6: The Stress–Cancer Link: 2-Time Survivor Dee Manuel Cloud on Stress, Survival & Self-Advocacy

On today’s episode of SIS: Sisters In Survivorship, host Caleen Allen sits down with Dee Manuel Cloud, a two-time breast cancer survivor, recovery strategist, and unapologetic truth-teller.

Diagnosed first at 35 (and again at 38), Dee shares how stress, suppressed emotions, and “suffering in silence” shaped her journey as well as how she transformed her pain into purpose. From leaving an unhappy marriage, to walking away from a high-stress job, to embracing her truth as a member of the LGBTQ community, Dee opens up about the life changes that helped her not only survive but thrive.

Now 17 years in remission, Dee calls herself a breast cancer recovery strategist and equips women to prioritize their health, reduce stress, set boundaries, and live authentically. She also speaks powerfully about why Black women must advocate for themselves, how stress and systemic inequities impact survivorship, and why living boldly is the only way forward.

Tune in as this episode is a masterclass in resilience, advocacy, and authenticity.

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KEY POINTS:
[0:00] Introduction
[3:20] Dee’s first breast cancer diagnosis at 35
[6:43] A second diagnosis at 38 and the wake-up call about stress
[8:42] Treatment decisions: from lumpectomy to mastectomy
[12:05] Alopecia, wigs, and navigating hair loss with humor
[15:15] What she wishes she had done differently the first time
[16:14] The cost of silence and suppressed emotions
[17:30] Divorce, career changes, and coming out authentically
[19:52] Survivorship is more than ringing the bell…
[20:58] Becoming a “breast cancer recovery strategist”
[26:50] Why the Strong Black Woman narrative is dangerous
[30:51] What to say to young women newly diagnosed
[39:29] Finding joy and purpose in helping women reduce stress

QUOTES:
"It's easier to live a healthy lifestyle than it is to manage sickness." – Dee Manuel Cloud

"Quality of life is just as important as quantity of life." – Dee Manuel Cloud

"Some gifts come wrapped in sandpaper, right? That's what breast cancer was for me… It taught me authenticity. It taught me vulnerability. It taught me to not live in fear and to go after the life I want instead of the life I thought I was supposed to want." – Dee Manuel Cloud

"We don't rise to the level of our goals, we fall to the system of our strategies." – Dee Manuel Cloud

RESOURCES:

Dee Manuel Cloud
Website - https://www.deemanuelcloud.com/

Website - https://www.sistersnetworkinc.org/
IG -   / sistersnetwork