Someone Like Me – Your Cancer Community Podcast
Welcome to Someone Like Me – Your Cancer Community Podcast
I’m your host, Vanessa Mooney, a breast cancer survivor who created this space after going through it all myself.
Each week, I share real cancer stories — honest conversations with people affected by cancer and the family members who’ve walked beside them.
These are raw, emotional, and uplifting stories about what cancer really feels like — the fear, the grief, the shock, the strength, and the unexpected moments that somehow get you through it.
I’m also launching Someone Like Me – Your Cancer Community App, a place for support, connection, and shared cancer stories for anyone affected by cancer.
Main Sponsor: Breast Cancer Ireland
This podcast is for anyone who has ever thought:
“No one gets what I’m going through.”
We do. And you’re not alone anymore.
💚 Let’s make cancer a little less lonely together.
Episodes
24 episodes
Breast Cancer: Four Women, One Shared Journey
In this final episode of Season 1, I sit down with Karen Kruger, Avril Tierney, and Niamh Noonan to talk openly about life with breast cancer. We share the shock of diagnosis, the physical and emotional toll of treatment, and what it feels like...
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44:41
Brain Surgery to Thyroid, Salivary & Neck Lymph Cancer: Demelza’s Story
Demelza shares her incredible journey, having brain surgery in 2017 and facing three cancer diagnoses — thyroid, salivary, and lymph node cancer of the neck. Despite everything she’s been through, she’s now helping others through her own busine...
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47:31
Living with Stage 4: Brendan’s Bowel Cancer Journey
I had a great chat with Breandán Ó Maoldúin, who opens up about his personal journey with bowel cancer (also known as colon cancer) and Lynch syndrome, a hereditary genetic condition that increases cancer risk....
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32:41
Losing Both Parents to Cancer: Caroline’s Story
In this heartfelt episode of 'Someone Like Me', Caroline Corcoran shares her profound journey of loss, having lost both her parents to cancer. She recounts the struggles, the emotional toll, and the lessons learned through her experiences. The ...
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35:44
Prostate Cancer: Mental & Sexual Health – Martin’s Story
SummaryIn this conversation, Martin Sweeney shares his personal journey with prostate cancer, detailing the initial signs, diagnosis, and the emotional impact it had on him. He emphasizes the importance of early detection, underst...
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35:08
Olivia’s Breast Cancer Story & Her Dad’s Cancer Battle
SummaryIn this episode of Someone Like Me, host Vanessa speaks with Olivia Carpenter, a breast cancer survivor who shares her inspiring journey of resilience and hope. Olivia opens up about being diagnosed at a young age ...
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31:14
Breast Surgeon Becomes Breast Cancer Patient: Dr. Liz O’Riordan
Dr. Liz O’Riordan, a breast surgeon who faced breast cancer not once but three times, joins me for a powerful and deeply personal conversation. Liz shares her own journey through diagnosis, treatment, and multiple recurrences, offering a...
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45:03
Vanessa’s Story: The Days Compassion Was Missing
In this solo episode, Vanessa shares a deeply personal experience that shook her to the core. What started as a frightening health scare quickly turned into hours of fear, uncertainty and loneliness, made worse by a lack of compassion an...
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27:03
Bowel Cancer Shock: From Appendix Pain to Diagnosis at 33 - Claire’s Story
SummaryWhat started as suspected appendicitis turned into a shocking diagnosis of Stage 4 bowel cancer. At just 33, Claire was preparing for her wedding when her world was turned upside down.In this powerful episode, Claire...
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57:17
Stage 1 Melanoma to Terminal Cancer – Gill’s Story
In this episode, Gill Costelloe opens up about her melanoma journey — from an early diagnosis in 2016 to the shocking moment it spread to six parts of her body. She shares the emotional toll of treatment, the impact on her mental health, and wh...
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36:05
Only 13% of people survive Pancreatic Cancer. Pam is one of them.
In this powerful episode, I sit down with Pamela Deasy to talk about the fight of her life and how persistence and self-advocacy saved her. Pam trusted her instincts, pushed for answers, and got the treatment that made all the difference...
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37:49
Cancer Hit Our Family Hard: A Chat with My Big Brother Paddy
In this episode of Someone Like Me, I sit down with my big brother Paddy for a chat that means a lot to both of us. We talk about how cancer hit our family, our mum, our sister, and myself, and how it left its mark on all of us in diff...
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26:19
Nine Weeks Into Mammy Life – Then Came Breast Cancer
I sat down with Francesca, who was diagnosed with breast cancer just nine weeks after giving birth to her beautiful baby girl. This is a real, raw, honest conversation. Fran shares how she found the lump, going through chemo, having both her br...
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39:15
Scanxiety is real — and Vanessa’s talking about it.
Vanessa opens up about scanxiety - the fear that creeps in before scan results. Five years cancer free, but the panic still hits. From chemo flashbacks to late-night overthinking, this honest mini-episode is for anyone who’s been stuck in the w...
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7:26
Bowel Cancer at 25: Natasha’s Story
SummaryIn this episode of 'Someone Like Me', host Vanessa Mooney speaks with Natasha O Byrne, a young mother diagnosed with bowel cancer at 26. Natasha shares her roller coaster journey from the initial symptoms to her diagnosis, ...
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37:47
They Said Long Covid - It Was Lung Cancer: Samantha’s Story
Vanessa sits down with Samantha to talk about her powerful lung cancer journey.Samantha was diagnosed in her 40s, and her story is a reminder of the importance of listening to your body and pushing for answers when something feels off.
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43:08
You Have Cancer: Now What?
In this mini-podcast, Vanessa talks about what really happens after you hear those words — you have cancer.She chats about all the appointments, surgeries, oncology visits, chemo, and the mental side of it all… the fe...
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11:30
Miriam shares her journey with melanoma
Miriam shares her unexpected journey with melanoma, detailing her diagnosis, treatment, and the emotional rollercoaster that followed. She emphasizes the importance of community support, advocacy for better treatment access, and the need for pa...
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Episode 7
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38:33
Mad Sh#t People Say When You Have Cancer
In this episode, I have a co-host Laura with me, and we talk about the mad sh#t people say when they hear you have cancer.It’s a short episode, just a bit of fun and humour - because if you didn’t laugh, you’d probably cry.DM me a...
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24:26
Love, Loss, and Three Cancer Diagnoses – Ray Tells Mary’s Story
In this powerful episode, I’m joined by Ray Tobin a husband and father who shares the heartbreaking and inspiring story of his wife, Mary.Mary was first diagnosed with primary breast cancer and got the all clear. But soon after, sh...
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45:06
Veronica’s Lung Cancer Journey – My Chemo Sister
In this powerful episode, I sit down with my sister Veronica, my chemo sister. We were both diagnosed with cancer just months apart, me with breast cancer and her with lung. What followed was a whirlwind of chemo, scans, surgeries and heartbrea...
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48:52
Facing Cancer at 29: Niamh’s Triple Positive Breast Cancer Story
In this episode of Someone Like Me – Your Cancer Community, Vanessa speaks with Niamh Noonan, who was diagnosed with triple positive breast cancer just before turning 30. Niamh talks about what it was like facing cancer at such a young...
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41:14
Together Through It All: John’s Prostate Cancer Story, with Sharon by His Side
In this heartfelt conversation, Vanessa Mooney speaks with Sharon and John Fitzmaurice about their journey through prostate cancer. They discuss the unexpected diagnosis, the emotional impact on both the patient and their loved ones, and the im...
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Season 1
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Episode 2
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47:08
Why I Created Someone Like Me: My Breast Cancer Journey
In this very first episode, I’m sharing my own story — the one that started it all.From being diagnosed with breast cancer at 40 to going through treatment, dealing with the physical and emotional rollercoaster, and figuring out who I wa...
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Episode 1
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26:57