Ten years ago, Edward Miskie wasn’t planning to write a book. He wasn’t thinking about producing musicals or reflecting on life’s messiness with poetic clarity. He was just trying to stay alive.
Diagnosed in his twenties with a rare, aggressive cancer, Edward’s world stopped mid-scene—just as his Broadway dreams were finding centre stage. What followed wasn’t just a health crisis. It was a full-blown identity collapse, tangled in heartbreak, alcohol, creative blocks, and unanswered questions about who he was without the life he’d built.
“I didn’t just lose hair and weight,” Edward shared on Mirror Talk. “I lost myself.”
His new memoir, Cancer, Musical Theatre, & Other Chronic Illnesses, is part fever dream, part therapy, part laugh-out-loud truth bomb. Through it—and in our conversation—Edward reminds us that surviving cancer isn’t just about beating the disease. It’s about confronting what’s been stripped away and daring to piece together a self you never expected to meet.
🧬 The Unexpected Diagnosis
Imagine being in your prime—full of ambition, charisma, and dreams—and then suddenly… cancer. Rare. Aggressive. Unrelenting.
Edward didn’t know what hit him. He describes the diagnosis as a surreal musical theatre number, complete with clumsy choreography and flat notes. Chemo came fast. So did the fear, the isolation, and the messy cocktail of emotions that no one prepares you for.
💔 Sex, Chemo, and Self-Erosion
One of the boldest chapters of Edward’s story is his candour about sex, alcohol, and intimacy during and after cancer.
“No one talks about what happens to you—your sexuality, your desires, your sense of worth—when your body becomes a battleground,” he said.
He describes the experience as being “divorced from himself,” a concept so haunting and relatable that it deserves its own sermon. Cancer stole more than just cells—it rewrote how he saw himself in the mirror.
🎭 The Healing Power of Storytelling
Edward didn’t stop at survival. He turned his story into art.
From producing shows to releasing a dance-pop album (Renaissancing), to now creating a musical episodic series based on his memoir, Edward transformed pain into purpose. His humor is his sword. His transparency, his shield.
💡 Lessons from the Edge of Life
Here are a few things cancer taught Edward:
- Self-advocacy is non-negotiable. Speak up. Fight for your body, your sanity, your life.
- You can’t go back. You’re not who you were before, and that’s okay. Embrace the new.
- Joy is a medicine. Create it. Chase it. Let it light your darkest days.
- Healing isn’t linear. Some days you dance. Some days you cry. It all belongs.
- You’re allowed to laugh. Even when life feels like hell, humour helps you breathe again.
💬 For Anyone Facing Cancer…
Edward offers this simple but soul-shaking message:
“You don’t have to be strong all the time. But you do have to be you. Whoever that becomes.”
Whether you’re in treatment, in remission, or picking up the pieces post-diagnosis, know this: You are not alone. You are allowed to evolve. And you’re more than your illness.
🌱 Final Words: Keep Going, Even If It’s a Different Horse
In Edward’s words, “Get back on the horse—even if it’s a different horse.”
Sometimes we’re forced off our path. But there’s beauty in forging a new one.
So here’s to the brave ones who keep showing up. Who laugh in hospital gowns. Who writes musicals out of misery? Who rebuild themselves—one song, one step, one day at a time.
🎧 Catch the Full Episode Now
Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms.
📘 Grab Edward’s book: Cancer, Musical Theatre, & Other Chronic Illnesses
🔗 Connect: linktr.ee/edwardmiskie
Life Lessons from a Cancer Survivor: Edward Miskie's Journey Through Diagnosis, Survival & Self-Discovery – Mirror Talk: Soulful Conversations
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