BIPOC Health Stories

Firsthand stories from Yvette and others navigating healthcare while BIPOC, centered on identity, inequality, and resilience.

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    What People Don’t See: The Daily Realities of Life After a Whipple Procedure

    ByDr. Yvette Colón

    Life after a Whipple procedure isn’t the triumphant finish line people imagine. From the outside, I might look healed—walking into a café, sharing a meal, smiling through a conversation—but what people can’t see are the hidden calculations, the pain that flares without warning, and the work it takes just to digest a simple plate of food. Survival gave me gratitude, but it also reshaped my body and my life in ways that most will never witness. This is the part of the story that stays invisible, and it’s why I’m choosing to bring it into the light.

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    My Pancreatic Cancer Survivor Story: Finding Strength When Doctors Lose Hope

    ByDr. Yvette Colón

    When I was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, I knew the science the prognosis, the treatment options, the odds. What I didn’t know was how it would feel to be met with silence instead of compassion.

    In this story, I share what it’s like to face a devastating diagnosis as both a clinician and a patient and what it taught me about empathy, advocacy, and hope.

    You Know It’s Bad: Finding Strength When the Doctors Don’t Give You Hope is about reclaiming your power when the system forgets your humanity. Because even when the words you need never come, you can still create your own hope.

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    Why Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month Matters

    ByDr. Yvette Colón

    Pancreatic cancer is often called a silent killer, with vague symptoms and one of the lowest survival rates of all cancers. Every November, Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month shines a light on this overlooked disease, pushing for research, equity in care, and earlier detection while honoring patients, survivors, and families.

  • What It’s Like to Navigate Cancer Care as a BIPOC Woman

    ByDr. Yvette Colón

    Being a BIPOC patient shaped how I was treated, heard, and supported. This post explores the intersection of identity and care in the cancer system.