Life After The Shadow

About Life After The Shadow

Life After The Shadow is a faith-based cancer podcast for patients, survivors, thrivers, caregivers, and families searching for hope, strength, and practical guidance after a cancer diagnosis. Hosted by Tom Hammergren, author of Life After The Shadow: A Spiritual Guide to Finding Hope and Renewal After Your Cancer Diagnosis, and Deacon George Labelle, the podcast continues the mission that began with the book—helping people navigate the mental, emotional, and spiritual challenges that come with cancer. Tom and George both know what it means to hear the words, "You have cancer." Their personal battles with Stage 4 cancer give them a perspective that goes beyond simply talking about cancer—they are living the journey alongside their listeners. Each episode features meaningful conversations with cancer patients, survivors, thrivers, caregivers, physicians, advocates, authors, and others whose experiences can help people facing cancer discover that there can still be hope, purpose, joy, and life after the shadow of a cancer diagnosis. The conversations explore both the mental and emotional sides of cancer, including diagnosis and treatment, fear of recurrence, anxiety, depression, relationships, caregiving, faith, prayer, nutrition, advocacy, emerging treatments, survivorship, and finding purpose while living with cancer. At the heart of Life After The Shadow are ten emotional battles commonly experienced during the cancer journey: Shock → Acceptance Fear → Courage Depression → Joy Anxiety → Calm Loss → Fulfillment Anger → Gratitude Helplessness → Empowerment Loneliness → Feeling Loved Despair → Hope Guilt → Self-Acceptance Guests share what triggered these emotions, what helped them move forward, and the practical lessons they learned along the way. Some found strength through faith, prayer, and Scripture. Others discovered valuable resources, support organizations, lifestyle changes, new treatment approaches, books, communities, or simply another person who understood what they were going through. This is not a podcast about pretending cancer isn't frightening or difficult. It is about discovering that cancer does not have to define the rest of your life. Whether you were diagnosed yesterday, are undergoing chemotherapy, radiation, immunotherapy or targeted therapy, are living with Stage 4 or metastatic cancer, have reached remission, are struggling with fear of recurrence, or are caring for someone you love, Life After The Shadow was created to remind you that you don't have to walk this road alone. You'll hear: Real stories. Real struggles. Real faith. Practical strategies. And genuine hope. The podcast expands on the message of Tom Hammergren's book, Life After The Shadow: A Spiritual Guide to Finding Hope and Renewal After Your Cancer Diagnosis. Together, the book, podcast, and Life After The Shadow ministry are building a growing collection of stories, faith-based encouragement, practical cancer resources, and strategies designed to help patients and caregivers move beyond fear and toward hope. Learn more about the book, podcast, ministry, and additional cancer support resources at LifeAfterTheShadow.com (http://LifeAfterTheShadow.com). Because a cancer diagnosis may cast a shadow over your life—but the shadow doesn't have to be where your story ends. Life After The Shadow — helping people find hope and renewal after a cancer diagnosis.

Publisher

Tom Hammergren & George Labelle

Category

health & fitness · religion & spirituality

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

6 Oct 2026

Latest episode

10 Nov 2026

Latest episodes

6 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   10 Nov 2026

   You Don’t Have to Fight Cancer Alone - Mike Meyer's cancer journey

   Cancer can be one of the loneliest journeys a person ever walks—even when surrounded by people who love them. In this episode of Life After The Shadow, Tom Hammergren and Deacon George Labelle sit down with Mike Meyer for an honest conversation about facing aggressive prostate cancer, recurrence, and later CML, and the emotional and spiritual battles that came with them. Mike shares how cancer challenged his sense of control, tested his faith, and taught him the importance of opening up rather than trying to carry everything himself. His journey is a powerful reminder of the value of connection, conversation, faith, surrender, and allowing others to walk beside you. It's also a conversation about living with uncertainty. When cancer returns—or when another diagnosis enters your life—how do you keep fear from taking over? How do you find peace when you can't control what happens next? Mike's story reminds us that strength doesn't always mean fighting harder. Sometimes strength means letting go, talking about what you're going through, leaning on your faith, and accepting the hands reaching out to help. If you or someone you love is facing cancer, remember: Cancer may feel like a lonely journey—but you don't have to walk it alone.

2. 

   3 Nov 2026

   If I Live, I Have a Story to Tell |-Kristina Keller cancer journey

   What if the worst year of your life somehow became one of the most meaningful? In this episode of Life After The Shadow, Tom Hammergren and Deacon George Labelle sit down with Kristina Keller to talk about her journey through Stage IV breast cancer—and how a devastating diagnosis ultimately transformed her faith, priorities, and purpose. Kristina shares the fear and uncertainty that came with cancer, the moment she stopped allowing fear to control her future, and the realization that changed everything: if she lived, she had a story to tell. That story became a mission. Through writing, speaking, advocacy, and encouraging others facing cancer, Kristina discovered that even in life's darkest seasons, God can still create purpose—and hope can still grow. It's a powerful conversation about choosing faith over fear, living in the present, finding purpose through adversity, and trusting God when the future is uncertain. If cancer has left you questioning what comes next, Kristina's story offers a beautiful reminder: Your diagnosis may change your story—but it doesn't have to define how the story ends.

3. 

   27 Oct 2026

   If You Can’t Change the Rock, Let the Rock Change You - Logan Terry's Cancer Journey

   What happens when you're 32 years old, building a family, and suddenly told you have Stage IV lung cancer? In this episode of Life After The Shadow, Tom Hammergren and Deacon George Labelle sit down with Logan Terry for an honest conversation about cancer, family, faith, fear, and learning to live when the future no longer looks the way you planned. Logan shares how his diagnosis changed nearly every part of his life—and how he discovered that faith doesn't always mean the mountain in front of you will move. Sometimes, the greater transformation happens within you. Through the uncertainty, Logan has learned to surrender what he can't control, embrace the people and moments that matter most, and find purpose even when the answers he wants aren't there. His perspective can be summed up in one powerful thought: “If you can't change the rock, let the rock change you.” If cancer—or any life-changing diagnosis—has left you wondering how to keep moving forward when you can't change your circumstances, Logan's story offers a powerful reminder that hope isn't only found in changing the outcome. Sometimes hope is found in who we become along the way.

4. 

   20 Oct 2026

   “We’ll See About That”: Joanne Cotton’s Remarkable Cancer Journey

   What happens when cancer turns the life you thought you knew upside down—and forces you to discover strength you never knew you had? In this episode of Life After The Shadow, Tom Hammergren and Deacon George Labelle sit down with Joanne Cotton, whose journey with a rare and aggressive cancer challenged her physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Joanne shares the unexpected path to her diagnosis, the difficult treatment decisions she faced, and the grit that carried her through repeated battles with cancer. Along the way, her priorities changed, her faith deepened, and she discovered a strength within herself she didn't know existed. It's an honest conversation about faith, perseverance, advocacy, uncertainty, and learning to live differently after cancer changes everything. If you or someone you love is facing cancer, Joanne's story is a powerful reminder: there may be more strength inside you than you realize.

5. 

   13 Oct 2026

   Stage 4: But Not Without Hope George Labelle’s Journey with Prostate Cancer

   What happens when a routine health concern suddenly becomes a Stage 4 cancer diagnosis? In this deeply personal episode of Life After The Shadow, co-host Deacon George Labelle shares his journey with Stage 4 prostate cancer—from the shock of diagnosis and fear of the unknown to finding courage, peace, and hope through faith. George opens up about the emotional battles cancer brings, the lessons he’s learned along the way, and how his relationship with God has carried him through some of his darkest moments. If you or someone you love is facing cancer, George’s story is a powerful reminder: a Stage 4 diagnosis may change your life, but it doesn’t have to take away your hope.

6. 

   6 Oct 2026

   When Cancer Changes Everything: Finding Hope Beyond the Shadow

   What happens when cancer changes everything—and where do you turn when fear, uncertainty, and despair begin to take over? In this first episode of Life After The Shadow, Tom Hammergren and Deacon George Labelle share the unlikely journey that took them from fraternity brothers at Mizzou to business partners, fellow Stage IV cancer thrivers, and ultimately co-hosts of a ministry built around hope. Tom shares the deeply personal experience that inspired Life After The Shadow and introduces the framework that will guide future conversations: transforming fear into courage, anxiety into calm, despair into hope, and other emotional battles through real stories, practical strategies, and the truth found in God's Word. If cancer has cast a shadow over your life or someone you love, this is where the journey toward hope and renewal begins.

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Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

2 ratings

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Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.