2402: The Cancer Sympathy Machine part 2

Why would anyone fake cancer?

Money? Sure.

Attention? Definitely.

But as I learned in this episode… the motives are a lot darker, messier, and more human than you might expect.

In Part 2 of The Cancer Sympathy Machine, we go beyond the headline-grabbing scams and into the emotional machinery behind these lies. With the help of cancer-survivor-turned-researcher Bill Petrich, we break down the categories of cancer fakers — from those seeking sympathy to those hiding crimes, escaping abuse, or covering up addictions.

We revisit the infamous cases you’ve heard about: Belle Gibson, Scamanda, and Jennifer Cataldo.

To learn more about Bill Petrich’s work documenting these cases, check out his TikTok: @faking.cancer.expert:

tiktok.com/@faking.cancer.expert

Listen to eLIESabeth podcast:

open.spotify.com/show/2nlxXhewsTRAyJhvyvaQbb?s…

Protect your business before hackers even make a move.
NordStellar centralizes breach, dark web, and attack surface intelligence into one powerful threat-intelligence platform—helping you spot risks early and take action fast.

Get 20% off all NordStellar plans with the Black Friday code: BLACKFRIDAY20 (valid until December 10, 2025).
Use the link ⁠nordstellar.com/pretend (nordstellar.com/pretend)

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices