Writer, humorist, previvor, survivor, and breast cancer prevention advocate Gila Pfeffer joins Leah for a thoughtful, funny, and deeply honest conversation about loss, resilience, and finding humor in the most unlikely situations.
Gila talks about her memoir, Nearly Departed: Adventures in Loss, Cancer, and Other Inconveniences, how humor became a survival tool during cancer treatment, and her cheeky Feel It on the First campaign that raises awareness of breast cancer screenings and risk reduction. Gila shares her experiences from undergoing a risk-reducing double mastectomy as a BRCA+ previvor to becoming a cancer survivor who is a powerful voice in breast cancer awareness.
This wide-ranging interview moves between generations—Gila’s experience as a daughter watching her mother go through cancer, and later as a mother facing her own diagnosis—highlighting the power of storytelling to help us make sense of what feels impossible. This episode is packed with humor, honesty, and hope, offering a fresh perspective on cancer prevention and advocacy.
Follow Gila on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/gilapfeffer/
Subscribe to her Substack https://gilapfeffer.substack.com/
Send your Feel It On the First pictures to Gila! gilawrites (at) gmail.com
Things we discussed in this episode:
➡️ Read Gila’s first publication in McSweeney’s An Open Letter to Tiffany & Co. About Their Advertising Campaign for the Ring That Helps Women Remember They Survived Cancer https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/an-open-letter-to-tiffany-co-about-their-advertising-campaign-for-the-ring-that-helps-women-remember-they-survived-cancer
➡️ The Tyrer-Cuzick Risk Calculator https://magview.com/ibis-risk-calculator/
➡️ Koning-Vera, compression-free mammography https://www.koninghealth.com/index.php
➡️ Eleonora Deplinsky, MD Gynecologic medical oncologist https://www.instagram.com/drteplinsky
➡️ Robyn Roth, MD breast radiologist https://www.instagram.com/theboobiedocs
➡️ Sharsheret, a nonprofit dedicated to providing personalized support, education, and community for Jewish women facing breast and/or ovarian cancer. https://www.sharsheret.org/