This episode explores the science and practice of exercise oncology — how targeted physical activity can support cancer treatment, recovery, and long-term health. We discuss the role of aerobic endurance, strength training, and personalized exercise prescriptions in improving treatment tolerance, enhancing quality of life, and supporting long-term survivorship.

Dr. Rudolfs Cešeiko is an exercise oncology expert and the founder of the Exercise Oncology Clinic in Riga, Latvia. Dr Cešeiko has developed both clinical and community-based protocols in the field of exercise oncology, integrating scientific evidence with real-world clinical practice. His work spans clinical trials, personalized exercise planning, and translating research into accessible programs for people living with and beyond cancer.

In addition to his clinic leadership, Dr. Cešeiko collaborates on European-level initiatives — including partnerships with organizations such as Outdoor Against Cancer — while maintaining his primary focus on advancing clinical exercise oncology in Latvia and internationally.

Through his research, clinical expertise, and commitment to patient-centered practice, Dr Cešeiko is helping shape the future of exercise oncology from both medical and community perspectives.

Link to Dr.Cešeiko's clinic in Latvia: https://www.aktivitasuklinika.lv/

Dr. Cešeiko's social media accounts, where you can find more of his educational content related to physical activity in clinical populations:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rudolfs_ceseiko/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/r%C5%ABdolfs-ce%C5%A1eiko-ph-d-3bb07a178/

Joe Faratzis joins us today not as a headline or as a statistic. He’s here as a man living through stage IV colon cancer — navigating scans, side effects, decisions, fears, clinical trials and the quiet moments in between. This is no polished narrative. It’s just honesty about what it means to have your body change the rules on you. It’s a conversation about vulnerability, resilience and the parts of cancer people don’t always see. This is Joe’s voice — unfiltered, unscripted, and happening in real time. You can find Joe @RADIANT14 on TikTok for more!

Joe is one of our F-U Cancer Patient Champions. At F-U Cancer, our Patient and Caregiver Champion Program puts the voices of those living with cancer at the center of everything we build. By partnering with people who know the journey firsthand, we ensure our resources are credible, relevant and grounded in what truly matters most.

Dr. Jennifer Vencill is a board certified clinical health psychologist, AASECT-certified sex therapist, co-author of the newly published book named Desire: An Inclusive Guide to Navigating Libido Differences in Relationships, and she is an educator at Mayo Clinic.

Please note that she is speaking on the podcast as an individual and not on behalf of Mayo Clinic.

Dr. Vencill teaches medical professionals how to approach sexual health with skill, sensitivity, and inclusivity. She works with all patient populations and more specifically, with cancer patients, caregivers and survivors, bringing deep expertise to a field of medicine that remains underserved and in need of more trained specialists.

In this episode, we will be focusing on whole-person care, specifically speaking to those medical professionals who weren’t provided training on sexual health in the setting of a cancer diagnosis.

Our goal is to close important gaps, build comfort around challenging conversations and better meet patients where they need us most.

IG: @drjennifervencill

Dr. Jennifer Vencill's Trusted Sexual Health Resources for Clinicians:

• The Scientific Network on Female Sexual Health and Cancer
• The International Society for Sexual Medicine
• ISSWSH
• AAESCT

Dr. Jennifer Vencill's Tool for Clinicians to Address Sexual Health in Cancer Care:

“Many people going through cancer treatment have sexual health concerns. What concerns do you have?”

We are thrilled to welcome Juliette Jorgenson, a Registered Dietitian and passionate advocate for cancer supportive care, who is extending the mission and vision of the F-U Cancer podcast. Juliette brings experience supporting patients and caregivers across nutrition, symptom management, and wellness, and now she’s creating a space to share practical guidance, expert insights, and inspiration for the cancer community.

Jasmine Westbrooks is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist based in Raleigh, North Carolina. Jasmine is a true powerhouse in nutrition and wellness, blending clinical expertise with lived experience to help people build sustainable, realistic relationships with food.

Her path into nutrition was deeply personal—shaped by seeing preventable health conditions affect her own family—which fueled a career rooted in prevention, empowerment, and cultural relevance. Jasmine holds a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition Dietetics from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and a Master’s in Nutrition Education from Rosalind Franklin University. She’s also the co-founder of EatWell Exchange, a nonprofit dedicated to bringing diabetes prevention, culinary education, and hands-on nutrition programming to underserved communities—while honoring cultural food traditions rather than erasing them.

In addition to her community work, Jasmine is the CEO of Nourish Through Nutrition and a nationally recognized media dietitian, with features across television, print, and digital platforms. At the heart of it all is her commitment to helping people move away from fear, confusion, and food guilt—and toward confidence, longevity, and a better quality of life.

Diagnosed with incurable breast cancer in 2024, Shaunna Burke continues to live with extraordinary purpose. From running the Everest Marathon to climbing mountains for charity, Shaunna’s journey is now being captured in an upcoming documentary airing on the Discovery Channel, a powerful testament to resilience, meaning, and the will to keep climbing.

Shaunna is a PhD and Associate Professor at the University of Leeds, where her groundbreaking research explores physical activity, prehabilitation, and resilience in people living with cancer. With more than 30 peer reviewed publications, she is a leading voice in improving quality of life, motivation, and psychological strength across the cancer journey.

In this episode, Shaunna sits down with host Christina Rollins to reflect on her cancer journey, explore how her lived experiences impact her professional work, and share lessons that can help us all thrive regardless of the mountain we are climbing.

💕Learn More: http://fucancer.health

🏔️Support Shaunna: https://www.dyingtoclimb.com/

How does exercise support cancer treatment—and why does nutrition matter for rehab success? On this episode of the F-U Cancer Podcast, host Christina Rollins talks with Scott Capozza, PT, a board-certified oncology physical therapist at Smilow Cancer Hospital at Yale Cancer Center. Scott shares how exercise and nutrition work together to help patients manage treatment side effects, improve quality of life, and rebuild strength during and after cancer care.

We discuss the challenges patients face when starting or maintaining movement, insights from the CHALLENGE trial, common supplement misconceptions, and how to find oncology-trained rehab professionals.

Check out our new digital health tool now available at fucancer.health.

Pelvic health is deeply personal—and for many cancer survivors, deeply affected by treatment. In this episode, Dr. Amanda Olson explains how radiation, chemo, and surgery impact the pelvic floor, what symptoms to watch for, how pelvic floor therapy works, and how tools like dilators and wands can support healing.

We cover:
• Bowel, bladder, and sexual changes after cancer
• When to seek a pelvic floor PT
• What tight pelvic floor symptoms feel like
• What a rehab session looks like
• Sexual health + intimacy for all genders
• Real patient stories and recovery

If you’re on a healing journey, this conversation is a must-listen. Learn more at fucancer.health.