Episode 36

Touch Your Ta-Tas!: A Stage IV Journey 


with Kristina Keller
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Touch Your Ta-Tas!: A Stage IV Journey 


How do you choose hope when your diagnosis says stage four?

Kristina Keller is a single mother, speaker, and author of Touch Your Ta-Tas!: My Story of Faith, Hope, and Healing Through Stage 4 Breast Cancer. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in February 2024, and within weeks, scans revealed spots on her liver. She pressed pause on a planned double mastectomy, sought further opinions, and chose a path rooted in prayer, research, and self-advocacy. Her book title carries a life-saving reminder: do your monthly self-breast exams.

This conversation centers on practical hope. Kristina explains how prayer became the foundation of her journey and how she chose physicians who would partner with her, even as she explored some unconventional therapies. She shares why being transparent with your oncologist matters, what questions to ask, and how understanding treatments can lower fear. You’ll also hear how counseling helped her talk with her son, why community care makes the road feel lighter, and how simple acts like creating a trust can be a loving step for any parent. Finally, she returns to the habit that might have changed everything: a regular self-exam and listening to your body.

Kristina’s message is simple—pray, ask for help, learn your options, and keep believing for better days. Hope grows when you take part in your own healing.

Highlights:

01:42 — Self-advocacy and self-exams. Practical steps to be your own health advocate and make monthly self-breast exams routine.

03:17 — From shock to a plan. How to move from the initial diagnosis call to grounded next steps.

04:42 — Talking with your kids. Ways to share facts with reassurance and keep communication open at home.

05:59 — Family support that helps. How child- and family-focused counseling (like Wonders & Worries) can guide hard conversations.

07:43 — Prayer as an anchor. A simple faith practice to steady emotions and decisions during treatment.

09:11 — Second opinions done right. Why comparing perspectives expands options and confidence in your care plan.

10:54 — Integrative choices with transparency. How to discuss complementary approaches openly with your medical team.

12:14 — Make early detection a habit. The case for monthly self-breast exams and listening closely to your body.

22:56 — Share to strengthen community. Turning quick Facebook updates into a story that brings support—and a book.

35:04 — A hope routine you can use. Pray, ask clear questions, research your options, and participate fully to reduce fear.

Mentioned Resources:

CanCare- www.cancare.org

www.cancare.org/hopebook

About the Guest:

Kristina Keller is a stage IV breast cancer survivor, single mother, speaker, and author of Touch Your Ta-Tas!: My Story of Faith, Hope, and Healing Through Stage 4 Breast Cancer.  Diagnosed in early 2024, she chose faith over fear, becoming her own advocate, exploring alternative treatments, and uncovering unexpected gifts along the way. Kristina now shares her journey with honesty, humor, and unshakable hope, reminding others that even in the hardest moments, faith and resilience can light the way. Her story is also featured in the Hope in the Face of Cancer book.

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Ep 61

Making Joy the Reflex

with Jenna Schutt
How do you hold on to hope when treatment, uncertainty, and fear become part of daily life? Jenna Schutt’s diagnosis is different, but the terrain will feel familiar to many facing cancer. A cardiac nurse and mother of two, Jenna was diagnosed at 30 with systemic mastocytosis, a rare blood disorder affecting roughly one person in a million. Her medical journey is similar to many cancer journeys included more than eight rounds of IV chemotherapy, repeated procedures, long periods of isolation, and a stem cell transplant. Knowing the medical system from the inside didn’t make being a patient easier. Jenna still had to advocate for herself when something felt wrong, ask harder questions, and eventually seek different care when she wasn’t being heard. She also faced treatment during COVID, when the support she needed most often couldn’t be in the room. Through those years, Jenna learned that hope doesn’t require ignoring what is hard. Her Joy Reflex framework grew from learning to recognize fear, anchor herself in what is true, and take the next faithful step instead of trying to solve everything at once. Her story offers a reminder for anyone facing illness or uncertainty: fear may come first, but it doesn’t have to decide what comes next. Highlights: Advocate Without Apologizing: Ask questions and speak up when something feels wrong. Focus on the Next Step: Keep moving without needing the whole plan. Let Fear Be Present, Not in Charge: Choose how you respond to uncertainty. Find People Who Understand: Lean on support that doesn’t require explanation. Create Meaning from Hard Seasons: Turn what you’ve lived through into hope for others. Mentioned Resources: CanCare- www.cancare.org Jenna’s website - https://www.jennaschutt.com/ About the Guest: Jenna Schutt is a cardiac nurse, homeschooling mom of two, and creator of The Joy Reflex. At 30, weeks after her second son was born, she was diagnosed with Systemic Mastocytosis — a one-in-a-million blood disorder treated like a blood cancer. After eight rounds of chemo and a stem cell transplant from her brother, she now teaches others to make faith, peace, and joy their reflex instead of fear.
Ep 60

Spoiler Alert: She Lives

with Tracy Case
Can a stage four cancer diagnosis leave room for a long life filled with purpose and hope? Tracy Case is a 22-year stage IV breast cancer survivor, CanCare volunteer, and author of Spoiler Alert: She Lives. Her cancer journey began while she was raising a three-year-old and caring for a newborn. Faced with a prognosis of 18 months to five years, Tracy leaned on faith, family, friends, and a strong support system while moving through years of cancer treatment. As the years passed, Tracy began setting small milestones instead of focusing on an uncertain future. She learned to advocate for herself, seek a second opinion, communicate honestly with her children, and accept help when she needed it. Her experience also shaped how she approached marriage, motherhood, survivorship, and the fear that can remain long after treatment begins. Today, Tracy uses her story to give others the same hope she once needed. Through CanCare and her memoir, she reminds people facing cancer that they don't have to walk alone. Her message is simple: find your people, ask questions, advocate for your care, and keep taking the next step. You may be stronger than you ever imagined. Highlights:  Finding ways to live with uncertainty without letting fear lead every decision  Helping children feel safe through honest, age-appropriate conversations  Knowing when another medical opinion may help you move forward with confidence  Protecting relationships through clearer expectations and open communication  Turning lived experience into meaningful support for someone else Mentioned Resources: CanCare- www.cancare.org Tracy’s Book – https://a.co/d/01rB8MCl About the Guest: Tracy Case is a stage IV breast cancer survivor, marathon runner, and author of Spoiler Alert, She Lives, a memoir about the twenty-plus years she was never supposed to get. Diagnosed at 33 when her daughter was just six weeks old, she now volunteers with CanCare, walking alongside other women facing what she once faced.
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