Life Matters - Full program podcast Denise Scott on making comedy through cancer and workplace conflict tips from Esther Perel
Mar 10, 2026
Denise Scott, veteran Australian comedian and actor, talks about her breast cancer diagnosis, treatment and returning to stand-up with Tickety Boo. Lisa Leong, workplace wellbeing expert and This Working Life host, shares highlights from her interview with Esther Perel on handling workplace conflict, power dynamics and exercises to build understanding.
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Emotional Low And The Bell At Treatment End
- After initial treatment failed, Denise faced nine more months of chemo and radiation and describes the period as ‘treacle time’.
- She coped by journaling late-night symptoms, imagining outcomes, gifting assets to children, and ringing a church bell to mark treatment end.
Teen Girls Avoid Parks Designed For Competition
- Nature Play WA found only 6% of outdoor space users are teenage girls, linking low usage to design that prioritises physical/competitive features.
- Teen girls prefer social, comfortable spaces for grouping, not bright plastic equipment aimed at younger kids.
Use Co-Design To Make Parks Teen Friendly
- Co-design parks with teenage girls to ensure features meet their needs rather than assumptions.
- Lake Macquarie invited 12–18-year-olds to choose a site and use sketches, mood boards and AI images to propose seating, shade, colour and non-child activities.