Nonprofit Leader Siobhan Shaw Launches Cancer Bites to Redefine Metastatic Breast Cancer Conversations
Siobhan Shaw, founder of Growing to Give, has launched Cancer Bites, a podcast and community initiative that brings honest, unfiltered conversations to metastatic breast cancer patients and caregivers while continuing her work on food security through the nation's largest food forest.
Siobhan Shaw, founder of the nonprofit Growing to Give and creator of the nation's largest food forest, has expanded her advocacy work with the launch of Cancer Bites, a podcast and community platform transforming conversations around metastatic breast cancer. The initiative comes as Shaw navigates her own stage four metastatic breast cancer diagnosis received in June 2025, which she describes as cancer that "bit me first—but I bit back."
Cancer Bites emerged from Shaw's personal need to "turn pain into power" and laugh through the chaos of cancer. The platform features candid, unfiltered conversations that range from raw to humorous, addressing treatment, identity, hope, and the awkward things people say when confronted with cancer. "It's raw, funny, sometimes messy—but always real," Shaw explained. "Because cancer does bite—but we bite back harder."
The podcast has quickly become a gathering place for patients, caregivers, and advocates seeking honesty and connection while navigating one of life's toughest diagnoses. Shaw's approach brings humanity to difficult topics, demonstrating that resilience work "doesn't always have to sound that way." Listeners can access Cancer Bites through the Growing to Give YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/@growingtogive/podcasts and join the community on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/cancerbitespodcast.
Shaw's cancer journey began when she was rushed to the ER with severe shortness of breath, discovering her lung was filling with fluid as cancer ate through the pleura lining. After having 4 liters of fluid removed in hospital and undergoing 16 weekly thoracenteses, she now manages her condition with chemo pills and estrogen blockers, reporting improved scans and energy levels since creating Cancer Bites.
The initiative builds on Shaw's established work with Growing to Give, the nonprofit she co-founded that focuses on community food security. The organization, which started in 2020 and grew 100,000 pounds of food in its first year, operates the Phoenix Food Forest Initiative under the leadership of Navy veteran Christopher Macy. The program transforms empty sidewalks and lots into productive spaces where communities "grow together" so "everyone eats." More information about volunteering or donating is available at https://www.growingtogive.org.
Cancer Bites represents Shaw's shift toward cancer awareness, inspired healing, patient advocacy, and mental health work. The platform is expanding to include live conversations, collaborations, and bite-sized video series that mix storytelling with survivorship. Future plans include more guest voices from patients, caregivers, and medical professionals, along with Shaw's personal journey vlogs that combine inspiration with humor.
The organization is building what Shaw calls the "Titty Committee"—a team of volunteers handling social media, show production, design, and merchandise. They're also seeking sponsors for both community gardens and a Cancer Bites gift bag campaign launching this holiday season to deliver joy and swag to breast cancer patients. Shaw emphasizes that "every dollar, every seed, and every act of kindness helps grow hope where it's needed most," reflecting her belief that "hope is contagious" and worth spreading.