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In 2005, Nic Russell’s two-year-old daughter, Kenzie, was diagnosed with a rare childhood cancer. Months later, while Kenzie was still in treatment, Nic was diagnosed with breast cancer herself. Kenzie died just after Christmas that year. She was three.

In the years since, Nic has started a children’s grief charity in her daughter’s name, campaigned for women’s access to life-saving cancer treatment, been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and, in 2022, had a heart transplant.

In this conversation, Nic tells Kate about growing up in Northern Ireland during the Troubles, fighting to get doctors to listen, the comedian she says saved her life, and what grieving people actually need from the rest of us.

Nic Russell's memoir, Bollix: When Life Isn’t All It’s Craic’d Up To Be, is out now.

If this episode has brought anything up for you, support is available: Lifeline: 13 11 14 or lifeline.org.au

What To Listen To Next:
Listen: Belinda Carlisle: “How Could You Stay With Me?”
Listen: Judith Lucy Wrote the Book on Wellness. Then She Got Cancer
Listen:  Everyone Knows Rodger Corser. Almost Nobody Knows The Real Him
Listen: "I Didn't Know How to Deal With It": Jason Donovan on the Years That Almost Broke Him
Listen: Cassandra Thorburn: "I Have My Own Platform To Say My Truth"
Listen: Jennifer Robinson On Amber Heard, Brittany Higgins & The Price Women Pay For Speaking Out
Listen: Everyone Thinks Ally Langdon Has It Together. She’s Here To Tell You She Doesn't
Listen: "I Went to a Really Dark Place": Jessie Stephens on the Six Months Nobody Saw

You can now watch our show in full length video on the Apple Podcast app - make sure your phone is up to date and we can't wait for you to see. CLICK HERE. 

Take our three minute surveyfor a chance to win a $1,000 gift voucher AND help shape what we do here at Mamamia.

SUBSCRIPTION GIVEAWAY: The You Beauty hosts have bundled together their all-time favourite beauty products and two Mamamia subscribers are winning the lot. Subscribe to Mamamia to be automatically entered to win. Current subscriber? You're already in the draw. T&Cs apply.

Discover more Mamamia Podcasts here.

Watch No Filter on YouTube. Follow us on Instagram here. Follow us on TikTok here. 

Feedback: podcast@mamamia.com.au

Share your story, feedback, or dilemma! Send us a voice message, and one of our Podcast Producers will get back to you ASAP.

Rate or review us on Apple by clicking on the three dots in the top right-hand corner, click Go To Show then scroll down to the bottom of the page, click on the stars at the bottom and write a review.

CREDITS:

Guest: Nic Russell

Host: Kate Langbroek

Executive Producer: Bree Player

Video, Content and Social Producer: Jess Chan

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land on which we have recorded this podcast.

 

Want to listen before everyone else?
Mamamia subscribers get exclusive early access to No Filter from 6am every Saturday, a full two days before regular listeners.<a href="https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe/"> Click here to subscribe now</a>.
In 2005, Nic Russell&rsquo;s two-year-old daughter, Kenzie, was diagnosed with a rare childhood cancer. Months later, while Kenzie was still in treatment, Nic was diagnosed with breast cancer herself. Kenzie died just after Christmas that year. She was three.
In the years since, Nic has started a children&rsquo;s grief charity in her daughter&rsquo;s name, campaigned for women&rsquo;s access to life-saving cancer treatment, been diagnosed with Parkinson&rsquo;s disease and, in 2022, had a heart transplant.
In this conversation, Nic tells Kate about growing up in Northern Ireland during the Troubles, fighting to get doctors to listen, the comedian she says saved her life, and what grieving people actually need from the rest of us.
<a href="https://www.nicrussell.co.nz/">Nic Russell's memoir, Bollix: When Life Isn&rsquo;t All It&rsquo;s Craic&rsquo;d Up To Be, is out now.</a>
If this episode has brought anything up for you, support is available: Lifeline: 13 11 14 or lifeline.org.au
What To Listen To Next:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Listen: <a href="https://www.mamamia.com.au/podcasts/no-filter/belinda-carlisle-go-gos-sobriety-no-filter/">Belinda Carlisle: &ldquo;How Could You Stay With Me?&rdquo;</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">Listen: <a href="https://www.mamamia.com.au/podcasts/no-filter/judith-lucy-wrote-the-book-on-wellness-then-she-got-cancer/">Judith Lucy Wrote the Book on Wellness. Then She Got Cancer</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">Listen:&nbsp; <a href="https://www.mamamia.com.au/podcasts/no-filter/rodger-corser-interview/">Everyone Knows Rodger Corser. Almost Nobody Knows The Real Him</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">Listen: <a href="https://www.mamamia.com.au/podcasts/no-filter/jason-donovan-viper-room-kylie-minogue-no-filter/">"I Didn't Know How to Deal With It": Jason Donovan on the Years That Almost Broke Him</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">Listen: <a href="https://www.mamamia.com.au/podcasts/no-filter/cassandra-thorburn-stage-three-rare-breast-cancer-diagnosis/">Cassandra Thorburn: "I Have My Own Platform To Say My Truth"</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">Listen:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mamamia.com.au/podcasts/no-filter/jennifer-robinson-amber-heard-brittany-higgins-speaking-out/">Jennifer Robinson On Amber Heard, Brittany Higgins &amp; The Price Women Pay For Speaking Out</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">Listen:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mamamia.com.au/podcasts/no-filter/everyone-thinks-ally-langdon-has-it-together-she-s-here-to-tell-you-she-doesnt/">Everyone Thinks Ally Langdon Has It Together. She&rsquo;s Here To Tell You She Doesn't</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">Listen: <a href="https://www.mamamia.com.au/podcasts/no-filter/jessie-stephens-twins-motherhood-interview/">"I Went to a Really Dark Place": Jessie Stephens on the Six Months Nobody Saw</a></li>
</ul>
You can now watch our show in full length video on the Apple Podcast app - make sure your phone is up to date and we can't wait for you to see. <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/no-filter/id995159486">CLICK HERE.</a>&nbsp;
<a href="https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/8884285/2fc9fb139151">Take our three minute survey</a> for a chance to win a $1,000 gift voucher AND help shape what we do here at Mamamia.
SUBSCRIPTION GIVEAWAY:&nbsp;The You Beauty hosts have bundled together their all-time favourite beauty products and two Mamamia subscribers are winning the lot. Subscribe to Mamamia to be automatically entered to win. Current subscriber? You're already in the draw. <a href="https://help.mamamia.com.au/en-US/subscriber-giveaway-x-youbeauty-8144452">T&amp;Cs apply.</a>
Discover more<a href="https://www.mamamia.com.au/podcasts/"> Mamamia Podcasts here</a>.
Watch No Filter on<a href="https://www.youtube.com/@NoFilterpod/videos"> YouTube</a>. Follow us on Instagram<a href="https://www.instagram.com/nofiltermamamia/"> here.</a> Follow us on TikTok<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@nofiltermamamia"> here</a>.&nbsp;
Feedback: podcast@mamamia.com.au
Share your story, feedback, or dilemma!<a href="https://help.mamamia.com.au/en-US/send-a-podcast-voice-note-467960"> Send us a voice message</a>, and one of our Podcast Producers will get back to you ASAP.
Rate or review us on Apple by clicking on the three dots in the top right-hand corner, click Go To Show then scroll down to the bottom of the page, click on the stars at the bottom and write a review.
CREDITS:
Guest: <a href="https://www.nicrussell.co.nz/">Nic Russell</a>
Host: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/katelangbroek/?hl=en">Kate Langbroek</a>
Executive Producer:<a href="https://www.instagram.com/breeplayer/?hl=en"> Bree Player</a>
Video, Content and Social Producer:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/jeschann">Jess Chan</a>
Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land on which we have recorded this podcast.
&nbsp;

Riveting stories. Fascinating lives. Australia’s #1 interview podcast, with Kate Langbroek.

Riveting stories. Fascinating lives. Australia&rsquo;s #1 interview podcast, with Kate Langbroek.

No Filter

Nic Russell Lost Her Daughter, Survived Cancer, Has Parkinson’s and Needed a New Heart. This Is Her Story.

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/3ea926be-9be7-482a-8ac3-a44f016e43d1/clips/ac82498a-dfc5-4ee3-8e44-b4ee016aceed/transcript