Two Philly Women Created a Podcast to Navigate Life With Terminal Cancer

Delco natives Andy Sealy and Krysten Gentile chat about life with stage four metastatic breast cancer — a terminal diagnosis — in their podcast, “Making the Breast of It.” / Photograph by Alison Palma.

On the surface, Delco natives Andy Sealy and Krysten Gentile live completely different lifestyles: Sealy is a single gal now living in South Philly, while Gentile is a mom of three out in the ‘burbs. But they’ve got a major thing in common: they both have terminal cancer.

Sealy, 39, and Gentile, 37, are living with stage four metastatic breast cancer, meaning the disease — now in its most advanced and aggressive stage — has spread to other areas of the body. Sealy was diagnosed in January of 2017, after discovering a lump in her breast during a self-examination. Though she underwent a double mastectomy, Sealy’s cancer had spread to her spine and hip. For Gentile, cancer also reared its head in 2017, as stage three when she was pregnant with her third son. She had a lumpectomy and rounds of chemo, but this past summer her cancer worsened and spread to her spine.

Despite living with a terminal disease, the two — who were introduced by mutual friends this past June — are facing their mortality head on with their podcast, “Making the Breast of It.” Launched this September, their podcast tackles a wide-range of cancer-related topics, from reconstructive surgery and hair loss to what not to say to cancer patients.

Though the subject matter is heavy, Sealy and Gentile approach every episode with humor, unfiltered honesty, education, and fun, not to make light of their situation, but to find the light in, what can be, a dim situation. “Our podcast helps to]encourage our listeners and ourselves to keep fighting, laughing, and living,” Sealy says.

“Making the Breast of It” reminds us to live our ‘breast’ life, no matter what hardships we’re facing. / Photograph by Alison Palma.

While Sealy and Gentile originally started “Making the Breast of It” as a personal therapeutic outlet, they say it’s become more of a platform for connecting with others who might be living with their own hardships, cancer or not. “We are here to inspire, inform, and support as many people as possible because everyone has their own baggage,” Gentile says. Their podcast is a reminder that life is short, perspective is everything, and you’re never alone.

And what does living your ‘breast’ life look like, according to the two hosts?

“I used to be very concerned about what other people thought,” explains Gentile, “The decisions I made used to be what I thought would please others. Now, I make decisions for me, I say yes to more things that I think will bring positivity to my life. I feel very liberated.”

“I advocate for living your dash — the dash between your birth date and your death date — because that’s the stuff that really matters in life,” says Sealy, “I’m not scared to die. I feel fortunate because I know my time is limited, and I can make the most of it.”

You can listen to “Making the Breast of It” on Apple and Spotify, and can find out more about Sealy and Gentile here.

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