Cassie Minicucci is behind EpiccaTalks, a new podcast aimed at people living with invisible illnesses. With the first episode out tomorrow, the UEA MA student who lives with Lyme disease explains more
Who are you and what do you do?
My name is Cassie, and I’m currently a student at the University of East Anglia, getting my MA in Creative Writing (Poetry)! I’m originally Canadian but grew up in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States.
What has brought you to the UEA and what do you love about living and studying here?
One of my academic passions is poetry, and the UEA has a wonderful creative writing MA program. I’ve spent the last year honing my creative practice alongside the wonderful writers in my cohort, and it’s been a phenomenal academic journey. One of my favourite things about studying in the UK is being surrounded by history. Norwich itself has hundreds of years of stories, and it’s easy to access London and other cities via train, so I’ve been fortunate enough to do some exploring. I find war history especially compelling. My niche interest is in World War I poetry, and I wrote my undergraduate thesis on trauma and moral injury in the works of Sassoon and Owen, so anything in that realm is fascinating to me!
What has led to your new podcast, EpiccaTalks?
I’ve had Lyme disease since I was a teenager, and while I manage it relatively well, it still affects my day-to-day life quite a bit. I’m quite an energetic person when I’m not fatigued or going through a flare, and I love participating in tons of projects and hobbies. It’s easy to overextend yourself, however, when you’re dealing with an invisible illness on top of a crazy schedule, so I’ve had to develop strategies to be really intentional with my time and energy. As I’ve continued my academic and professional pursuits, I’ve realized that other people with invisible illnesses, regardless of the diagnosis, have the same struggles that I do. It takes a whole lot of mental chess to figure out how to stay consistent, get your work done, nourish your relationships, take care of yourself, and make time for joy alongside a chronic health condition! EpiccaTalks is my way of sharing what I’ve learned along my journey with a wider audience, as well as connecting with others who have invisible illnesses so that they can share their stories and feel less alone.
Who is it aimed at and when do you launch?
EpiccaTalks is intended for anyone with an invisible illness, mental or physical, but the strategies we share can help anyone struggling with their health and energy management. Maybe you’re getting over a cold, you’re not sleeping well, or you’re more overwhelmed than usual at work. On the show, I’ll be sharing specific frameworks that can help you manage the practicalities of your life with more ease, whether it’s ways to make routines that you can adapt to your energy or how to respond when someone says, “but you look fine, you can’t be sick!”. I’ll also be featuring conversations with individuals living with invisible illnesses across a variety of careers and industries, so they can share their stories and wisdom.
EpiccaTalks is also intended as a resource for anyone who knows and loves somebody with an invisible illness. Sometimes, it can be hard to know what to say or do when someone around you is struggling, and I want my show to be a place that gives them the understanding and the tools to reach out with confidence. The first episode of season one drops Friday, August 14th, at 5pm, and new episodes will be released every other week!
Is there anyone you would like to thank for their support?
I’d like to express a huge amount of gratitude to the entire UEA Student Enterprise team. This past spring, I had the opportunity to participate in the Student Enterprise Changemaker program, which I can’t say enough good things about, and I’d like to give a special thank-you to Finbarr Carter for his support and guidance. I’d also love to shout out Stephen Balmer-Walters, my mentor during the Changemaker program, for his unwavering positivity and belief in Epicca. Ultimately, however, the biggest thanks have to go to my mom. She’s my number one cheerleader in all my endeavours, especially Epicca, and she’s supported me through the ups and downs of Lyme in all the seasons of my life. I wouldn’t be here without her!
What are you hopes and dreams for your podcast?
I want EpiccaTalks to be a place where anyone with an invisible illness can come and feel understood, whether someone is newly diagnosed or they’ve been living with a condition for years. The first season of the show will offer both useful strategies and frameworks for people to apply to their day-to-day lives alongside conversations that feel uplifting and empowering amidst the tough stuff, and I hope that this combination will prove impactful to others living with chronic conditions.
Ultimately, I want people to listen to EpiccaTalks and know that there are ways to thrive with an invisible illness, even if that doesn’t look the way we wanted or hoped it would look before our diagnosis. Life might be different than we planned, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be beautiful, and I want to give people that hope alongside the tools to achieve their goals as best they can.
As we move into 2027, I hope to expand EpiccaTalks beyond the podcast by launching more resources to help those with invisible illnesses (follow the Instagram @epiccatalks for announcements!).
Where can people find out more/get involved?
Follow me @epiccatalks on Instagram! Please don’t hesitate to shoot me a message if you’re interested in collaborating, or if you just want to connect. I’m currently looking for people to share their stories on the podcast, so if you think you’d be a good fit, reach out and we’ll have a chat. I’m always down for a coffee and good conversation!
The first episode of season one of EpiccaTalks drops tomorrow (Friday, August 14, 2026) at 5pm, and new episodes will be released every other week. Follow EpiccaTalks (@epiccatalks) on Instagram.
Featured image of Cassie – supplied
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