• Finding a lump after breastfeeding and trusting your instincts
• The rush of tests and referrals after a concerning mammogram
• How surgery and treatment decisions can differ from person to person
• Natalie’s experiences with chemo and serious side effects
• The emotional transition from treatment into survivorship
• Thoughtful, practical ways to support someone with cancer
• How Tuman Breast Cancer Foundation began and where Natalie hopes to take it

00:00 — Welcome and why Natalie’s story matters
00:47 — Finding a lump after breastfeeding
02:42 — Diagnostic mammogram and the first signs of concern
04:06 — Hearing the word cancer during the ultrasound
05:29 — The biopsy appointment and the moment everything changed
06:09 — Getting into oncology and surgery almost immediately
07:13 — Deciding on mastectomy and considering other options
08:29 — Different cancer types and treatment paths
09:29 — Why chemo came before surgery in Natalie’s case
10:37 — First chemo treatment and the Neulasta patch experience
11:25 — Immune suppression and the shock of becoming so sick
12:24 — Taxol complications, fever, and the ER
13:20 — Pneumonitis and struggling to breathe
14:14 — Bronchoscopy, steroids, and fear for her family
15:12 — Pausing chemo, second opinions, and surgery decisions
16:39 — Why nipple-sparing surgery wasn’t an option
17:34 — Reconstruction decisions
18:02 — Taxotere, infections, and family moments
20:32 — Managing chemo side effects
21:34 — Finishing treatment and facing what came next
22:03 — The realities of chemo-related constipation
24:01 — The emotional aftermath of treatment
25:22 — Support gifts and why thoughtful gestures mattered
26:46 — Why blankets and fuzzy socks can feel overdone
29:29 — Practical chemo bags for patients and their kids
30:17 — Frustrating unsolicited advice about chemo
31:43 — Dismissive comments about breast cancer
32:40 — How Tuman Breast Cancer Foundation started
34:09 — From local fundraisers to a nonprofit
36:18 — Hopes for the foundation’s future
37:31 — Courage, hard things, and not facing them alone

For more information visit www.tumanbreastcancer.org

Visit www.tumanbreastcancer.org for more information

Order My Pink Truth: https://a.co/d/06uxsLGF

Natalie sits down with Krissy White for a candid, personal conversation about Krissy’s breast cancer diagnosis, treatment, and recovery journey, plus how she became deeply involved with Tuman Breast Cancer Foundation and the Girlfriend’s Guide to Cancer podcast. It’s a story about surviving the chaos of a fast-moving diagnosis, parenting through treatment during COVID, and finding purpose in advocacy afterward.We discuss Krissy’s diagnosis timeline, her treatment decisions, the support that helped most, and the role courage plays in this season of life.

In this episode:

• Krissy shares how she found a hard spot shortly after turning 40,the emotional whiplash of waiting for results, especially after being told the spot did not initially look like cancer.
• Krissy explains her treatment plan, including chemotherapy, port placement, surgery, radiation, and multiple lymph node surgeries.
• Krissy shares what it was like to go through treatment during COVID, including the unexpected upside of being protected from germs and missing less because everyone else was isolated too.
• In this episode, Krissy shares how cancer led her to the Girlfriend’s Guide community, where she first volunteered for Tuman Breast Cancer Foundation, then became a board member, and eventually board president.
• Krissy reflects on writing her book, My Pink Truth, and how storytelling became part of her healing and advocacy.

Timestamps

(00:00) Getting to know Krissy White and why her story matters

(01:42) From mahjong jokes to the real reason for the conversation

(02:24) The hard spot that led to a breast cancer diagnosis

(03:51) Imaging, biopsy, and the first unclear results

(05:26) The phone call that confirmed cancer while Krissy was at work

(06:43) Telling the kids after getting a treatment plan

(07:36) Reading everything online while waiting for answers

(08:29) Why Krissy’s oncologist was direct and matter-of-fact

(08:59) The aggressive treatment plan and what ACT chemo involved

(09:44) Choosing mastectomy over lumpectomy

(10:00) The rapid-fire testing that revealed lymph node involvement

(10:53) Why the plan became chemo, surgery, and radiation all at once

(12:07) How Krissy now talks honestly with others facing surgery choices

(12:52) Treatment during COVID and the strange upside of quarantine

(14:21) Chemo, radiation, surgery, and the extra lymph node procedure

(15:51) Recovery, drains, and the reality of expanders

(17:41) Exchange surgery and the oophorectomy decision

(19:12) The most helpful support: porch drop-offs and thoughtful check-ins

(21:43) Being seen as strong and misunderstood because of it

(23:17) Her husband’s instinct to research everything in private

(24:20) Helping the kids through hair loss and treatment changes

(25:49) Making cancer treatment feel more normal through hikes and daily adventures

(26:44) The gifts that were helpful and the ones she would never give again

(28:05) Why DoorDash gift cards beat blankets and journals

(29:05) Taste changes during chemo, including Diet Dr Pepper and chicken casserole

(30:12) Mouth care, port access, and the lidocaine mistake

(31:48) How Krissy got involved with the foundation and moved into leadership

(33:17) Why the board role felt like home and a calling

(34:51) What courage means to Krissy now

(35:41) Krissy’s book, My Pink Truth, and the closing message

• Why are we here?
• What is this about?
• How is this podcast different?
• What can you expect from us?

Join Natalie and Krissy as they share WHY Girlfriend's Guide to Cancer is coming to life! This is a ride you won't want to miss...

Visit www.tumanbreastcancer.org for more information

This episode introduces the purpose behind the podcast and the two voices leading it, Krissy White and Natalie Tuman. Both share their own breast cancer stories and explain why they wanted to create a space for the real, raw, day to day parts of cancer that people often do not hear about.They also set the tone for what listeners can expect going forward: honest conversations, practical perspective, and a reminder that surviving is only the beginning.

In this episode:

• Krissy White and Natalie Tuman introduce Girlfriend's Guide for Cancer and explain that the show exists to help people feel less alone.
• Natalie shares that she is the founder and executive director of Tuman Breast Cancer Foundation and a breast cancer survivor.
• Both speakers describe the emotional letdown that can come after treatment ends, when everyone expects life to feel normal again but appointments, pills, and follow up care continue.
• They talk about the gap between medical information and lived experience, and why survivors often want the unfiltered version of what cancer actually feels like.
• The episode tees up future conversations with therapists, other survivors, and guests who can speak to the hard, funny, and unexpected parts of cancer.
• The closing message is aimed at anyone newly diagnosed, in treatment, in remission, metastatic, or supporting someone they love.

Timestamps

00:00 - Why this podcast exists and who it is for
00:56 - Meet Natalie Tuman and Krissy White
01:30 - Krissy's diagnosis story begins with a lump in the shower
02:58 - Why Krissy wanted to give back to the breast cancer community
03:57 - Natalie shares her stage 3 diagnosis and young family
04:56 - What no one tells you about life after treatment ends
05:50 - Why ringing the bell does not always feel like the finish line
06:36 - The need for honest conversations beyond medical explainers
07:18 - Why survivors want the real story from someone who lived it
08:28 - The value of a girlfriend's guide style resource
09:19 - Why peer support can answer the questions doctors cannot
10:03 - Finding someone who had the same treatment plan
11:07 - Courage, fear, and why facing cancer is still courageous
11:58 - Future guests and conversations the show plans to cover
13:13 - A closing message for listeners at every stage of the cancer journey
13:41 - Courage means not facing it alone

When we were diagnosed with breast cancer, we received a binder full of medical information.

What we didn't receive was a girlfriend.

Someone to tell us…

"Here's what surgery really feels like."

"Here's why you cry after treatment is over."

"Here's what nobody tells you about menopause."

"Here's how your marriage might change."

"Here's how to laugh again."

That's why I created Girlfriends Guide to Cancer.

Every conversation is rooted in one word:

Courage.

THIS is your Girlfriend's Guide to Cancer...think your 'What to Expect When Expecting' gone Breast Cancer style!