Welcome to Episode 52 of The Incredible Machines podcast! In this thought-provoking conversation, Jon Oliff and Luke Holden sit down with Samantha Edwards, a marketing and advertising professional whose life and career have taken her from Port Elizabeth to London, back to South Africa and through two cancer diagnoses.
Samantha shares how her stable childhood, early working years, time in the UK, agency life, marriage to Scott and motherhood shaped the person she is today. She speaks openly about the fear of diagnosis, the shock of cancer returning, the emotional weight of waiting for answers, and the support that carried her through surgery and chemotherapy.
From the kindness of Leonie, who asked to scrub in during surgery despite barely knowing Samantha, to the unwavering presence of her mother, Samantha’s story is a reminder that resilience is rarely a solo act. It is built through family, friendship, medical care, breath by breath thinking and the decision to stay present when the future refuses to be predictable.
This episode is a must listen for anyone navigating uncertainty, supporting a loved one through illness, or trying to understand how life, work and purpose shift after adversity.
⏱ Timestamped Overview
00:48 – Introduction to Samantha Edwards
02:40 – Growing up in Port Elizabeth and discovering advertising.
05:03 – Studying, working and gaining early production experience.
06:09 – Moving to London and working in production.
08:10 – Eight years in the UK, public relations and European travel.
12:05 – A failed engagement and the decision to return to South Africa.
16:35 – Samantha’s mother as her incredible machine.
20:11 – Support and facing the uncertainty of cancer.
25:08 – Moving to Durban and joining the agency world.
28:03 – Fear of flying, control and how cancer shifted perspective.
35:03 – Running Two Oceans after her second surgery.
40:50 – Marriage, motherhood and life before diagnosis.
44:18 – Hearing the word cancer and preparing for surgery.
47:08 – Surgery, fear and the kindness of Leonie.
53:57 – Waiting for biopsy results and receiving a stage three diagnosis.
58:02 – Choosing to step away from work during treatment.
01:03:31 – Her mother’s support through surgery and chemo.
01:08:30 – Finding the right oncologist and feeling heard.
01:13:28 – The shock of Samantha’s second cancer diagnosis.
01:17:33 – Scanxiety, waiting and the fear of not knowing.
01:27:10 – Returning to normal life after cancer.
01:41:26 – This too shall pass and finding perspective.
01:45:11 – Samantha offers support to anyone recently diagnosed.
💬 Quote of the Episode
“You can’t control the future. You can only control what’s going on right now.” – Samantha Edwards
🧠 Related Campaign Example
BMW Beat the Bends Campaign: Samantha chose BMW’s Beat the Bends as her related campaign example. The ad stands out for its sharp conceptual thinking and its clever response to Mercedes Benz on Chapman's Peak. Samantha highlights how the idea communicates confidence without needing to directly state superiority, making it a memorable example of South African creative advertising.
BMW Beat the Bends Campaign: https://youtu.be/cwPrlsJYwKY?si=2C9FGziNl6Azdxz8
👣 Relevant Links & Mentions
Samantha Edwards’ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samedwards81/
Samantha Edwards’ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/samantha.hewitson
Samantha Edwards’ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samanthedwards/
Samantha Edwards’ Threads: https://www.threads.com/@samanthedwards
🌐 Connect with Tim Africa
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Podcast Page: https://www.pod.tim.africa
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