PUBLISHED: 7th September 2023
My niece, Azariah, showed me a TikTok video where a young lady mentioned that her family has a history of hereditary cancer. The lady in the video had a double mastectomy, called herself a Previvor and mentioned FORCE. I researched and was able to find FORCE on the internet. The information I found on FORCE’s website was thorough. I came across FORCE’s volunteer opportunities, which motivated me to become a Patient Advocate Leader volunteer. In this role, I reached out to my state and federal lawmakers and shared my story and the many issues and challenges that the hereditary cancer community faces. I educated them on the difficulty of accessing affordable cancer screenings. During one of my meetings, my legislator was so inspired, he offered to support in any way and even lead a bill to help our community. I’m excited to keep bringing awareness and education to others via social media.