Life Lessons from a Cancer Survivor: Edward Miskie's Journey Through Diagnosis, Survival & Self-Discovery

In this deeply moving and refreshingly honest episode of Mirror Talk: Soulful Conversations, we sit down with Edward Miskie—actor, singer, producer, and now author of the book Cancer, Musical Theatre, & Other Chronic Illnesses. Edward takes us through his rare cancer diagnosis, the raw and absurd realities of treatment, and his journey toward healing, self-advocacy, and reinvention. Ten years after surviving a rare form of lymphoma, Edward reflects on how cancer dismantled his life—and how he built something even richer in its place. Edward speaks candidly about chemo, heartbreak, identity loss, sex, alcohol, and the chaotic beauty of finding yourself again after trauma. His insights are brutally honest and beautifully empowering. This is more than a cancer survival story—it’s a story of reclaiming joy, identity, and purpose. 📌 What You'll Learn in This Episode:What it means to survive and thrive after cancerHow cancer reshapes your identity, relationships, and careerThe importance of advocating for yourself in medical spacesThe healing power of humour, creativity, and honest storytellingHow to stay human—and hopeful—through unimaginable hardship 📚 About Edward Miskie: Edward is celebrating a decade as the sole survivor of a rare lymphoma with the release of his book Cancer, Musical Theatre, & Other Chronic Illnesses. Based in NYC, he’s a multifaceted creative: actor, singer, producer, and author. His work includes feature films, Broadway musical parodies, and a musical series based on his life story. His past may be marked by cancer—but his present is built on art, advocacy, and unapologetic truth. 🛒 Grab his book on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or wherever you buy books. 🔗 Connect with Edward: linktr.ee/edwardmiskie | linktr.ee/edwardauthorstuff 🎵 Sound Bites: "I drank my way through chemo." "You can't go back—so you gotta forge forward." "Stand up for yourself. If you don't, no one will." 🕓 Chapters: 00:00 – Welcome & Introduction 01:07 – Life Before Cancer 03:26 – The Diagnosis: Rare Cancer at 20-something 05:16 – Treatment & Identity Crisis 07:16 – 10 Years Later: What Survival Feels Like 09:26 – Relationships, Self-Worth & Evolution 11:51 – The Book: Humor, Pain, and Raw Truth 20:30 – "Divorced from Myself": What It Means 23:14 – Tips for Cancer Patients & Survivors 27:13 – Final Reflections & Connecting with Edward 📝 Keywords for Search Optimisation: cancer survivor podcast, rare cancer story, Edward Miskie interview, chemo and self-discovery, life after cancer, personal growth journey, mental health during treatment, cancer and relationships, Mirror Talk podcast, humorous cancer memoir 🎙️ Listen Now & Be Inspired. Because healing is messy, beautiful, and worth every step. CONFESSIONS is now available: https://mirrortalkpodcast.com/confessions-book/ Thank you for joining me on this MIRROR TALK podcast journey. Kindly subscribe to any platform. Please do not forget to leave a review and rating. Let us stay connected: ⁠https://linktr.ee/mirrortalkpodcast⁠  More inspiring episodes and show notes are here: ⁠https://mirrortalkpodcast.com/podcast-episodes/⁠⁠ Your opinions, thoughts, suggestions and comments matter to us. Share them here: ⁠https://mirrortalkpodcast.com/your-opinion-matters/⁠ Invest in us by becoming a Patreon. Please support us by subscribing to one or more of the offerings that we have available at ⁠http://patreon.com/MirrorTalk⁠  All proceeds will improve the quality of our work and outreach. To serve you better.  Try out ElevenLabs for free: https://try.elevenlabs.io/8oveg6dyus8a