Take control of your health and wellbeing with Regarding Me, the podcast that empowers women to advocate for themselves with confidence – because your voice and your choices matter.
Join Luan, an award-winning women’s health advocate with a personal experience of breast cancer, as she shares the skills, strategies and stories behind effective self-advocacy. Whether you’re facing a health challenge like cancer or a chronic illness, or taking steps to future-proof your health, this podcast is for you.
Hear from women who’ve successfully advocated for themselves and experts who offer insights to help you advocate for ‘me-centred’ healthcare. You’ll discover how to become your strongest self-advocate in any health situation and make informed decisions that are right for you.
Subscribe now and join a growing community of women transforming their health through self-advocacy. Together we’ll make sure your voice is heard and your care reflects what matters to you most.
Looking for the FREE resources Luan mentioned, want to join the self-health advocacy movement, or have a question? Head over to luanlawriewoods.com.au!
Host: Luan Lawrenson-Woods, Self-Health Advocate™
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Take control of your health and wellbeing with Regarding Me, the podcast that empowers women to advocate for themselves with confidence – because your voice and your choices matter.
Join Luan, an award-winning women’s health advocate with a personal experience of breast cancer, as she shares the skills, strategies and stories behind effective self-advocacy. Whether you’re facing a health challenge like cancer or a chronic illness, or taking steps to future-proof your health, this podcast is for you.
Hear from women who’ve successfully advocated for themselves and experts who offer insights to help you advocate for ‘me-centred’ healthcare. You’ll discover how to become your strongest self-advocate in any health situation and make informed decisions that are right for you.
Subscribe now and join a growing community of women transforming their health through self-advocacy. Together we’ll make sure your voice is heard and your care reflects what matters to you most.
Looking for the FREE resources Luan mentioned, want to join the self-health advocacy movement, or have a question? Head over to luanlawriewoods.com.au!
Host: Luan Lawrenson-Woods, Self-Health Advocate™
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Self-advocacy is encouraged but rarely explained or made explicit. And many women still don’t know they have the right to ask questions, get a second opinion, and offer feedback when it comes to their healthcare.
You don’t need permission to advocate for healthcare that meets your needs. But if you wanted a reminder, this is it.
In this timely episode of Regarding Me, I’m joined by Rebecca White, Australia’s Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care, Indigenous Health, and Women, to talk about self-health advocacy, not as a ‘bonus’ or nice-to-have, but as a right.
We unpack the Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights, the importance of informed consent and shared decision-making, and what it takes to shift a healthcare system where women, especially younger women, are still dismissed or not taken seriously.
Whether you’re in Australia or elsewhere, this conversation will help you understand what you’re entitled to and how to confidently speak up for the care that fits your life.
You’ll hear:
“We are the only people we can depend on to be our own advocates when it comes to our healthcare.” — Rebecca White
🔗 Want to start now?
Download my free Six Self-Advocacy Steps (SSAS) guide, a practical tool to help you ask better questions and get the care you need.
For the links to all the resources mentioned in this show, go to the episode blog page.
Connect with Luan:
CREDITS:
Host & Producer: Luan Lawrenson-Woods, Self-Health Advocate
Sound engineering: Paddy from Goosewing Sounds Ltd (UK)
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Before she passed from metastatic breast cancer, Sarah’s mum gave her the greatest gift: knowledge that may help Sarah future-proof her health.
In this powerful follow-up conversation, Sarah Wallace opens up about what it means to self-advocate when you live with inherited risk factors for breast cancer but no diagnosis. For her, it’s a complicated space: considered ‘elective’ in the system, but a risk too great for her to wait.
And now she’s facing the prospect of accessing her superannuation again drawing from the little she’s managed to save since using every cent she had to fund IVF.
Together we talk about:
Sarah’s story is a powerful reminder that advocacy is not only about facing a diagnosis. It is also about the courage to act before one comes.
⚠️ This episode includes discussion of fertility challenges, pregnancy loss and related experiences. Please listen in a way that feels safe for you. It’s always okay to pause or step away if you need to.
For the links to all the resources mentioned in this show, go to the episode blog page.
Connect with Luan:
Follow Luan on Instagram
Get Luan's free SSASy guide to Self-Advocacy
Sign up for Luan's Newsletter
Check out Luan's website
CREDITS:
Host & Producer: Luan Lawrenson-Woods, Self-Health Advocate
Sound engineering: Paddy from Goosewing Sounds Ltd (UK)
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
What price do you pay to advocate for your health - and for hope?
For Sarah Wallace, that question has been answered in ways both heartbreaking and costly.
Luan is joined by Sarah, founder of the Wish Collective, to talk about her experience of Assisted Fertility Treatment, pregnancy loss, and what she describes as the four hardships of fertility treatment: mental, emotional, physical and financial.
When the wait lists were too long and the Medicare rebates fell short, Sarah drew down all her superannuation, more than $50,000, to fund IVF alone. That meant wiping out some of her future financial security for the chance of an earth-side baby. And to access those funds, she had to take on a mental health diagnosis that will remain on her health record.
Together, they talk about dashed hopes, resilience and the strength that comes from community support in moments when you can’t carry it alone. Sarah’s story shines a light on the hidden costs women are asked to taken on, not just in the moment, but in ways that shape their future too.
Her honesty is a powerful offering. It includes the gift of an earth-side baby, and now, a quietly joyful update.
This is part one of their conversation. In part two, Sarah shares why she faces the prospect of drawing down on her superannuation again to help future-proof her health and reduce her inherited cancer risk. Subscribe so you don’t miss it!
⚠️ A note for listeners: this episode discusses fertility challenges, pregnancy loss and related experiences. Please listen in a way that feels safe for you. It’s always okay to pause or step away if you need to.
For the links to all the resources mentioned in this show, go to the episode blog page.
Connect with Luan:
Follow Luan on Instagram
Get Luan's free SSASy guide to Self-Advocacy
Sign up for Luan's Newsletter
Check out Luan's website
CREDITS:
Host & Producer: Luan Lawrenson-Woods, Self-Health Advocate
Sound engineering: Paddy from Goosewing Sounds Ltd (UK)
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
After cancer treatment ends, the pressure to bounce back can feel overwhelming. But what if your energy doesn’t return? What if the brain fog lingers, the pain persists, and “normal” expectations no longer fit?
That’s where the concept of 'Crip Time' could help.
Luan continues her discussion with Shona Edwards, Deputy Chair of Cancer Voices SA and co-founder of the University of Adelaide’s student Disability, Illness and Divergence Association. Together, they explore how 'Crip Time', a term from disability studies that offers a different way to think about time, energy and capacity, can resonate with people living with chronic illness or the long-term and ongoing effects of cancer.
Together they explore:
• Why “normal” timelines don’t work for people still healing
• What crip time means, and why it can be a relief to discover
• How it can help people after cancer reframe their recovery and survivorship
• Why invisible impacts like fatigue, brain fog and pain don’t fit neatly into linear time
• How advocacy and peer support roles can amplify these impacts, demanding more energy from those with lived experience
• How supportive care and advocacy structures can better account for the fluctuating needs of advocates
• Why solidarity and community are essential to making space for difference
This episode speaks to anyone still navigating life after cancer or chronic illness, and to those working alongside lived experience patient advocates, peer supporters or community leaders.
If you haven’t already, listen to Part 1: Looking After You While Supporting Others: Patient Advocacy & Peer Support where Luan and Shona explore the emotional labour of advocacy, and how to make it more sustainable.
For the links to all the resources mentioned in this show, go to the episode blog page.
Connect with Luan:
Follow Luan on Instagram
Get Luan's free SSASy guide to Self-Advocacy
Sign up for Luan's Newsletter
Check out Luan's website
CREDITS:
Host & Producer: Luan Lawrenson-Woods, Self-Health Advocate
Sound engineering: Paddy from Goosewing Sounds Ltd (UK)
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
You become an advocate because you care. Because you want to make things better for the next person. Because your hard-earned experience shouldn’t go to waste. And you want people to have a better experience than you did and less alone.
But advocacy - whether through peer support, sharing your story online online or policy work - can quietly take more from you than you realise.
In this episode, Luan speaks with Shona Edwards, Deputy Chair of Cancer Voices SA and a leader in disability and patient advocacy, about the emotional and energetic cost of showing up for others while still living with health challenges yourself.
Together they explore:
• What peer mentoring, online community support and patient advocacy look like
• How to recognise the roles you might already be playing
• Why so many advocates feel called to support their community
• The emotional labour that comes with being the “go-to” person
• Practical ways to protect your energy, privacy and boundaries
• Why self-care is a vital skill that helps make advocacy sustainable
This episode speaks to anyone who offers peer support or patient advocacy in a WhatsApp group, on Instagram, or through a formal advocacy or peer role. And if you work alongside lived experience advocates, it’s an important reminder of the respect and care they need too.
This is Part 1 of a two-part conversation. In Part 2, we explore a concept from the disability space that might just help you rethink your relationship to time, energy and recovery.
Make sure you’re following or subscribed so you don’t miss it.
For the links to all the resources mentioned in this show, go to the episode blog page.
Connect with Luan:
Follow Luan on Instagram
Get Luan's free SSASy guide to Self-Advocacy
Sign up for Luan's Newsletter
Check out Luan's website
CREDITS:
Host & Producer: Luan Lawrenson-Woods, Self-Health Advocate
Sound engineering: Paddy from Goosewing Sounds Ltd (UK)
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
If you’ve ever said “I’m fine” when you’re anything but, or said “yes” when every fibre of your being wanted to say “no”, this episode is for you.
People-pleasing can quietly erode your ability to self-advocate, and you might not even realise you’re doing it.
Luan is joined by empowerment coach Belinda Stark to explore why it’s so hard to speak up, how to spot the signs that you’re slipping into people-pleasing mode, and what it really looks like to set boundaries that honour your needs without guilt or apology.
It’s a warm, insightful and laugh-out-loud conversation about taking up space, letting go of guilt, and learning when to give fewer f**ks - so you might want to pop your headphones in if little ones are around.
In this episode we explore:
For the links to all the resources mentioned in this show, go to the episode blog page.
Connect with Luan:
Follow Luan on Instagram
Get Luan's free SSASy guide to Self-Advocacy
Sign up for Luan's Newsletter
Check out Luan's website
CREDITS:
Host & Producer: Luan Lawrenson-Woods, Self-Health Advocate
Sound engineering: Paddy from Goosewing Sounds Ltd (UK)
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
When you’re in the thick of a health decision - scared, overwhelmed, unsure - how do you figure out what’s right for you?
Even in hard moments, you're not empty-handed when it comes to making confident healthcare decisions.
One of the most powerful tools you can lean on is your values. They’re your North Star when everything else feels uncertain. And even if you’ve never named them before, they’re there - quietly shaping what you need, what you’ll tolerate and what you absolutely won’t.
In this episode of Regarding Me, Luan is joined by values-led leadership expert Tiffany Leone to unpack what values really are, how to figure out what yours are, and why they matter in healthcare.
From knowing when to speak up, to knowing when to walk away, this conversation will help you connect with your inner compass so you can make healthcare decisions that feel right for you.
For the links to all the resources mentioned in this show, go to the episode blog page.
Connect with Luan:
Follow Luan on Instagram
Get Luan's free SSASy guide to Self-Advocacy
Sign up for Luan's Newsletter
Check out Luan's website
CREDITS:
Host & Producer: Luan Lawrenson-Woods, Self-Health Advocate
Sound engineering: Paddy from Goosewing Sounds Ltd (UK)
https://brenebrown.com/resources/dare-to-lead-list-of-values/
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
When life flips into full F mode - fight, flight, freeze or fawn - it’s not just your mind that goes into meltdown. Your body feels it too.
In this In the Meantime mini-episode, Luan shares how stomping around Sydney Harbour, swapping rave tunes for the Rocky theme and quietly recreating a childhood position of safety became unlikely acts of self-advocacy during cancer treatment.
This one’s about body-set, not just mindset. Because confidence and calm don’t only live in your head. They live in your body too. And with simple, supportive rituals, you can gently prime yourself to show up, especially when everything feels like too much.
No pressure. No performance. Just one small thing, if it feels right.
Take 10 minutes to listen and come back to your body.
Links for this episode:
Read more about body-based practices on Luan's blog.
Listen to the Regarding Me podcast episode with Suzy Reading.
Listen to In the Meantime: You Don’t Have to Go Balls to the Wall
Download the free SSAS (Six Self-Advocacy Steps) Guide.
Connect with Luan:
Follow Luan on Instagram
Get Luan's free SSASy guide to Self-Advocacy
Sign up for Luan's Newsletter
Check out Luan's website
CREDITS:
Host & Producer: Luan Lawrenson-Woods, Self-Health Advocate
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This is one of the most frequently asked questions: how can women confidently advocate for their health when they’re overwhelmed, and being a ‘good’ patient is often seen as being quiet, compliant and not representing themselves?
In this open-hearted episode, Luan is joined by psychologist and coach Suzy Reading to gently and curiously unpack what it really means to self-advocate. And they explore why community, compassion and permission are essential to recovery.
Suzy shares beautifully simple physical movements – from the chicken wing stretch to the face hug – that you can use to prime your body and mind to speak up. She also offers phrases to help you ask for support from friends and family, so you can confidently co-create both a treatment plan with your healthcare team and a support plan with your loved ones.
Suzy and Luan also unpack what she calls energetic bankruptcy: those moments when there’s just nothing left in the tank.
This episode is an invitation to be tender with yourself, to let go of old expectations (of self and others), and to see how self-care can become the foundation of self-advocacy.
Whether you're in survival mode, emerging from a tough season, or just need a reminder that it's okay to ask for help, this episode is a soft landing. It’s your moment to pause, breathe and come back to yourself with love.
I promised Suzy I’d pull together a blog post with all the physical practices we talked about - from the chicken wing stretch to the face hug - and you can read it here!
For the links to all the resources mentioned in this show, go to the episode blog page.
Connect with Luan:
Follow Luan on Instagram
Get Luan's free SSASy guide to Self-Advocacy
Sign up for Luan's Newsletter
Check out Luan's website
CREDITS:
Host & Producer: Luan Lawrenson-Woods, Self-Health Advocate
Sound engineering: Paddy from Goosewing Sounds Ltd (UK)
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this first In the Meantime mini episode, Luan reflects on a common misconception: that self-advocacy in healthcare means going in hard, pushing back or being seen as “difficult.”
But true self-advocacy isn’t necessarily about confrontation. It’s about clarity, confidence and collaboration.
Drawing on years of experience in breast cancer advocacy, hundreds of conversations in the cancer community, and lessons from Regarding Me guests, Luan unpacks what self-advocacy really looks like, and names the self-advocacy gap that may hold so many women back from speaking up in their healthcare.
Hit play—and let’s rethink what self-advocacy really looks like.
Connect with Luan:
Follow Luan on Instagram
Get Luan's free SSASy guide to Self-Advocacy
Sign up for Luan's Newsletter
Check out Luan's website
CREDITS:
Host & Producer: Luan Lawrenson-Woods, Self-Health Advocate
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Feeling stuck in a loop of anger, grief or overwhelm? You're not alone. But you don't have to stay there.
In this episode, Luan explores how internal programming and mindset shape the way we respond to life’s hardest moments - grief, diagnosis, overwhelm - with Toni Powell.
Toni is an author, happiness speaker and self-confessed former misery expert who went from living in a shed, broke and heartbroken, to becoming a joyful, purpose-led speaker helping people rewire their thinking and reframe their struggles.
We talk about how self-advocacy can start with the stories you tell yourself - especially when life feels unfair, uncertain or just plain awful. This isn’t about toxic positivity or pretending things are fine. It’s about pausing, processing and gently shifting what you focus on so you can feel more in control, more connected and more okay.
Toni’s story is packed with practical wisdom, heartfelt honesty and a whole lot of humour. From reprogramming your 'sh*t algorithm', to discovering the power of gratitude and connection, this is a conversation about what happens after everything goes to crap - and how you might start again, one thought at a time.
Content note: This episode includes a brief mention of suicidal thoughts and a few choice words. Nothing graphic, just honest, human conversation. Pop in your headphones if you’re listening with little ears around, or hit pause if you don't feel in the right frame of mind to listen.
Get 50% off Toni's course 'Happy Healthy You' with the discount code 'regardingme'!
For the links to all the resources mentioned in this show, go to the episode blog page.
Connect with Luan:
Follow Luan on Instagram
Get Luan's free SSASy guide to Self-Advocacy
Sign up for Luan's Newsletter
Check out Luan's website
CREDITS:
Host & Producer: Luan Lawrenson-Woods, Self-Health Advocate
Sound engineering: Paddy from Goosewing Sounds Ltd (UK)
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Would you tell a stranger all your personal health info? Would you trust them not to tell anyone else?
They’re the kind of questions we need to ask ourselves when using generative AI tools like ChatGPT to support our healthcare decisions.
ChatGPT recently introduced changes to how it stores memories and chat history, raising important questions about data, privacy and trust across all public artificial intelligence models.
In Part 2 of this conversation, Luan continues her chat with health literacy expert Dr Julie Ayre to unpack the next layer of AI and self-advocacy. They dig into how generative AI memory works, how your data is handled, and how you can protect your privacy while still getting value from these tools.
Luan shares her own experience using ChatGPT and her medical history as a test case, giving listeners a first-hand look at how AI “talks back” when fed real-world information.
You’ll also learn about data risk and digital footprint, what AI hallucinations are, and whether the health data you share in a personal AI chat could become interconnected with your work data.
Because advocating for your health means being curious and asking questions - and that includes asking questions of the tech we’re using, too.
We recommend you listen to episode 1 - ‘Can AI & ChatGPT Help You Prepare for an Appointment?’ - which is part 1 of this interview, before diving into this episode.
For links to the resources in this show - visit the episode blog page.
Let’s make your healthcare me-centred!
Do not use AI tools like ChatGPT in a medical emergency—contact your local emergency services immediately.
Subscribe & Share:
Connect with Luan:
Follow Luan on Instagram
Get Luan's free SSASy guide to Self-Advocacy
Sign up for Luan's Newsletter
Check out Luan's website
CREDITS:
Host & Producer: Luan Lawrenson-Woods, Self-Health Advocate
Sound engineering: Paddy from Goosewing Sounds Ltd (UK)
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
We’re back! Regarding Me Season 2 is here and we’re starting strong with a topic that’s dominating headlines, healthcare and workplaces: AI.
In this episode, we’re diving into how tools like ChatGPT might support you to self-advocate for your health, especially in those early appointments. Luan’s joined by Dr Julie Ayre, a health literacy and digital health expert, for an easily understandable, practical chat about using generative Artificial Intelligence.
They talk about how to use AI, the risks of oversharing health info online, and how to stay in control when the algorithm might add to the noise and overwhelm.
And you’ll hear one of the best pieces of advice about using digital tools in your healthcare (it’s worth tuning in for that alone!).
Because in a world full of information, the real power lies in knowing what’s right for you. And that includes understanding what you want from digital and online tools and resources.
Let’s make your healthcare me-centred!
For links to the resources in this show - visit the episode blog page.
Do not use AI tools like ChatGPT in a medical emergency—contact your local emergency services immediately.
Subscribe & Share:
Connect with Luan:
Follow Luan on Instagram
Get Luan's free SSASy guide to Self-Advocacy
Sign up for Luan's Newsletter
Check out Luan's website
CREDITS:
Host & Producer: Luan Lawrenson-Woods, Self-Health Advocate
Sound engineering: Paddy from Goosewing Sounds Ltd (UK)
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this Regarding Me Rewind, we revisit three powerful stories that show what can happen when women speak up, trust their instincts, and refuse to stay silent - especially when faced with bias, dismissal, or healthcare systems that weren’t built with them in mind.
From challenging assumptions about metastatic breast cancer, to refusing to accept medical gaslighting, to navigating care that excluded or erased their needs - Kate, Sonya, and Rena show us that self-advocacy isn’t about being difficult. It’s about being heard.
Each of these women faced different health challenges. But what they share is a refusal to let their care be dictated by silence.
These are the kinds of stories we need to hear more of. Not just to raise awareness but to build a culture where care isn’t done to women, but shaped with them.
Whether you're navigating your own diagnosis or supporting someone who is, this episode is a reminder: You don’t have to be loud to be powerful. You just have to believe your voice matters.
What You’ll Learn:
Free Resource
Want to start showing up with more clarity and confidence? Download Luan’s free guide: The Six Self-Advocacy Steps (SSAS).
Get yours at https://www.luanlawriewoods.com.au/self-advocacy-resources
Rewind episodes
Subscribe & Share
New to Regarding Me? Hit follow and check out our back catalogue of empowering conversations. And if this episode resonated with you, share it with a friend—you never know who needs to hear it.
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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Before Season 2 lands, we’re rewinding to some of the most powerful insights from Season 1—because some messages are worth hearing more than once.
In this special recap episode, Luan revisits three expert interviews that sparked aha moments and offered real tools for self-health advocacy. Whether you’re navigating a diagnosis or just want to speak up with more confidence, this episode will remind you: you don’t have to know it all—you just have to start asking.
Insights from:
What You’ll Learn:
Free Resource
Want to start showing up with more clarity and confidence? Download Luan’s free guide: The Six Self-Advocacy Steps (SSAS).
Get yours at https://www.luanlawriewoods.com.au/self-advocacy-resources
Rewind episodes
Subscribe & Share
New to Regarding Me? Hit follow and check out our back catalogue of empowering conversations. And if this episode resonated with you, share it with a friend—you never know who needs to hear it.
Connect with Luan:
Follow Luan on Instagram
Sign up for Luan's Newsletter
Check out Luan's website
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Your personal history of disease is a PhD in you—and it deserves to be heard!
How do you find your voice when your body’s in shock and your world’s just turned upside down?
This is a powerful story of women’s health advocacy, integrative care, and navigating the real-world challenges of self-health advocacy during—and after—ovarian cancer treatment.
In this episode, Luan speaks with Gill Stannard, a naturopath and advocate who was diagnosed just hours after a GP visit—and found herself fast-tracked into surgery and chemotherapy before the shock had even worn off.
She shares what it took to reclaim her autonomy, advocate for herself, and find her place in a healthcare system that didn’t always make space for integrative care or informed 'pause'. From rushed chemotherapy decisions to unspoken menopause side effects, she opens up about what she learned, what she’d do differently—and what she wants others to know.
Whether you're mid-treatment, supporting a loved one, or reflecting on your own diagnosis, this conversation is full of real talk, practical wisdom, and the reminder that you know you—and that matters.
In this episode:
If you are on active treatment for cancer, please check all supplements with your oncologist, oncology pharmacist and/or integrative medicine physician.
Listen to Luan's episode with Liz O'Riordan where they talk about how important it is to talk to your healhcare team about complementary therapies your considering.
For links to the resources in this show - visit the episode blog page.
Follow the podcast and share it with someone who needs to know: you can advocate for your health.
Rate & review—your feedback helps more women find this empowering content!
Follow & join the conversation on Instagram: @luanlawriewoods
Connect with Luan:
Follow Luan on Instagram
Get Luan's free SSASy guide to Self-Advocacy
Sign up for Luan's Newsletter
Check out Luan's website
CREDITS:
Host: Luan Lawrenson-Woods, Self-Health Advocate
Post-production: Paddy from Goosewing Sounds Ltd (UK)
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this deeply moving and powerful conversation, Luan speaks with Rena Patel, who was diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer at 40—just after her daughter turned four.
Rena felt isolated, unsure where to turn, as she didn’t know anyone in her community who’d been through something similar. On top of that, she often felt unseen and unheard within a healthcare system that doesn’t always account for the diverse needs of women from ethnic minority backgrounds, or understand the different cultural perspectives of their communities. From not being shown how to identify radiotherapy burns on non-white skin to struggling to find wigs that matched her hair, these gaps added to the emotional weight of her treatment.
Connections can help change our experiences. Rena shares how finding Black Women Rising—a UK-based cancer support project for women of colour—opened the door to community, confidence, and self-advocacy. It helped her feel less alone and more empowered to ask for the care that truly met her needs.
In this episode:
• Why self-trust and speaking up are essential in healthcare
• The importance of culturally inclusive supportive care
• How shared stories and visibility reduce isolation
• The role of connection and community in building self-advocacy skills
• How openness can turn silence into strength—for you and those around you
As an Ambassador of Black Women Rising Rena is helping to build a future where all women—regardless of background—feel seen, heard, and supported. For herself, for her community, and for her beautiful daughter.
For links to the resources in this show - visit the episode blog page.
Rate & review—your feedback helps more women find this empowering content!
Follow & join the conversation on Instagram: @luanlawriewoods
Connect with Luan:
Follow Luan on Instagram
Get Luan's free SSASy guide to Self-Advocacy
Sign up for Luan's Newsletter
Check out Luan's website
CREDITS:
Host: Luan Lawrenson-Woods, Self-Health Advocate
Post-production: Paddy from Goosewing Sounds Ltd (UK)
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
What does it really mean to advocate for your healthcare—especially when you’re the expert?
In this powerful episode, Luan speaks with Dr. Liz O’Riordan—former breast cancer surgeon, patient, author, and award-winning advocate. Diagnosed with the very disease she once treated, Liz quickly realised that clinical knowledge doesn’t prepare you for the lived experience of being a cancer patient—or how hard it can be to find the right information and support.
When she turned to the internet for answers, she was shocked by the sheer volume of misinformation—that don’t just fuel confusion and anxiety, but can have devastating consequences when patients are swayed to abandon evidence-based treatments in favour of unproven alternatives.
Since retiring as a surgeon, Liz has made it her mission to counter online BS with research-based, accessible education—so patients can make informed, confident decisions as part of their self-health advocacy. In this episode, she shares her tips so that you can make decisions that are right for you!
This conversation is packed with practical wisdom and honest reflections that every woman facing a cancer diagnosis—or any health challenge—deserves to hear.
For all the resources in this show - including where to find Liz's books - visit the episode blog page.
Rate & review—your feedback helps more women find this empowering content!
Follow & join the conversation on Instagram: @luanlawriewoods
Connect with Luan:
Follow Luan on Instagram
Get Luan's free SSASy guide to Self-Advocacy
Sign up for Luan's Newsletter
Check out Luan's website
CREDITS:
Host: Luan Lawrenson-Woods, Self-Health Advocate
Post-production: Paddy from Goosewing Sounds Ltd (UK)
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Self-advocacy isn’t necessarily about standing up to your medical team—it’s about speaking up so they understand what matters to you and working with them to make informed, shared decisions about your treatment and care.
That’s exactly what Kate Hardman did.
Diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer while pregnant, Kate faced unimaginable challenges, complex decisions, and a treatment path filled with uncertainty.
Now, she’s facing another major decision: Should she have DIEP flap breast reconstruction, even though it means pausing life-saving medication?
In this episode, Kate shares:
Self-advocacy isn’t about going it alone—it’s about having the right support behind you. Kate’s story is a powerful reminder that even in the face of a metastatic diagnosis, your choices still matter.
Rate & review—your feedback helps more women find this empowering content!
Follow & join the conversation on Instagram: @luanlawriewoods
For the resources mentioned in this show, visit the episode blog page.
Connect with Luan:
Follow Luan on Instagram
Get Luan's free SSASy guide to Self-Advocacy
Sign up for Luan's Newsletter
Check out Luan's website
CREDITS:
Host: Luan Lawrenson-Woods, Self-Health Advocate
Post-production: Paddy from Goosewing Sounds Ltd (UK)
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Advocating for yourself can feel uncomfortable—especially when your choices go against social norms. If you’ve ever felt pressured to justify a lifestyle change or struggled to hold your boundaries with family, friends, or colleagues, this episode is for you.
Today, I chat with Kath Elliott, an alcohol mindset coach who reassessed her relationship with alcohol after a breast cancer diagnosis. Kath shares simple, practical strategies to help you confidently communicate your choices, set boundaries without guilt, and handle social pressure with ease.
This conversation goes beyond alcohol—these self-advocacy skills apply to any situation where you need to stand firm in your choices. Whether you’re setting new boundaries or facing difficult conversations, Kath’s insights will help you advocate for yourself with confidence, certainty, and self-belief.
Because self-advocacy isn’t just about healthcare decisions—it’s about standing up for what’s right for you in every part of life.
In this episode:
Rate & review—your feedback helps more women find this empowering content!
Follow & join the conversation on Instagram: @luanlawriewoods
For the resources mentioned in this show, visit the episode blog page.
Connect with Luan:
Follow Luan on Instagram
Get Luan's free guide to Self-Advocacy
Sign up for Luan's Newsletter
Check out Luan's website
CREDITS:
Host: Luan Lawrenson-Woods, Self-Health Advocate
Post-production: Paddy from Goosewing Sounds Ltd (UK)
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.