SPEAK UP

Breast cancer survivor Leanne Pero has a powerful message for black women facing treatment

- KATE LOCKETT

Seven years ago, Leanne Pero was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 30. But as she went through months of treatment, she realised she had a second battle on her hands: the prejudices she faced as a black woman.

It led to her setting up the support network Black Women Rising, to advocate for all women of colour going through diagnosis and treatment so they didn’t feel alone, as she had.

Now the group supports hundreds of women across the UK, and South Londoner Leanne is an ambassador for the Estée Lauder Breast Cancer Campaign and has been made an MBE.

She has also contributed to the new book From the Margins by research-based biopharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences, sharing her story to raise awareness of health inequality in the UK.

Here, Leanne tells us about overcoming cultural misconceptions around cancer and life after treatment.

Leanne, what was your experience with breast cancer? 

“I had a lump on my breast, but the doctors told me I was being paranoid because my mum had recently been diagnosed [with breast cancer] for the second time. ‘You’re probably stressed out. You’re way too young. Don’t worry about it, it’s probably hormonal,’ they said.