Season 2
Feb. 3, 2026
THON 2025: Inside Penn State's 46-Hour Stand for Kids with Cancer
🎥 VIDEO EPISODE NOTE: This story was created for video and includes incredible visual moments from THON Weekend — from walking through Penn State's player cheer tunnel to experiencing the energy of 16,500 students in the Bryc...
Jan. 13, 2026
Finding Your Voice After the Bell: A PhotoVoice Journey of Young Adult Cancer Survivors
What happens when treatment ends but the journey continues? For young adult cancer survivors, the ringing of the bell marks not an ending, but the beginning of something more complex — survivorship. In this powerful episode o...
Dec. 23, 2025
Mind Over Matter: Health Maintenance After Cancer
What does health maintenance really mean when you're a young adult cancer survivor? Eliot and Hailey—both acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) survivors—share the reality of life after treatment: checkups every six months, scho...
Dec. 11, 2025
When Heroes Meet Heroes: Life Lion's Impact on Cancer Families
When a Life Lion flight nurse saves a teenager's life, he never expects to meet him again. Ten years later, that young man returns—not as a patient, but as a father—to say thank you. Ten-year-old William, a leukemia survivor,...
Nov. 28, 2025
The Tape Job: How Cancer Taught Tony Campisi to Redefine Heaven
Tony Campisi, a two-time cancer survivor, shares a story about hockey, resilience, and discovering that heaven doesn't have to look the same to still be heaven. Diagnosed with an astrocytoma tumor on his spinal cord at age fo...
Nov. 18, 2025
The Long Way Around: Living With Osteosarcoma at Age 12
At twelve years old, Ariana was living for sports — two softball teams, church basketball, and constant motion. Then her knees started hurting. What seemed like a sports injury turned into an osteosarcoma diagnosis that would...
Oct. 29, 2025
From Provider to Patient, Part 2: Karen Powell on Early Detection, Tough Choices, and Self-Advocacy
Karen Powell, a nurse practitioner at Memorial Sloan Kettering who specializes in breast cancer care, returns for Part 2 to share the night everything changed: her own diagnosis at age 39. A lifelong runner, healthy eater, an...
Oct. 24, 2025
Three Generations of Strength, Part 1: How Family Legacy Shaped a Nurse’s Journey
Karen Powell, a Penn State graduate and nurse practitioner at Memorial Sloan Kettering, shares a deeply personal story that spans three generations of women affected by breast cancer. Diagnosed herself at age 39, Karen’s path...
Oct. 3, 2025
Brave, Bold, Gold: Ariana & Tony Share Their Childhood Cancer Awareness Designs
Ariana McDonell and Tony Campisi share how they turned their childhood cancer journeys into powerful designs for Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. At just 12 years old, Ariana entered a t-shirt design contest that became much...
Sept. 16, 2025
A Taste of Independence: Cooking Up Confidence After Cancer
Taylor, Eliot, Shelly, and Tony share how something as simple as a cooking class can spark confidence, connection, and independence after cancer. Hosted at Zest! Cooking School in Lititz, Pennsylvania, this Life on Pause even...
Aug. 12, 2025
God Didn’t Give Me Cancer—But He Didn’t Stop It Either: Robyn’s Story
Robyn, a 21-year-old from Lancaster County, was diagnosed with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia during her second year of college. What started as what she thought were boils and cold symptoms quickly turned into a life-ch...
July 22, 2025
Healing Through Hoofbeats: Paige’s Story of Strength and Therapeutic Horsemanship
Paige, a 15-year-old from Pennsylvania, was diagnosed with Burkitt’s leukemia at stage 3. After spending seven months in the hospital undergoing intensive treatment, she found herself withdrawn and unsure—until she met a hors...
July 1, 2025
Cancer Camp Changed My Life: AYA Survivors Share the Power of Connection
Emma, Lucas, Ariana, and Casey open up about what it’s really like to attend a cancer camp as a young adult. From fears about fitting in to late-night laughs and life-changing conversations, they share the moments that made t...
May 6, 2025
Preserving Parenthood: Fertility Options for Young Cancer Patients
In this episode of Life on Pause , we explore a critical—but often overlooked—aspect of cancer care: fertility preservation. Joined by Dr. Mindy Christianson, a national expert in reproductive endocrinology from the Cleveland...
April 1, 2025
Finding Strength in Support: Young Adults on Cancer, Community, and Coming Back Stronger
In this episode of Life on Pause , young adult cancer survivors open up about the incredible power of support systems. From family and friends to classmates, coworkers, and even strangers, our guests share how they leaned on ...
March 18, 2025
Navigating Cancer’s Impact on Education & Career Paths
How does a cancer diagnosis impact education and career aspirations? In this episode of Life on Pause , seven young adult cancer survivors share their personal experiences of having their lives disrupted by cancer during pivo...
Nov. 12, 2024
Sweet and Salty: How Cancer Changes Your Relationship with Food
In this heartfelt episode of Life on Pause , Corene Parrish and a group of young adult cancer survivors gather to explore the complex relationship between food and cancer. Reflecting on life before, during, and after treatmen...
Oct. 15, 2024
Real Stories of Young Cancer Survivors: Balancing School and Treatment
Returning to school after a cancer diagnosis can be an overwhelming challenge, filled with unique hurdles and unexpected moments. In this episode of Life On Pause, young adult cancer survivors Sammy, Nathan, and Corene share ...
Aug. 30, 2024
Exploring Family Planning After Cancer: Joe Apgar’s Adoption Journey
In this compelling episode of "Life on Pause," host Jill Robertson sits down with Joe Apgar, a cancer survivor and CEO of Pelotonia, to explore the deeply personal journey of family planning after a cancer diagnosis. Joe shar...
Aug. 29, 2024
Infertility After Cancer: Reflections on Parenthood and Life
In this poignant episode of Life on Pause, hosts Corene Parrish and Jill Robertson dive into the complex and emotional journey of navigating infertility, especially in the wake of a cancer diagnosis. Corene shares her persona...
Aug. 28, 2024
Dealing with Infertility & Cancer: A Survivor’s Perspective
In this heartfelt episode of Life on Pause, Corene Parrish shares her personal journey of managing life after being diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma at the age of 16. Join Corene and Jill Robertson as they discuss the emotio...
Aug. 27, 2024
Exploring Fertility Preservation During Cancer Treatment: Expert Insights from Penn State Health
In this episode of "Life on Pause," host Jill Robertson sits down with Dr. Stephanie Estes, a fertility specialist at Penn State Health, to explore the complex intersection of cancer treatment and fertility preservation. Buil...
July 2, 2024
Rising Above: Stories of Resilience from Young Cancer Survivors
In this inspiring episode of Life On Pause, join host Emma G as she celebrates the resilience and triumphs of young cancer survivors at the Four Diamond Graduation Party. Hear from Tucker Haas, a four-time cancer survivor tur...