Episode 02: Misery is Optional: How Ami Tully Lotka Beat Cancer with Humor, Leadership, and Radical Joy

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 52:16 — 47.9MB)

Subscribe or Follow Apple Podcasts | Podchaser | Podcast Index | RSS

Triple-negative breast cancer wasn’t on Ami Tully Lotka’s calendar—but neither was giving up. In this powerful episode, the seasoned entrepreneur and financial services consultant shares how she applied 25+ years of leadership to navigate one of life’s hardest curveballs.

Ami opens up about:

The moment she almost skipped the mammogram that saved her life.
Her radical choice to lead her cancer journey with humor (yes, even through chemo).
Why she told clients “Don’t make decisions for me”—and how her business stayed strong through treatment.
The role of family, faith, and one joke per week in keeping her going.

If you’ve been diagnosed, know someone who has, or simply need a dose of courage—this episode will lift you up.

All Episodes >>>

Leading your team through an AI rollout?

See how the coaching works

cancer humor

Joelle K

I'm a 54 year old former CMO/CRO and generational breast cancer survivor. My early cancer experiences shaped my personal and professional philosophy to continuously cultivate an approach that adjusts to whatever curveball shows up. And we know, curveballs are constant, especially in midlife with aging parents, maturing kids (if you have kids), and opportunities to focus on new goals for our next 50 years. I have a book being released in January - Crushing the Cancer Curveball, A Veteran's Guide for the Newly Diagnosed. While no one wants cancer, 1 in 2 Americans and 1 in 4 people worldwide will face cancer in their lifetimes. There's an alternative narrative to the terror, anger and fear that accompanies a diagnosis - a narrative that spawns compassion, confidence, and even joy. I'd love to talk about it with you and your audience.

More about Joelle K