Melanin & Pink Ribbons

On October 1, 2021, I began a journey with little more than desire and a very basic knowledge of what I wanted to accomplish. I taught myself what a blog was, how to write posts, research topics, engage readers, create graphics, and leverage my personal experience as a Black woman surviving breast cancer. I learned social media on the fly, and that is how Melanin & Pink Ribbons was born. I can honestly say God assigned me this mountain to show other Black women that early detection saves lives. He determined I was the vehicle to remind Black women to perform Breast Self Exams. Along the way, my confidence in my ability through Him was strengthened, and he allowed my creativity to flow to raise awareness and inform my community. I purposefully provide bite-sized amounts of information so it’s easy for anyone to understand and hopefully share because readers find value in the message.

I unapologetically serve Black women in this space. I support and want a cure for all women no matter their race, but this blog is dedicated to my community where we are dying 42% more than our Caucasian counterparts. We are diagnosed at a higher rate of 20%-40% with Triple Negative breast cancer than our peers.  These statistics are unacceptable, and the change begins with me.

In the past twelve months 2,537 individuals have visited the blog, a 20.9% increase from the previous year. They visitors hail from 26 countries including United States, Germany, Ireland, Sweden, Canada, Portugal, Philippines, China, Netherlands, India, Pakistan, United Kingdom, Japan, Poland, Australia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Finland, Italy, Nicaragua, Panama, Singapore, Vietnam and South Africa.

Simply put thank you for each post that is read, liked, and shared. Thank you for each comment and each time you engage with the blog on whatever platform you enjoy. I promise to keep writing, keep advocating and sounding the alarm that Black breasts matter. I hope you continue on this journey with  me until  it’s no longer necessary to raise awareness because we have a cure. Until then perform your Breast Self Exams and share to help eradicate breast cancer.

Cynthia Smalls