Melissa Dupuis
- Sep 12, 2025
- 2 min read
Episode 321
Enjoy this beautiful life you’ve been given. Don’t ever take it for granted. -Melissa Dupuis
It’s been two years since Melissa Dupuis shared her story on this series, and what a couple of years it has been. At only 38, this wellness enthusiast, Pilates instructor, and former professional ballet dancer was diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer. Her little girl, Sage, was only one year old at the time, and although Melissa and her husband wanted to have another child someday, doctors said there was no time for egg retrieval and that the couple’s chances of having another child after her rigorous treatments were over were slim to none. In this interview, Melissa shares what happened next, and if you are emotional like me, you’ll need a Kleenex to dry your tears of joy. Buoyed by the love of her family and a promise she made to be strong for her daughter, Melissa wrote a children’s book called We Can Do Hard Things: A Mother’s Journey with Breast Cancer Through the Eyes of Her Daughter. Published by the female-owned imprint www.brileybaxterbooks.com, this beautifully illustrated book is written for children ages 2-5 and can be pre-ordered with this link: https://a.co/d/3mIRJpD. Says Melissa: “If you want to help your child understand illness in a lighter way, this book is for you because it’s a true story. These conversations between Sage and me really happened.” Survivorship is not easy, but Melissa has continued to be resilient. Spoiler alert: Remember the baby Melissa hoped to have someday? You’ll have to hit that download button to find out what happened! #childrensbook #breastcancer #motherhood
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