Life is challenging and sometimes life is “stage IV metastatic cancer” challenging. So how can we make it through all that life throws at us? Jane Jeuland is the Chaplain in the Palliative Care Clinic at Yale New Haven Hospital and Smilow Cancer Hospital. Since 2011 she has listened as people with life-limiting cancer have processed their living, dying, healing and not healing and their faith, spirituality, and beliefs. Over the years, Jane has been so impacted by her patients’ profound, unique, and important perspectives on how to thrive through all that life brings and has often thought that these incredible nuggets of truth should be available for other patients, caregivers, clinicians, and really any human making their way through life. In this podcast, some episodes will be patients, caregivers, or clinicians reading their stories that they have carefully and thoughtfully crafted. Other episodes will be interviews that will welcome you into the lives of these beautiful individuals and the strategies and resources they have used to survive and even thrive in the midst of it all.
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In this episode, you will hear from Jeannie who has dealt with many different cancers for over 20 years. In her conversation with Chaplain Jane she speaks about healing prayer, raising her children while she has cancer, and the sudden loss of her husband.
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In this episode, Jeannie Marty reads her story of living with a rare auto-immune disease with connective cancers for over 20 years. Jeannie is an Assemblies of God pastor who talks about the strength and peace she receives from God in the midst of pain, loss, and chronic illness.
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In this episode, you will hear Paulette Marcus reading her story at a book reading we head in 2021. Paulette reminds us that being positive helps so much, but being positive takes work and energy. Paulette leaned on her Jewish faith, her extended family, friends, and all the support offered at Yale to walk through a long battle with cancer all while raising her two beautiful daughters.
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In this episode, Erlinda shares more about her cancer journey and her two near death experiences in which she left her body and saw Jesus and the afterlife. Erlinda describes her struggles and her deep faith all while laughing and overflowing with joy.
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In this episode Erlinda Cu reads her story of being diagnosed with lung cancer and given only a few months to live. Erlinda went on to be one of the first patients to receive an experimental treatment that has helped her live not only a few months more but in fact more than a decade more of life. Erlinda writes about her journey through cancer care and the faith that has helped her through it all.
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In this episode, Ricki Fairley reads Alyson Tischler’s story at the previously aired book reading, Spirituality through our Struggle. Alyson was a bright light full of joy no matter what was thrown at her. Alyson wrote of her Jewish faith, her family, and her strong commitment to advocate for other patients.
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In this episode, you will hear how Jayanti Mukherjee navigated the rollercoaster ride of diagnoses and treatments that she underwent. With love and gratitude for her physicians and family, Jayanti shares how she became an advocate for herself through her cancer journey and now in remission she hopes to advocate for others.
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In this episode, Jayanti Mukherjee reads her story of being diagnosed with terminal cancer only to find out about a year later that what was thought to be cancer spreading throughout her body was in fact something else entirely, something treatable and benign. Jayanti describes the strength and hope that her Hindu faith gave her throughout the rollercoaster of treatments and healing.
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In this episode you will hear from Jay Curran as he describes his life living with stage IV laryngeal cancer and Waldenstroms disease. Jay has severe neuropathy which cannot be treated and causes intense pain especially in his hands and feet. Patients with neuropathy describe how painful it is even to have a bed sheet brush over your feet at night. Yet despite his intense pain, Jay attends daily mass at his local Roman Catholic Church and he walks up 11 miles a day in his backyard. When he first started walking, he could only take a few steps in his living room yet even with setbacks Jay has been able to complete over 500 miles of walking the virtual El Camino. Jay’s faith and perseverance are truly inspirational.
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In this episode Jay Curran reads his story of suddenly being diagnosed with stage IV laryngeal cancer. Jay served as an aviator in the Coast Guard and worked as an engineer most of his life. Jay speaks about how cancer changed his perspective in life, how it helped him see what matters most in life, and how it taught him to let go of control and put his trust in God. Jay is a devout Roman Catholic who has found strength in God, prayer, and daily mass.