Content Warning: This episode includes discussion of cancer, diagnosis and treatment, recovery, grief, and the emotional impact of navigating illness as a mother and business owner. Please listen with care.
This week, Krista and Samantha sit down with Emily Anderson—a photographer, mother of three, and cancer survivor—for a powerful conversation about vulnerability, identity, and trusting yourself through life’s hardest seasons.
Emily shares how her cancer diagnosis changed everything—from how she sees motherhood and ambition to how she shows up in her business and her art. She opens up about the realities of treatment, grief, family dynamics, and the deeply human experience of not knowing what comes next. Through it all, she brings humour, depth, and an open heart.
This is a conversation about more than survival—it’s about integration, self-acceptance, and what happens when you stop waiting for the perfect time to start living as your full self.
Takeaways & Merit Badges Earned:
💔 A cancer diagnosis can reshape every part of life.
👯♀️ Community support makes healing possible—and lighter.
💬 Vulnerability is strength, not weakness.
🧭 You can trust yourself, even in uncertainty.
🎨 The artist and the entrepreneur can coexist.
🧘 Productivity is not a measure of worth.
📸 Capturing the real moments matters—especially with your kids.
🩺 Advocating for your health could change everything.
🧠 Grief is not linear, and healing isn’t tidy.
🌱 Self-acceptance takes time—and is always worth it.
We’re so grateful to Emily for sharing her story with such honesty and grace.
💌 Connect with her on Instagram at @e_m_anderson
📸 Learn more about her work at emandersonphotography.com
💬 Follow us at @MamaMeritBadge
⭐️ If this episode moved you, please leave a review or send it to someone who needs to feel less alone in their own journey.