Still Paddling - Stories of Life After Cancer

In this powerful episode of Still Paddling, Teresa Ellen Murphy shares a journey she never expected to take.Diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer during the isolation of 2020, she faced difficult treatment, unexpected complications, and moments that taught her the importance of advocating for her own health. But cancer would not be the end of her story.Years later, Terry found herself in a dragon boat—not just paddling alongside other breast cancer survivors but eventually representing the USA at the World Dragon Boat Championships in Germany.Crossing that finish line brought everything full circle. She remembered the days when treatment left her so weak she was crawling on the floor, and realized she was now competing on the world stage.This is a story about resilience, self-advocacy, finding strength through community, and discovering what may be waiting for us on the other side of the hardest chapters of our lives.Sometimes we are entered into races we never chose. But that doesn't mean we can't cross the finish line—and discover just how far we've come.Music licensed through Soundstripe.Code: XHTBVENLXKHWHK6J

Nearly 20 years after her breast cancer diagnosis, Avilia Castro looks back on the moment everything changed—and the life she chose to build afterward.Diagnosed at an early stage after noticing a small lump herself, Avi shares the difficult reality of 38 radiation treatments, the fear of recurrence, and how cancer changed what mattered most to her. Over time, support, spirituality, travel, salsa dancing, and eventually dragon boating helped her rediscover strength, community, and joy.Today, Avi's message is simple but powerful: make time for your screenings, ask questions, seek support, and don't wait for a diagnosis to appreciate the life you have.This is a story of early detection, nearly 20 years of survivorship, and a reminder that there is life after cancer—and we're still paddling.Music licensed through Soundstripe.Code: XHTBVENLXKHWHK6J

Gabrielle Ximena Barragán was diagnosed with triple-positive breast cancer in 2020, just as the world was shutting down and uncertainty was everywhere. But Gabrielle discovered just how strong she really was. Through chemotherapy, surgery, radiation, and immunotherapy, she leaned on faith, resilience, self-advocacy, and the support of the people around her. Today, she looks at life differently, creating moments, serving others, and finding strength and community through dragon boating.Her message to someone newly diagnosed is simple and powerful: You are stronger than you think. Take it one day at a time, believe in yourself, have faith, and remember—there is always tomorrow.Music licensed through Soundstripe.Code: HVJIJ6FHAZJATTKB

Our guest, Olga Arcila didn’t just survive cancer. She built a foundation "Caminando con Olga" so no woman has to walk through diagnosis, chemo, fear, or recovery alone. Because sometimes the hardest part isn’t the treatment - it’s learning howto ask for help. The foundation is a growing non for profit  organization lead by one survivor choosing toshow up for another, proving that compassion can be just as powerful as the treatment. Music licensed through Soundstripe.Code: HVJIJ6FHAZJATTKB

Taffie Lynn Butters went from being diagnosed in January 2020 and going through much of treatment during the isolation of COVID, to intentionally rebuilding her health, discovering dragon boating, and five years later competing in Germany as a member of Team USA’s breast cancer survivor dragon boat team. What began as a lonely breast cancer journey turned into a powerful story of healing, purpose, and possibility. Through integrative health, movement, and a whole lot of resilience, Taffie found a new path forward — one paddle stroke at a time. A reminder we all need: You are stronger than you know. You’re worth every healthy decision. And if you’re still paddling, you’re still moving forward. Music licensed through Soundstripe.Code: HVJIJ6FHAZJATTKB

After surviving breast cancer at just 35 years old, Mary Carrillo refused to let her diagnosis define her future. Instead, she found a new purpose.In this inspiring episode of Still Paddling, Mary shares how trusting her instincts led to an early diagnosis, the challenges of facing cancer without health insurance, and the difficult road through surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and lymphedema. Most importantly, she tells the story of how dragon boating transformed her life and inspired her to found Broward Fierce Fighters, a breast cancer survivor dragon boat team that has empowered women for the past 10 years.This conversation is a reminder that a cancer diagnosis doesn't have to be the end of your story. Sometimes, it becomes the beginning of your greatest purpose.

In this episode you'll meet Alejandra Mourin. At just 28 years old, healthy, active, and building her future, breast cancer was the last thing on her mind. Like many young women, she never imagined it could happen to her.When she discovered a lump, she was told more than once that it was probably nothing because of her age. But she trusted her instincts, continued asking questions, and advocated for herself.That decision changed—and very likely saved—her life.

There are more than 4 million breast cancer survivors living in the United States, each with a unique story of resilience and triumph. Today, we shine a light on one such story: Dr. Irma Rey, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015 and has been cancer-free for over 11 years. Her journey not only highlights the importance of early detection but also emphasizes the transformative power of community and self-care.

In this episode of Still Paddling, Sadia Brammer shares how a breast cancer diagnosis transformed her life. From the fear of hearing the words "you have cancer" to finding strength through family, faith, and dragon boating, her story is a reminder that healing is about so much more than treatment—it's about rediscovering yourself.

After a cancer diagnosis, many people wonder what life looks like beyond treatments and appointments. In this post, Claudia Espinoza shares her inspiring journey as a breast cancer survivor and how she found a supportive community through dragon boat paddling. Join us as we explore the powerful stories shared in her podcast, Still Paddling, and learn how these narratives can provide hope and purpose to others facing similar challenges.

Still Paddling: Stories of Life After Cancer is a podcast that shares inspiring journeys of breast cancer survivors, caregivers, advocates, and healthcare professionals whose stories remind us that there is life after cancer.Hosted by breast cancer survivor Claudia Espinoza, each episode explores diagnosis, treatment, healing, resilience, prevention, and the journey of rebuilding life beyond cancer. Many guests have found strength through dragon boating, while others have discovered hope in different ways—but every story has the power to encourage someone else.Whether you’re newly diagnosed, in treatment, a survivor, or supporting someone you love, this podcast is here to remind you that you’re never alone.Because every survivor has a story… and every story helps someone keep paddling.#LifeAfterCancer#PreventionIsKey