Navy veteran, breast cancer survivor, photographer, and author Brenda M. Lee joins Veteran Cancer Talk to share her powerful story of military service, toxic exposure, breast cancer diagnosis at age 30, and long-term survivorship.

Brenda served aboard Navy ships where she was regularly exposed to jet fuel, asbestos, and hazardous environments — conditions many veterans now believe contribute to higher cancer risk. She opens up about receiving her cancer diagnosis through a phone call while sitting in a Target parking lot, navigating nearly a year of chemotherapy and radiation, and the psychological impact that followed.

In this conversation, Brenda discusses:
• Breast cancer in young women
• Cancer risk among women veterans
• Military environmental exposures and cancer
• The mental health effects of cancer treatment
• The importance of early detection and self-advocacy
• Why survivorship does not always mean “being okay”

Now more than eighteen years cancer-free, Brenda shares her experience with honesty, humor, and compassion through her book It’s Not You, It’s Cancer: A Slightly Inappropriate Guide to Breast Cancer Survival. Her book offers real-world guidance for patients, survivors, caregivers, and families navigating diagnosis, treatment, and life after cancer.

This episode highlights the invisible battles veterans face, the critical role of caregivers, and why connecting with others who understand the cancer journey can be lifesaving.

Connect with Brenda

Website:
https://brendamlee.wordpress.com/

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/Brenda.Marion.Lee

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/brendamlee_author/

Order It’s Not You, It’s Cancer

Amazon / Kindle (Print & eBook):
https://amzn.to/4nBnXve

Apple Books:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/its-not-you-its-cancer/id6754893131

Barnes & Noble (Print & eBook):
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/its-not-you-its-cancer-brenda-m-lee/1148680446?ean=2940182894982

Support the show

Veteran Cancer Network is building the resource we wish we had. Connecting veterans and caregivers navigating cancer.
Learn more at www.veterancancernetwork.org

Send us a text

In Episode 3, Casey — Marine Corps veteran and cancer survivor — breaks down one of the biggest gaps in veteran healthcare: age-based cancer screening.

Most cancer screening guidelines are built for the “average” patient. But veterans are not average. Military service comes with unique environmental and occupational exposures that increase cancer risk — risks that often aren’t considered when care is based on age alone.

In this episode, Casey explains why age-based screening fails veterans, how systemic healthcare defaults create dangerous delays in diagnosis, and what veterans can do to advocate for cancer screening based on risk rather than age. This conversation is focused on understanding the system, not placing blame — and empowering veterans to have better, more informed conversations with their healthcare providers.

If you’re a veteran navigating healthcare, a caregiver, or a healthcare professional working with veterans, this episode offers practical insight into why cancer care must evolve to reflect military service-related risk.

Risk doesn’t mean cancer is guaranteed — it means the odds are different.

Support the show

Veteran Cancer Network is building the resource we wish we had. Connecting veterans and caregivers navigating cancer.
Learn more at www.veterancancernetwork.org

Send us a text

In Episode 2, Casey — Marine Corps veteran and co-founder of Veteran Cancer Network — shares his personal journey with testicular cancer, from the first warning signs to chemotherapy and recovery.

Casey reflects on his military service, exposure to toxic environments, and the challenges veterans face when navigating VA healthcare and cancer diagnosis. He recounts how a seemingly unrelated bicycle accident led to the discovery of his tumor, the moment he received his diagnosis, and what it was like undergoing chemotherapy as a young veteran.

This episode highlights the importance of self-advocacy in healthcare, leaning on community and loved ones during treatment, and finding moments of humor even in the hardest seasons. Casey also shares practical advice for veterans and patients preparing for chemotherapy — including what no one tells you beforehand.

If you’re a veteran, caregiver, or someone navigating a cancer diagnosis, this episode offers honesty, perspective, and reassurance that you don’t have to face it alone.

Advocating for your health can save your life.

Support the show

Veteran Cancer Network is building the resource we wish we had. Connecting veterans and caregivers navigating cancer.
Learn more at www.veterancancernetwork.org