If there’s one thing I hope people know about me, it’s that my story is so much bigger than my diagnosis.

My name is Mary, and while I am not a breast cancer survivor, I am incredibly honored to be part of the breast cancer community as an advocate, supporter, and Breast Cancer Baddie Ambassador.

I currently live with end-stage kidney disease caused by polycystic kidney disease (PKD), and I’m prayerfully waiting for the day I receive the gift of a kidney transplant. Living with a chronic illness has taught me what it means to navigate endless doctor’s appointments, uncertainty, and the emotional weight that comes with a life-changing diagnosis. But it has also taught me something just as important: every day is worth celebrating.

Outside of advocacy, I’m someone who finds joy wherever I can. I absolutely love to dance. I praise dance at my church, and recently I stepped outside my comfort zone by performing with an adult hip-hop dance group for a recital. I’m a Gemini, so I truly enjoy the best of both worlds. I’m just as happy spending a quiet evening at home as I am being “outside” on a Sunday afternoon, people watching and enjoying life. I’m naturally an introvert who loves peace and solitude, but I also have an outgoing side that loves connecting with people, building community, and making others smile.

No matter where life takes me, my goal is always the same: to encourage others, inspire hope, and remind people they don’t have to face life’s hardest battles alone.

How Breast Cancer Became Part of My Story

My connection to breast cancer began through two women I love deeply: my Aunt Linda and my dear friend, Cynthia Johnson.

When my aunt was diagnosed with breast cancer, I didn’t fully understand everything she was experiencing. I couldn’t truly grasp the physical, emotional, and mental challenges that come with a breast cancer diagnosis, and losing her was incredibly difficult.

Years later, Cynthia became actively involved in the breast cancer community, and through supporting her, I began learning so much more. I learned about treatment. I learned what it means to live with metastatic breast cancer. Most importantly, I had the opportunity to show up for her in ways I wasn’t able to for my aunt.

Then I volunteered at the very first Breast Cancer BaddieCon. Listening to survivors and thrivers share their stories changed me. I found myself relating to so many of their experiences. While my diagnosis is different, I understood the uncertainty, the lifelong medical journey, the importance of advocating for yourself, and the challenge of finding hope on difficult days.

Different diagnoses. Shared experiences. That realization inspired me to become an advocate.

Why I Became a Baddie Ambassador

Volunteering at the first BaddieCon showed me the incredible power of community.

I watched women show up for one another with honesty, vulnerability, strength, and love. I realized that advocacy isn’t limited to people who share the same diagnosis. Advocacy is about serving others, using your voice, and helping people feel seen, heard, and supported.

When applications opened for new Breast Cancer Baddie Ambassadors, I didn’t hesitate. I knew this was exactly where I was supposed to be.

Today, I have the privilege of combining my own experience living with chronic illness with my passion for serving women of color affected by breast cancer. It is truly an honor to stand alongside this community and remind every woman that she never has to walk this journey alone.

What My Journey Has Taught Me

One of the greatest lessons I’ve learned is that my diagnosis does not define who I am. I’m still the same girl I’ve always been—I’m simply growing through different experiences.

I’ve also learned that you don’t have to look like what your body is going through. There are difficult days, and I don’t pretend otherwise. But I’ve made the decision not to let my illness steal my joy. Every morning I wake up grateful for another day, another opportunity to love someone, encourage someone, and keep dancing through life.

Being part of the survivor and thriver community has also taught me that resilience isn’t pretending everything is okay.

It’s choosing life anyway.

It’s celebrating small victories.

It’s finding joy in ordinary moments.

It’s continuing to show up, even when life feels uncertain.

What Being a Breast Cancer Baddie Means to Me

Being a Breast Cancer Baddie isn’t defined by a diagnosis.

To me, it’s about courage. It’s about community. It’s about choosing joy in the face of life’s greatest challenges. It’s advocating for yourself while lifting up others. It’s celebrating survivors and thrivers, honoring those we’ve lost, and making sure no one feels alone.

Living with end-stage kidney disease has given me a deep appreciation for the resilience I see every day within this community. Although our diagnoses may be different, our hope, perseverance, faith, and determination are remarkably similar.

Being a Baddie means choosing gratitude over fear, purpose over pity, and joy- even on the hardest days.

To Every Woman of Color Navigating Breast Cancer

If you’re reading this while navigating breast cancer, I want you to know something:

You are not alone.

There is an entire community standing beside you, cheering you on, praying for you, and reminding you of your strength- even when you can’t see it yourself.

Give yourself permission to feel every emotion that comes with this journey. There is no right or wrong way to navigate it.

Lean on your people. Ask for help. Advocate for yourself. Celebrate every small victory.

Most importantly, remember that your diagnosis is only one chapter of your story. It is not your identity.

You are still the incredible woman you’ve always been.

You are simply discovering new parts of yourself along the way.

You are worthy.

You are resilient.

You are beautifully made.

And no matter what this journey looks like, you never have to walk it alone.