"We Couldn’t Go Over It: A Story of Bravery, Loss, and Becoming" by Michele Rokes

Welcome to the Still I Rise Podcast, where we share the stories of women who walk through the unthinkable and rise stronger on the other side.

Today, we’re honored to welcome Michele Rokes—a mother, a school nurse, and a woman whose life changed in an instant. At thirty-six, a routine appointment led to a breast cancer diagnosis. Days later, she discovered she was pregnant. And then, in a heartbreaking turn, she miscarried. The cancer remained.

What followed was a journey she never asked for—surgery, grief, and years of rebuilding. Life slowly brightened again… until, five years later, cancer returned, this time more aggressive than before. Chemotherapy took her hair, her strength, and at times her sense of self. But it never took her hope.

Supported by her family and anchored by the mantra from a beloved children’s book—“We can’t go over it. We can’t go under it. We’ve got to go through it”—Michele kept moving, step by step, through fear, pain, and profound love.

Today, she shares how that journey didn’t just lead her to survival—it transformed her.

This is Michele Rokes. And this is Still I Rise.