Episode 17: How to Take Back Power When Cancer Tries to Take Over Your Life

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When you hear the words “It’s malignant,” your world stops. Everything you thought you knew about control, safety, and your future suddenly disappears.

In this raw and hopeful conversation, bestselling author Cara Lockwood — known for her 35+ romance novels — shares how one moment changed everything: the phone call that shattered her world, and the sentence that helped her rebuild it — “Cancer doesn’t get to decide. You do.”

Host Joelle Kaufman and Cara dive deep into:

The shock of diagnosis and the “white room” moment every patient knows
What it really means to take back control of your treatment and your life
How to use humor, honesty, and even your “cancer card” to stay in charge
Why giving yourself permission to lead your care changes everything

If you’re newly diagnosed and feel like cancer is running the show, this episode will help you reclaim your power, your calm, and your voice — one decision at a time.

🎙️ Kicking Cancer’s Ass is your weekly dose of hope, humor, and hard-won wisdom — because even with cancer in the room, you’re still in charge.

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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.

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