In this inspiring and transforming episode with Eden A. Onwuka (MBA), a John Maxwell Certified Relationship and Mindset Coach, fondly called ‘The Sage’, there are valuable lessons for everyone! With delicate depth, she shares on the power of gratitude in dark times, and the potent force of affirmations for different facets of life. 

Highlights include:

• Familiarity with the normal look, appearance and feel of your breast helps you notice any change and promptly report it to your doctor.
• Developing emotional mastery by having a frank and uplifting inner dialogue with yourself, taking control of your emotions in difficult situations.
• “Your perspective determines your narrative and what you magnify will grow." 
• “There is a magnetism in gratitude. Gratitude is like a seed that calls forth other seeds." 
• “If you dare to count your blessings, you will realise that they are uncountable.” 
• Discovering your buddy who may be someone who you may or may not be in direct contact with, and having a ‘buddy image’ involves drawing inspiration from other patients/survivors, “whose stories will infuse you with hope."
• “[Your] body is important, but it's an external encasing of the real you."  
• “You are more than body parts!"
• "I gave God my scars and He called me flawless."

Eden A. Onwuka is a Spiritual Strategic Business Leader committed to helping women build healthy relationships, through mindset and emotional mastery practices.
She is a John Maxwell Certified Relationship and Mindset Coach, trained in Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) and Matrix Reprinting, and the founder of “A Woman and Half” USA.  She describes herself as a woman driven by the sole purpose of seeing more women, become driven by purpose. She holds a degree in Communication and a Masters in Business Administration. While studying in Boston, she took leadership classes in Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability at Harvard. 
Her robust corporate experience spans 17 years in financial consulting, with a brief stint in community relations in the energy sector. She currently holds a Small Business Consultant position with a leading Fortune 500 company in Texas. 
She is a 3-time Author of "The Power of a Single Story", "Re-igniting Hope" and “A Woman and Half Affirmations”.  Eden lives in Texas with her husband and beautiful children, whom she fondly calls her 'Shades of Grace'.
Having survived cancer in 2017, she considers herself a recipient of God’s mercy and encourages others to ‘shame their shame’, by owning their unusual stories. She is the recipient of several awards, including the “Exceptional Women of Excellence” award presented to her in Cairo, Egypt, in 2020, and a sought-after global speaker who has spoken on stages in different continents.

Connect with Eden A. Onwuka:
Instagram  -  @speakertrainersage and @awomanandhalf
Facebook - Eden Onwuka, Speaker.Trainer.Sage
Website -  www.awomanandhalf.com

If you have any questions, contact us:
Email - info@cuparise.org
Website - www.cuparise.org
Instagram @cuparise_breastcancer
Twitter - @cuparise       
Facebook - @cuparise

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Join the conversation on social media, using #cuparise. 

Thank you for listening.

In this inspiring episode, I have a heartfelt chat with Olanrewaju Temitayo Lasisi, an entrepreneur, as she shares on her experiences, during and after her cancer treatment, and on how she summoned up the courage to navigate the process. There is no manual for going through the cancer journey, especially as a single parent. Her story shows the strength of community and its important role in supporting recovery.

You will learn:

• It is crucial to prioritise your health screening appointments, either annual screening, cancer screening, or other health checks available where you live.
• No act of true kindness is too small when done in love. 
• There are several ways to provide support even when conversations seem difficult such as sending short messages (“Hey! I’m thinking of you”), a meal, a visit, links to songs, financial aid, a hug, help with grocery shopping or chores, saying a prayer, a smile etc.
  • “...For [my] mental health just that phone call, just that “hello” kept me going, it kept me going…”
  • “It doesn’t matter what you do, just reach out...”
• Carers may be the children, relatives or friends and they need to be supported.
  • ”Let’s not take it for granted that the carers or children are okay…”
• Identifying and accessing the available resources or aids for people going through the cancer treatment helps alleviate the burden. 
• If you lift up your hands, people can reach out to support you. 
  • “You don’t realise [that] people are there for you until you speak out”.

Olanrewaju Temitayo Lasisi is an entrepreneur and the founder of TLB (Totally Liberated), a non-profit which she set up as a result of her own health journey. She holds two Bachelor’s degrees with honours – a degree in English from Lagos State University (1988) and a Business Degree at the University of Luton now University of Bedfordshire UK (1998).  A breast cancer survivor herself, she also coaches on grief and trauma, and in her own words, her journey and survival has centred around her faith in God. 

She’s a mother and single parent to three awesome daughters ages 29, 26 and 20 years old. Her passion is to continue to raise awareness on both breast and prostate cancer, and to let the African society know that with the right treatment and support they can survive cancer. She likes to share her journey with others to build a community of ‘Totally Liberated’ minds.

You can connect with Olanrewaju Temitayo Lasisi: 

Instagram - @lanre.bl7
Facebook -  Lanre Temitayo Lasisi
Tiktok - Lanre Lasisi278

If you have any questions, contact us:

Email - info@cuparise.org
Website - www.cuparise.org
Instagram @cuparise_breastcancer
Twitter - @cuparise       
Facebook - @cuparise

Feel free to use the hashtag #cuparise to join the conversation on social media. 

Subscribe/follow to receive immediate updates on new episodes and share with family and friends. 

Thank you very much for listening, subscribing and reviewing.

In this episode, I chat with Dr Jonathan Oloyede, a medical doctor and leader of City Chapel, UK, as he expounds on the role of faith in medicine. This topic attracts varying opinions and the perceived mutually exclusive choice, between seeking medical help and faith-based healing, has been cited as a barrier to the early detection of breast cancer. 

 Highlights of our conversation include: 

•  “Medicine [often times] has to do with our physical well-being while faith has to do with our spiritual well-being. We are not to exclude both worlds in a way that they don't overlap” 4:35
•  “Faith is able to accommodate practical action. That's why the bible states ‘faith without works is dead’, there are practical things that we are supposed to do physically” 5:01
• “…people will apply medical procedures to something like hitting their foot against [a] nail, or if their wife was pregnant, would take [her] to the hospital to give birth, … All these are medical procedures that are natural, and are given to us by God.” 6:44
• Why do people draw a line between some medical procedures and others?
•  “… your ability to put your faith in God, whether He's able to use medicine, or not, elevates your faith above just the benefits of healing.” 21.31
•  “… don't say I'm not using medicine, and then your cancer gets worse, and don't impose that on somebody else.” 23:49
•  “… Faith and medicine are not mutually exclusive.” 28:25

Dr Jonathan Oloyede, MB ChB, was born in Britain and raised in Nigeria. Dr Oloyede is a medical doctor by profession and currently serves as a full-time apostolic missionary to the United Kingdom and Europe. In 1991 while on a three-month holiday in London, he responded to the call to Europe. He was subsequently ordained into Pastoral Ministry in 1993 and has served  full-time for 28 years.
 His overriding passion is to raise a global network of one million disciples of Christ across the continents and nations and to see the vision of Jesus fulfilled through the Great Commission and Great Commandments to love God and all people.

 Dr Jonathan is the leader of City Chapel and the Convener of the National Day of Prayer UK which saw hundreds of thousands pray across multiple locations and stadiums in Britain.
 As a regular radio and TV personality, he is a well-known leader, writer and spokesperson across all church streams including the Black Majority Churches, Historic Churches, South Korean Churches and the Charismatic/Evangelical community. He is a popular events speaker at conferences across the nation and internationally.

He is blissfully married to Abbiih and lives in Kent, England with his two children. He is a sports enthusiast and can be illogical in matters relating to Manchester United.
 
Connect with Dr Jonathan Oloyede:
Instagram - @jonathanoloyede
Facebook - jonathan.oloyede

If you have any questions, contact us:
Email - info@cuparise.org
Website - www.cuparise.org
Instagram - @cuparise_breastcancer 
Twitter - @cuparise
Facebook - @cuparise
 
Subscribe/follow to receive immediate updates on new episodes and share with family and friends. 
Thank you for listening, subscribing and leaving a review.

In this inspiring episode, Dr Ukpong Nwankwo, a physician, healthcare advocate and breast cancer survivor, shares on the fears she experienced, as well as the impact of perspective during her cancer journey, and beyond.

You will learn:

·      The influence of your perspective and the benefits of the right focus.
·      The effect of thoughts on life’s outcomes – “If you have quality thoughts you will have quality results”.
·      Keys to sustaining the motivation to maintain a healthy lifestyle. 
·      Importance of prioritising health screenings including mammography screening (if eligible), and regular breast self-examination.
·      The role of a supportive community on the cancer journey.

Ukpong Nwankwo (M.D, FACP), is board certified in Internal Medicine and a fellow of the American College of Physicians, an honorary distinction awarded by the national organization that represents internists. She received a Bachelor of Surgery and Bachelor of Medicine degree from the University of Ibadan in June 1987. After completing her residency in Internal Medicine, she served as the Chief Resident at the Meharry Medical College. 

Dr. Nwankwo is the founder of Internal Medicine Associates and is a healthcare advocate with a special interest in obesity. She is also an Associate Professor of Medicine on adjunct faculty at Meharry Medical College. 

In her spare time, she serves her local community providing education and awareness on healthy lifestyle. She's a caring listener who walks the journey of achieving desired, healthy weight with her clients, with a personalized touch. She has walked in those shoes; she knows how it feels.

Connect with Dr Ukpong Nwankwo via Instagram - @nwankwoj     
Her book, titled ‘My Weight Makeover’, detailing her weight loss journey and the health challenges she faced and overcame is almost out in print, offering hope and time-tested principles that work. You can pre-order her book by following the link in her Instagram bio: preorder_myweightlossmakeover

If you have any questions, contact us:
 Email - info@cuparise.org
Website - www.cuparise.org
Instagram - @cuparise_breastcancer
Facebook - @cuparise  

Feel free to use the hashtag #cuparise to join the conversation on social media. 

Subscribe/follow to receive immediate updates on new episodes and thanks for your review.

Please share with your family and friends. 
Thank you for listening.

In this episode:

I sit down with Flo Aderoju for a heartfelt chat about her breast cancer journey. Flo shares her story, from the stark emotions she experienced the moment she received the diagnosis, to the highs and lows of the days and months that followed, and how she got through these periods. Truly, she has birthed purpose through her pain – using her experience, she supports breast cancer patients and survivors through the work of her charity, The Pink Smile (details below). 

·      We discuss her unwavering decision to promptly start medical treatment following her doctor’s advice while depending on her faith in God for her healing. 
 Early diagnosis and treatment increase the chances of survival. - “When we change the story, we can start to change the narrative.”

·      Having the right support system is key in getting through the cancer journey. Although support may differ depending on a person’s preferences and circumstances, it is very important. 

·      How she got through the low periods that felt like a siege and the importance of one’s mindset.

·      Providing support to people we know… Paraphrased: If you know anyone who has been diagnosed with breast cancer, most importantly, that person needs your support and your love, not judgement or pity. This will make a difference in making people feel safe to speak about what they are going through.

Having gone through numerous life challenges, Flo Aderoju shares her story on various platforms and is committed to helping women regain hope, restore the spark in their lives, thrive against all odds and move from crisis to victory. Flo equips women in crisis to renew their minds so that they can live a transformed life and become the best version of themselves.

Flo Aderoju is an Event Consultant and seasoned MC, with over 20 years’ experience in Event Management. She is happily married to her loving and supportive husband and together they have three amazing children. She is a blogger, transformational speaker and restoration agent.

Flo is the founder of The Pink Smile - a charity which provides emotional and financial support to black women affected by breast cancer. She brings with her a simple message of hope - ‘Yes you can flow through the storms of life to victory’!  

Connect with Flo Aderoju via:
Instagram - @floaderoju
Website - https://flothroughtovictory.com/
Youtube - Flo Aderoju, Facebook - @flothroughtovictory
Support The Pink Smile fund - https://www.gofundme.com/f/to-help-alleviate-the-suffering-of-breast-cancer

If you have any questions, contact us:
Email - info@cuparise.org
Website - www.cuparise.org
Follow us on Instagram @cuparise_breastcancer and use the hashtag #cuparise to join the conversation on social media. 

Subscribe/follow to receive immediate updates on new episodes and share with family and friends. Thank you for listening!

In this informative and insightful episode, Dr Dayo Kuku (also known as Dr K) discusses facts and debunks myths about breast cancer. With the growing prevalence of social media, it has become easier to access health information and there is a potential for misconceptions to spread rapidly. It is therefore important to learn the facts about breast cancer from a medical expert and access only reliable resources. 

As an experienced GP and cancer survivor herself, she shares helpful and practical wisdom. This will inspire you to make informed decisions about your breast health.

You will learn:

•      The importance of regular breast examination and clinical screening.
•      How to conduct a breast self-examination to become familiar with the normal look and feel of your breasts in spite of your busy schedule.
•      Risk factors of breast cancer and the need to maintain a healthy lifestyle
•      The importance of taking immediate action by seeking medical help upon noticing any change in the breast and the dangers of delaying or refusing treatment
•      Common myths about breast cancer such as the effect of ethnicity, age and screening.
•      Tips on what to do when going for the diagnostic test results post referral.
•      Sharing the news after receiving a cancer diagnosis and why reaching out for support is crucial in the cancer journey.
•      Taking control of your thoughts as a positive mindset is vital and needs to be intentional.
•      Treatment plans and recommendations which are specific to the patient will vary from one person to another.
•      Accessing reliable resources on breast cancer.

Dr Dayo Kuku is a qualified medical doctor with 33 years’ experience. She is a practising GP in the UK, a leader within the National Health Service (NHS), and an inspirational speaker.  By virtue of her leadership position, she speaks at conferences, seminars and radio shows for the NHS. She is a widow, blessed with two wonderful daughters. She is passionate about empowering and supporting people who have experienced any form of illness, so that they can live a transformed, wholesome and fulfilled life.

Connect with Dr Kuku (Dr K) on Instagram @healinggzone  

If you have any questions, we would love to hear from you - contact us via:

Email - info@cuparise.org
Website - www.cuparise.org

Follow us on Instagram @cuparise_breastcancer and use the hashtag #cuparise to join the conversation on social media. 

Subscribe/follow to receive immediate updates on new episodes and share with family and friends. Thank you for listening.

As part of our mission to enhance breast cancer awareness in black communities, we have created this platform to highlight facts about breast cancer, and encourage open discussions about the disease. 

In this episode you will learn about:

·      Evidence on breast cancer in low-income countries and the challenges of late detection of the disease.  

·      The need to acknowledge the cultural differences between black communities and take this into account in addressing the barriers to early detection.

·      Barriers to early detection including lack of awareness, societal stigma, and financial costs.

·      Challenges with speaking out about breast cancer and health issues within the black community and the need for open conversations.

·      The importance of working together as a community as we make our individual contributions to change the narrative.

Let’s empower each other in making timely informed decisions on our breast health.

If you have any questions, we would love to hear from you - contact us via:

Email - info@cuparise.org
Website - www.cuparise.org

Follow us on Instagram @cuparise_breastcancer and use the hashtag #cuparise to join the conversation on social media. 

Subscribe/follow to receive immediate updates on new episodes and share with family and friends. Thank you for listening.

References to cited evidence:

[1] Corbex M. et al., The Breast 21 (4), 428 (2012).

[2] Azubuike S.O. et al., World Journal Surgical Oncology 16 (1), 63 (2018).

[3] International Agency for Research on Cancer, GLOBOCAN Factsheet for Nigeria, (2018). 

[4] Jones C.E.L. et al., BMJ Open, 5: e006944, (2015). 

[5] Yip C.H. et al., World Journal of Surgery 39 (3), 686 (2015).

[6] Stapleton J.M. et al., Psycho-Oncology 20 (5), 532 (2011).

This episode is an introduction to the CupArise Podcast. CupArise is a breast cancer project which is on a mission to change the narrative of breast cancer in black communities by enhancing awareness campaigns on breast cancer and supporting linkage to care. This platform aims to share relatable and empowering perspectives on breast cancer for black women and their loved ones either living in their home countries or in the diaspora. 

In this trailer, I share on my motivation for starting the breast cancer project which aims to address some of the barriers to early detection in black women with breast cancer symptoms. It also includes an outline of the podcast themes such as  facts about breast cancer, the importance of early detection and personal stories of breast cancer survivors.
Do subscribe to the podcast so you can be the first to know when new episodes become available.