Today we’d like to introduce you to Talaya Dendy.
Hi Talaya, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers.
My story really starts in 2010 when I went in for my annual physical exam. I told my primary care doctor at the time that I had a small lump on the side of my neck that had been there for a few weeks. She asked me if I had been sick. I told her that I had not been sick. She knew I had been working out quite a bit, so she said it was probably just a pulled muscle. She did not look at it. She did not touch it or ask any questions. She just blew it off as nothing to be concerned about.
In 2011, things got real! The lump was still there. This time, I decided to go to a new doctor for my annual physical exam. The new doctor’s response was totally different when I pointed out the lump on the side of my neck. She looked at it, touched it, and asked several questions before recommending that I have an ultrasound as soon as possible.
The ultrasound returned inconclusively, so a fine needle aspiration was next in line. Unfortunately, the results came back inconclusive. Up next, a larger biopsy of the lymph node.
After two failed tests, a nurse had the duty of sharing the news with me. On a Friday evening, on my way home from work, I received a call. “Your test results came back. You have Hodgkin’s Lymphoma!”
That came out of the blue! I say that because I was never sick other than a cold or the flu. I never had a broken bone or spent the night in a hospital. I was a healthy person. I knew something was wrong, but I didn’t expect it to be cancer.
Because I was a healthy person, I was not a well-versed healthcare consumer. I did not have much interaction with the healthcare system outside of my standard annual tests and exams (physical, blood work, eye exams, dental, etc.).
Needless to say, there was a huge learning curve that I had to conquer in addition to grasping the fact that I had cancer. There was so much to do in so little time. An onslaught of appointments, and tests (some very painful, like the one to determine if you have cancer in your bones and bone marrow), which helped stage or determine how far along the cance was. Also, tons of information, new vocabulary, and never-ending questions coupled with an unbearable amount of uncertainty.
I am not sure if overwhelming is a strong enough word to describe how that whirlwind felt! Especially in the beginning.
That is how it started!
This is how it is going today. I decided to take everything I learned and experienced to help others impacted by cancer, particularly women who are busy professionals. I figured if I was feeling that way others must be too! I really would have loved to talk with someone who had experienced something similar. Unfortunately, that was not the case. Not to mention, I never saw anyone who looked like me when I was getting cancer treatment. Not even on the brochures. Emotional support was lacking.
Driven by my desire to bridge the medical and emotional sides of cancer and empower others, I officially started On the Other Side LLC in 2019. It is a cancer navigation enterprise that provides personalized support using a patient-centered and holistic approach. As a cancer doula and board-certified patient advocate, my goals include lightening my client’s load so they can focus on healing and ensuring they become the gatekeepers of their health and overall quality of life. Together we focus on things such as mindset, working through their emotions, nutrition, communication, and most importantly understanding their treatment options along with complementary therapies.
It is about empowerment, creating a space where they can be seen and heard, providing credible information and facts, while helping them think through their options so they are better informed to make the best decisions for themselves.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Personal: Picking up the pieces after cancer was tough. There is hardly any support after one completes cancer treatment. I still hear this from many people in 2023! It’s like all the support you had during treatment disappears and everyone assumes you are fine and expects you to get back to “normal”. I looked at life differently.
Business: It has not been a smooth road and many challenges have come up along the way. The first struggle was figuring out how to balance it all—for example, starting and running a business, marketing, learning, working other jobs, getting proper rest, and self-care.
There is a big shift that must take place mentally when one transitions from employee to being the boss who is responsible for everything. I never expected the “Corporate Thinking” to hang around as long as it did! I had to remind myself that I can do things my way and I did not need permission.
Imposter syndrome was also a huge challenge to work through as well.
The type of business I have is really dependent on word of mouth and building relationships; of course, it takes time.
My services are not covered by insurance so many of the people who want and need my support and guidance may not have the means, so finding ways to support those individuals in some way while making a living has been challenging. It is one reason why I created my podcast, Navigating Cancer TOGETHER.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about On the Other Side LLC?
In addition to what I already mentioned, I would like to emphasize that my support and services are personalized based on individual needs and challenges.
I am very proud of the fact that my brand has become the very thing that I wish I had and the representation I would have loved to see when I was facing cancer.
One of the first thoughts that come to my mind when a person reaches out to me in need of support is, let’s figure this out together.
Why?
It is the language of love and I know that love heals!
We get through it together using the P.E.R.L.™ Method. I am a Problem-solver. I am very Empathetic (I have been there, and I get it). I am Resourceful. If I can’t help you, I know someone who can! I am a great Listener. Not just with my ears but also my heart. I am known for my calm and warm demeanor, which I am told is very soothing and helpful in uncertain and stressful situations where people typically panic.
My Cancer Doula Support Services start at $150 per hour, which includes an action plan and a follow-up email. I also offer 1-month and 3-month plans for people who want to work together on a long-term basis. The price range for those plans is $600 – $1,600. The plans include action plans, text messaging, email support, and follow-up sessions. We can work together for as long as they need.
For the very busy CEOs and executives, I offer 15-minute sessions called FORCE of Presence, which include an action plan, follow-up email, and text message check-in.
A 30-minute Meet & Greet is a great way for people who are interested to share their challenges, learn how I can support them, and determine if it is a good fit to work together.
A sponsor can gift my services to anyone! All of my services and offerings can be gifted to a friend or loved one.
The Navigating Cancer TOGETHER podcast is an extension of On the Other Side LLC, which I started in August 2021. It is very near and dear to my heart!
Every Wednesday morning, I talk with guests from all walks of life who are living with cancer, caring for those with cancer and those who made it on the other side of cancer and are moving forward with their lives. Plus, cancer organizations, healthcare professionals, and experts in the health and wellness spaces provide complementary and integrative care.
The goal is to share stories, hope, resources, and information about all things related to cancer and wellness. The target audience is anyone in the cancer community. Especially individuals who have recently received a cancer diagnosis. Honestly, many of the conversations and stories can even benefit people who have not been impacted by cancer. To date, I have released 97 episodes and counting! It can be found on many podcast players.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts, or blogs that help you do your best?
Rest is Resistance, Tricia Hersey, https://thenapministry.com/
I survived Cancer and Here is How I Did It, https://www.isurvivedcancer.co/
The Secret Language of Your Body – https://www.amazon.com/Secret-Language-Your-Body-Essential/dp/1582702608
Anti-Cancer – https://www.amazon.com/Anticancer-New-Life-David-Servan-Schreiber/dp/0670021644
Textbook of Naturopathic Oncology – https://textbookofnaturopathiconcology.com/product/text-book-of-naturopathic-oncology/
Blackfullness App – https://www.blackfullness.com/
My Therapy Cards – https://www.mytherapycards.com/?r_done=1
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ontheotherside.life/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/talayadendy/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/NCTpodcastfan
- Youtube: youtube.com/@ontheothersidecancerdoula
- Other: https://anchor.fm/navigatingcancertogether | https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/navigating-cancer-together/id1580570728
Image Credits
Jeannine Marie Photography, Bettina Reiser, and Talaya Dendy
