Baddie 2 Baddie: Cancer Community Support

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Welcome to the Baddie 2 Baddie podcast, where we delve into real survivor stories and celebrate the resilience of of women of color facing breast cancer.
In this episode, host Tesha and guests Deniece Delerme, Ladonna Lewis, and Dr. Stacy Kernisan, all breast cancer survivors, come together to discuss the importance of community support and finding a sense of community during their ongoing cancer journeys.
They emphasize the need for more representation for younger women of color with breast cancer, and highlight the significant roles of social media, support groups, and sororities in providing the much-needed understanding and support on their paths to healing.
So, grab your headphones and tune in as we delve into this empowering conversation about strength, resilience, and finding community support in the battle against cancer.
A note about our sponsor, Eli Lily!
Hey Baddies! We want to take a quick minute to shout out to our amazing sponsor, Eli Lilly, for supporting our mission on Baddie 2 Baddie! Because of their generosity, we can keep these important conversations about breast cancer awareness and advocacy going strong for our community of WOC. Big love to Eli Lilly for standing with us!
About our guests:
Wardrobe stylist and former beauty queen Deniece Delerme is a proud 7 year breast cancer survivor and the Founder of Slay Cancer: a relentless crusade to demolish the misconceptions that shroud breast cancer in darkness using the influence of style and the impact of clothing. While undergoing treatment, Deniece understood the importance of self-advocacy and confidence especially for young women of color.
Slay Cancer ignites conversations, inspires awareness, and champions proactive breast health care through the power of boldness, faith, and fashion fierceness!
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LaDonna Lewis a native of Richmond, VA, has dealt with breast cancer and its effects since losing her mother at the age of 10 after her second battle with breast cancer. Breast cancer claimed the lives of others in her family to include her aunts and even her grandfather but she was also able to see through one of her aunts that cancer wasn't a death sentence.
In 2011 at the age 23, she found out she was BRCA1+ and in June 2015 at 27, she was diagnosed with Stage 1 triple negative breast cancer. Her journey consisted of a double mastectomy and 6 months of chemotherapy. She vowed that her moms life and her battle wouldn’t be in vain and immediatelybecame an advocate for young women that were not only battling the disease, but to advocate when something wasn’t right with their bodies. She has spearheaded two fundraisers for young women battling cancer, most recently hosting “A Pink Christmas” to help a mother make Christmas happen while she is in treatment.
As of April 2024, she is the founder of “A Pink Christmas Foundation” who’s mission is to support women battling cancer & their families, with a focus on young women battling breast cancer. LaDonna’s goal is to leave an impact on her community and to let other women know that they are not alone in the fight & that we must always advocate for ourselves until somebody hears.
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Dr. Stacey Kernisan is a distinguished individual with a multifaceted background. She is a wife and mother to two children, aged 11 and 6, respectively. Additionally, she serves as President of her sorority, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., demonstrating her commitment to community engagement and leadership.
Her professional journey encompasses many experiences, including working with at-risk youth in residential settings and individuals with disabilities, collaborating with government contractors in training and development, and participating in higher education initiatives. Dr. Kernisan pursued her undergraduate studies at Virginia Tech and recently attained her Doctor of Education in Adult Learning and Development from Northwestern State University of Louisiana.
Despite her significant achievements, Dr. Kernisan faced a formidable challenge when diagnosed with Stage 2 Breast Cancer/Triple Positive. The discovery of the lump during her routine self-examination while breastfeeding her daughter initially led her to believe it was a benign issue. However, subsequent medical evaluation confirmed the diagnosis, prompting her to undergo eight rounds of chemotherapyfollowed by a double mastectomy with reconstruction. She then underwent a regimen of Herceptin for a year and five years of Tamoxifen treatment.
Today, Dr. Kernisan stands as a beacon of resilience, having achieved no evidence of disease status. She remains dedicated to advocating for regular self-examinations as a means of early detection and continues to raise awareness about breast cancer within her community and beyond.
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About For the Breast of Us
For the Breast of Us is the first inclusive community dedicated to supporting women of color affected by breast cancer. Our