When Charlotte Bayala launched The Cancer Caregiver Podcast, she wasn’t merely filling a content gap. She was building the show she needed when she was deep in the experience of caregiving. As a long-term caregiver for her husband, she couldn’t find a space that truly saw her.
So she created a show that blends storytelling, grounded insight, and self-preservation tools to help caregivers feel less alone, more supported, and more equipped to care for themselves while caring for someone they love.
That work just earned her the 2026 Swaay.Health Award for Podcast of the Year, which was presented live at the annual Swaay.Health LIVE event in Foxboro, MA.
Felicidades, Charlotte!!
The Swaay.Health Awards recognize excellence in healthcare marketing, communications, and patient experience. The Cancer Caregiver Podcast was honored for elevating the experience of family cancer caregivers with practical, compassionate support.
Drawing on nearly two decades as a yoga and meditation teacher alongside her own caregiving journey, Charlotte blends personal storytelling with grounded, self-preservation tools that help caregivers feel seen and less alone.
“This recognition is deeply meaningful because The Cancer Caregiver Podcast was created for people who are so often standing beside the patient, holding everything together, while very few people stop to ask how they are doing,” said Charlotte.
This is what it looks like when we build shows rooted in lived experience. Congratulations, Charlotte! We’re proud to have you in this community.
What Charlotte’s Win Reminds Us
Your show doesn’t need a big budget or broad topic to get recognized. You can lean into your own lived experience. Build something real. Charlotte didn’t necessarily start with a market strategy. Instead, she started with a gap she had lived through herself.
Specificity became her strength, not a limitation. So if you’re wondering whether your niche is too narrow or your topic too personal, Charlotte’s story is your answer!
And take note: this award didn’t come from a podcasting organization. It came from the healthcare industry Charlotte serves.
Awards and recognition exist across every field, and if your podcast speaks to a specific community or industry, that community may already have a way to honor the work you’re doing. You just have to go look for it!
Listen to The Cancer Caregiver Podcast and learn more about Charlotte’s work at charlottebayala.com.
Author: Paulette Erato
Cultural narrative disruptor and Latina visibility advocate, Paulette Erato is the founder of Latinas In Podcasting and creator/host/producer of the childfree Latina podcast, La Vida Más Chévere. Book her to speak at your next event from her website https://pauletteerato.com/
