She Was Diagnosed in High School

At 16 years old, Nikia felt something odd in her breast - it was a lump. When her mother took her to the doctor they reassured her that "it was probably nothing," she was so young. But they were wrong. As only a sophomore in high school, Nikia was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer. Before that, her biggest concern was getting a date to the prom. And now, she's lived more of a life with breast cancer than without it.

I had the privilege of hearing Nikia speak in Washington, DC, captivating the audience with her powerful story. She is someone who lived through breast cancer without access to quality health care and now, Nikia is helping to pass it forward.