I was diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) in 2019 during the midst of a nasty divorce. People I had once called “friends” faded away, just as the love from my marriage did. Moreover, Covid-19 hit, bringing an end to socialization as we knew it. Forced into isolation to avoid getting sick, I recall walking into the treatment center hoping that there was a person who looked like me; hoping to meet someone with a similar lived experience.

Although my support system was really great, they couldn’t fully relate to my situation or fully understand my needs because they had never personally been impacted by cancer. In search of friendship and companionship, I researched online cancer support groups.

When I first began researching local breast cancer communities, I was unable to find a general group, much less any group that was designed for women of color. However, the more I researched, the more I became interested in the disease and how I could become an advocate for breast cancer awareness.

My search eventually led me to Living Beyond Breast Cancer (LBBC). As a mother, I needed help sharing my cancer diagnosis with my 5-year-old, and LBBC had the resources that I needed. They sent me a children’s book to share with her and even gave me reading materials that I could share with my treatment center.

I was so impressed with the customer service I received that I applied to their “Hear My Voice” advocacy training program. Being involved in their program allowed me to meet a diverse set of people affected by cancer not just in my area but from all over the United Stated. The training offered informative content and engaging activities after each module. The activities allowed us to get to know each other on a personal level beyond just our cancer diagnosis.

While we only had a short amount of time together, we built a community.

In addition to making new advocate friends, I truly enjoyed creating an advocate elevator speech. Learning how to effectively share my breast cancer story is a skill set that has opened doors for speaking engagements, as well as blog and vlog opportunities.

During the training, For the Breast of Us (FTBOU) was mentioned several times as an emerging organization created by and designed to assist women of color affected by breast cancer. I immediately began following FTBOU on all social media platforms and joined their closed Facebook group. While sharing parts of my journey, I learned more about myself and others. So often we think that we are the only person going through something when many others are dealing with the same thing. I was praised for being brave enough to share my cancer journey publicly. My transparent posting helped me find my tribe of supporters. Although these individuals were miles away, they grew near and dear to my heart.

Having a safe space to share the good, bad, and ugly about my cancer journey, without judgment, meant the world to me.

For a year, only those close to me knew of my diagnosis. I needed the time to manage my own feelings and to work through my care plan. FTBOU and LBBC communities played an important role in my cancer care and recovery. These organizations helped me find tribes of individuals affected by cancer who supported me without questions.

I felt seen, heard, and valued.

In addition to providing emotional support, they shared coping skills that they had used throughout their cancer journeys. No matter what I was going through, I was reassured that I would make it through difficult times. There were many times that I did not believe it, but they did.