We Can Do Hard Things The Andrea Gibson Talk that Sparked Our Oscar-Nominated Film
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Mar 3, 2026 Andrea Gibson, a non-binary poet and activist known for powerful spoken-word work, shares news of an incurable cancer and the fierce choice to keep loving and noticing beauty. They talk about surrender, grief, spirituality, small daily projects, breathwork, and what it means to live fully while facing mortality. The conversation inspired an Oscar-nominated documentary.
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Telling Community About Recurrence On The Podcast
- Andrea received scan results the day Abby DMed and learned her ovarian cancer had returned and likely was incurable.
- She decided to tell Glennon and Abby on the podcast so she could share the news directly with her community rather than let others carry the burden.
Mortality Became The Seed Of Joy
- Andrea reframed her diagnosis by focusing attention on gratitude and joy, calling mortality the seed of bliss rather than only suffering.
- After surrendering she experienced sustained states of astonishment and chose to share discoveries about joy in newsletters and online instead of hiding fear.
Sister's Recovery Turned Into A Hat Business
- Andrea's sister battled Oxycontin addiction for 13 years and recovered seven years ago, later creating a hat project called HATS (crossing E out of hate).
- Recovery returned joy and clarity to her sister, who now crochets hats and runs a small business.