Newly Diagnosed & Trailblazing: An Interview with Michelle Anderson-Benjamin
Candid and emotional, this interview with Michelle Anderson-Benjamin, who was diagnosed first with early-stage breast cancer during the pandemic and then, soon after completing treatment, with metastatic breast cancer, brings our 3-episode series for those newly diagnosed with MBC into the realm of advocacy.
Michelle shares her experiences as a health care professional who looked around and found that not only were resources lacking, her own doctors couldn't show her how her path might look. This is a candid conversation about seeing shortcomings and taking action to make things better for yourself and for those who come after. For Michelle, that meant incorporating the training from advocacy organizations like For the Breast of Us and Living Beyond Breast Cancer into her own organization, The Fearless Warrior Project.
OMBCL co-hosts Nancy Roylance, Ashley Fernandez, and Martha Carlson sat down with Michelle to learn about her challenges processing and growing through this diagnosis. Her story of resilience and action will resonate and inspire.
Many thanks to Michelle Anderson-Benjamin for sharing her extensive list of resources with us.
Organizations
CancerCare: Professional oncology social workers provide free emotional and practical support for people with cancer, caregivers, loved ones and the bereaved.
Living Beyond Breast Cancer: National nonprofit that connects people with trusted information and a community of support.
Tigerlily Foundation: One of the premier global organizations providing education, awareness, advocacy, empowerment and transformational programs to girls
Metavivor: Non-profit organization dedicated to increasing awareness of advanced breast cancer and equity in research and patient support.
MBC Alliance: Works collaboratively to transform and improve the lives of people living with metastatic breast cancer.
For the Breast of Us: Online breast cancer community for women of color. Our mission is to uplift women of color affected by breast cancer by sharing stories
The Breasties: Supports and improves the experiences of the breast and gynecologic cancer community through peer-to-peer connection, resources, and advocacy.
TOUCH, The Black Breast Cancer Alliance is are on a mission to eradicate Black Breast Cancer! Drives the collaborative efforts of patients, survivors
Sisters Network, Inc: Works to increase local and national attention to the devastating impact that breast cancer has in the African American community.
Fearless Warrior Project: Mission is to empower, inspire, and coach communities of color affected by cancer and to help their families find their superpowers within.
Karen’s Club: Empowers cancer patients of color to pursue clinical trials that can save or extend their lives.
Shades of a Cure: Team of women that are dedicated to awareness, prevention and most importantly finding a cure for ALL types of cancer.
Resources for Financial Assistance for Cancer Patients
Patient Advocate Foundation Co-Pay Relief provides direct payment for co-pays, co-insurance, and deductibles for patients who need financial assistance. 866-512-3861
RxAssist - Patient Assistant Program offers a comprehensive database of these patient assistance programs, as well as practical tools, news and articles so that health care professionals and patients can find the information they need. 401-729-3284
RX Outreach is a nonprofit organization that provides affordable medicines for those who qualify financially. Provides 90-day and 180-day supplies of prescription medications, regardless of the number of pills your doctor prescribes per day for most medications. Help is available to people regardless of age or whether they use another discount medicine or patient assistance program, and even to those who currently have a pharmacy benefit, such as Medicare Part D.
Health Well Foundation provides financial assistance to eligible patients to cover certain out-of-pocket health care costs, including prescription drug coinsurance, copayments, deductibles, and health insurance premiums. HWF is offering financial assistance with copays related to behavioral health care for people with cancer. 800-675-8416
Medicine Assistance Tool gives patients, loved ones, and health care providers a single point of access to hundreds of public and private assistance programs, as well as connecting them with more transparent information about the cost of medicine.
Cost Plus Drug Company offers hundreds of common medications at the lowest possible prices.
Meet the Guest of the Episode
Michelle Anderson-Benjamin, MHA
Michelle is a wife and mother of two from NYC. At the age 36 during the pandemic, Michelle was diagnosed with Stage-1 Triple Negative Breast Cancer and unfortunately at the age of 38 in 2022 her cancer returned and is now Stage IV. After being. diagnosed she realized the lack of representation for women of color in the cancer community and discovered For the Breast of Us on social media. Finally she found a community and became a Baddie Ambassador. She was inspired to turn her pain into her purpose and started The Fearless Warrior Project, LLC in 2021. As a Certified Mental Health Coach and Advocate and Healthcare Administrator her mission is to help individuals address and overcome their emotional and mental traumas and educate communities of color that in order to be a part of change we must be seated at tables where change happens.
Michelle is currently in clinical trial for Stage IV TNBC and empower others about the importance of knowing all options of treatment.
Michelle is superwoman with a Pink Cape!
IG: @meamotorcycle, @fearlesswarriorprojectllc
