Beyond the Diagnosis
A monthly series of free online conversations about living with cancer, understanding treatment and finding practical ways to support your health.
Hosted by Dr Stephan Neff, with invited guests from medicine, nutrition and other areas of cancer care.
There is more to cancer care than treating the tumour
When somebody is diagnosed with cancer, most of the attention quite rightly turns to treating the disease. Surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy — these are important conversations to have.
But patients have many other questions.
What should I eat? Why am I so tired? Can I do anything to improve my response to treatment? Which supplements might help, and which could cause harm? And what happens when treatment finishes, but I still don’t feel like myself?
These are the questions we explore in Beyond the Diagnosis.
Once a month, I invite colleagues and specialists to join me for an open conversation about an aspect of cancer care that matters to patients and their families.
We look at the science, discuss what we know and what we don’t, and explore what patients can realistically do for themselves.
There is no shortage of information about cancer on the internet. The difficulty is knowing what to believe.
My aim is to help people understand their options, ask better questions and take a more active role in their own care.
Treat the tumour. Strengthen the host. Both matter.
Our Webinar Series
Each webinar runs for approximately one hour, followed by an opportunity to ask questions.
The sessions are free and open to cancer patients, their families, caregivers and anyone interested in understanding cancer and supportive care.
You don’t need a medical background. We explain the science in everyday language, without losing the detail that matters.
All sessions are online, so you can join us from anywhere in New Zealand or overseas.
Strengthen the Host
October 2026 - Starve the Cancer or Feed the Patient
Does sugar really feed cancer? Should you try a ketogenic diet? Can fasting make chemotherapy more effective, or might it leave you weaker?
In our first webinar, I was joined by nutritionist Tamara O’Dwyer to explore the often confusing relationship between food, cancer metabolism and treatment.
We discussed the importance of protein, maintaining muscle, managing weight loss and finding a sensible nutritional approach that supports the patient without ignoring the biology of the cancer.
Presented: 28 October 2026
Recording and related resources will be added when available.
November 2026 - Cancer Fatigue: Why Am I So Exhausted, and What Can I Do?
Cancer-related fatigue can be debilitating. Yet one of the most effective ways of managing it may also be one of the last things patients feel like doing: exercise.
We hope to be joined by an exercise physiologist to explore how appropriate physical activity can help preserve muscle, improve energy and support recovery during and after cancer treatment.
How much exercise is enough? When should patients rest? And how do we adapt exercise to someone who is exhausted or undergoing chemotherapy?
Proposed date: Wednesday 25 November, 7 pm.
Registration details coming soon.
December 2026 - Cancer Doesn't Take a Christmas Holiday
Christmas can be a difficult time when you’re living with cancer. While everyone else seems to be celebrating, you may be struggling with fatigue, treatment side effects, anxiety or simply trying to get through the day.
How do you manage family gatherings, food, infections and the expectations of others? When should you push yourself, and when is it better to say no?
We’ll explore some practical ways to make the holiday season a little easier for cancer patients and the people who care for them.
Free online webinar — details coming soon.
January 2027 - What Can I Actually Do to Help My Body Fight Cancer?
One of the questions I hear most often from cancer patients is, “What else can I do?”
Cancer treatment quite rightly focuses on the tumour. But what about the person carrying it?
We’ll explore the importance of metabolic health, inflammation, immune function, nutrition, sleep and physical activity, along with some of the supportive therapies used in integrative oncology.
Which approaches have good evidence, which are promising but still experimental, and what can patients realistically do to support themselves during treatment?
Free online webinar — details coming soon.
February 2027 - Radical Remission: What Can We Learn From Exceptional Survivors?
Why do some people with cancer experience unexpected, remarkable recoveries? And what can we learn from their experiences?
I’ll be joined by Justine Laidlaw to explore the Radical Remission Project and the lifestyle factors identified among people who have experienced exceptional cancer recoveries.
We’ll discuss nutrition, movement, emotional wellbeing, stress, purpose and the role of taking an active part in your own care.
What can we learn from these experiences, and where does the scientific evidence stand?
17 February 2027, 7 pm NZDT — With Justine Laidlaw
Free online webinar — registration details coming soon.
March 2027 - Supplements and Cancer: What Helps, What Harms, and What Is Hype?
Vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids, curcumin, melatonin, medicinal mushrooms, antioxidants — the list of supplements promoted to cancer patients is almost endless.
Some have interesting biological effects. Others may help with specific symptoms or nutritional deficiencies. Some are poorly studied, and a few may interfere with cancer treatment.
How do we make sense of all this?
We will examine the evidence behind commonly used supplements, discuss interactions with cancer treatments and consider three practical questions: Why might it work? What are the risks? And is the potential benefit worth the cost?
Don't miss our next conversation
Receive invitations to upcoming cancer education webinars, along with selected articles and practical resources from Neff Functional Medicine. We will let you know when registration opens for each new event.