HER LIFE
CHANGED NOT BECAUSE SHE FELT
That absence of warning nearly proved catastrophic. On admission, her blood pressure measured 170/110, placing her at immediate risk of stroke. “I was a walking time bomb,” she would later say, reflecting on how close she came to a second medical emergency she never anticipated.
The diagnosis was traumatic. Cancer was not part of Grace’s imagined future. Yet even in shock, her instincts turned outward. She thought of her children first. “I had to look at my kids and say, listen, I’ve got to be strong for them,” she recalled. Strength, for Grace, was not denial—it was purpose.
From her hospital bed, she began asking herself a defining question: “How am I going to make this less about me and more about the bigger picture?”
That question became the foundation of her life’s next chapter.
Grace’s cancer journey exposed what she now believes is one of healthcare’s most dangerous blind spots: the assumption that illness announces itself. “I’ve come to realize that many women’s health issues are asymptomatic,” she said. “Look at me—I didn’t even know I had high blood pressure.” Her experience reframed her understanding of prevention, particularly for women and underserved communities.
Originally from
That manuscript became her book, launched during the height of COVID on her birthday, June 21. The story traces her path from the fall in her bathroom through diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship. But Grace knew the message could not live on the page alone.
So she found her voice on camera.
“I love podcasts,” she said, “but sometimes you want to see the person. You want to see their reactions. Make it more lifelike.” Her YouTube talk show became a space where cancer could be discussed without fear, where clinicians and patients met as equals.
Grace’s platform quickly grew into a global forum. She interviewed
oncologists, public-health leaders, genetic specialists, workplace advocates,
and patient navigators from Africa, Europe,
One issue struck particularly close to home. “I suffer from lymphedema because my lymph nodes were removed,” she shared. “This arm is bigger than the other because of fluid retention.” By naming these realities, Grace dismantled the silence surrounding survivorship.
As a Black woman diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer, Grace was also keenly aware of disparity. “This cancer affects women like us in the Black community,” she said. Representation, for her, was not symbolic—it was essential.
That sense of shared humanity drives her advocacy. “You can’t talk about us if we’re not there,” Grace emphasized. She believes patients must be included in conversations that shape research, policy, and care delivery—not spoken about from a distance.
Ten years after her diagnosis, Grace measures impact differently. She no longer chases subscriber counts or likes. “I stopped looking at the metrics,” she admitted. “I just carry on, putting the information out there.” What matters more are the emails—messages from strangers thanking her for clarity, validation, or hope.
Still, the work is demanding. Grace produces her content independently, from research to graphics. “People think I have a team,” she laughed. “No. I do everything myself.” One day, she hopes for sustainable partnerships that allow her advocacy to continue without burnout.
Her vision for the future begins at the community level. “Start with
your neighbor,” she advises. In
Grace B. Charrier’s story is not only about surviving cancer. It is about translating experience into service, silence into dialogue, and fear into leadership. From an unexpected fall to a far-reaching platform, she has turned diagnosis into direction—and given countless others permission to speak.
by GRACE B. CHARRIER (Author)
It is never easy coming to terms with a cancer diagnosis as this experience will shake any one's world to the foundation. The whole essence of this quirky memoir is to put the reader where Grace was on each step of her journey as reading the book is like having a conversation with her, with a great deal of humor to boot!Do follow this gripping cross-Atlantic tale of resilience, inspiration, humor, and perseverance as it documents the strength of the human spirit. (AMAZON LINK)
AFTERMATH:
A CHAMPION REDEFINING CANCER ADVOCACY
By Dr. Robert L. Bard, MD
Grace’s journey as a survivor has evolved into
a global platform for awareness and education. Through her talk show and
outreach work, she brings clinicians, survivors, and advocates into the same
conversation—humanizing medicine while elevating credible information. This is
not just storytelling; it is public health in action. By making difficult
subjects visible—diagnosis, treatment realities, long-term survivorship
challenges—she helps normalize conversations that many patients feel isolated
in navigating alone.
What stands out most is Grace’s commitment to
reach beyond borders and beyond comfort zones. Her mission is global in scope,
and her work reflects an understanding that education is often the first form
of care. For individuals who may lack access to advanced medical systems,
awareness itself becomes a protective tool. By encouraging self-advocacy, early
attention to symptoms, and informed dialogue with clinicians, she equips people
with agency—sometimes before they even realize they need it.
As a physician, I see tremendous value in
voices like Grace’s that help bridge the gap between clinical knowledge and
lived experience. Patients listen differently when they hear from someone who
has walked the path they fear. Survivors who lead with clarity and compassion
become navigators for others, offering perspective when the medical journey
feels overwhelming. Grace’s platform fosters exactly that kind of peer-guided
resilience.
Equally important is her commitment to continued networking and learning. Survivorship does not end with treatment; it expands into a lifelong search for resources, support systems, and evolving solutions. By actively connecting with clinicians, researchers, advocates, and fellow survivors, Grace models a proactive approach to care that benefits her audience and strengthens the ecosystem of support around them.
Grace’s leadership is not rooted in
celebrity—it is rooted in service. Her advocacy turns experience into education
and presence into purpose. For those seeking inspiration to keep fighting, to
ask better questions, or to simply feel less alone, her voice is a steady
reminder that survivorship can become a source of strength for many others who
are still finding their footing.
REPRISED SURVIVOR STORY:
EDUCATING CANCER PATIENTS IS EMPOWERMENT 101
By: Geri Barish, founder of the Hewlett House
I have and always will be someone who pushes for a second opinion. You only have one life... once its cut, burn and slash, its too late to turn back! I have a closet that I call my “Cancer Corner”. It has all my reports-copies of tests-and everything that is about my disease. I tell people what if the Doctor retires or moves or you move or the hospital goes out of business-you don’t have to go through all of this again-they can compare-also we pushed for a federal law a few years ago that the patient can get a copy of his or her pathology report. I will be happy to tell you why we pushed for this and the result. We are awaiting for Chuck Schumer to put on the floor the MCED Bill-which is a blood test for 94 cancers that Medicare and Medicaid have to pay for.
HOW EDUCATION CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE
As advocates, we need to be gentle and precise without instilling fear (there's enough fear-mongering in the "cancer business"). The unknown and the word CANCER is quite chilling. Educating the patient on asking the right questions is first base. I have always told my patients or people who ask me if I made the right decision in picking this hospital or that doctor instead of jumping into the diagnosis immediately. Questioning the first doc(s) and going for a SECOND OPINION is extremely important. When diagnosis first happens, you usually have a little time to make that ultimate decision. I explain that we are all made up of different genes and even though our cancers might have the same name, each person is different. You have to make sure you TRUST your doctor enough to feel that you are in the right hands. The internet can be dangerous as it does not talk to you personally so the cancer you might have looked up is broad and general. Know your history when you are speaking to the Doctor. I try to give as much information on the type of Cancer and research.
I explain Clinical Trials if I see that a patient has been diagnosed with an advanced Cancer. We work with the Key Clubs in Schools on projects to educate on History and Cancer. We try to help the person understand that they would have a copy of everything that is done including x-rays, blood work, scans, mammos this saves time in getting a second opinion so a new doctor can look at what you just have done. Patients are often concerned about insurance issues and are often concerned if they are actually covered for their 2nd or even 3rd opinions. (We found that most can actually be covered, but our work helps the patient get this to happen).
I have aligned with some of the most caring alliances like the WOMEN'S HEALTH COLLABORATIVE and NYCRA’s ULTRASOUND COALITION to extend the reach of my care to everyone diagnosed. As the battle rages on, educating and empowering patients make up a vast majority of the fight. Where something as sensible as getting a SECOND OPINION should be the base action when you get diagnosed, there are still so many out there that are struck with FEAR & DENIAL, or financial struggles... and of course I get involved in those cases also. But if we all joined hands to tackle such obstacles in this CANCER arena, I can see us getting the drop on this disease.
Published by: the AngioMedical Press- distributed by PinkSmartNews, NYCRANEWS, 2ndOpinionScan.com and The Journal of Modern Healing.
