing something special for this 100th episode. We’re turning it into a four-part series that will air over the next three days—so every story has the space it deserves to be heard.Here’s what you can look forward to:Day 1 features my daughter Halle and our Team Director, Jill Allender. Day 2 features our Runway Coach, Leslie Legania-Shelby, and Photographer, Tracie Morris Schaefer. Day 3 features my right-hand gal, Angela Becnel, and Debbie Tonguis. And Day 4 features Ruth Avila and my sister, Julie Angelos.Each of them is sharing their favorite memories, the moments that stayed with them, and what they’ve learned—about life, about resilience, and about what it really means to rise.Because after 100 episodes, one thing is clear…We don’t rise alone.So let’s get into it.”Support the showStill I Rise features stories from You Night's STORY CRAFTING COMMUNITY.  To read additional stories, visit our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/YouNightStories.  Would you like to participate in a 6-week Story Crafting small group experience so that you can share your story?  Write to us at [email protected]