.jpg)
Still I Rise Podcast
Real stories. Raw truth. Unshakable hope.
Hosted by Lisa McKenzie, founder of You Night Empowering Events, The Still I Rise Podcast is a powerful, heartfelt series that shares the voices of women who have fought — or are still fighting — cancer, and the transformative journeys they’ve taken to reclaim joy, identity, and purpose.
Each episode highlights inspiring survivor stories, candid conversations with mental health experts, and uplifting insights for anyone facing life after diagnosis. We dive deep into the emotional, spiritual, and psychological layers of healing — reminding every woman that she’s not alone, and that her story matters.
Whether you're navigating cancer, supporting a loved one, or simply seeking inspiration and sisterhood, this podcast is for you.
Want to share your story, connect with our community, or support our mission?
Visit YouNightEmpoweringEvents.com to learn more about our cancer survivor empowerment programs and how you can get involved.
#StillIRisePodcast | #CancerSurvivorStories | #WomenWhoFightCancer | #YouNightSisterhood
Support women rising. Align your brand with a mission of hope, courage, and transformation.
Let’s talk about creating a sponsorship package that meets your goals.
Call us at 877-591-5936 x1 or email lisa@younightevents.com
Episodes
105 episodes
A special Mother's Day message from Lisa McKenzie: "God's Ultimate To Do List"
Welcome to the Still I Rise podcast…the place where stories heal,where scars become art,and where women rise again and again… no matter what life has tried to take from them.Today’s episode is a special Mother’s Day messag...
.jpg)
Still I Rise Podcast: Courtney Trombka’s Leukemia Journey, Faith, Survival & Finding Strength Through Cancer
There are moments in life when everything changes with one phone call… one word… one sentence that splits your world in two.For Courtney Trombka, that moment came on July 4th, 2019, when she heard the words, “You have a rare type of ...
)%20(1).jpg)
From the Beginning: The Voices That Built You Night (Part 4 of 4) with guests Ruth Avila and Julie Angelos
Welcome back to Still I Rise… and to Day 4—our final day—of this 100th episode celebration.Over the last few days, we’ve been surrounded by the voices, the stories, and the people who have helped build this journey into what it ...
.jpg)
From the Beginning: The Voices That Built You Night (Part 3 of 4) with guests Angela Becnel and Deborah Tonguis
Welcome back to Still I Rise… and to Day 3 of our 100th episode celebration.Over the past two days, we’ve been honoring the voices and the people who have helped shape this journey—and today, we continue wit...
.jpg)
From the Beginning: The Voices That Built You Night (Part 2 of 4) with guests Leslie Legania-Shelby and Tracie Morris Schaefer
Welcome back to Still I Rise… and to Day 2 of our 100th episode celebration.If you joined us yesterday, you know this isn’t just one episode—it’s a four-part series honoring the voices, the moments, and the people who have helpe...
From the Beginning: The Voices That Built You Night (Part 1 of 4) with guests Halle McKenzie and Jill Allender
“Welcome to Still I Rise… and today, this one feels different.This is our 100th episode.One hundred conversations. One hundred moments of truth, vulnerability, strength, and rising—again and again. This podcast has always...
.jpg)
Forged in Toughness | Kati Cheek on Resilience, Cancer & Learning to Receive Life’s Blessings
In this episode of Still I Rise, Lisa sits down with Kati Cheek—an Allstate agency owner, breast cancer survivor, and a woman whose strength and generosity extend far beyond her profession.What began as a de...
).jpg)
"My Wildfire Years: A Journey through Loss, Love and Healing" by Alexis Santoro
Welcome to the Still I Rise Podcast—where stories of resilience, healing, and the human spirit remind us that even in our darkest moments… we rise.Today’s episode is one you won’t forget.Our guest, Alexis Santoro, shares ...
.jpg)
Finding Gold in the Shadows (and the quest to stop being so hard on ourselves!): "Daylight" by Rachel Giammolva
This episode… it hit hard.Because today, Rachel Giammolva shares something so deeply personal, so honest… that it’s going to make a lot of women feel seen.Rachel has lost over 100 pounds. By every standard, that’s a transformation...
).jpg)
A River Never Ceasing: Healing Childhood Wounds, Breast Cancer, and Finding Strength Through It Al - by Helen Connorsl
Today’s story is called “A River Never Ceasing” by Helen Connors—and it is exactly that… a life that keeps moving, keeps flowing, no matter what it encounters.Helen is someone who doesn’t sit still for long. She moves forward, pus...
.jpg)
Breast Cancer Recurrence Warning: Cutaneous Metastases After Mastectomy – Kimberly Meyers-Turner's Story
When Kimberly Meyers-Turner sat down for this interview in September 2025, she believed she had survived breast cancer.After undergoing a double mastectomy and reconstruction, she was celebrating what she thought was the end of a long an...
)%20(5).jpg)
In the Hands of the Master Artist: Dina Buscher’s Story of Cancer, Faith, and Rising from the Ashes
What happens when life slowly wears away your sense of worth—and then cancer delivers what feels like the final blow?In this powerful episode of the Still I Rise Podcast, Lisa sits down with Dina Buscher, who shares her dee...
.jpg)
Three Months from 10 Years Cancer-Free… Then the Words “You Have Cancer Again” | Jeannie Travalini
What happens when you are just three months away from celebrating ten years cancer-free… and you hear the words no survivor ever wants to hear again: “You have cancer.” In this powerful episode of the Stil...
The "The Darkness and the Light": Healing Trauma, Breaking Generational Cycles, and Surviving Cancer featuring Alana Acereto
In this powerful episode of Still I Rise, Alana Acereto shares her story, “The Darkness and the Light,” a deeply moving reflection on childhood trauma, generational healing, and her journey as a cancer survivor.For years,...
)%20(3).jpg)
"Reaching the Peak": Maryann Fonseca’s Breast Cancer Survivor Story of Faith, Running, and Spiritual Awakening
Some journeys aren’t flat roads — they’re mountains.Mountains with loose rocks beneath your feet. Mountains that make your heart race. Mountains that force you to stop, breathe, and pray before taking the next step....
.jpg)
"My Journey Through Darkness and Light": Surviving Childhood Leukemia Twice - by Maureen Fedge
In this powerful episode of Still I Rise, Maureen Fedge shares her remarkable story of surviving acute myeloid leukemia (AML) as a child — not once, but twice.Diagnosed at just twelve years old with an aggressive form of ...
)%20(2).jpg)
"One Ticket. All the Rides. All the Feels": Living With Metastatic Breast Cancer - by Lauren Micciantuono
Life doesn’t come with a single ride.It comes with twists, drops, music, stillness — and sometimes, pure fear.When we meet Lauren Micciantuono, she describes her life like an amusement park. Some days are gentle and steady. Some days...
.jpg)
"Warrior Carrying a Boulder" by Crystal Walcott: Choosing Strength After Breast Cancer
In this empowering episode of Still I Rise, Crystal Walcott shares her journey through breast cancer, resilience, and the deliberate choice to reclaim joy. Diagnosed after her first mammogram, Crystal’s life shifted in an instan...
)%20(1).jpg)
"The Weight I Carried, The Strength I Found: Living With Metastatic Breast Cancer" featuring Allison Spampinato
In this deeply moving episode of Still I Rise, Allison Spampinato shares her story of living with metastatic breast cancer while carrying unimaginable grief, fear, and responsibility. Diagnosed with Invasive Ductal Carcinoma<...
.jpg)
Scars Into Strength: A Breast Cancer Survivor’s Story of Resilience and Healing by Idun-Cara Byers
In this powerful episode of Still I Rise, Idun-Cara Byers shares a deeply moving story of resilience, caregiving, and healing after breast cancer. Diagnosed with Stage One Estrogen-Positive Invasive Lobular Carcinoma, Idu...
"Cracked Open" by Nicole Urbanek: A Breast Cancer Story of Loss, Resilience, and Becoming
Some moments in life change us quietly.Others crack us open completely.For Nicole Urbanek, that moment came at just thirty-three, when the life she knew split wide with a breast cancer diagnosis. It wasn’t just her body that c...
When Strength Was Gone, Faith Remained: "He Carried Me Through the Sand" by Catrina Sullivan
Some stories are not about how strong we are — but about who carried us when we had no strength left.When we first met Catrina Sullivan, she carried herself with strength — and with walls. Walls built over years o...
Phoenix Rising: A Mother’s Story of Breast Cancer, Leukemia, and Survival with Cat Black
What does it mean to survive when life never gives you time to rest?In this powerful episode of Still I Rise, Cat Black shares her extraordinary story of surviving breast cancer and leukemia — not once, but twice — while ...
"Becoming" by Tara Warner" --The Mental Battle of Breast Cancer: An Oncology Nurse’s Story of Healing.
For more than twenty years, Tara Warner has stood at the bedside of people facing cancer.As an oncology nurse, she’s walked thousands of patients through diagnosis, treatment, fear, and hope — always reminding them that the mental battle...
"The Girl Who Built the Wrong House": A Breast Cancer Wake-Up Call—and a Message to My Daughters to Be Bold by Denise Whittaker
Once upon a time, in a quiet land of shifting skies and whispering winds, lived a girl named Denise. In her village, children didn’t build houses from wood or stone — they built them from beliefs.Denise learned early how to buil...
.jpg)