For The Breast of Us has always been a platform for women of color affected by breast cancer to flex! Our #NakedTruth campaign demanded we have a place to represent our journeys captured through photographs accompanied with our own words. And #WhenYouSeeUs was an opportunity to share what we want the healthcare community to remember when considering our care.

Women of color are constantly being ignored and underrepresented in all industries and business is no different. This September, For The Breast of Us, focused on #BaddiesinBusiness.

Meet 10 #BaddiesinBusiness that you need to know:

Alexea Gaffney, physician, author and entreprenuer | IG: @dralexea | FB: @dralexea |Twitter: @dralexea

This #baddieambassador resides in Stony Brook, NY. She is an entrepreneur, author, public speaker, brand ambassador, cancer wellness coach, triple-board certified Infectious Disease sub-specialist, Internist, and Pediatrician.

Tell us about your breast cancer diagnosis or your personal relationship with breast cancer if you weren’t diagnosed yourself?

Alexea was diagnosed with stage III Invasive Lobular Carcinoma in 2018 at the age of 37. She states that she knew that she was at risk for Breast Cancer after finding a lump in her left breast two years prior on a routine self-breast exam. That led to a breast ultrasound, biopsy, and lumpectomy that diagnosed multiple abnormal cell types and a predisposition for cancer. She attempted to previve cancer by requesting prophylactic surgery and genetic testing, but both were denied by her doctor. Dr. Alexea’s diagnosis came by way of MRI and subsequent MRI-guided biopsy as her tumor evaded detection by mammogram and breast ultrasound. Because she was found to have cancer in both breasts and was “too young to have breast cancer”, she was finally referred for genetic testing and counseling. She was found to have a PALB2 gene mutation and an ATM gene variant. Her treatment included bilateral mastectomy (which revealed that there was cancer in both breasts), chemotherapy, and radiation. Because her tumors were hormone receptor-positive, she is on hormone suppression therapy with Letrozole and Zoladex. She is nearly 3 1/2 years from her diagnosis.

How did your experience with breast cancer inspire your work?

Dr. Alexea is a triple-board certified Infectious Disease sub-specialist, Internist, and Pediatrician. She is, above and beyond this, a mother, speaker, author, and cancer health and wellness coach. Dr. Alexea invited the world into her life when she was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 37. She publicly shared her journey through social media as she underwent a double mastectomy, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy for her breast cancer treatment. Cancer has transformed her life and her worldview, and she has been healing and transforming herself and others through her speaking, teaching, and writing.

Dr. Alexea also utilizes advocacy via conferences, community engagement, and social media to educate women with breast cancer and at-risk communities about wellness lifestyle, disease prevention, and management. She is a firm believer in what she calls the “Treat, Eat, Drink and Think” approach to cancer care and healing. She has utilized her social media platforms @DrAlexea (Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter) to share her medical motivation, healthy influence, as well as her cancer journey. Here she not only gives glimpses and insights into her life with breast cancer but also shares the story of her cancer treatment and survival. Also, she shares how she thrives and helps her family and daughter cope with her treatment. She utilizes these platforms to give hope and encouragement to breast cancer survivors and their families through and beyond the treatment process.

During cancer treatment, Dr. Alexea recognized that there was not a lot of information that catered to Black women experiencing breast cancer. She also recognized that there was a lack of information about managing side effects naturally or holistically, limited information on the role of a healthy lifestyle, and the importance of wellness in cancer care and treatment. She was also keenly aware of the great deal of misinformation about cancer and cancer treatments. She chose to utilize her clinical expertise, as well as patient experiences to help educate and advocate for women experiencing at-risk for breast cancer. As an Infectious Disease Physician, she was incredibly fearful of developing surgical sites infection or complications during chemotherapy. She developed strategies and educational tools to help decrease infections and boost the immune system during and after chemo. This led to the creation and production of the Warrior Wellness and Nutrition Supplements line. Dr. Alexea’s passion and purpose is to create healing pathways to help others achieve total health and wellness (mind, body, and spirit).

What has been your greatest accomplishment?

Besides being a mother, she states that surviving breast cancer, sharing her journey in real-time, and reflections to help other women and families experiencing this awful disease.

How do you hope your work will make a difference in the world?

Dr. Alexea hopes to contribute to the end of Black women experiencing disparate outcomes and care during breast cancer. Her hope is to continue to give education, hope, and encouragement to women experiencing breast cancer so that this journey/battle/chapter of their life is one of overcoming and growth, not just sickness, pain, and suffering. Through her books, speaking, writing, cancer wellness coaching, and nutritional supplements, she hopes to help cancer survivors and thrivers experience total health and cancer wellness (mind, body, and spirit).

April Smith, entrepreneur | IG: @na_tea_bynature | IG: @survivorsnest

This #baddie resides in Atlanta, GA. She is the Founder of The Survivor’s Nest and na’tea by nature

Tell us about your breast cancer diagnosis or your personal relationship with breast cancer if you weren’t diagnosed yourself?

April was 34 years old when diagnosed with stage IIB breast cancer. The diagnosis caught her by surprise, mainly because it was her understanding that she was too young to obtain breast cancer, nor did she have an immediate family history. After 17 rounds of chemotherapy, 30 days of daily radiation, a year of hormone treatment, and a double mastectomy, she has been NED (no evidence of disease) for 7 years now!

What do you do?

April is the Founder of The Survivor’s Nest and na’tea by nature. The Survivor’s Nest is a 501c3 non-profit organization that offers direct support to women impacted with any type of cancer with a focus on health and wellness. They offer a safe space for them to heal and be nurtured during and after their cancer journey. When they leave the nest, they are free to spread their wings and help others. With a focus on women’s health, na’tea by nature, specializes in organic, loose-leaf herbal tea blends supporting wellness, changing lives, and making a positive impact. Their mission is to simply heal and provide guidance along your wellness journey.

How did your experience with breast cancer inspire your work?

When she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2013, April immediately went to Whole Foods, popped open a Natural Cure for Cancer book, and researched how to naturally heal from cancer. She bought every herb the book suggested. With her faith and herbs in place, she was determined to fight and win. But without a proper plan in place, her quest to heal herself holistically failed. However, that did not stop her from introducing herbs into her daily plan. She realized that healing is trifold: mind, body, and spirit. All three are needed to be in alignment for optimal results. By taking control of her health, she took her power back from cancer.

She changed her eating habits by adding more veggies and herbs. She discovered a love for fitness-walking, cross-training, yoga, dance fitness, and her new favorite-hiking! She will take outdoors over anything! She states that she and nature have a thing going on (giggle). Most importantly, let us not forget thy spirit. She has spent a lot of time praying, meditating, and journaling. She is comforted knowing that the Creator loves and protects her daily. Her light began to shine brighter, and it did not go unnoticed by friends, family, and the community. She started to get calls from women impacted by cancer or their family members looking for support. April and her husband found themselves offering support by attending doctors and hospital visits with patients and survivors. They provide guidance on how they could change their lifestyle and get in the driver’s seat of their cancer care. Additionally, they provided financial resources so they can obtain herbs and nutritious foods. As the need for support increased, they knew that they would be able to make a bigger impact by starting a non-profit organization, and that’s how The Survivor’s Nest was birthed.

April is also an Herbalist. April states that she has been gifted the skills and passion to heal through herbal medicine. She knows firsthand the benefits of medicinal plants and herbs and she has overcome and deflected the numerous side effects that come with undergoing cancer care. In fact, her medical team was astonished that she didn’t encounter known side effects that come with chemotherapy, radiation, and multiple surgeries. She is a survivor of breast cancer and grateful to say that she is healthier than she has ever been. After years of making healing teas, tinctures, and concoctions for her family. She has decided to master her skills, deepen her knowledge, and become a Master Herbalist. She acts as a guide to help heal our community as a whole; mind, body, and spirit. Their hope is that their herbal blends will help to encourage all to live a healthier lifestyle and continue to practice self-care + self-love.

What has been the most challenging aspect of entrepreneurship?

Managing two businesses and wearing many hats can be challenging. She is intentional about managing time and avoiding neglecting responsibilities in other areas of her life. Exercise, time with family and friends, and sleep are things that she does not take for granted. Setting boundaries and keeping a calendar allows her to stay “somewhat” on track.

What advice do you have for women looking to break into your field of work?

Keep your “why” at the forefront of your mind. Information overload can cloud our judgment, lead to distraction or burnout. However, when you are laser-focused on your purpose it will guide you and give you direction. It also allows you to prioritize and let go of what isn’t serving your purpose. When you come back to your why regularly, you’re checking in with yourself to see where you are in your journey.

Tell us about your upcoming projects

The Survivor’s Nest has partnered with Atlanta radio personality, Ms. Basketball for a 5k Breast Cancer walk on 10/23.

Javacia Harris Bowser, journalist and entrepreneur | IG: @seejavaciawrite

This #baddie resides in Birmingham, AL. She is a freelance journalist, writeprenuer, & business owner.

Tell us about your breast cancer diagnosis or your personal relationship with breast cancer if you weren’t diagnosed yourself?

Javacia was diagnosed with stage II breast cancer on January 24, 2020. Her active treatment plan included a lumpectomy, five months of chemotherapy, and 36 rounds of radiation. She is currently taking Tamoxifen and living that medical menopause, hot girl (as in hot flashes) life.

What do you do?

Javacia likes to call herself a writerpreneur. She is a full-time freelance journalist, but also runs a business called See Jane Write in which she coaches other women writers. Javacia has been an English teacher for 10 years.

How did your experience with breast cancer inspire your work?

When she was first diagnosed, Javacia told very few people. But eventually, she began to write about my breast cancer experience on my blog, on social media, and in personal essays that she did for media outlets. She is currently working on a collection of essays about how she has used writing to cope with cancer and everything else life has thrown her way.

What has been your greatest accomplishment as an entrepreneur?

Javacia has won several awards because of her business, See Jane Write. But her greatest accomplishment technically isn’t an accomplishment. When a woman who is a part of the See Jane Write community sees their byline in a publication for the first time, publishes a book, starts a blog, or gets a book deal — that’s when she is most proud.

What advice do you have for women looking to break into your field of work?

Write every day — even if it’s just one line in a journal. Set a writing goal and devote at least 5 hours a week to working on that goal. Connect with a community of writers to support you and cheer you on along the way.

How do you hope your work will make a difference in the world?

She believes that storytelling has the power to change the world, so every time she shares her story or helps another woman share their story, she knows that she is making a difference. But she will admit that sometimes she doesn’t feel that writing is enough. That’s why she also does advocacy work with organizations like the Tigerlily Foundation.

Tell us about your upcoming projects

She has an essay collection that will be published in January 2022. In the meantime, she’ll be busy growing and nurturing the See Jane Write community.

LaDonna Lewis, realtor | IG: @List.With.LL

This #baddie realtor resides in Richmond, VA, serving the Central Virginia area.

Tell us about your breast cancer diagnosis or your personal relationship with breast cancer if you weren’t diagnosed yourself?

LaDonna was diagnosed in 2015 at the age of 27 with stage I breast cancer. She has known breast cancer since she was 10 years old when she lost her mother to her second fight with breast cancer. She is thankful for her PCP at the time because when she noticed her family history, she required that she have the BRCA genetic testing to determine if she had the gene. It was confirmed to be BRCA1+. Since the age of 23, she has had mammograms and breast MRIs due to the density of her breast.

The year that she was diagnosed, her mammogram came back clear, so she wanted to cancel her MRI. She tried calling so many times, even personal line numbers because she worked at the hospital where she was being seen, but God was telling her to go. Thankfully she didn’t just decide to no-show because that MRI found cancer in the center of her right breast. Doctors have said that if she would have waited until she could feel the lump, it would’ve been too late for treatment. She underwent a double mastectomy and 6 months of chemotherapy. While chemo was an option, for my peace of mind if the cancer was to ever return, she can say that she did everything that she could the first time to try to prevent it from returning.

Fast forward to 2021, due to the statistics saying that at the age of 35 if you’ve already had breast cancer, the chances of you getting ovarian is increased to 80%, she had a total hysterectomy. Thankfully, she gave birth to her first biological son (her first son was adopted) and he is a healthy boy. She feels that cancer has always been this dark cloud over her life that she has done her best to fight daily. It can be very depressing knowing that this disease has taken everything that biologically makes her a woman. Thankfully, it hasn’t taken her entire spirit. She states that she has learned to look at life with the glass half-full and to see the joy in every moment! She has always been an advocate for the disease, but she has become a bigger advocate after her personal journey, especially due to her age. Many doctors don’t encourage younger women to take preventative measures, but she always encourages young women. She attributes it to having a doctor that did support these measures.

How did your experience with breast cancer inspire your work?

She has been a realtor for 4 years and this March, she decided to leave her corporate HR job and pursue it full-time. Breast cancer affected her experience because, in January 2015, she had purchased her first home just to know that only a few months later she was diagnosed, which was extremely scary. Knowing that she would be out of work due to surgery and chemo created a fear of being able to maintain her home. Thankfully, she has a very supportive family, a supportive realtor who remained in contact with and encouraged her along the way. LaDonna has always had the desire to help people and be supportive because of the amount that she had received growing up without her mother, but this just took it to another level. In addition to feeling all of that while searching for and going through the home buying process, she wanted to help bring that type of joy and sense of accomplishment to others in that same way. While it was scary not knowing what would happen to my home during her breast cancer fight, knowing that she had done this on her own with her realtor being there every step of the way. She would remind her that she was amazing and could do anything that God allowed.

What advice do you have for women looking to break into your field of work?

Plan but be a risk-taker too! Sounds crazy but LaDonna has been a planner that didn’t take risks. The dollars didn’t make sense for her to leave her 9-5 but the mental stress of the 9-5 said to take the risk. Her corporate job taught her how to deal with various people which is important. Learning how to manage your time, it may take a while to get a schedule down, but you should always work towards it. Surround yourself with positive and knowledgeable real estate professionals to have as mentors. Also, scared money doesn’t make money, so invest in educating yourself. It may seem costly but the return you will receive both, monetarily and emotionally, makes it so worth it. Lastly, don’t just do it for the money, have a passion and a reason. She never wanted to do real estate to be wealthy. Her goal was to help people and to be able to be more present for my family. LaDonna states that if she can make enough money to take care of her family, she is good!

Marquita Goodluck, author and entrepreneur | IG: @marquitawrites | IG: @mgorganicskincare

This #baddie resides in Potomac, MD. She is an advocate, author, and skincare business owner.

Tell us about your breast cancer diagnosis or your personal relationship with breast cancer if you weren’t diagnosed yourself?

In 2017, Marquita was diagnosed with stage II Invasive Ductal Carcinoma at the age of 35. Fortunately for Marquita, she discovered the tumor when she crossed her arms and felt a lump on my inner thumb. She states that she knew instantly but that she needed to see a doctor to confirm.

How did your experience with breast cancer inspire your work?

The beauty of breast cancer is the sisterhood. So many women will step up for you, guide you, educate you, and hold your hand. Many breast cancer survivors and patients helped her during her journey. This motivated her to pay it forward and she knew that once she completed her journey, she had an obligation to pay it forward.

What do you do?

Marquita is an advocate, author, and skincare business owner. She has published two books to help breast cancer patients and their families. One, a children’s book “Bk’s Mommy Has Breast Cancer!“, which helps children deal with their mother’s breast cancer diagnosis. The second, a quick guide to help breast cancer patients deal with a breast cancer diagnosis “Cry, Learn, Adjust, Fight, and Repeat!“.  She has also created a skincare line, Marquita Goodluck Organic Skincare, where she has created products to help breast cancer patients with side effects from radiation and chemotherapy.

How do you hope your work will make a difference in the world?

Marquita’s goal is to give others hope. To motivate others to push forward, fight hard, and never give up.

Monisha Parker, author | IG: @monishashante0503

This author and #baddieambassador resides in Garner, NC.

Tell us about your breast cancer diagnosis or your personal relationship with breast cancer if you weren’t diagnosed yourself?

Monisha was diagnosed with stage IIB (IDC ER/PR+ HER2-) breast cancer at the age of 28 after watching both her mom and grandmother battle the disease.

How did your experience with breast cancer inspire your work?

Monisha’s experience with breast cancer empowered her to finally jump and do something that she has dreamed of doing since she was a child: write a book. After seeing how hard it was to find resources to help her children cope with my diagnosis, she decided to write a children’s book.

Her second book was written with her mother, and they share their stories and faith. Her breast cancer diagnosis helped her to realize the power of her story.

What advice do you have for women who want to enter your field?

Monisha’s advice for women who want to write a book:
1) Decide if they want to go with a publisher or self-publish (weigh the pros and cons).
2) Set aside time to write and stay consistent
3) Just start– know that someone needs to read your story. Your story matters and it’s important.

Natalie Bello, designer and entrepreneur | IG: @scarvesforhealing

This #Latinabaddie lives in Ashburn, VA. She is an entrepreneur, a designer, and an advocate

Tell us about your breast cancer diagnosis or your personal relationship with breast cancer if you weren’t diagnosed yourself?

Natalie was diagnosed at age 27 with stage II IDC Breast Cancer. She had no family history of breast cancer, and her genetic testing came back negative for any gene mutation. She was in shock when she received the news and had no knowledge about breast cancer or how to even start, what questions should be asked, what should she do to make sure that she received the right treatment. Natalie had 15 rounds of chemotherapy, a double mastectomy, fertility preservation, and is now in hormonal therapy.

What do you do?

Natalie is an entrepreneur, a designer, and an advocate. In her day job, she works in the technology industry in operations. After 5 pm she’s a UX designer, the founder, and CEO of Scarves for Healing, and a consumer reviewer for the Department of State Breast Cancer Research program. Most importantly, she is a woman who just wants to help other women affected by cancer through the journey by offering products, services, and knowledge that will help them.

How did your experience with breast cancer inspire your work?

Being a young woman working in a corporate role, Natalie wanted to keep working but her work setting is a place where image counts a lot and she wanted to be able to feel confident, beautiful and did not want to look sick.

She tried wigs and tried the traditional head wraps that are currently in the market for cancer patients. Natalie felt she still looked sick and did not feel confident. Her mother is a professional seamstress and Natalie decided to make her own pre-tied headscarf. She was able to design and create a modern, comfortable, and beautiful head scarf that made her feel confident, professional, and beautiful. She still remembers walking into the infusion clinic with my own headscarf and as soon as she saw another patient, the woman asked where she could get a headscarf like Natalie’s. That is how Scarves for Healing was born! This was born to give women the confidence they need in their most vulnerable times. Scarves for Healing wants women who faced hair loss to feel secure in themselves and their head accessories to represent how strong they are.

How do you hope your work will make a difference in the world?

If one person who tries their products has one less thing to worry about during their cancer journey, they made a difference. The cancer road is tough, it is mentally and physically draining. It is a full-time job working overtime – including holidays. When you are faced with your mortality, people should not be thinking about how they are going to look without hair. They hope that their pre-tied head scarves wrap you in love, in confidence, in comfort, and most importantly they uplift you through this difficult journey.

Tamara Newborn, author and entrepreneur | FB: Tamara b Newborn | IG: @Iamtamarabnewborn | YT: Tamara Newborn

This #baddie resides in McKinney, TX. She is an author, entrepreneur, and public speaker.

Tell us about your breast cancer diagnosis or your personal relationship with breast cancer if you weren’t diagnosed yourself?

In 2017, seven months after her mother was diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer and two months before her sister was diagnosed with stage I breast cancer, she was diagnosed with stage IIb breast cancer. Tamara and her sister fought their battle with breast cancer as they were losing their mother to it. Her father was diagnosed with prostate cancer the following year, days after her double mastectomy surgery. She was 36 years old when she was diagnosed. Four years later, she can say that she is a survivor. Unfortunately, due to covid, her treatment plan has been slowed. She hopes to have her last reconstructive surgery and hysterectomy this year.

What do you do?

Author: Making it Through the Storm. Co-Author: Confessions of a Caregiver. Speaker: Tamara speaks about her breast cancer journey often hoping that her testimony will help the next person through this horrible journey. Entrepreneur: At the beginning of this year, she started a small business catering to her writing and public speaking, BrandNew Books & More LLC.

How did your experience with breast cancer inspire your work?

Before battling cancer at the same time as her mother, father, and sister, she never imagined it to be possible. Going through this battle has brought out a faith level in her that she didn’t know existed. Everyone’s battle with cancer will be different so she knows that she doesn’t have a blueprint for success, but she would like to share the things that helped her make it through. She is not the same person that she was before she was diagnosed but she is comfortable with the new Tamara.

What has been your greatest accomplishment as an entrepreneur?

Besides being able to write and publish two books and now working on my third one, she can say knowing that her personal story has been a blessing to others. Tamara’s mission is to ease the transition.

Tell us about your upcoming projects

Tamara is in the process of preparing to do a 4-week YouTube segment where she will share her testimony and have other survivors and family of those affected by cancer share their testimony. She is working on her next book titled, “Life After the Storm.”

Neosho Ponder | IG: @Dr_Ponder

This author #baddie resides in Washington, DC.

Tell us about your breast cancer diagnosis or your personal relationship with breast cancer if you weren’t diagnosed yourself?

When Neosho discovered her lump which she hilariously calls ‘Clarence’ and was diagnosed with stage IIB IDC, she was ready to fight. She figured she would have a double mastectomy, do chemo and radiation, and then breast reconstruction. But God is a comedian! After overcoming homelessness that led to 5 moves, 1 severe radiation burn, and 7 reconstructive surgeries, it only made sense that Neosho would share her hilarious war with breast cancer in her memoir, “God’s Got Jokes.”

How did your experience with breast cancer inspire your work?

All survivors have a story, but the crazier Neosho’s journey became, the more she laughed. When she would share her cancer journey with others, they would nervously laugh. Only God can create laughter in all that she went through.

What advice do you have for women who want to enter your field?

Know your strengths and weaknesses. Embrace the calling to do that thing that scares you and, trust the process.

How do you hope your work will make a difference in the world?

Neosho remembers how weak she was during chemo and how she could not read for more than a few minutes. She knows that her audiobook will inspire, empower, and entertain those in treatment or recovering from surgery. Her goal and prayer is that she will pre-sale enough books to fund an audiobook.

Kawana Rucker | IG: @RuckerWellness

This #baddie resides in Pittsburgh. She is an author and wellness coach.

Tell us about your breast cancer diagnosis or your personal relationship with breast cancer if you weren’t diagnosed yourself?

Kawana was diagnosed with stage I triple-positive breast cancer in 2018 and 2019.

How did your experience with breast cancer inspire your work?

One of the ways in which Kawana was able to track and support herself emotionally along the cancer diagnosis was through journaling. It was one of the keys to her healing. Writing is so therapeutic and good for our mental health. Kawana was inspired to write a short journal to share with the cancer community in hopes it would be a small token of love and inspiration. Her diagnosis also inspired her to give back and wellness coaching was the way in which she could do that. Kawana’s passion is empowering those impacted by cancer to take a holistic approach to healing, which means conventional and integrative. Cancer isn’t linear it takes both.

What do you do?

Kawana is the author of a 7-day journal called Goal Getter journal for Mind, Body, Spirit. She is also a certified Wellness Coach specializing in supporting those impacted by cancer.

What advice do you have for women who want to enter your field?

Just do it! The only failure anyone has is not starting. The greatest death is dying looking back at all your hopes, dreams, and untold testimonies because you didn’t fulfill the purpose God predestined you with. You have greatness within you! -Les Brown

How do you hope your work will make a difference in the world?

Kawana hopes that her coaching, journal, and testimony will educate, uplift, and empower others to be their own wellness champions. She wants our community to understand they are their best advocates. Kawana also understands that not all are fortunate enough to advocate for themselves due to so many reasons so she prays that her advocacy will impact healthcare so that women of color are seen, felt, and heard.

Tell us about your upcoming projects

On October 15th from 7-8 pm est, she will be on a panel with Gateway Health, UPMC, and AHN speaking on bridging the gap between conventional and Integrative medicine during breast cancer.

This event is free! Contact Kawana for details or check out the events page here!

For The Breast of Us will continue to use our platform to celebrate the depths and diversity of women of color daily. In this space, we will continue to accompany those affected by breast cancer with support, information, and connections to the breast cancer community. We will continue to showcase real-life stories showcasing their triumphs, creations, and advocacy like the ten women featured here.