432. Shayla Martin, Breast Cancer Survivor

"In my gut, I knew my life was about to change."

Shayla Martin has a lot to celebrate right now. First, her 43rd birthday. Then, a spontaneous experience dancing onstage at a concert with Diplo. And, perhaps most importantly, her three-year anniversary of being cancer-free. On this episode, meet two-time marathoner Shayla Martin, a woman who is always joyful, smiling, and seeking a good time. But in 2017, at just 39 years old, Shayla's world was rocked when she found a lump in her breast that turned out to be breast cancer. Here, Shayla shares her cancer story, which included a mastectomy, chemo, radiation, and three breast reconstruction surgeries. She talks about how cancer changed her relationship with her body, and why, in her forties, she decided to pursue therapy for the very first time. She talks about living her best life at Burning Man, about a low point in her life last summer, when she was arrested on her way home after a run, and about why she thinks "life should be lived in a tutu." Shayla lives in New York City where she works in hospitality sales for GrubHub.

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What you'll get on this episode:

• On dancing onstage with Diplo and Jess King, and going to Burning Man (3:00)
• What Shayla's life was like before her cancer diagnosis (15:30)
• What it was like being diagnosed with breast cancer (19:50)
• How Shayla responded to chemo and radiation (35:00)
• How Shayla's relationship with her body has changed since getting cancer, and what it was like being told she was cancer-free (44:55)
• Therapy talk (54:00)
• Shayla's experience getting arrested last summer while walking home after a run (1:04:00)

Check out:

The Pink Agenda

Black Burner Project on Instagram @blackburnerproject

Follow Shayla:

• Instagram @sdotmartin05

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