Simone I. Smith, wife of hip hop legend and actor LL Cool J, has an inspiring story to tell about how she mustered her inner strength to fight bone cancer. And she and her husband are motivating tens of thousands of fans with her punchy viral video that declares “I Beat Cancer Like a Boss.”
LL Cool J, 51, and Simone I. Smith, 49, appear front and center in the newest campaign for the American Cancer Society.
Read More"With the help of ACS and a few friends, this campaign was created to empower women to lean onto their support system and tap into their strength to 'Beat Cancer Like a Boss,' a message I carried with me throughout my journey to recovery," said Smith in a statement.
The American Cancer Society website says that they hope specifically to empower African American communities with the video. “The American Cancer Society is spreading this powerful message to motivate those affected by cancer to keep going. In particular, members of the African American community, which has for decades maintained the highest death rate and lowest survival rate of any racial or ethnic group for most cancers in the United States,” says the website.
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Simone, a jewelry entrepreneur and mother of four, was diagnosed with stage three cancer in 2004. She has rare type of cancer that begins in the bone called chondorosarcoma.
Chondrosarcoma is a cancer that develops from cells that create cartilage. Some chondrosarcoma develops slowly, and can be easily treated, but a stage three diagnosis means that the cancer has metastasized, or spread to nearby parts of the body.
As a result, Simone had to have her right tibia (shin) bone removed, and replaced with the fibula bone from her left leg.
"I have a piece of jewelry, that when it's purchased, proceeds go towards the American Cancer Society," said Smith. "The reason why I did that is because back in 2004, I had a very invasive surgery done because they found a chondrosarcoma tumor in my tibia bone. So I had an invasive surgery called microvasuclar reconstructive surgery, and they had to remove my whole tibia bone and replace it with my fibular bone from my left leg. It took me almost 2 1/2 years to learn how to walk again."
Microvascular surgery is a type of surgery most often performed when reattaching severed fingers, hands and arms to the body. It includes operating on very tiny blood vessels, about 3 to 5 millimeters in diameter using specialized instruments, intense microscopes, and tiny, ultrafine sutures. Using this type of surgery, doctors can reattach bodyparts in a way that allows them to function with the rest of the body.
"I fought through it, so I was a little depressed for like about two weeks but my grandmother called me up and told me, 'you better not be depressed and get prayed up for those doctors who are doing this surgery on you and you're gonna beat this.' So I prayed to God and since then my test results have been great."
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