By theGrio.com
Maimah Karmo, 37, was diagnosed with breast cancer six years ago. With a three-year-old daughter, a fiancé and no family history of breast cancer, it was completely unexpected.
After going through her second round of chemotherapy, Maimah promised God she would live a life of service. Still, there were setbacks. As she told Essence Magazine (LINK: http://www.maimahkarmo.com/Maimah_Essence%20Magazine.pdf), her fiancé ended up leaving her, saying he wanted to “live my life and just be happy.” Her hair started to fall out, and her family worried that her bald head would scare her daughter.
But Karmo survived and created the Tigerlily Foundation, which educates young women about breast cancer. She has appeared on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” and has been featured in numerous publications for her sharing her story of survival.
Maimah Karmo is making history … as an inspirational and outspoken breast cancer survivor who is bringing awareness about the disease to a national level. In 2010, Karmo was appointed to the Federal Advisory Committee On Breast Cancer In Young Women, and the Congressional Black Caucus presented her with the Leadership in Advocacy Award in the same year.
What’s next for Maimah?
Karmo is continuing her advocacy work through the Tigerlily Foundation and continues her journey to becoming, as she puts it, a “fearless” woman.
In her own words …
“I’ve lived more in the past four years than I did the years before, and when I die, I want to know that I made the best use of my ‘after life’ and impacted the lives of as many people as possible,” Karmo said in a biographer on her website.
A little-known fact …
Breast cancer fatality rates have decreased; this may be because of earlier detection, according to the American Cancer Society. There are more than 2.5 million cancer survivors in the U.S.
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