Act to Impact with Brandi DeVries
This show will fuel your fire within to make an impact in the world. It will ignite action to become aware of your untapped gifts, connect with causes close to your heart, and inspire you to take action to make a lasting impact. Brandi is a long-time advocate and fundraiser for a national non-profit and is dedicated to introducing you to stories of hope, resilience, and community from the pediatric cancer community and impact makers around the world that will inspire your purpose to make an impact.
Act to Impact with Brandi DeVries
The Hidden Reality of Childhood Cancer Survivorship
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What happens when surviving childhood cancer is only the beginning of the battle?
In this deeply moving episode of Act to Impact, Brandi sits down with childhood cancer survivor, author, and advocate Mariah Forster Olson to talk about what life really looks like after treatment ends.
Diagnosed with neuroblastoma at just one year old, Mariah endured years of chemotherapy, radiation, and surgeries before the age of three. While those treatments saved her life, they also left her facing lifelong and often debilitating late effects that continue to impact her daily life decades later.
Today, Mariah has transformed her pain into purpose. As the author of Hope Over Despair and a leader across multiple childhood cancer nonprofit organizations, she uses her voice to raise awareness, advocate for better treatments, and support survivors navigating life after cancer.
In this episode, Mariah shares her journey through survivorship, chronic pain, advocacy, infertility, mental health struggles, and the hope that continues to carry her forward.
This conversation is a powerful reminder that childhood cancer does not end when treatment stops—and that every survivor’s story matters.
🎧 Tune in to hear how Mariah continues to create impact through courage, honesty, and hope.
If this episode inspired you, please take a moment to subscribe, rate, and review Act to Impact on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Your support helps amplify stories that inspire change and allows more people to discover conversations that matter.
Share this episode with someone who needs to hear Mariah’s story and join us in creating greater awareness for the childhood cancer community.
Connect with Mariah and learn more about her book Hope Over Despair here:
🌐 www.hopeoverdespair.com
💛 Are you inspired to take action? Take action and make an impact on a child affected by childhood cancer. Support the much-needed funding for childhood cancer by making a donation NOW to CCRF!
Take a moment today to share this episode with a friend, leave a review on Apple Podcasts, or subscribe on YouTube so more people can learn about this important issue.
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Hosted by Brandi DeVries: Advocate, fundraiser, and former Mrs. Minnesota International 2025.
Thank you to guest Mariah Forester Olson.
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IG: instagram.com/brandi.devries
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