Healing Out Loud: Before and After the Diagnosis cover art

Healing Out Loud: Before and After the Diagnosis

Healing Out Loud: Before and After the Diagnosis

Listen for free

View show details

About this listen

 In this special episode, host Dr. Cassandre Dunbar takes listeners inside the Johnson & Johnson Healthy eVoices Conference in Princeton, New Jersey — a gathering of hundreds of health advocates from across the country, all living with chronic illness.Cassandre sat down with eight extraordinary women and asked them all the same question: How did you become an advocate?None of them planned it. Most of them were chosen - by a diagnosis, by a moment of crisis, by the simple fact that no one who looked like them existed in the spaces they needed most.From a 7-year-old giving her first speech at a gala, to a woman fired from her job because of epilepsy, to a cancer diagnosis in the middle of a divorce — these stories will move you, challenge you, and remind you why showing up matters.*Disclosure: Johnson & Johnson covered travel and accommodations for the Healthy Voices Conference. They had no involvement in the conversations, participants selected, questions asked, or how this story is told.*Featuring:Alexis - Pulmonary Arterial HypertensionAlexis is a Black disabled advocate and healthcare professional committed to amplifying the patient voice and advancing disability representation. She began her advocacy at age seven with the American Heart Association and was later crowned Miss Amazing National Senior Miss Amazing 2021. Through her work and storytelling—including her love of Disney and fashion—she creates space for honest conversations about disability, identity, and what it means to live well and fully.Asha - Breast Cancer & VitiligoAsha Miller is a nationally recognized breast cancer veteran, speaker, and storyteller who uses her lived experience as a Black woman navigating cancer, divorce, motherhood, and healing to advocate for equity in healthcare. Diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer in her early 30s, Asha speaks candidly about identity, body image, racial disparities, and reclaiming power after diagnosis. She is the founder of Asha Miller Creative and is known for building transformative spaces where storytelling becomes a catalyst for healing and change.Ayesha - Psoriatic ArthritisFounder of The PsoriaSis Collective and Sistas With Psoriasis Online Support Group, Ayesha Patrick is a long-time psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis patient advocate dedicated to empowering Black women through education, connection, and support. She volunteers with the National Psoriasis Foundation, has written for WebMD and PlaquePsoriasis.com, and serves as a patient research partner advancing psoriatic disease studies. She is a proud Mom of two and resides in NewJersey. Derra - EpilepsysDerra Howard is a content strategist, filmmaker, and the Founder and President of Saving Grace Epilepsy Foundation. She leads initiatives focused on epilepsy awareness, education, and direct community support, working to break stigma and improve access to care for individuals and families affected by seizure disorders.Jenice - Crohn's DiseaseRacquel - LupusLupus In Color founder Racquel H. Dozier is a passionate lupus advocate, educator, speaker, and community builder dedicated to educating, inspiring, encouraging, and empowering lupus warriors around the world. Navigating her own lupus journey, she transformed her experience into purpose, creating a platform that amplifies diverse voices, addresses health disparities, and centers the lived experiences of those often underrepresented in chronic illness spaces.Stephanie - IBD (Crohn's/Ulcerative Colitis)Stephanie A. Wynn is a Certified Patient Leader, Founder and President of The Stephanie A. Wynn Foundation, and Program Director of the IBD Patient Navigator® Program. She leads initiatives that connect patients diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis two forms of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)with trained IBD Patient Navigators who provide individualized support to help patients manage their disease and navigate healthcare with confidence. Through advocacy, education, and community-based navigation, she works to reduce healthcare disparities and improve outcomes in underserved communities.Yolanda - Multiple MyelomaYolanda Brunson-Sarrabo, former Fashion Pro, now vocal advocate. She shares her story of being diagnosed and managing multiple myeloma. She’s a certified Patient Leader and the founder and CEO of Chronic Fitness. Yolanda is a Content Creator for No Better Time Than The Present, an IG /YouTube Podcast, where she speaks with various Patient Advocates on their trials and Journeys.Connect with Be Well, Sis:Instagram – @bewellsis_podcastSubstack – bewellsis.substack.comFollow, rate, and share this episode!We’re supporting St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Head over to www.stjude.org/bewellsis right now and sign up to be a monthly donor. Together, we can make a real impact.Want to get in touch? Maybe you want to hear from a certain guest or have a recommendation for On My Radar? Get in touch at hello@editaud.io with Be Well Sis in the ...
No reviews yet
In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.