Dr. Brad Miller welcomes Mary Ghosh—registered nurse, triple-negative breast cancer survivor, and author of Chemo Burgers: A Music-Fueled Memoir of Humor and Hope in the Chaos of Cancer. Diagnosed at 41, Mary went through 16 rounds of chemotherapy, including four doses of “Red Devil” and 12 rounds of Taxol. In this candid, often funny conversation, she shares how music, humor, and honest storytelling helped her cope with treatment—and how writing her book became part of her healing and advocacy.

Brad and Mary explore:
Why she gave her memoir the startling title Chemo Burgers
The “boogers” metaphor she used for treatment’s unpleasant side effects
Seeing cancer from both a nurse’s and a patient’s perspective
How diagnosis changed her priorities, relationships, and sense of time
Getting through intensive treatment, pneumonia, and the “messy middle”
The songs—including “Seasons” by Chris Cornell—that helped her cope
Finding laughter in a Halloween costume after losing her hair
Balancing humor with grief, honesty, and vulnerability
Turning her treatment blog into a book and a source of purpose
Her advice for someone who has just received a cancer diagnosis
This conversation offers:
An honest account of treatment: Mary talks about the realities of chemotherapy and why she wanted to describe the experience without sugarcoating it.
A personal approach to coping: Hear how music and humor helped her get through difficult moments, without pretending the hard parts weren’t real.

A reminder to make room for what matters: Mary reflects on spending time with family, choosing relationships more intentionally, and pursuing meaningful work.
Encouragement for the newly diagnosed: Her first advice is to take a breath and remember that there may be time to gather information and meet with a care team before making a plan.

A story of turning experience into connection: Mary explains how writing, advocacy, and messages from readers have helped her feel that her story can support others.

Cancer treatment can be grueling and uncertain. Mary’s story doesn’t minimize that; it shows how honesty, family support, music, and a little humor helped her move through it. Whether you’re facing cancer yourself or supporting someone who is, this conversation offers a warm, candid perspective on coping—one song, one laugh, and one step at a time.

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