Check Out Marion Kelly’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Marion Kelly. They and their team shared their story with us below:

Michele Halyard, M.D., Radiation Oncologist, and Marion Kelly, Director of the Office of Community & Business Relations, noticed that there was no organization dedicated to supporting black men and women diagnosed with breast cancer or to providing trusted health information and education on breast cancer topics in the Black community.

Dr. Halyard recalls seeing African American breast cancer patients who wanted to talk about their experience with individuals who looked like them and were going through the same disease but didn’t know where to go. Dr. Halyard and Kelly collaborated with the Mayo Clinic, the Phoenix Chapter of the Links, Incorporated, and the Gamma Mu Boule of Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity to solve the problem. They held their inaugural outreach program in 2009, reaching 100 men and women with education on breast cancer screening, diagnosis, treatment, and survivor stories.

It couldn’t stop there, so a gathering of 75 leaders from the African Descendant/Black community was called, and the Coalition of Blacks Against Breast Cancer (CBBC) was established in January 2011 with the help of the Mayo Clinic and several other organizations. After over a decade, CBBC has impacted the lives of hundreds of survivors, caregivers, and supporters in Arizona and across state borders and is now known as the Coalition of Blacks Against Cancer (CBAC).

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about what you do?
The Coalition of Blacks Against Cancer (CBAC) is an Arizona 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to provide high-quality, reliable information and support to Black cancer patients and survivors and educates the Black community about cancer prevention, diagnosis, and screening. Our monthly meetings, community outreach, educational programming, and social media engagement help facilitate and achieve this.

The Coalition of Blacks Against Prostate Cancer (CBPC) and the Coalition of Blacks Against Breast Cancer (CBBC) are CBAC entities that provide resources and support to patients and survivors of breast and prostate cancer, respectively. Both offer a safe environment and a community dedicated to uplifting these individuals and educating the Phoenix metropolitan area’s Black population about screenings, diagnosis, and prevention.

Upcoming Event:
CBAC’s annual fundraiser will occur on September 30, 2023, at 7 p.m. at the Sheraton Downtown Phoenix. We hope you will join us for an evening of live entertainment, dancing, a silent auction, and more! For further information, please visit our website and social media pages.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.coalitionofblacksagainstcancer.org/
• Instagram: @cbbcaz
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cbbcaz/
• Twitter: @cbbcaz