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On April 15, 2023, I heard the words that would change my life: “Mallory, you have cancer.”
I was shocked. Me? Cancer? What?
I was in disbelief. I was scared, and I felt a sense of confusion, but for some reason, my faith felt bigger than my fear. I knew that I was in for a fight, and I was ready for it. My name is Mallory Foxx. I’m a mom and wife, and I was the reigning Mrs. Black International Ambassador 2023, and I am a renal cell carcinoma survivor.
When I was first diagnosed with this disease, I didn’t know how to react, but I knew that I was not going to let the diagnosis define who I was. In the US, over 600,000 people live with kidney cancer, according to the American Cancer Society, but it is rare for a healthy woman in her late 30s to have this type of cancer. With modern technology and dynamic breakthroughs when it comes to medicine, the survival rate of this type of cancer has significantly increased.
With the help of my urologist, Dr. Jarrod Brown, and his team at Urology Specialists of the Carolinas, one week after winning the title of Mrs. Black International Ambassador 2023, I was prepared to undergo a successful partial nephrectomy robotic surgery. I am forever grateful to say that I am now officially cancer-free. I am under the watchful eye of my specialist and will be under observation for the next two years.
In the African American community, it’s difficult to realize that making our health a priority is scary simply because of the fear of the unknown. I am so glad I advocated for myself and listened to my body when I knew something was wrong.
I want to challenge our community to take control of their health, even though it can be difficult. Performing preventative screenings and tests and visiting the doctor regularly can improve one’s way of life and treat whatever problem may arise. If I hadn’t listened to my body, I don’t want to think of where my life would be or would have become.
I’m incredibly excited to partner with the Kidney Cancer Association and helping to bring awareness to kidney illnesses and cancers. I want to bring awareness by sharing my story and advocating for the KCA’s mission to serve and empower patients and lead change in the hope of a cure. Hopefully, my story will inspire someone else to take the first step to finding a doctor they trust and listening to their symptoms.
This story appears in cooperation with the Kidney Cancer Association.
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