Dorothy: [00:00:00] Here we are starting season three of Let’s Talk About Your Breast. I’m just amazed that we’re already into season three and all of the many episodes and guests that we’ve had. Today we’re gonna go behind the scenes and talk to Roxann Hayford, who is from our communications department and who has many years of media training and media work behind her. She had just started working at The Rose when we started recording our episodes in late fall 2022, and today she’s gonna talk about what she has learned about breast cancer, about people in general from her unique seat behind the scenes.
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Let’s Talk About Your Breast, [00:01:00] a different kind of podcast presented to you by The Rose, a breast center of excellence, and a Texas treasure. You’re gonna hear frank discussions about tough topics, and you’re gonna learn why knowing about your breast could save your life.
So Roxann, how long have you worked in communications?
Roxann: I’ve been with Communications with The Rose for almost two years now.
Dorothy: But it’s, it’s something you knew beforehand.
Roxann: Yes. Absolute.
Dorothy: Before you ever came to us.
Roxann: Absolutely. Yes. Yes. I, um, have a degree in journalism, so I started off in communications, public relations, public affairs, transitioned to event planning. Went into technology and construction for a while, but then came back to what I’m really passionate about, which is communications.
Dorothy: Why are passionate about it?
Roxann: I’m passionate about it because I enjoy learning and then telling stories. I enjoy interviewing. I enjoy speaking with people. I enjoy learning what makes people tick, um, what makes [00:02:00] people, other people passionate about the things that they do.
Dorothy: Mm-hmm. So talk a little bit about Let’s Talk About Your Breasts and the podcast. I mean, you’ve been with us since this thing started, really. So what have you noticed, learned, discovered about yourself, about people?
Roxann: I’ve learned a lot with, Let’s Talk About Your Breasts, because we have so many different guests that come on. I’ve learned a lot from the doctors that come on and talk about treatment recommendations, things that are very technical, very specific. But I’ve also learned a lot from the patients that have come through. I’ve learned a lot about love. I’ve learned a lot about strength. I’ve learned a ton, a ton about the kind of courage that it takes to battle something like breast cancer. I’ve learned a lot from their partners and caretakers about what it is that they go through as [00:03:00] well. Um, because breast cancer isn’t just about the patient. They have a family, they have friends, they have a whole community. So I’ve learned a lot about everybody that it impacts that whole ripple effect once somebody hears those words of a diagnosis.
So I’ve learned a lot from a lot of different perspectives, I think, which is, um, something I’ve really, really enjoyed that I didn’t anticipate that I would be doing. I thought, you know, we’re behind the scenes, we’re behind the camera, and we’re just, you know, we’re recording, we’re gonna edit. But that’s not how it really works.
I mean, you’re, you’re listening, you are really soaking it all in. And hopefully I’ve been able to take those things and translate that into some of the communication that we do and the materials that we create to just bring more awareness about the action that is needed when it comes to breast cancer.
Dorothy: So these are real people.
Roxann: Absolutely.
Dorothy: Mm-hmm. And you’re, you’re hearing some of the most intimate stories you will ever hear. I, I just think [00:04:00] it’s phenomenal how people open up and, and it’s only because they wanna help someone else. That’s what amazes me. I don’t know if I would tell all the things that we’ve heard just to help someone else, but—
Roxann: You’re right, I, you do hear a lot of personal details and that I think, goes back to the courage that I’m mentioning. I, I know you have some patients that are, this is their first time that they’ve opened up. That they’ve spoken with anybody about it. Because whether they felt like maybe they couldn’t go to somebody or they couldn’t afford to go to speak to somebody, this is really their first outlet to talk about some of those things.
And it does get very emotional in the podcast. Um, and it’s not just, you know, you with the guests that is, you know, that might be tearing up or listening to these stories. I mean, we all are in the room there. There’s oftentimes there’s not a dry eye in the room when the patient is, is sharing what they’ve been through or a spouse is sharing what it was like for them to really have their hands tied behind their back while their loved one, you know, can’t do anything. Or maybe a spouse decided they were gonna be really [00:05:00] proactive and they’re gonna do a lot of research and, and they’re gonna ask the questions because they know that they’re a team. So, um, yeah, it takes a lot of courage, I think, for, for the patients and, and the spouses and caretakers and family to, to admit to some of those things that were really, really difficult that they went through. And then to do it on camera and know that they’re sharing it with a huge following with an audience, but they do it because they want others to understand what it is like and that there is help available to them.
Dorothy: Right. And there is life.
Roxann: Right.
Dorothy: And it is not always a death sentence. And all of the things that we know get associated with cancer. So now you had some personal history with The Rose before you came here?
Roxann: Yes, yes. My husband’s aunt worked here at The Rose with you for many years early on. Um, so that was something that I wasn’t aware of actually until I started here. Um, and he was my husband, uh, Brandon was very proud to let me know, and his entire family is very proud that Regina worked here. [00:06:00] Um, and she worked so closely with you. Um, I did have an aunt as well, um, who did have breast cancer and metastatic breast cancer, and she passed away from that. And I have had other family members, um, that have had different types of cancers. So while I have not personally had that experience, I have, you know, had others in my family that had.
Dorothy: And I remember the day that, uh, you told me Brandon had, his aunt is someone that worked for you. And then when you said Bowerman, I just. You know, Regina was a favorite. You, she was probably our third or fourth tech—
Roxann: Wow.
Dorothy: Technologist, you know, to work for. But she learned everything. She learned mammography, she learned ultrasound. She was so talented, and she had her own battle with cancer. Not breast cancer.
Roxann: Mm-hmm.
Dorothy: But, um. She died way too young.
Roxann: Mm-hmm.
Dorothy: You know, I think that was my second employee to lose. And, uh, it, it just really impacts when [00:07:00] folks think I, I don’t know if they think this, but I think many times they’re surprised how many breast cancer survivors are cancer survivors that we have that work for us.
Roxann: Mm-hmm.
Dorothy: I think that’s part of the passion of the staff.
Roxann: Right. I agree.
Dorothy: Yeah. Part of what makes us different. Yeah. Yeah. So have you had any fun doing this show?
Roxann: Oh, absolutely. Every time we get to record, every time we get to edit and review things, it it definitely has been, it has been fun. You, like, you, like we talked about, there are, it is a very heavy subject. It can be a very heavy subject, but it’s always, we always end it on a good note, I think, because we ask them, what are you doing now?
Dorothy: Mm-hmm.
Roxann: And they get to tell us, well, I’m, I finished school, I now have this job. My kids have now graduated from college. So, as you said, it’s not a death sentence. It, it seems like it gives people, you know, it wasn’t def obviously it’s a huge challenge, but it, it seems to give people a new lease on life. They look at life differently. They, their whole, you know, perspective on [00:08:00] things has changed on, on what really is, what really is, uh, an inconvenience or what is a problem or what is something to really be upset about it.
It really changes that mindset and, and when you are listening to their story and you’re here in the room with them, you can’t help but take that in as well. And think about maybe some of the, your, the own, your own things that are happening in life going. You know, it’s really not that bad or, you know, it could be worse.
Um, so definitely there, there’s been some fun times afterwards, even though it is a difficult subject to get through, and there’s, there’s tears. There’s always that, that, you know, that sliver of, of light at the end of the tunnel for these women, it makes, it makes you, um, excited and happy too, to hear how they’re doing.
Dorothy: Right. I think, I always think that, uh, Joanne was one of our, our favorites. Of course they’re all favorites, but Joanne’s story was so compelling, so sad.
Roxann: Right?
Dorothy: And, and it was like right outta left field. When we heard some of the, the challenges, some of the loss she had. And then [00:09:00] she starts talking about her boyfriend and I was going, what? You know, I, and she’s traveling all over the world and I, it, it was, it’s just astounding. People are so fascinating.
Roxann: Right. I agree. Yes. Her story, I remember, I mean, there was a lot of tragedy beyond what is already difficult with the breast cancer. The things that she went through outside of that, and then, like you said, to then just talk about, you know, her boyfriend and where she’s going.
So, you know, that, like I mentioned, that really brings that back to me how there, it, it is very tough to listen to, but then you’re like. Wow. I, I’m just so amazed and you’re so proud of these patients. That’s how I feel. I feel so much pride, like, so much pride for them, and I want them to just continue moving ahead and, and speaking out. So it is, it’s, it’s been really, really interesting to listen to all the patients and, and guests that we’ve had.
Dorothy: And many of them will ride us afterwards.
Roxann: Mm-hmm.
Dorothy: Our someone will comment on it and we forward it to ’em and. And then they say, oh, what a privilege it was. And [00:10:00] I’m, I’m the one that’s feeling like we’re privileged that they even came and told us their story.
Roxann: Right. That they opened an opened up. Mm-hmm.
Dorothy: Yeah. You spoke of some of the fun we’ve had. What other things come to mind?
Roxann: We did have an episode, we did have a guest who practices yoga, and she was explaining to us how that ties into, uh, patients who have breast cancer or others just to do, just to have some type of practice to relax, uh, focus, that type of thing. Meditate. And we sort, you, you not, we, you sort of, sort of challenged our producer, Freddy to see if he’d be willing to give it a try. And he was.
Dorothy: We did. We did.
Roxann: Yes.
Dorothy: Freddy, come on over here. Come on. I want people to see Freddy.
Roxann: Yes, this is the famous Freddy.
Dorothy: And all. We talk about him all the time, but come stand back over here. Are you, are you getting him now? Look how, look how stiff this guy is. I mean, he’s stiff. You know, he, [00:11:00] I, I think Nancy asked him to, was trying to show him Child’s Pose.
Roxann: I think so.
Dorothy: And you remember you couldn’t even bend over. I mean, it was so funny.
Roxann: And he did it.
Dorothy: We were not laughing at you. She got him down. She calmed him down. How did that feel, Freddy?
Freddy: It, it felt, it felt good. Um, I will say, um, my back is still very stiff. I should probably schedule—
Roxann: You need to do more child’s poses.
Freddy: Do more child’s poses and, um, and possibly schedule a call with Nancy. Nancy March is the guest.
Dorothy: Yes.
Roxann: Mm-hmm.
Dorothy: Yes. That’s, that’s who we need you to see. Maybe he’ll, you know, he’ll—
Roxann: Loosen up.
Dorothy: Loosen up a little bit. Thank you. So any other, any other tidbits that you have being behind the scenes of this, this program?
Roxann: Any tidbits behind the scenes kind of commentary? Let’s see. I will say that it is a lot of work behind the scenes that I think [00:12:00] a lot of people don’t realize what goes into a production.
Dorothy: Oh. Mm-hmm.
Roxann: But it’s okay because we know how important it is to really share these stories, give these.
Patients, these guests, these doctors, a platform to talk about what is important to them, what they have experienced, and what they suggest for others. So even if it takes us, you know, I, I’m speaking for other folks, when I say hours of editing, um, or reviewing transcripts to, to get that episode just right, to launch it on YouTube or launch it on, you know, your podcast platform, it, I mean, it is so completely worth it. It is definitely completely worth it.
Dorothy: So you feel like every moment we spend doing this is worth it?
Roxann: I would say so.
Dorothy: I would too.
Roxann: I would definitely say so.
Dorothy: Yeah. I, I just, sometimes people go, you have a podcast. It’s like, what do you do with podcast? Well, I think we’ve shared a lot, educated a lot, who knows who’s come and had [00:13:00] their mammograms simply because I heard one of our episodes.
Roxann: Mm-hmm. I, I think so because we know that it’s helping and that, that’s one of the things that I really enjoy about being with The Rose, is that we know we’re helping people. At the end of the day, we helped somebody, and whether, like you said, that’s one listener, if that’s five listeners, even if somebody didn’t take action that day and it planted a seed in their mind about what they can do to help, or it planted their seed in their mind that says, okay, yes, I’m gonna call tomorrow and I’m gonna get that scheduled, or I’m gonna go online and I’m gonna go ahead and get that scheduled. Then to me, that again makes it all worth it.
Dorothy: Yeah. Well, thank you so much for being with us today and sharing your behind the scenes stories of producing and orchestrating and helping to make all this come together. We’re here on Let’s Talk About Your Breast, and Roxann is one of our key people in the background. Thank you again.
Roxann: Thank you.
Post-Credits: Thank you for joining us today on Let’s Talk About Your Breasts. This podcast is produced by [00:14:00] Speke Podcasting and brought to you by The Rose. Visit therose.Org to learn more about our organization. Subscribe to our podcast, share episodes with friends, and join the conversation on social media using #LetsTalkAboutYourBreasts. We welcome your feedback and suggestions. Consider supporting The Rose. Your gift can make the difference to a person in need. And remember, self care is not selfish, it’s essential.
