In this deeply personal episode of Chu on This!, Dr. Katie W. Chu sits down with her longtime friend Claudia Jimenez for an honest and reflective conversation about friendship, identity, confidence, and the quiet work of becoming who you were always meant to be.

Spanning more than two decades of shared history, Katie and Claudia reflect on meeting as young single mothers, raising daughters side by side, and supporting one another through career shifts, financial loss, divorce, and personal reinvention. Claudia shares her journey from working simply to survive to rediscovering her intelligence, worth, and voice through education, therapy, and courageously stepping outside her comfort zone.

The conversation explores unlearning limiting beliefs passed down through family, culture, and society, particularly around being a woman, self-confidence, and perceived capability. Claudia opens up about staying silent for years in a marriage that no longer aligned with who she was becoming, and how finding her voice ultimately changed the course of her life.

Katie reflects on her own journey of reclaiming confidence, leadership, and faith, including confronting long-held self-doubt around business and ability. Together, they discuss friendship that endures without guilt, the power of community, the importance of modeling growth for their daughters, and why healing often begins when we finally tell ourselves the truth.

This episode is a reminder that strength is often quiet, growth is rarely linear, and finding your voice can change everything.

Unlearning old beliefs is essential to growth. Katie and Claudia reflect on how beliefs formed in youth, about intelligence, capability, and worth, shaped their lives for years. True growth began when they questioned and released those narratives.

Finding your voice may come at a cost, but silence costs more. Claudia shares how staying silent for years affected her identity and relationships, and how reclaiming her voice ultimately led to difficult but necessary change.

Safe friendships allow growth without guilt. Their enduring friendship demonstrates that real connection does not require constant contact. Trust, understanding, and mutual support create space for growth without resentment.

“I stayed silent for ten years. Finding my voice changed everything.”

“I believed I wasn’t smart because that’s what I was told, and I carried that for years.”

“We are our biggest critics. Nobody else sees us the way we see ourselves.”

In this deeply moving episode of Chu on This!, Dr. Katie W. Chu sits down with Zelene Zaragoza, a police dispatcher and lifelong member of the San Gabriel Valley community, for an emotionally honest conversation about cancer, grief, survival, and the lifelong impact of loss.

Zelene shares the story of losing her mother to stage-four gallbladder cancer when she was just nineteen years old. What followed was a rapid six-month journey that reshaped her understanding of love, strength, and resilience. She reflects on grief as a lasting presence, one that evolves but never fully disappears, and on the importance of speaking her mother’s name and carrying her legacy forward.

Dr. Chu opens up about her own breast cancer diagnosis, the moments of denial and fear, and the profound realization of illness during a solitary MRI appointment. She speaks candidly about body image, identity, and the long journey toward self-acceptance after a double mastectomy, including the transformative moment when her daughters helped her reclaim her sense of beauty and worth.

Together, Katie and Zelene explore the many layers of cancer’s impact, not only on those diagnosed, but also on families, children, and caregivers. They talk about tears, anger, faith, laughter, and the quiet moments of grace that help people continue choosing life even after unimaginable loss.

This episode is a powerful reminder that strength is not the absence of pain. It is the courage to feel deeply, to honor those we’ve lost, and to keep moving forward with intention, compassion, and light.

Strength includes tears, grief, and vulnerability. Katie and Zelene reflect on how true strength comes from allowing emotions to surface rather than suppressing them. Healing begins when we give ourselves permission to feel fully.

Cancer reshapes how we see life, loss, and what matters. Whether surviving cancer or losing someone to it, the experience fundamentally alters perspective. Small frustrations fade, and gratitude, presence, and connection become central.

Legacy lives on through stories, laughter, and purpose. Speaking loved ones’ names, sharing their stories, and embodying the values they lived by keeps their presence alive and gives meaning to continued life.

“Strength isn’t the absence of tears. It’s letting them fall and still choosing life.”

“I think every person cancer touches reaches a crossroads of how they’re going to choose life.”

“Your survival is not an accident. It is purpose, protection, and grace.”

Zelene Zaragoza is a first-generation American born and raised in the San Gabriel Valley. She works as a police dispatcher and has a deep passion for helping others. After experiencing the loss of her mother to cancer, Zelene draws strength from her family, friends, and faith. In her free time, she enjoys spending meaningful moments with loved ones and giving back to her community.

In this episode of Chu on This!, Dr. Katie W. Chu sits down with her longtime colleague and friend Dr. Alan Berg, a highly respected cataract and LASIK surgeon, for a thoughtful and deeply human conversation about purpose, kindness, humility, and how we choose to move through life.

Rather than focusing on titles or accolades, the conversation centers on what it truly means to live on purpose. Dr. Berg shares his philosophy of making every day count, choosing gratitude, and taking responsibility for how he shows up, regardless of circumstances. He reflects on the importance of kindness, helping others without expectation of recognition, and finding fulfillment in simply doing the right thing.

Together, Katie and Alan explore topics such as imposter syndrome, self-worth, presence, friendships, random acts of kindness, and the power of choosing joy even on difficult days. Dr. Berg’s calm, grounded perspective offers a refreshing reminder that peace does not come from success or validation, but from acceptance, humility, and intention.

This episode is a quiet yet powerful reminder that legacy is not built through grand gestures, but through everyday choices. How we treat others, how we face challenges, and how we decide to live each day ultimately defines the life we lead.

Every day can be a good day if you choose it. Dr. Berg explains that while not every day is easy, it is our responsibility to decide how we respond. Choosing gratitude and perspective allows even difficult days to hold meaning.

Kindness does not need recognition to matter. True kindness is shown in quiet actions. Helping someone because it is right, not because it will be noticed. Legacy is built through consistent, unrecognized acts of goodness.

Living on purpose means being present and grateful. Purpose is not about achievement or status. It is about appreciating what you have, valuing relationships, and making the most of each moment.

“It’s my responsibility to make it a good day.”

“If you’re not happy with yourself, only you can change that.”

“Why wouldn’t you help someone if you can?”