In this deeply personal episode, I share my breast cancer story - from the first symptoms and diagnosis, through mastectomy, radiotherapy and hormone treatment, to the eve of my second mastectomy.

I talk honestly about the shock of hearing the word “cancer,” navigating the public health system, saying goodbye to “lefty” in a waiting-room poem, and being wheeled into theatre singing Fame.

I reflect on recovery, prostheses, radiation, and the strange emotional milestones that follow treatment - including finishing without a bell to ring.

I explore identity. What does it mean to be feminine without breasts? Why is reconstruction often assumed? And why am I choosing to remove my second breast and live flat?

This isn’t a pink-ribbon story. It’s honest, reflective, sometimes funny, sometimes raw - and still unfolding.

This is my breast cancer story. So far.

In this unfiltered fireside chat, Sadie Goddard-Wrighton and I chat after nearly two decades of friendship - recorded at my home with a child in pyjamas, a barking dog, plenty of laughter, and absolutely no pretence.

From our beginnings in local government, the conversation opens into something much deeper: midlife, menopause, breast cancer, identity shifts, and the quiet pressure so many women feel to keep holding it all together.

Sadie shares her journey into menopause and wellbeing coaching, and together we explore what it means to let go of perfection, accept change, and keep moving forward with compassion, humour, and honesty.

A real conversation for any woman navigating life’s messy middle. Grab a cup of tea and join us.

Who is Sadie Goddard-Wrighton?

Sadie Goddard-Wrighton is an HCANZA accredited Health and Wellness Coach and Menopause Coaching Specialist supporting women in midlife to navigate stress, overwhelm, and life transitions with clarity and confidence.

Through coaching, workshops and events, Sadie helps women reconnect with what matters most, weaving everyday wellbeing - movement, rest, nourishment and reflection - into real life with warmth, honesty and compassion.

In this fireside chat, Becky Hirst is joined by AI strategist and health consumer advocate, Tessa Kowaliw, for a real, human conversation about how ChatGPT is quietly transforming the patient experience.

From the birth stories that sparked Tessa’s lifelong advocacy, to the recent accident that left her with broken bones and a hospital stay, Becky and Tessa explore how a digital co-pilot can help us document our story once, ask smarter questions, interpret information, stay connected and feel more in control of our own care.

Becky shares her own examples of using ChatGPT through cancer treatment and parenting, as the pair unpack what it means to walk into healthcare with a “robot advocate” already in your pocket - and why health systems must urgently keep up.

A hopeful, practical insight into the future of being a patient, where compassion, lived experience and technology work together.