More Than A Diagnosis is a podcast created by our nonprofit to encourage, support, and empower people navigating chronic illness and cancer.
Join childhood best friends Den and Jes as they explore the human experience beyond medical labels through honest conversations, inspiring stories, expert insights, and practical resources. Whether you're a patient, survivor, caregiver, or simply supporting someone you love, you'll find hope, connection, and reminders that you are more than your diagnosis.
Learn more and connect with our community at morethanadiagnosis.org (http://morethanadiagnosis.org) because no one should have to face a diagnosis alone.
Chronic Illness, Burnout & Learning to Give Ourselves Grace
Last December, we announced that More Than A Diagnosis (https://morethanadiagnosis.org) was officially a nonprofit. Then life happened. And not just a little bit.
In this episode, Jes, Den, Karen, and Nerisa share what’s been happening behind the scenes, from cancer survivorship, chronic illness, and major surgeries to grief, family responsibilities, and the reality of trying to show up for something you care deeply about when your capacity is limited.
We talk about giving ourselves grace, the guilt that comes with stepping back, and what it means to build something sustainable while navigating our own messy middles. Because taking a pause doesn’t mean giving up.
If you’ve been struggling to keep up with life while managing everything that comes with illness, we hope this conversation reminds you that you’re not alone.
And this is just Part 1! In Part 2, we’re sharing what’s next for More Than A Diagnosis, including the return of Happy Mail and some things we’ve been working on behind the scenes.
Stay connected with More Than A Diagnosis on social media and join a community where no one has to navigate all the stuff that comes with illness alone.
15 Oct 2026
You Know Your Body: The Exhausting Reality of Self-Advocacy
Have you ever left a doctor's appointment feeling dismissed, confused, or questioning your own symptoms? You're not alone.
In this episode of More Than A Diagnosis, Den and Jes get real about the exhausting reality of self-advocacy when you're living with cancer, chronic illness, or unexplained symptoms. Drawing from their experiences as patients and Den's perspective as a nurse, they talk about medical gaslighting, learning to trust your body, asking questions without apologizing, and knowing when it's time to find a new provider.
Because looking fine doesn't mean feeling fine, and you shouldn't have to fight to be heard.
If you've ever been dismissed, doubted, or left an appointment feeling unheard, this conversation is for you.
💚 Keep the conversation going: Follow More Than A Diagnosis, leave a rating or review, and share this episode with someone who needs the reminder that their experience matters. What has helped you advocate for yourself in healthcare?
7 Oct 2026
More Than a Caregiver: When Illness Changes a Relationship
When illness becomes part of your everyday life, it doesn’t just affect the person who is sick. It changes relationships, too.
In this episode, Den and Jes have an honest conversation about the complicated reality of being cared for — and caring for someone you love. They talk about shifting roles, unpredictable symptoms, feeling like a burden, and the guilt that can come with needing help. They also get real about resentment, caregiver exhaustion, helplessness, and what happens when the relationship underneath the caregiver/patient dynamic starts to get lost.
But there’s another side to caregiving that doesn’t get talked about enough: the unexpected intimacy that can come from being seen at your absolute worst. They talk about learning to accept help without keeping score, having the hard conversations, communicating when you’re both exhausted, and finding ways to protect the relationship that existed before illness changed everything.
And then there’s the caregiver — the person who often gets overlooked while everyone checks in on the person who is sick. Who checks in on them? Who supports them? And what happens when both people are carrying more than they ever expected?
Whether you’re living with cancer or chronic illness, caring for someone you love, or navigating illness without the support you hoped for, this conversation is a reminder that everyone affected by illness deserves to be seen.
If this episode resonates with you, share it with someone who needs to hear it, and subscribe so you don’t miss the next conversation. Be sure to connect with us on social media or at our website morethanadiagnosis.org
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