We did it! 2K podcast downloads
Let's celebrate by creating something even cooler!
Howdy there darlin!
I know I’ve been a little all over the place. Thank you so much for hanging in there with me! Today I discovered that, with very little promotion on my part, the podcast has reached 2000 downloads! That’s freaking awesome- thanks to all for your support. Please take a moment to be proud and celebrate your part in bringing this bit of practical magic into the world!
I’m having surgery this week. The final piece in my active treatment plan! Then it’s an open road to healing. I am looking forward to eating food that I haven’t eaten in months- or over a year- and continuing to feel better and better instead of better and then having another treatment thing that drags me back down.
I’ve been thinking about how to honor the wrapping up of this part of the journey and I have an idea. When I got the Stage 3an1 rectal cancer diagnosis, I did a full stop so that I could focus on healing. I set aside my business plan, ditched my website, platforms and apps and moved my platform to substack. I pivoted the podcast, now known as “The Cancer Chronicles”. Here’s what I said in that first post.
I believe that sharing my story and how I am finding peace in the midst of chaos is not only cathartic for me but will serve many others. There’s so much cancer out there right now. “The Big C” strikes fear and silence into most- so let’s talk about it. It’s part of life. It sucks- but it doesn’t have to suck if we all stick together and find the joy in the gift it brings. That gift is presence.
Come be present with me and take a small action today that could change your life- or someone else’s. Listen to the podcast. Share it with your people. Donate to the production fund. Take out a paid subscription to this substack. Whatever helps you connect.
I know you’re rooting for me- just like I’m rooting for you!
Love ya lots!
Jenni
And we all followed though! Here we are 14 months later- 34 podcast episodes, a chat, a zine, and who knows how many posts in, no cancer, over 2000 downloads, and some new friends!
How about we keep going? Here’s my idea and I’d like to get your input on it.
Coming this Fall…The Cancer Chronicles Support Hub- because cancer doesn’t have to suck
I’m building something I needed but couldn’t find when I got diagnosed with cancer.
It’s called The Cancer Chronicles Support Hub — a soft-landing space (hosted right here on Substack) for people navigating cancer and the people who love them. It’s raw, kind, a little punk, and definitely not approved by your hospital pamphlet rack.
This isn’t sterile info or a five-step plan to Enlightened Cancer Warrior™ status. It’s:
💌 Three hybrid zine-courses — Jenni-style printable and audio-based companions for each stage of the cancer journey
🎧 50+ Cancer Chronicles podcast episodes — honest convos, no filter
✍️ Nearly 50 essays and posts from the middle of my own healing mess
It’s a hub for the real stuff: the overwhelm, the awkward asks, the doctor questions you forgot to write down, the grief you didn’t expect, and the moments you catch your breath and go, I’m still here!
💠 The Mission
If you’ve been around, you’ve probably heard me say it:
My Healing Comes First.
That’s how I survived. That’s how I built this. That’s what this whole thing is about—helping others put their healing first, in a world that keeps asking us to shrink, perform, or power through.
🌀 What’s Inside
Each bite-sized zine-course is a take-along sanctuary with doodles, breathwork, printables, action steps, suggestions, audio sanctuaries, journal prompts, permission slips, and stories that meet you exactly where you are—not where people think you should be.
1. The Diagnosis Sanctuary Companion
The shock phase. The no-one-prepares-you-for-this part.
Breath. Boundaries. Who to call. What to ask. How to scream into a pillow and then eat toast.
2. The Treatment Toolkit
The middle part. It’s not cute. You’re on the table. You’re in the chair. You’re trying to remember who you are and what you ate for breakfast.
Here’s how I made it bearable: comfort rituals, care teams, treatment-day hacks, body sanity, and glimmers of joy.
3. Healing & Beyond
The part after treatment when everyone else thinks you’re fine.
Grief. Fatigue. Weird bursts of clarity. Learning to live again in a body you’re not sure you trust yet. This one’s tender and necessary.
💸 All three will be pay what you choose. No gatekeeping. No guilt. Take what you need.
🧩 Why Now?
I’ve already built the bones and poured my guts into it- 85% of the content already exists- it just needs to be repurposed or migrated. And people need this, whether for their own survival or to gift to someone they love who’s in the thick of it. And what better time for a launch than right before the holidays begin?
The Support Hub will be 100% free and accessible to everyone.
But to launch it right—and keep it alive—I need some backup.
That’s where the budget comes in. A starting budget of $10,000 covers:
A calm, competent team to launch this while I heal
Design, editing, printing, and tech infrastructure
A sustainable setup that doesn’t burn me out before it even begins
🤝 How You Can Support This Effort
If something here speaks to you and you have the capacity, here’s how you can help:
💸 Financial Love
Donate to help fund the launch team, design, tech, and accessibility
venmo: @jenni-tooley zelle & paypal: jennitooley@gmail.comBecome a paid subscriber to help keep the lights on and the Hub free
Connect me with sponsors, orgs, or humans who get it
Bonus points if you have a real “in” (I’d rather talk to a human than write another grant app in a gown)
✨ Admin + Tech Help
Help me migrate and tag nearly 100 podcast episodes and posts into the new Hub
Organize categories and pages so people can find what they need when their brain is soup
Offer graphic help (social tiles, zine headers, subtle collage magic)
Social media support: scheduling, engagement, repurposing my old posts with a fresh eye
💬 Creative Cheerleading
Give feedback on the idea
I’m not trying to fix cancer.
I’m just trying to make it suck less.
Whatcha think?
You are loved!
Jenni
👍💕