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4 days ago | 
blackdoctor.org | Jasmine Smith
For millions facing a colorectal cancer (CRC) diagnosis, treatment is only part of the battle. The emotional weight-fear, loneliness, disrupted relationships, and life-altering physical side effects-often goes unaddressed. According to new data from the Colorectal Cancer Alliance presented at the 2025 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting in Chicago, a staggering 74 percent of CRC patients struggle to find someone who truly understands what they're going through.
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4 days ago | 
blackdoctor.org | Jasmine Smith
Autoimmune diseases are some of the most misdiagnosed and misunderstood diseases out there. An autoimmune disease occurs when the body's immune system mistakenly attacks healthy cells and tissues as if they were foreign invaders. This attack can lead to inflammation and damage to various organs and tissues. Autoimmune disease symptoms vary greatly depending on which part of the body is affected, but some common symptoms include fatigue, joint pain and swelling, skin problems, and recurring fevers.
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5 days ago | 
blackdoctor.org | Jasmine Smith
Melanoma is often thought of as a disease that primarily affects white patients, but that misconception has deadly consequences. While melanoma is less common in Black individuals, Black patients are significantly from it. One of the biggest reasons? Delayed diagnosis. Melanoma is often caught at later stages in Black patients, when it's harder to treat and more likely to be fatal.
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1 week ago | 
blackdoctor.org | Jasmine Smith
Imagine living with painful, boil-like bumps that keep coming back, only to be told for years that it's just acne or an infection. That's the reality for more than three million Americans living with hidradenitis suppurativa, or HS-a chronic, inflammatory skin condition that's as misunderstood as it is painful. For many, the road to diagnosis is long and filled with frustration, but behind every scar is a story of strength.
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1 week ago | 
blackdoctor.org | Jasmine Smith
When Dr. Lauren Powell talks about health equity, it's not just theory-it's lived reality. Her mother's lupus diagnosis during Powell's high school years lit a fire that would guide her career. Now, as the Head of Health Equity in Drug Development at Biogen, Powell is working from the inside to change a system that failed her family. A Daughter's Wake-Up CallPowell didn't discover health disparities in textbooks. She watched them unfold in her own home.
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1 week ago | 
blackdoctor.org | Jasmine Smith
When it comes to women's health, few topics are as deeply personal-or as widely misunderstood-as the hysterectomy. For generations, decisions around this common procedure have often been shrouded in silence, misinformation, and a lack of agency. But a powerful shift is underway. In The Empowered Hysterectomy, Dr. Kameelah Phillips delivers more than a guidebook-she shares a movement rooted in advocacy, education, and profound personal insight.
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1 week ago | 
blackdoctor.org | Jasmine Smith
For Yalmikia Edmonds , hair is more than a profession-it's a mission rooted in empathy, purpose, and transformation. A licensed cosmetologist, certified hair loss practitioner, and inspirational speaker, Edmonds is the founder of Levonye Professionals , where she works with women experiencing alopecia, thinning hair, or seeking preventative care. But what truly sets her apart isn't just technical expertise-it's her unwavering commitment to healing both the scalp and the soul.
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2 weeks ago | 
blackdoctor.org | Jasmine Smith
For many, the path to healing from trauma, sexual assault, and emotional pain begins from the inside out-whether it's the lasting impact of childhood wounds or the silent weight of anxiety. therapy BlackDoctor.org spoke with Dr. La Keita Carter , a Maryland-based psychologist, to explore trauma, the stigma surrounding mental health, and why cultural competence in therapy isn't just beneficial-it's essential. What Trauma Actually IsDr. Carter clarifies that not everything is trauma.
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2 weeks ago | 
blackdoctor.org | Jasmine Smith
Cancer is showing up in younger women-earlier, faster, and often more aggressively. Yet our healthcare system, research priorities, and support structures are still stuck in a model designed for older patients. A recent webinar hosted by leaders at City of Hope, the American Cancer Society, and cancer survivor advocates laid out the reality with blunt urgency: if we don't change the way we screen, diagnose, and treat young women, more will fall through the cracks.
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2 weeks ago | 
blackdoctor.org | Jasmine Smith
When Shaedra Young-Byrd sat down for her traditional seafood night with her daughter, she didn't expect a few bites of crawfish to mark the beginning of a life-changing journey. She noticed a change in her appetite-specifically, a diminished enjoyment of seafood, a longtime favorite shared with her daughter during crawfish season (February to July). "I was only able to eat maybe two or three crawfish. Normally, I can eat up to two pounds by myself," she recalls.
