Dr. Crystal Champion was featured in Essence Magazine! The article is titled “Black Women Facing Cancer Shed the Burden of the Superwoman Cape.” Dr. Champion is a physical therapist specializing in cancer rehabilitation. She was diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer in December 2019. The article highlights the “pressure that many Black women face to take care of everyone but themselves – known as the ‘Superwoman Complex.’ Dr. Champion shared her struggle with mental health during her breast cancer journey. “As a healthcare provider who coached others through their cancer journeys, I never expected to live this reality,” said Champion. “I am a single, Black woman, who prides myself in my independence. It took me a while to accept support outside my immediate family. My mental health was negatively impacted because I did not seek more support earlier.”
The article also features an oncology social worker and a mesothelioma cancer survivor, who along with Dr. Champion, advocate for Black women cancer survivors to seek the help and support they need. Dr. Champion serves as an ambassador for Bristol Myers Squibb’s “Survivorship Today” initiative, which aims to help others gain an understanding of what it’s like to live with cancer. The article can be accessed at https://www.essence.com/health-and-wellness/black-women-facing-cancer-shed-the-burden-of-thesuperwoman-cape/
