Regarding Me

This is one of the most frequently asked questions: how can women confidently advocate for their health when they’re overwhelmed, and being a ‘good’ patient is often seen as being quiet, compliant and not representing themselves?

In this open-hearted episode, Luan is joined by psychologist and coach Suzy Reading to gently and curiously unpack what it really means to self-advocate. And they explore why community, compassion and permission are essential to recovery.

Suzy shares beautifully simple physical movements – from the chicken wing stretch to the face hug – that you can use to prime your...

In this first In the Meantime mini episode, Luan reflects on a common misconception: that self-advocacy in healthcare means going in hard, pushing back or being seen as “difficult.”

But true self-advocacy isn’t necessarily about confrontation. It’s about clarity, confidence and collaboration.

Drawing on years of experience in breast cancer advocacy, hundreds of conversations in the cancer community, and lessons from Regarding Me guests, Luan unpacks what self-advocacy really looks like, and names the self-advocacy gap that may hold so many women back from speaking up in their healthcare.

Hit pl...

Feeling stuck in a loop of anger, grief or overwhelm? You're not alone. But you don't have to stay there.

In this episode, Luan explores how internal programming and mindset shape the way we respond to life’s hardest moments - grief, diagnosis, overwhelm - with Toni Powell.

Toni is an author, happiness speaker and self-confessed former misery expert who went from living in a shed, broke and heartbroken, to becoming a joyful, purpose-led speaker helping people rewire their thinking and reframe their struggles.

We talk about how self-advocacy can st...

Would you tell a stranger all your personal health info? Would you trust them not to tell anyone else?

They’re the kind of questions we need to ask ourselves when using generative AI tools like ChatGPT to support our healthcare decisions.

ChatGPT recently introduced changes to how it stores memories and chat history, raising important questions about data, privacy and trust across all public artificial intelligence models.

In Part 2 of this conversation, Luan continues her chat with health literacy expert Dr Julie Ayre to unpack the next...

We’re back! Regarding Me Season 2 is here and we’re starting strong with a topic that’s dominating headlines, healthcare and workplaces: AI.

In this episode, we’re diving into how tools like ChatGPT might support you to self-advocate for your health, especially in those early appointments. Luan’s joined by Dr Julie Ayre, a health literacy and digital health expert, for an easily understandable, practical chat about using generative Artificial Intelligence.

They talk about how to use AI, the risks of oversharing health info online, and how to stay in control w...

In this Regarding Me Rewind, we revisit three powerful stories that show what can happen when women speak up, trust their instincts, and refuse to stay silent - especially when faced with bias, dismissal, or healthcare systems that weren’t built with them in mind.

From challenging assumptions about metastatic breast cancer, to refusing to accept medical gaslighting, to navigating care that excluded or erased their needs - Kate, Sonya, and Rena show us that self-advocacy isn’t about being difficult. It’s about being heard.

Each of these women faced different health challe...

Before Season 2 lands, we’re rewinding to some of the most powerful insights from Season 1—because some messages are worth hearing more than once.

In this special recap episode, Luan revisits three expert interviews that sparked aha moments and offered real tools for self-health advocacy. Whether you’re navigating a diagnosis or just want to speak up with more confidence, this episode will remind you: you don’t have to know it all—you just have to start asking.

Insights from:

Your personal history of disease is a PhD in you—and it deserves to be heard!

How do you find your voice when your body’s in shock and your world’s just turned upside down?

This is a powerful story of women’s health advocacy, integrative care, and navigating the real-world challenges of self-health advocacy during—and after—ovarian cancer treatment.

In this episode, Luan speaks with Gill Stannard, a naturopath and advocate who was diagnosed just hours after a GP visit—and found herself fast-tracked into surgery and chemotherapy b...

In this deeply moving and powerful conversation, Luan speaks with Rena Patel, who was diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer at 40—just after her daughter turned four.

Rena felt isolated, unsure where to turn, as she didn’t know anyone in her community who’d been through something similar. On top of that, she often felt unseen and unheard within a healthcare system that doesn’t always account for the diverse needs of women from ethnic minority backgrounds, or understand the different cultural perspectives of their communities. From not being shown how to identify radiotherapy burns on non-whit...

What does it really mean to advocate for your healthcare—especially when you’re the expert?

In this powerful episode, Luan speaks with Dr. Liz O’Riordan—former breast cancer surgeon, patient, author, and award-winning advocate. Diagnosed with the very disease she once treated, Liz quickly realised that clinical knowledge doesn’t prepare you for the lived experience of being a cancer patient—or how hard it can be to find the right information and support.

When she turned to the internet for answers, she was shocked by the sheer volume of misinformation—that don’t jus...

Self-advocacy isn’t necessarily about standing up to your medical team—it’s about speaking up so they understand what matters to you and working with them to make informed, shared decisions about your treatment and care.

That’s exactly what Kate Hardman did.

Diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer while pregnant, Kate faced unimaginable challenges, complex decisions, and a treatment path filled with uncertainty.

Now, she’s facing another major decision: Should she have DIEP flap breast reconstruction, even though it means pausing life-saving medication?

In this episode, K...

Advocating for yourself can feel uncomfortable—especially when your choices go against social norms. If you’ve ever felt pressured to justify a lifestyle change or struggled to hold your boundaries with family, friends, or colleagues, this episode is for you.

Today, I chat with Kath Elliott, an alcohol mindset coach who reassessed her relationship with alcohol after a breast cancer diagnosis. Kath shares simple, practical strategies to help you confidently communicate your choices, set boundaries without guilt, and handle social pressure with ease.

This conversation goes beyond alcohol—these self-advocacy skills a...

How do you make healthcare decisions that balance the biology of a diagnosis—the research-based facts and figures—with the biography of what matters to you and how you want to live your life?

Today, I talk with Dr. Susannah Graham, a leading breast surgeon who champions patient-centred care. She shares her insights on empowering patients to communicate their wants and needs effectively, fostering a collaborative approach to healthcare that respects your autonomy, values, and life priorities.

Join us as we unpack how shared decision-making improves patient satisfaction and well-being, empowering you to...

Feeling stuck in your healthcare decisions? Need to figure out what’s right for you but feeling overwhelmed? This episode of Regarding Me is here to help!

Today, I’m joined by Marilyn Barefoot, an award-winning creative strategist and expert in problem-solving. Marilyn shares how the principles she’s used with global brands can help you get unstuck so you can make confident decisions that align with what matters most to you—even when things get complicated.

Whether it's navigating medical appointments, making tough treatment decisions, or simply regaining a sense of control...

How can you stay calm and make clear decisions when facing unexpected medical news? What happens to your brain in a health scare? And can you shift your mind from fear to clarity?

In today’s episode Luan speaks with Josie Thomson, a neuroscience expert, and award-winning mindset coach who’s faced cancer twice, to explore how you can calm your mind in a health crisis and advocate for yourself with confidence.

In this episode we talk about:

What do you do when you’re gaslit by your doctor?

This episode is part one of your guide to reclaiming agency in your healthcare.

Today, Luan sits down with Sonya Lovell, host of the Dear Menopause podcast, to discuss the critical role of self-advocacy, especially when navigating menopause and cancer treatment.

Sonya opens up about her experience with breast cancer, the life-changing treatment decisions she had to make on her own, and the lack of support and information surrounding treatment-induced menopause.

From facing knowledge and power im...

In the very first episode of Regarding Me, Luan breaks down what self-advocacy really means and why it’s essential to receiving the healthcare that truly fits your needs—backed by research!

Luan shares her deeply personal experience of navigating the healthcare system after her breast cancer diagnosis and the 'aha moment' that changed everything for her.

And she talks about the common anxiety points women have shared with her during her work as a patient advocate and how those experiences inspired the creation of Regarding Me and the self-health advocacy movement.

Have you ever left a doctor’s office with more questions than answers? Have you ever felt lost in the maze of medical jargon or overwhelmed by decisions you need to make about your health? Do you break out in a sweat at the mere thought of asking for a 2nd opinion?

My name’s Luan and I’m a women’s health advocate with a personal history of breast cancer. I learned the hard way that navigating the healthcare system requires more than just showing up – it’s about speaking up and advocating for yourself.