10 Black Celebrities That Have Come Forward About Their Struggles With Breast Cancer - Page 9

9. Bershan Shaw

Source: Variety / Getty

The Real Housewives of New York City star Bernshan Shaw learned she had breast cancer in 2007 at Stage 1. In 2009, her doctor told her she had Stage 4 and that she only had three months left to live. Shaw would not accept that, and she instead chose to live everyday and embarked on a journey overseas to Africa just to experience the country, the culture and the food. 

Now having survived both breast cancer diagnoses, Shaw chose to use her experience to help people dealing with any kind of mental health issue. In 2020, she launched an app called URAWarrior for people to have a safe space to get mental health services and therapy. She told Black Enterprise, “I didn’t see a safe space online […] where you could get peer-to-peer support. If you would post issues such as drug addiction, dealing with low libido or bankruptcy in a Facebook group, [I noticed] there was a lot of bullying, trolling, and people coming after you.” 

She added, “I wanted to make a cool and hip app that didn’t feel so clinical,” says Shaw. “Most people don’t just run to therapy and it’s been taboo in Black communities forever. We always say, ‘Keep your issues at home, or don’t air your dirty laundry.’ We’ve been living in the shame and embarrassment.”