Three Generations of Caregiving with Aileen Smalling
✨ Episode Overview
In this episode of Who We Become — Life Beyond Change, Amanda sits down with her mom, Aileen Smalling, to explore caregiving across generations, identity, faith, resilience, and what it means when the strong one becomes the one who needs care.
Together, they talk about watching a mother fight cancer at six years old, stepping into the role of caregiver decades later for her own daughter during the pandemic, and then facing a diagnosis herself. They explore the quiet emotional labor of caregiving, the difficulty of receiving help, and how strength evolves when life asks you to surrender instead of push through.
This conversation is for anyone who has been the steady one for a long time — the caregiver, the organizer, the strong one — and is learning how to allow others to show up for them too.
👤 Meet Our Guest: Aileen Smalling
Aileen Smalling is a mother, grandmother, caregiver, and cancer survivor whose life has been shaped by three generations of resilience.
As a child, she watched her own mother fight breast cancer — not once, but twice. As an adult, she supported her daughter through diagnosis and treatment during the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic. And later, she faced her own cancer diagnosis, stepping into the unfamiliar role of patient after a lifetime of caregiving.
Through her journey, she’s learned that strength is not just endurance — it is faith, community, gratitude, and the courage to receive care when you need it.
🕒 Key Moments from the Conversation
00:00 — Introduction
03:45 — Watching her mother navigate cancer at six years old
11:20 — Becoming the caregiver during her daughter’s diagnosis
19:40 — Receiving her own diagnosis and redefining strength
28:15 — What caregivers need to hear
36:50 — Gratitude, slowing down, and living with purpose
Quotes that Stayed With Us
“You have a survivor gene.”
“It’s easier to be the caregiver than to be the one receiving the care.”
“Strength comes from leaning into other people.”
“Every single day I wake up grateful.”
📌 Resources & Mentions
Here are links and resources shared in this episode:
🤍 The importance of faith and community in caregiving
🍲 The power of meals, presence, and practical support
👂 The role of advocacy and listening in medical journeys
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📷 Follow on Instagram @lifebeyondchange
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