Rosie: Clinical Psychologist on Facing Mortality, Finding Meaning, and Choosing to Go Flat

Cups & Courage The Podcast

In this moving episode, we speak with Rosie, a clinical psychologist whose world changed when she was diagnosed with stage four incurable bowel cancer in 2021. Against all odds, Rosie went into remission in 2022, and later faced further life-altering decisions after testing positive for the BRCA gene mutation and undergoing a double mastectomy.

Rosie shares with honesty and warmth what courage means to her: facing pain with an open heart and going through suffering, not around it. We explore her personal cancer journey, the psychological impact of treatment, the choice to go flat, and how her lived experience now shapes her work in oncology psychology.

Together, we talk about:

• The shock of a stage four diagnosis and the whirlwind of treatment
• Choosing between reconstruction and going flat after mastectomy
• The inner voice that became her ally during the hardest times
• How cancer changed her perspective on life, meaning, and identity
• The balance between stoicism, vulnerability, and courage

Rosie’s story is one of resilience, transformation, and redefining what it means to truly live.

Cups & Courage shares lived experiences of people affected by breast cancer. These conversations are not medical advice. If you’re concerned about your health, please consult your doctor or healthcare team.

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Chapters

1. Introduction (00:00:00)

2. Favourite Biscuits (00:00:28)

3. Defining Courage (00:02:00)

4. Stage Four Diagnosis (00:04:15)

5. Facing Treatment and Mortality (00:07:22)

6. BRCA Diagnosis & Double Mastectomy (00:11:08)

7. Deciding to Go Flat (00:15:42)

8. The Inner Voice and Coping (00:19:30)

9. Psychology, Identity & Body Image (00:23:05)

10. Living in Remission (00:28:20)

11. Returning to Work as a Psychologist (00:33:15)

12. Meaning, Vulnerability & Resilience (00:37:40)

13. Advice for Others (00:42:10)

14. Closing Reflections (00:45:00)