At fifty, Alicia Baca Rush thought she was preparing for a new chapter of life —
About Alicia :
Alicia Baca Rush is a thyroid cancer survivor, entrepreneur and advocate for resilience. Living in Lake Arrowhead, California she now dedicates her life to inspiring others facing life-altering challenges to rediscover hope, healing and purpose!
But nothing could prepare her for what came next. Her powerful story is captured in her memoir The Good Kind of Cancer, where she recounts her battle with Stage 2 thyroid cancer, including undergoing two tracheostomies and facing life-threatening complications. Despite nearly losing her voice and independence, she emerged with a renewed sense of purpose and a mission to inspire others through their darkest moments.
She also shares her journey on podcasts and public platforms, emphasizing themes of healing, personal reinvention, and the emotional toll of illness. Living in Lake Arrowhead, California, Alicia now dedicates her life to helping others rediscover hope and strength.
Alicia Baca Rush’s journey as a thyroid cancer survivor is a powerful testament to resilience, transformation, and purpose. Diagnosed with Stage 2 thyroid cancer, she endured two tracheostomies and faced the terrifying possibility of losing her voice permanently. Her battle wasn’t just physical—it was deeply emotional and spiritual, challenging her identity and strength.
Alicia Baca Rush’s cancer story is one of extraordinary resilience and transformation.
Her diagnosis with Stage 2 thyroid cancer came as a shock, but what followed was even more harrowing: she underwent two tracheostomies, lost her ability to speak, and faced the terrifying possibility of permanent vocal damage. For someone who had built her life around communication and connection, this was devastating.
Alicia Baca Rush underwent several intense treatments during her battle with Stage 2 thyroid cancer, as detailed in her memoir The Good Kind of Cancer. While the book doesn’t list every medical procedure in clinical terms, here’s what we know about her treatment journey:
Surgeries and Tracheostomies
- Alicia had two tracheostomies, which are surgical procedures that create an opening in the neck to place a tube into the windpipe. These were necessary due to complications from her cancer and treatment, and they temporarily took away her ability to speak.
- She also underwent thyroid surgery, likely a thyroidectomy (removal of the thyroid gland), which is common in treating thyroid cancer.
Post-Surgical Recovery and Monitoring
- Her recovery involved intensive monitoring, especially of her vocal cords and breathing, given the risk of permanent voice loss.
- While not explicitly stated, thyroid cancer treatment often includes radioactive iodine therapy and hormone replacement, which may have been part of her regimen.
Emotional and Psychological Healing
- Alicia emphasizes the emotional toll of treatment—feeling isolated, silenced, and nearly losing her life twice. Her healing journey included therapy, journaling, and eventually writing her memoir to reclaim her voice.
Her story is less about the technical details and more about the emotional and spiritual transformation that came through surviving cancer. If you’re curious about the medical side of thyroid cancer treatments in general, I can break those down too.
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The Turning Point After her second tracheotomy, Alicia found herself isolated, unable to speak, and struggling with the emotional toll of her illness. She described feeling like she had lost her identity. But in that silence, she began to listen—to herself, to her pain, and to a deeper calling.
Reclaiming Her Voice Through months of recovery, therapy, and inner work, Alicia slowly regained her voice—both physically and metaphorically. She began journaling, reflecting, and eventually writing her memoir The Good Kind of Cancer, which explores how trauma can be a gateway to purpose.
Themes in Her Memoir: The Good Kind of Cancer: Turning Pain Into Purpose chronicles her experience with raw honesty and hope. It’s not just a cancer story—it’s a guide for anyone facing adversity.
- Vulnerability as strength: Alicia shares raw moments of fear and despair, showing how embracing vulnerability helped her heal.
- Purpose through pain: She reframes cancer not as a curse, but as a catalyst for transformation.
- Empowerment: Her story encourages others to find meaning in adversity and to speak their truth—even when it’s hard.
Her Story Highlights:
- Diagnosis & Treatment: Alicia underwent aggressive treatment for thyroid cancer, including surgeries that left her temporarily unable to speak.
- Emotional Toll: She grappled with fear, isolation, and the loss of independence, but found strength in vulnerability.
- Rebirth & Advocacy: Alicia emerged with a renewed mission—to help others find light in their darkest moments.
Podcast Appearance: In the episode titled From out of the ashes to a woman Full of Fire… – Living an Intentional Life – Apple Podcasts shares how she transformed trauma into empowerment, inspiring listeners to embrace their own healing journeys.
“Cancer took my voice not once, but twice – I’ve had two trachs. But, it also gave me my life. It taught me that even when everything feels broken, there’s still a way forward. You just have to keep going – one day at a time!”
Tune into this week’s episode of “Living an Intentional Life Podcast” as I had the insane honor of sitting in conversation with Alicia Rush, a 3x cancer survivor with paralyzed vocal cords for this empowering episode, “From out of the ashes to a woman full of fire!”
Throughout this episode, Alicia shares her journey:
Being a 3x cancer survivor
Her vocal cords being paralyzed and living with a “trachs”
Empowering herself with moving through these life changing truths
The power behind her morning routine + daily gratitude
How she holds space for her trauma
Moving forward after a near death experience
Her story is a reminder that even when life silences us, we can still find ways to speak volumes. If you’re interested in her story, you can check out her book on Amazon.com or listen to her podcast episode. Here’s a glimpse into Alicia Baca Rush’s powerful story through both her podcast and book:
Quote from The Good Kind of Cancer
“Cancer didn’t just take my voice—it gave me a new one. One that speaks with purpose, not just sound.”
This quote captures the essence of Alicia’s transformation. Her memoir is filled with reflections on how illness stripped away her old identity and forced her to rebuild from the inside out.
Podcast Summary: From Out of the Ashes to a Woman Full of Fire In this episode, Alicia shares her journey from diagnosis to recovery, emphasizing the emotional and spiritual toll of losing her voice after two tracheostomies. She discusses:
- The fear of being silenced forever
- The isolation and identity crisis that followed
- How she found healing through writing and reflection
- Her mission to help others turn pain into purpose
She speaks candidly about the moment she realized her suffering could be a gift—not just for herself, but for others who feel lost in their own battles.
Here’s a deeper look into Alicia Baca Rush’s advocacy work, along with a powerful quote from her memoir:
Another Quote from The Good Kind of Cancer
“I had to lose my voice to find it. What I speak now comes from a place deeper than sound—it comes from survival.”
This line encapsulates Alicia’s transformation. Her voice, once physically silenced by cancer and tracheotomies, became a symbol of her emotional and spiritual rebirth.
- Thyroid cancer awareness: Sharing her story to educate others about symptoms, treatment, and emotional impact.
- Mental health during illness: She speaks openly about the psychological toll of cancer and the importance of emotional healing.
- Empowerment through storytelling: Alicia encourages survivors to reclaim their narratives, using writing and speaking as tools for healing.
- Support for women facing identity loss: Her work especially resonates with women who feel disconnected from themselves due to illness, trauma, or life transitions.
Public Speaking & Podcasts She’s appeared on podcasts like From Out of the Ashes to a Woman Full of Fire, where she discusses how surviving cancer reshaped her purpose. Her talks often center on resilience, reinvention, and the power of vulnerability.
If you’re interested, I can help you draft a message to her or explore similar survivor stories that align with her advocacy.
Here are some powerful cancer survivor stories that echo Alicia Baca Rush’s themes of resilience, emotional healing, and turning pain into purpose:
Fight Like a Girl Club – Survivor Stories
This platform features dozens of deeply personal stories from women who’ve battled various cancers, including thyroid, breast, ovarian, and more. Many of these survivors share:
- The emotional toll of diagnosis and treatment
- How they reclaimed their identity post-cancer
- Their advocacy efforts to support others through awareness and empowerment
You can explore these stories on Survivor Stories | Inspirational Cancer Stories Told by Survivors at Fight Like a Girl
Rush to Crush Cancer – Community Voices
This initiative brings together survivors, researchers, and supporters to share their experiences. The stories highlight:
- Courage and strength in the face of adversity
- The importance of community and shared purpose
- How survivors channel their experiences into fundraising and awareness
Stories | Rush to Crush Cancer to read more.
These platforms align beautifully with Alicia’s advocacy—especially her focus on emotional healing, storytelling, and helping others find light in dark times.
Thyroid and Endocrine Cancer Care | Rush
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