Sarah E. McDonald is a coach, author, speaker, and advocate.

Sarah has given keynote talks at corporations, medical centers, and cancer support groups. She has appeared on TV, radio, and multiple podcasts.

Speaking Topics

  • Talk 1: The Cancer Channel Overview: A Story of Hope

    The Cancer Channel Overview: A Story of Hope

    Most employees will deal with cancer in their lifetimes either as  a friend, family member or close colleague or as a patient. This interactive presentation is designed to give employees candid, first-hand accounts of what it’s like to have cancer while providing ideas and tools on how to better support those facing a challenging health crisis.

    Target audience:  Employee cancer survivors; Employees interacting with those diagnosed with cancer

    Themes: Self-advocacy, Resilience, Hope and humor in the face of crisis

    Talk content: Through stories, both heart-wrenching and (at times) funny, Sarah shares her career and fertility journeys – both interrupted by two shocking cancer diagnoses made within months of one another in the same year. She details viscerally the lived experience of a cancer patient to both provide hope and humor to those diagnosed with life-threatening diseases and to encourage greater understanding to those who love and/or work with those diagnosed with life-threatening diseases.

    Takeaways: Little things can make a big difference when supporting someone who’s fighting for their life / Our relationships are what is most important / Challenges raise our quality of life benchmarks

  • Talk 2: Leadership Lessons During a Year of Cancer Treatments

    Leadership Lessons During a Year of Cancer Treatments

    Some of the darkest moments in our lives provide the greatest personal growth. This talk highlights the leadership lessons that can be learned during a year of tremendous challenge.

    Target audience: Male and female leaders within a company who are looking for lessons learned during a time of crisis and/or wish to develop greater understanding of employees in crisis

    Themes: Resilience, Humor + grace in the face of crisis, tools for building more supportive environments

    Talk Content: Sarah shares via humorous stories her 14-year career journey at eBay which was interrupted by two unrelated cancer diagnoses simultaneously. She details viscerally the lived experience of a tech exec diagnosed with cancer and the lessons she learned about leadership during her year of treatment and beyond.

    Takeaways: Say what you see / Our human connections are what is most important / What to do (and not do) when you team member is in crisis

  • Talk 3: How to Develop Resilience During Personal Crisis

    How to Develop Resilience During Personal Crisis

    Many people in crisis are surprised by their ability to meet the moment with resilience. This talk explores how to tap into that deep reserve of resilience within us when we need it.

    Target audience:  Male and female leaders who are curious about ideas on how to develop greater resilience in the face of personal or professional crisis

    Talk content: Through stories told from her year of cancer treatments, Sarah explores the resilience she found within herself to survive not one, but two cancer diagnoses.

    Takeaways: How to tap into resilience you already have / Lead with heart – not head / Our human connections are what is most important

  • Talk 4: Fertility Journeys: Balancing Personal Dreams with Professional Goals

    Fertility Journeys: Balancing Personal Dreams with Professional Goals

    Infertility can be a deeply distressing and emotional experience for many employees. This talk focuses on the difficult decisions would-be parents often struggle with – and offers suggestions for ways to approach those decisions.

    Target audience:  Women and men (employees) who have struggled with fertility

    Talk content: Sarah shares her fertility journey while in her 40s, which included the decision to pursue an egg donor. Her baby dreams were interrupted by two unrelated cancer diagnoses made within weeks of her scheduled IVF. She details viscerally the difficult decisions made both before (and after) her cancer diagnoses.

    Takeaways: Juggling the personal and professional / Being your own best advocate / Focusing on the prize

  • Talk 5: How to Support Employees in Crisis

    How to Support Employees in Crisis

    Many managers struggle with what to say to their teammates and olleagues who are in crisis. Unfortunately, for fear of saying the wrong thing, managers often choose to say nothing at all – leaving the colleagues who is in crisis feeling isolated and alone. This talk gives tools for how to approach those difficult conversations.

    Target audience:  People managers who manage (or will manage) employees with life-threatening diseases

    Talk Content: Through stories both heart-wrenching and (at times) funny, Sarah shares her career journey and fertility journey – both of which were interrupted by two unrelated cancer diagnoses made within months of one another. She details viscerally the lived experience of a cancer patient to encourage greater understanding and empathy from those who work with and manage those diagnosed with life-threatening diseases.

    Takeaways: Human first, manager second / Developing effective plans for the humans involved / Checking in and showing up

What Others Are Saying

Sarah is a deeply engaging, authentic, and inspiring speaker – with a powerful story to share. Our team loved hearing from her, and people – months later – still talk about how meaningful it was to have her join us. Her visit has been a highlight for the year.

Gene Cook VP Global Collectibles, eBay

What an incredibly powerful session that went far beyond Sarah’s battle with two cancers. Her struggle connected with people all over our company that are dealing with their own challenges while working at our firm. She brought two Moody’s executives into the conversation that created a powerful cultural moment signaling that it is ok to be vulnerable, to ask for support, and to take the time you need to take care of yourself and your family.

Rob Fauber Chief Executive Officer, Moody's

Sarah exemplifies grace, resilience, and a relentless pursuit of purpose and connection in adversity. Our conversation was not just a dialogue but a shared experience of exploring humanity, vulnerability, and the strength within us all. Sarah’s story is a poignant reminder of our collective responsibility to show up, empathize, and support each other, especially in times of crisis. I am deeply moved by Sarah’s courage, wisdom, and unwavering commitment to fostering connections and conversations that matter. It was a truly enlightening experience to explore such profound and impactful topics with her. Her story will resonate deeply with anyone navigating the tumultuous seas of life’s challenges.

Mark Sylvester Executive Producer + Host, TedX Santa Barbara

Sarah McDonald’s story is a powerful one that has an impact on everyone who hears it. What’s more, Sarah has a unique ability to connect with her audience, even in a virtual setting, as she talks about her experience as a patient and the tragedy and wonder of her treatment journey.

Alana Hippensteele Managing Editor, Pharmacy Times

When Sarah McDonald spoke to our Redlands Forum, our audience of about 200 were riveted. Sarah presents what could be a very challenging topic, her own story of two cancers, with facts, humor, helpful hints, compassion and grace. She is a gifted speaker, who presents a talk quite different from what you might expect from a cancer survivor. I would recommend her for a wide variety of audiences. People need to hear and understand this disease from the perspective of those who have lived with it, since it affects so many.

Charlotte Burgess Co-Chair of ESRI / Redlands Forum

Sarah is an amazing story teller! She is witty while being vulnerable, can coach while trying to learn, she can make you laugh and cry at the same time! And the best of all – she really, really cares! If you have not read her book – do it today. Over 850 attended, many women, chiming in, sharing stories, asking questions, giving advice and many stayed in the chatroom much after the talk.

Neel Sundaresan VP of Engineering, Cloud + AI, Microsoft

We were very honored to have Sarah as a guest speaker on our podcast. It was inspiring to witness her transform her adversity into a platform for support, education, and awareness through her vulnerable (and humorous!) storytelling. After our episode aired, we were overwhelmed with positive feedback from listeners who were deeply moved by her story and her ability to connect with the audience. It was a privilege to share her story in the hope that it helps others feel less alone in their struggles.

Natalie Park Co-Host of Table Talk with Rad Onc at Stanford University

Sarah and I found each other kindred spirits, cancer survivors inspired to turn pain into some purpose. Her natural talent for not just speaking her truth but evoking deep emotions in our audience has made her story on our platform one of the most popular and resonant. It’s not just what she says, it’s absolutely how she does it. Take it from just a few of the countless messages from cancer patients and care partners who have clearly been moved by hearing Sarah’s voice.

Stephanie Chuang Founder/Chief Executive Officer, The Patient Story

Sarah McDonald is truly an extraordinary individual, both inside and out. My team and I were deeply inspired by her story, which was not only compelling but also a testament to her remarkable resilience and strength. Throughout her entire presentation, her infectious humor and authenticity created an uplifting atmosphere that resonated with all of us. We left feeling encouraged, motivated, and profoundly moved by her ability to turn challenges into opportunities, all while maintaining such a positive and genuine spirit. It was an experience we will not soon forget. She was such a pleasure to work with and was extremely flexible. I truly cannot put into words how much I appreciate Sarah.

Damita Harrison Faire Femmes Global Co-Chair

Sarah told her story with humor and vulnerability, but most importantly for me, clarity, as she walked us through her cancer journey. Sarah chose to highlight aspects of her journey that were beneficial for someone with a cancer diagnosis but also for those walking beside someone diagnosed with cancer. It is often difficult to know what to say or what to DO, when confronted with a diagnosis. Her concrete guidance helped me see the necessity of just being present and of not making any assumptions. She emphasised the importance of just showing up and remembering that while their cancer is a part of them, they are still a whole person who wants normal interaction for everyday life, AND the space they need when they are going through a difficult time. I am grateful for the opportunity to have heard her story and learned so much!

Nerni Mink Miller MA Ed., Adjunct professor at The University of Redlands

DXC is better for having brought Sarah in to speak for our Americas Wellness session. Her story is nothing less than remarkable, and she has distilled it down into clear learnings that we can put into practice with our employees and managers at DXC. She engages the audience right from the start with her warm smile. Her humor and energy throughout the session kept our employees captivated. Their comments speak to how important it is to have Sarah tell her story at your workplace: “That was the BEST wellness talk and sharing I have EVER experienced!!!”

Kristie Grinnell Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer, DXC Technology

Sarah provides the perfect combination of authenticity, vulnerability and truth. Her words will bring you both inspiration and hope as a cancer patient or caregiver.

Erica Campbell Executive Director, Pinky Swear Foundation
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