This episode has been recorded in Spanish, with subtitles in English available only in YouTube.
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đ Episode Summary
In this episode of Intersected Voices, Almudena shares how her life changed overnight when she was diagnosed with breast cancer while finishing her nursing degree and working in elder care. She was forced to pause everything to prioritise treatment â and faced a key decision: preserve her fertility or start urgent cancer therapy.
Almudena reflects on the emotional toll of cancer treatment, the grief of infertility, and the lack of empathy she faced from some medical professionals â balanced by the care of an incredible multidisciplinary team that stood by her side.
She also opens up about the narcissistic partner who emotionally abused her during her illness â someone who appeared supportive in public, but made her journey far harder behind closed doors. Without having the words for it at the time, Almudena knew it wasnât right. Her family ultimately helped her break free after 13 long years.
Now, Almudena has rebuilt her life: finding joy in travel, dancing, and connecting with others. This episode is a powerful conversation about survival, strength, and all the ways we choose to live on our own terms.
đ Topics Covered:
- Being diagnosed with hormone-sensitive breast cancer in your 20s
- Fertility, medical menopause, and making life-or-death choices
- Grieving the loss of motherhood â and challenging the stigma
- Social pressure on women to become mothers
- Narcissistic abuse, gaslighting, and coercive control
- Financial and emotional manipulation in intimate relationships
- Finding strength through family and chosen community
- The red flags of emotional abuse â and the long road out
- Rebuilding a joyful, independent life after cancer and trauma
đ§ Why You Should Listen to This Episode
This episode is for you if:
- You or someone you love is facing or has faced cancer
- Youâve struggled with infertility or the societal pressures around motherhood
- Youâve experienced or want to understand emotional or narcissistic abuse
- Youâre interested in stories of resilience, healing, and reclaiming life after trauma
- You work in healthcare or support roles and want to learn how emotional wellbeing intersects with physical illness
- Youâre seeking solidarity and community in navigating difficult, life-changing challenges
đ€ About the Guest
Almudena is an emergency nurse based in Spain and a survivor of aggressive hormone-sensitive breast cancer, diagnosed in her late twenties. Her journey is one of deep physical, emotional, and relational transformation. She speaks candidly about facing life-altering decisions, navigating the pressures of motherhood, and finding her way out of an emotionally abusive relationship.
With honesty and clarity, Almudena shares her story to help others feel seen, supported, and less alone.
đResources
Almudena | Instagram
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