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Still I Rise Podcast
Real stories. Raw truth. Unshakable hope.
Hosted by Lisa McKenzie, founder of You Night Empowering Events, The Still I Rise Podcast is a powerful, heartfelt series that shares the voices of women who have fought — or are still fighting — cancer, and the transformative journeys they’ve taken to reclaim joy, identity, and purpose.
Each episode highlights inspiring survivor stories, candid conversations with mental health experts, and uplifting insights for anyone facing life after diagnosis. We dive deep into the emotional, spiritual, and psychological layers of healing — reminding every woman that she’s not alone, and that her story matters.
Whether you're navigating cancer, supporting a loved one, or simply seeking inspiration and sisterhood, this podcast is for you.
Want to share your story, connect with our community, or support our mission?
Visit YouNightEmpoweringEvents.com to learn more about our cancer survivor empowerment programs and how you can get involved.
#StillIRisePodcast | #CancerSurvivorStories | #WomenWhoFightCancer | #YouNightSisterhood
Support women rising. Align your brand with a mission of hope, courage, and transformation.
Let’s talk about creating a sponsorship package that meets your goals.
Call us at 877-591-5936 x1 or email info@younightevents.com
Episodes
73 episodes
"I am Warrior. I am Louise.” by Louise M. Parks
They say you should never judge a book by its cover—and that couldn’t be more true for Louise M. Parks. Like a beautiful rose with thorns, Louise came into the program with her guard up, protective of the strength she’s had to build through a l...
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Season 4
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Episode 8
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15:13
"Dancing in the Rain" by Verazonda Walker
Today’s guest is one of the hardest-working women I’ve ever met — a strong, beautiful mother whose heart for others shines through everything she does. She’s the founder of a nonprofit that delivers care bags to cancer patients, a gesture of lo...
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Season 4
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Episode 7
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44:11
"The Race and the Battle" by Denise Poe
In this powerful episode, we sit down with Denise Poe — a woman who has faced breast cancer three times and continues to stand as a living testimony of faith and resilience. Once an introvert who buried her struggles, Denise found strength in s...
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Season 4
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Episode 6
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16:45
"I am the F@cking Storm" by Ginger Swaggerty
Today on Still I Rise, we welcome a woman who is the very definition of grit and grace. Ginger Swaggerty grew up learning resilience in the hardest of circumstances, built a career in the Army and cybersecurity, and faced life’s battle...
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Season 4
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Episode 5
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47:45
"The Half of Me Becoming" by Hlee Kue
Today on Still I Rise I’m joined by Hlee Kue— a woman whose story is both heartbreaking and breathtaking. For years she lived by the mantra ‘Be strong all the time. Be a leader and lead, and others will follow.’ It became her armor as ...
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Season 4
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Episode 4
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20:33
"The Bumpy Carpet Ride of Life" by Jennifer Cusack
Today on Still I Rise, I’m honored to welcome Jennifer. Jennifer is living with stage 4 metastatic breast cancer, and she’ll be sharing her powerful journey with us. As a very private person, it wasn’t easy for her to enter into a prog...
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Season 4
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Episode 3
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21:42
"LIVE LIFE LIKE A BEE" by Team Director Jill Allender
Welcome back to the Still I Rise Podcast. Today’s guest is someone very special to me—someone who truly embodies everything that You Night was created to be. When Jill Allender first came to us, she was carrying a lot of sadness, as so...
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Season 4
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Episode 2
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40:11
10 Reasons You Can’t Miss You Night 2025: A Night of Courage, Celebration, and Community
In this special episode of Still I Rise, host Lisa McKenzie pulls back the curtain on You Night’s Runway Empowerment Program and the upcoming YOU NIGHT FIGHT CLUB event on Saturday, October 18th at the Jefferson Performing Ar...
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Season 4
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Episode 1
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14:42
Facing Relapse Anxiety and Scanxiety with Dr. Jimmy Ellis
Facing Relapse Anxiety and Scanxiety with Dr. Jimmy Ellis”For many cancer survivors, finishing treatment doesn’t mean the fear is over. The worry about cancer returning—often called relapse anxiety—can cast a long shadow ...
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Season 3
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Episode 30
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45:29
Restoring Confidence, One Woman at a Time: Dr. Mark Stalder on Purpose and Passion
Today, we’re honored to sit down with someone whose hands heal more than bodies—they help mend spirits. Dr. Mark Stalder is a double board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon whose work in breast reconstruction has changed the lives of...
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Season 3
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Episode 29
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33:55
Love, Resilience, and the Caregiver’s Journey – with Michael Holmes & Colette Marietta
In this powerful episode of Still I Rise, husband-and-wife team Michael Holmes and Colette Marietta share both sides of the cancer journey. Michael, a devoted caregiver and Chief Growth Officer at Diagnostic Imaging Services, reflects ...
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Season 3
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Episode 28
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53:04
The Story behind Story Crafting - and My Story that I crafted called "SALT" by Lisa McKenzie
In this powerful episode, the Still I Rise Podcast host, Lisa McKenzie shares the deeply personal story that led to the creation of Story Crafting — a therapeutic writing journey born out of grief, healing, and the need to make sense o...
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Season 3
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Episode 27
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29:50
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When Healing Starts With You | Ask The Expert with Dr. Shelia Rivers
ScART: SCAR ART PAINTING PROGRAMhttps://www.scartevents.com/A healing arts program designed to help women find strength in their emotional or surgical scars.STORY CRAFTING PROGR...
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Season 3
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Episode 26
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37:17
Take Two – A Second Fight: Kelly Gilheeney’s Return to the Ring
Take Two revisits Kelly Gilheeney’s heartfelt story — a powerful reflection on survival, transformation, and facing breast cancer not once, but twice. Nearly two years after her first recording, Kelly opens up about her second diagnosis, the em...
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Season 3
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Episode 25
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23:59
Take Two – Riding Through Grief: Kerri Victorio’s Story of Strength
Take Two revisits Kerri Victorio’s powerful story — a journey of healing, reflection, and rediscovery two years after her first recording. From cancer to clarity, Kerri shares how her “mystery ride” continues with purpose, strength, and hope.
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Season 3
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Episode 24
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33:10
Take Two – From Silence to Strength: Sandra Christianson’s Journey After Cancer
Take Two revisits Sandra’s unforgettable story — a moving reunion filled with fresh insights, heartfelt moments, and powerful hope.ScART: SCAR ART PAINTING PROGRAM (https://www.scartevents.com/) A healing arts program designed to help w...
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Season 3
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Episode 23
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27:51
When Medicine Isn’t Enough | Ask The Expert with Dr Vera Hendrix
ScART: SCAR ART PAINTING PROGRAM www.scartevents.comA healing arts program designed to help women find strength in their emotional or surgical scarsSTORY CRAFTING PROGRAM: Winning idea of ...
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Season 3
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Episode 22
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59:39
Take Two – The Calm Before the Storm: Sandra Skippar-Broome’s Cancer Journey
Take Two is the powerful follow-up to Sandra’s viral story — a reunion filled with new revelations, raw emotion, and hope.🎥 1st interview here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F86VsyYyvesScART: SCAR ART PAINTING PROGRAM http://w...
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Season 3
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Episode 21
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40:12
Take Two - From Stillwater to Strength - Alison Bruck’s Journey Through Cancer
Take Two is the powerful follow-up to Alison’s viral story — a reunion filled with new revelations, raw emotion, and hope. 1st interview here: https://youtu.be/NdYx1WFfk9Q?s...
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Season 3
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Episode 20
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25:31
Tapestry of Survival — Tara Reid’s Journey Through Loss, Cancer, and Rediscovery
ScART: SCAR ART PAINTING PROGRAM (www.scartevents.com) A healing arts program designed to help women find strength in their emotional or surgical scarsSTORY CRAFTING PROGRAM: Winning idea of the ...
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Season 3
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Episode 19
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11:28
Rainbows After the Wreckage — Theresa Bourque’s Story of Healing, Heartbreak, and Hope
ScART: SCAR ART PAINTING PROGRAM https://www.scartevents.com/ A healing arts program designed to help women find strength in their emotional or surgical scarsSTORY CRAFTING PROGRAM: Winning ide...
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Season 3
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Episode 18
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15:04
Restored Like a Vintage Car—Eden Millet’s Journey Through Cancer and Caregiving
ScART: SCAR ART PAINTING PROGRAM (www.scartevents.com) A healing arts program designed to help women find strength in their emotional or surgical scarsSTORY CRAFTING PROGRAM: Winning idea of the ...
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Season 3
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Episode 17
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8:16
She Lost Everything—Then Fought Breast Cancer with Relentless Strength: Cheryl Walsh’s Story
In 2022, Cheryl Walsh was diagnosed with breast cancer after five years of unimaginable loss — losing her farm, her income, her stability, and nearly her husband. Just as she began treatment, she lost her sister-in-law to cancer too. But throug...
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Season 3
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Episode 16
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21:11
She Faced Breast Cancer Alone After Losing Her Husband—Traci Glazner’s Story
"In May of 2023, I was diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma in my right breast. After losing both my parents and my husband, I thought I'd faced my share of grief—but cancer brought a new challenge. With the strength of my children, my supp...
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Season 3
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Episode 15
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11:15
The Sun will Shine - Leah Hooks "I Beat Aggressive Breast Cancer 18 years ago"
"At 51, I was diagnosed with bilateral breast cancer—one tumor was aggressive triple-negative, the other estrogen-positive. My journey was filled with challenges, but 18 years later, I stand here cancer-free. This is my story of faith, resi...
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Season 3
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Episode 14
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12:31
