Sex, Sexuality, Intimacy and Fertility in the Face of Cancer

Welcome back to WellSeekers as we continue our five part series focusing on cancer. In this series, we’ll share inspiring and powerful conversations full of encouragement, hope, wisdom, touching personal stories, and most importantly real world solutions; all from a holistic perspective. We’ll talk with professionals and friends of the show on what it’s like to hear those words “you have cancer”, real life and practical wisdom and solutions for supporting those diagnosed and living with cancer, support for caregivers, and their heroic kind and self-less acts. So join us on this extraordinary series as we want to help you grow and thrive in the face of a cancer diagnosis if you’ve been diagnosed with cancer, are living with cancer, know someone dear to you with cancer, or want to prevent this fast growing, deadly and sometimes chronic disease.

We welcome back Sarah Kown, a medical physicist and radiation oncology therapist and the Founder and CEO of Own Your Cancer Coaching as we have a much needed conversation on sex, sexuality, intimacy and fertility in the face of cancer. We talk about the importance and benefits of sex for those living with not only breast cancer and cancers in the pelvic area, but with all types of cancer. We talk about some of the mental and physical side effects of chemotherapy and radiation therapy treatments, such as early menopause, sterility, erectile dysfunction, vaginal dryness, decrease in libido, and decreasd in self esteem and body image. And just as importantly, we talk about some resources and creative solutions available, both physically and mentally.

​Cancer diagnosis and treatment can pose unique challenges in sex, sexuality, intimacy and fertility.  So join us today on WellSeekers with Lucia, as we’re talking with Sarah as we demystify the topic of sex and cancer for those who have been diagnosed with cancer and those living with cancer.

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For learn more about Sarah and her company, visit her website at ownyourcancercoaching.com
Be sure to check put and follow Sarah on IG @cancerspecialist

​Resources to explore from our guest Sarah:

• How cancer can affect your sexuality and sex life https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/coping/physically/sex/effects
• Managing Female Sexual Problems Related to Cancer https://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatments-and-side-effects/physical-side-effects/fertility-and-sexual-side-effects/sexuality-for-women-with-cancer/problems.html
• Sexual intimacy during cancer treatment https://www.dana-farber.org/health-library/articles/sexual-intimacy-during-cancer-treatment/
• Chemotherapy and sex: Is sexual activity OK during treatment? https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/chemotherapy/expert-answers/chemotherapy-and-sex/faq-20058287
• How Radiation Therapy Can Affect the Sex Life of Females with Cancer https://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatments-and-side-effects/physical-side-effects/fertility-and-sexual-side-effects/sexuality-for-women-with-cancer/pelvic-radiation.html
• How Hormone Therapy and Chemo Can Affect the Sex Life of Females with Cancer https://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatments-and-side-effects/physical-side-effects/fertility-and-sexual-side-effects/sexuality-for-women-with-cancer/chemo.html
• Male Sexual Health After Cancer https://www.livestrong.org/we-can-help/finishing-treatment/male-sexual-health-after-cancer
• Life After Cancer: Changes to a Man's Sex Life https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/life-after-cancer-changes-to-a-mans-sex-life
• Cancer treatment for men: Possible sexual side effects https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cancer/in-depth/cancer-treatment/art-20045422
• How Cancer and Cancer Treatment Can Affect Fertility in Females https://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatments-and-side-effects/physical-side-effects/fertility-and-sexual-side-effects/fertility-and-women-with-cancer/how-cancer-treatments-affect-fertility.html
• Ways to preserve your fertility https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/cancer-in-general/treatment/chemotherapy/fertility/women/ways-to-keep-fertility
• Vaginal Dilators https://myhealth.alberta.ca/cancer-and-sexuality/female-sexuality-and-cancer/vaginal-tightness/vaginal-dilators
• Building Your Family After Cancer Treatment: Information for Men https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/patient-education/building-family-information-men
• How Cancer And Cancer Treatment Can Affect Fertility in Males https://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatments-and-side-effects/physical-side-effects/fertility-and-sexual-side-effects/fertility-and-men-with-cancer/how-cancer-treatments-affect-fertility.html
• Men's fertility and chemotherapy https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/cancer-in-general/treatment/chemotherapy/fertility/men
• Penile Implant​ https://myhealth.alberta.ca/cancer-and-sexuality/male-sexuality-and-cancer/overview-of-erection-problems/penile-implant

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About Sarah
Sarah Kown is a Radiation Oncology Therapist with over 15 years experience working in various cancer centers in Canada, and the Middle East. She is also the Founder and CEO of Own Your Cancer Coaching, a growing team of healthcare professionals devoted to supporting and educating people touched by cancer.  Their goal is to provide cancer patients with the education that their medical team may not have the time to teach them. You can learn more at ownyourcancercoaching.com, or on Instagram @cancerspecialist