Podcasting From the Chemo Chair

Welcome to The Breastcancer.org Podcast, the podcast that brings you the latest information on breast cancer research, treatments, side effects, and survivorship issues through expert interviews, as well as personal stories from people affected by breast cancer. Here’s your host, Breastcancer.org senior editor Jamie DePolo.

Jamie DePolo: Hello. As always, thanks for listening.

Our guest is Carly Fauth, a fitness instructor, mentor, and founder of FitFunCarly, a website that offers a variety of fitness classes. Carly was diagnosed with breast cancer in January 2024. Scheduled to start chemotherapy in May, Carly decided to start a podcast called Chemo Coffee Talk, which she records from her chemo chair during her twice-monthly infusion at the Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center. 

Carly, welcome to the podcast. I'm so excited to talk to you.

Carly Fauth: Thank you for having me, Jamie. I'm super excited.

Jamie DePolo: So, to start, if you're comfortable, could you tell us a little bit about your diagnosis, your chemo regimen, and how you're feeling right now?

Carly Fauth: Yeah. Sure. First of all, this was kind of a shock when I was diagnosed, which, I think it's a shock to many people who are being diagnosed, because I was young, very healthy. I've exercised my whole life, ate healthy. So, there was no family history, so this was kind of just like, oh my goodness, I can't believe this is happening. I was in the shower, and I just grazed the side, and I found something that just didn't feel right.

So, I called my doctor. That was back in the end of January, and she didn't think it was anything, either. So, there was no rush for me to go for the biopsy. So, when I finally went for the biopsy, it was a big shock. That was in February when I had the biopsy, and I was diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer. Luckily, I did find it early. Stage IB, I think, it was right from the start, and then my journey didn't seem like it was that big of a problem.

But then I had the genetic testing, and I had a genetic marker, CHEK2 marker, so that kind of made things a little bit trickier.

So, I ended up, long story short, having a double mastectomy at the end of March, and then I started chemo May 1. I'm on every-other-week chemo, eight rounds. The first four were AC, and that involved that lovely red devil [Adriamycin, chemical name: doxorubicin], which is like, holy cow, and then now I'm on Taxol. So, I have, at this point for when we're recording this interview, I have two more left.

Jamie DePolo: Well, that's exciting.

Carly Fauth: So, it's quite a journey. Yeah. Yeah. I'm really excited to be done, but I have to say, this has been quite a journey. It has given me so much more empathy for people who have gone through this before me.

Jamie DePolo: Yeah. Now, I listened to a few of your podcasts. I'm not going to pretend I had time to listen to all of the episodes.

Carly Fauth: It's okay.

Jamie DePolo: But I know in one of the ones you did with your son, you were talking about how you were doing...I think it was a burpee a day during chemo.

Carly Fauth: Yes.

Jamie DePolo: Now, are you still working? Are you still doing your burpee a day?

Carly Fauth: Yeah, so that burpee a day started when I had...because I am on social media, and I do have this online platform. Being a fitness instructor and having a diagnosis like this is really hard, because I couldn't really be private. Because I didn't want people to think I was slacking off on my job if they started to notice a change in me physically or my energy level.

So, I made the decision right from the start, because I am a very honest person and always have been, that I was going to be honest with my clients as well as the people who follow me on social media. So, I was thinking, what can I do, besides just coming on and saying I have breast cancer, to kind of reframe the situation and kind of take control of it? So, I was talking to my husband, and I said, well, what if I do a burpee a day until I beat this?

Like, at least that's something that I can do and something our kids could see me doing, and no matter how bad things get, I'm sure I'll always be able to do a burpee. So, yes, I have done a burpee a day since I made the announcement that I have cancer/had cancer, and I am proud to say that I have not taken a day off from my job as a fitness instructor. I have found that movement through cancer has helped me deal with the side effects of chemo. It's helped me mentally.

I have tired days, and I feel pretty bad, just like anybody else going through it, but my whole platform, the way it was set up ahead of time, which is kind of funny, is that it's little bits of exercise each day. So, I focus on consistency. So, I made a pledge to my clients that I would show up for them, and they were incredible to me, and they show up for me.

So, I feel like it was a little bit of a blessing that I had this kind of platform in my lap, that I was teaching other people, and then I was able to use it to come back from both the surgery and deal with chemo.

Jamie DePolo: Oh, that's wonderful. Another exercise trainer I know, she works specifically with people with cancer. She calls them exercise snacks.

Carly Fauth: That's what I call them, too.

Jamie DePolo: Oh, yeah?

Carly Fauth: I should meet her. We're probably kindred spirits.

Jamie DePolo: Yeah, and her name's Sami. She says sometimes people get really intimidated by the thought of, like, if you say “workout.” So, she's like, so, I started calling them exercise snacks, and yeah, that's great. I love it that you both have it.

Carly Fauth: Yes.

Jamie DePolo: So, how did the idea for the podcast come up? It's not something I've ever seen or heard of before.

Carly Fauth: I was on someone else's podcast, and I went to her house to do it, and I saw how she was doing it, and for some reason, it was right before I started chemo, and I thought to myself, I could do this from my chemo chair. I had never been to Dana...well, I was to Dana-Farber to see my oncologist, but I had never gone through chemo before. I didn't really know what it was going to be like, but I thought, like, this sounds like a great idea.

Why don't I do a podcast from my infusion chair? Number one, to show people kind of that you can live through cancer. It's not the end of the world. It's not a death sentence. I kind of wanted to normalize cancer. But to be honest with you, I also did it for myself, because I was very scared. Very scared of the whole idea of chemo, and I needed something, and I know myself well enough that I needed to kind of reframe the situation.

So, I thought, if I treat chemo day as my podcast day, I will think of it a little differently, and it will help take my mind off what's really happening in that chair, which scared the bejesus out of me.

Jamie DePolo: Sure, it's almost...and I don't mean this to be flip, but it almost turned it around so you were looking forward to it.

Carly Fauth: 100 percent. 100 percent. Because what happens I think -- maybe other people can relate with chemo -- when the physical side effects are happening, it's almost easier for me to deal with that, but when my body starts feeling better, that's when my head kind of start spinning, and I start worrying about the next chemo treatment. So, it gave me something else to focus on. Like, who am I interviewing? What am I going to ask them? So, I could take some of the stress off myself.

Jamie DePolo: Yeah, that's a wonderful idea. Was anybody at the infusion center concerned about you doing the podcast? I mean, were there any protocols that had to be checked?

Carly Fauth: So, I didn't ask permission on purpose.

Jamie DePolo: Oh, I love that. Better to do and not ask and ask for forgiveness later, right?

Carly Fauth: Yeah, because I figured...I mean, I used common sense. I knew there was going to be no video involved, and I knew that in Dana-Farber Milford, there's private rooms. So, it's not like I would be disturbing anybody. So, I did my little checklist in my head of making sure that I was doing something that was okay, and then I just came in and said I was doing it, and luckily, I have the best chemo nurse in the world, and she let me do it, but she went to her superiors and told them what I was doing, and luckily, they were happy with it.

I just thought like, I don't want to say I'm going to do it and then have people say I can't do it. I kind of want to show them how good it is. I wasn't trying to be a rebel. I just thought to myself, I'm not really breaking any rules. So, like, if they tell me to shut it down, I'll shut it down, but until then, give it a shot.

Jamie DePolo: Did you have any technical issues of recording there, or did it work out fine?

Carly Fauth: No. So, Spotify for Podcasters, it's an app, makes it really easy to record a podcast from anywhere. Unfortunately, they pivoted, and they're using a new platform. So, as of today, I have to figure out how I'm going to do this tomorrow on a new platform. So, that's been easy up until this point, but everything is figure-out-able. I have 24 hours to get it.

Jamie DePolo: Okay, and I assume you do it just on your phone? Is that how you do it?

Carly Fauth: Yeah. It was an app, and it was so easy to record and edit right on the phone, and then I could upload it to Spotify. So, it was great. I might have to bring my computer. I'll figure it out, but yeah, there will be new episodes tomorrow.

Jamie DePolo: Okay. Fingers crossed. So, do other people who are getting chemo know what you're doing? I know you said that the chemo rooms are private, so they may not necessarily know, but do they know, and what's been their reaction?

Carly Fauth: So, I do have an on-air sign that I plug in – yeah, I’m all in -- and the staff, everyone has been so nice about it. So, when I walk in, I haven't directly come in contact with any other chemo patients who have talked to me about the podcast, but the nurses and the people at the front desk, they have all told me that other patients have been listening to them and found them very comforting. So, that makes my heart feel so, so, good. But yeah, I haven't talked to any...you don't have a lot of interaction with other patients at Dana-Farber in Milford, I think because the rooms are private.

Jamie DePolo: That makes sense. That makes sense. How do you select your guests? Did you have all your chemo buddies lined up when you knew you were going to have chemo? Like, so and so's coming on week one, so and so's coming on week two?

Carly Fauth: I did. There are so many people...like, human kindness, you see it on a whole different level when something like this happens. So, I have a huge amount of support from so many people, and everyone wants to help out in different ways. I had a meal train, but there are some people who don't like to cook. So, it just kind of happened organically that the schedule filled with people who either said I want to come to chemo with you or what can I do for you? I don't like to cook. Like, please tell me.

And then it ended up being people that I would really...because chemo's long, so you don't want to sit there with just anybody. So, it just sort of happened that the schedule filled with people and I've actually...like tomorrow, I have three...you can only have two people with you at a time. So, I have three people, and then one will have to leave when the other one comes in, but people are asking me to be on the podcast, which I thought was really nice, but the schedule filled so fast. There weren't a lot of slots. Thank goodness, because I don't want chemo to go on forever.

Jamie DePolo: Right. Right. Yes, that's good. Now, the ones I've listened to, I know you've had your husband, your brother, your mom, your two sons, and you had some really, I would say, intense, personal conversations. Was that hard to do? It sounds like sometimes you script some of them, but maybe not all of them. Were your guests prepared for this kind of emotional journey they were going to be on?

Carly Fauth: So, I follow the same format for every podcast, where, if you are going to be a guest on the podcast, a couple days before, I'll tell you a little bit about what I'm going to say and what I'm going to ask you. I do not want it scripted. I do not edit them. I want it to be like real time. So, everyone has an idea of what we're going to be talking about, but I don't really want people to take notes

I just want them to have the thoughts, and I did the same thing with my kids and everyone. But I think what made it feel so good is the conversations we were having were not new. We're very open, and I think that's why my kids have weathered this storm so well, is because we keep our sense of humor, and we talk about it. Nothing is kept secret. They weren't conversations that we hadn't had before.

Jamie DePolo: I see. I especially like the ones with your kids, because I know a lot of people struggle with talking to their kids if they've been diagnosed with cancer, and how much to tell them, and what do you tell them, and how do you allay your fears? So, I actually recommended that episode to a friend of mine. So, thank you.

Carly Fauth: Oh, thank you.

Jamie DePolo: It was helpful. For you, what's been the best part of doing the podcast?

Carly Fauth: The best part is, I have to say, it's helped me face my own fears with chemo. It's helped me be able to walk into Dana-Farber with a big smile on my face. I make it a point that, when I go through the doors at Dana-Farber, then, like, all my baggage is checked at the door, because I just think it's such...it is a special place, and the people that work there are angels. And there are so many other patients there, that there's no need to be coming in with negativity or fear, because everyone is feeling the same thing.

And then also having the podcast to look forward to and having my chemo buddies with me, everyone says the same thing. They're like, is it weird that I had a really fun time with you today at chemo? And I feel the same way, too, because there's...I can look back on the entire experience and think of it more than just the chemo.

It was quality time spent with my friends. It was a way for me to tell them and other people what I find so inspirational about the people that are with me, because I think a huge part of anyone's cancer journey is the community support and the people that surround you with love. So, I think that's been my favorite thing, is just really getting to share my feelings towards the people I love and care about, what they mean to me.

Jamie DePolo: Wow, that's amazing. I have a little bit of a controversial question. I'm not sure. Does Dana-Farber have a bell? I know a lot of people ring the bell after chemo, and that's a little bit controversial. So, I was wondering if they had a bell, if you were going to ring the bell, what you think about that whole thing?

Carly Fauth: I'm glad you asked me that question, because we just had that conversation at my last chemo treatment, because I asked about the bell, because, I'm sure, even if you haven't listened to the podcast, I think you can tell that I like a celebration. Like, I'm really big into that. So, I asked, why don't you have a bell? I didn't really give it too much thought, and the answer...and I completely understand the answer.

They said, well, sometimes it's hard, when people are ringing a bell, for the other families or patients who may not make it through chemo. It's a sensitive, sensitive topic, but I also think there should be maybe a bell that travels to the private rooms for patients to ring when they finish. So, this is so great you asked me this question.

So, on Saturday, my youngest son, who you met in the podcast, had a lemonade stand with two of his friends, and they decided that they wanted to donate all the money to Dana-Farber Milford. So, they are going to donate that money, and he raised almost $500 in three hours.

Jamie DePolo: That's great.

Carly Fauth: Yeah, it's pretty amazing. So, I'm going to ask that that money go towards some kind of celebration for patients that finish chemo. It doesn't have to be done in the open. It could be something private. It could be, like...maybe it's a tambourine. I don't know. Something.

Jamie DePolo: Trombone.

Carly Fauth: Yeah, a trombone. There's, like, a band that comes in. I don't know. You get as creative as possible, but yes, I do think there should be a celebration for everyone that finishes. It doesn't have to be in public, but for the people that are there with you and for the person, it's a huge accomplishment, and it's such a journey, and it pushes you to the brink physically and mentally. So, I feel like there should be some recognition.

Jamie DePolo: Yeah. No, I can see both sides, because I had a friend with metastatic disease, and her take on it was, I'll never get to ring the bell because I'm never going to be done with treatment. But I can also see your point where, yes, it is a big accomplishment to go through this, and you finish it, and you want to celebrate. So, yeah, I know there's controversy, and I don't know where I stand, but I can see all the different viewpoints.

Carly Fauth: Yeah, me too. I really can.

Jamie DePolo: Yeah. So, you've got two more treatments. What happens to the podcast when you're done with chemo? I mean, it's so enjoyable to listen to. I feel like you have to keep it going.

Carly Fauth: I want to keep it going, especially when I get this new platform that I'm going to be doing after this interview. It's going to continue. I'm not sure if it will be post-cancer related, like, how that works, or I also had the idea of...with Dana-Farber's permission, which I haven't even talked to them about this, but it's just an idea I have in my head. That maybe there would be some way for me to go into Dana-Farber and interview patients who wanted to be interviewed, because I think everyone has a story to tell of the lessons they've learned from cancer and what they've been going through. I also see a lot of people who are at chemo alone, and maybe it's by choice, but maybe they would want to have a visitor during their treatment, and I could be that person. So, yes, it's going to continue. I just don't know 100 percent what it will look like.

Jamie DePolo: Are you going to keep the name?

Carly Fauth: So, yeah, that's the other thing. I'm like, I need to come up with some creative name that sounds like Chemo Coffee Talk, but is like the next chapter. I don't know, I have to brainstorm.

Jamie DePolo: Got it. Got it. Yeah. It would be...my two cents. I know a lot of people, when they finish treatment, like chemo or whatever...and in your case, since you had triple-negative, there's probably not...like, you're not going to take hormonal therapy or anything like that. So, people don't see their oncologist as often. They may not know about the long-term side effects that they have.

I just feel like that would be such a great podcast to talk about things like that. I mean, I know we do it, but you're somebody who's experiencing it. So, to me, it has more power, and it would be just amazing to give a voice to that, because, you know, there are follow-up care plans, but not everybody gets them, and I've talked to some people, and they say, like, oh, I don't know what to do. I was seeing my oncologist every other week, and now I only see her every six months, and then I'll only see her every year, and they feel kind of abandoned in a way, if that makes sense.

Carly Fauth: Yeah, that panic, I'm starting to feel that a little bit and from other survivors that I've talked to, they said to...like, the PTSD is real, and it's like when you're done, you've seen them so often for so long, and then, all of a sudden, it's like, okay, now you're out in...now there's no one monitoring you, so it's a little...I'm starting to feel a little of that panic.

Jamie DePolo: It's like someone took one of the legs off the three-legged stool.

Carly Fauth: Yes. Yes, 100 percent. It's almost like if you have kids and when you go into labor and you have your baby, and then they send you home from the hospital with the baby, and you're like, wait, you're sending me home with this human, and I have to keep it alive? You're not going to be with me? Yeah, that's kind of what I feel that I think it's kind of similar to. It's just like, ooh.

Jamie DePolo: Yeah, no, giving voice to all that, I think, would be amazing. Not that I'm trying to tell you what to do, but just...

Carly Fauth: No, that's definitely something...that's on the forefront of what I think this could be. Maybe it could be a combo, but yeah, I'm brainstorming in my head.

Jamie DePolo: Excellent. Well, Carly, thank you so much. I wish you so much success in the future of the podcast. I wish you so much health and good will and everything for yourself personally. I just can't thank you enough for joining us today.

Carly Fauth: Thank you, Jamie. Thank you so much. It's an honor to be on this podcast. So, I really appreciate you asking.

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